Hypnotherapy
What Is It?
How Does It Work?
What Happens During Treatment?
What Is It Used For?
Side Effects/Cautions
Recommended Books
Recommended CDs
What Is It?
Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis - the inducing of a trance-like state which
enhances the power of suggestion - to treat a range of illnesses, emotional
problems, phobias and addictions.
The use of hypnotic suggestion in healing dates back to the ancient
Egyptians, Greeks and Chinese. Modern hypnotherapy originated in the
18th century, when Austrian physician Franz Anton Mesmer introduced
the concept of “animal magnetism”. Mesmer believed that
imbalances in the body’s magnetic forces caused illness, and
that he could restore this imbalance by transferring magnetism from
his body to the ill. His technique came to be known as “mesmerism”,
from which the word “mesmerise” originated. While his treatments
were said to be effective, they were performed with such theatricality
that Mesmer was widely discredited. During the 19th century, interest
in the power of suggestion for healing purposes was renewed by Scottish
surgeon James Braid, who coined the term “hypnosis” from
the Greek word “hypnos”, meaning sleep.
How Does It
Work?
The mind is divided into two parts: the conscious, which provides awareness
of our thoughts, feelings and actions, and the subconscious, which
holds unexpressed emotions and memories (good and bad) that we are
unaware of, and normally have no control over. The strong connection
between the mind and body means that fears or painful memories which
are hidden in the subconscious can cause physical, mental and emotional
problems. Hypnotherapy aims to reach the level of the subconscious
by inducing a trance-like state, opening the mind to suggestion to
promote positive change.
A hypnotic state or trance is similar to the kind of state we enter
while daydreaming, or when we are completely absorbed in reading a
book or some other activity, and are able to shut out all distractions.
A trance induces deep relaxation while we are still fully aware, allowing
us to focus on problems, pain or memories that are bothering us. A
hypnotherapist can then provide positive suggestion to help create
new ways of thinking and behaving.
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What Happens During
Treatment?
During the first visit your hypnotherapist will discuss with you the
problem/s you want to work on and what you hope to achieve from the
therapy. Hypnotherapy does not work for around 10% of the population
and some hypnotherapists will perform tests which measure your susceptibility
for hypnotic suggestion, to determine whether you are a good candidate
for hypnotherapy.
When therapy begins, you will be made comfortable in a chair or couch,
often in a darkened room with no distractions. The method used to induce
a hypnotic trance varies; your therapist may talk to you in a soft,
soothing voice, suggesting that you are feeling sleepier while slowly
counting backward, or you may be asked to focus on an object or a spot
on the wall until you enter a deeply relaxed state. The time it takes
to enter a hypnotic state varies from person the person. While in this
state, your hypnotherapist will help you to focus on what is bothering
you, sometimes facilitating the resurfacing of deeply buried memories
which may be at the root of your problems. Your therapist will then
introduce positive statements designed to help you change the way you
respond to your problems. For example, if your problem is overeating
unhealthy foods, the statement may be something like “I enjoy
eating healthy foods and only eat as much as my body needs”.
Or you may be asked to visualise your problem in some form, then make
it disappear. Your therapist may also teach you self-hypnosis techniques
to use at any time.
Hypnotherapy sessions last between 60 and 90 minutes. People generally
see their therapist once a week for 5-10 weeks, though long-standing
emotional problems may require a longer period of therapy.
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What Is It Used
For?
Hypnotherapy has been used to help people overcome drug, alcohol and
food addictions, for relaxation in those suffering from stress and
anxiety, for pain relief during childbirth or dental procedures, and
to treat many other ailments such as asthma, allergies, high blood
pressure, morning sickness, arthritis, back pain and insomnia.
Side Effects/Cautions
Hypnosis is not recommended for people suffering from psychosis, or
other severe psychiatric disorders.
Hypnotherapy does not work for everyone, and the outcome of treatment
will depend on the skill of the practitioner.
References
Find
a Hypnotherapist
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Recommended Books
Prices are in US Dollars
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Finding True Magic: Transpersonal Hypnotherapy
/ NLP
Jack Elias
"This is a manual for those wishing to be hypnotherapists
and for those who simply want to explore and understand the
process for their own reasons. The book is divided into six
phases, each of which cover different aspects of therapy,
such as the basics, including induction; regression and past
life; parts therapy; timeline; shame and addictive personalities;
archetypes; the 'Shadow'; and several other topics.
Mr. Elias's approach is to integrate aspects of various approaches
to hypnosis and therapy with spiritual actualization to resolve
issues. This is a practical 'how-to' book, not just another
book of scripts, or theory, or metaphors used by Milton Erickson.
You'll learn more about hypnotherapy from this book than
any other you're likely to find." - A. T. Eagles, hypnotherapist.
Learn
more...
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Effective Self Hypnosis: Pathways to the Unconscious,
Book/Tape Combination
Ernest L. Rossi
Effective Self Hypnosis: Pathways to the Unconscious and
the accompanying audiocassette tape are a comprehensive guide
to the theory and practice of self hypnosis. Beginning with
a history of the phenomenon gives a firm foundation for understanding.
Next, the pillars of hypnosis: the unconscious, mind/body,
and suggestion are the building blocks to develop concepts.
These concepts are presented with exercises for understanding
and easy accessibility. The step-by-step instructions offer
a gradual personal experience to practice self suggestion
and trance phenomena as skills to use. The skills can be
then be applied successfully to help in many areas. The final
section shows how to use this method of self hypnosis to
enhance learning, sports, self control, overcome pain and
fear, quit bad habits, and lessen stress. Creative individualizing
and adapting of the method is encouraged. The companion tape
supplements the book and leads the listener into producing
and working with self hypnosis.
Learn
more...
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Hypnotherapy
Dave Elman
"This book is a classic and the part of this book that
has become the most popular in hypnosis circles so far is
probably the famous Dave Elman Induction, which incorporates
suggestibility tests to ratify the trance state and fractionation
to help the individual enter into a state of deep trance
very rapidly.
Some of the techniques taught are so simple and effective
that there is even a charming example of a little girl who
learned who to use a rapid method of inducing self-hypnosis
to help herself deal successfully with an annoying itch.
The book also covers applications of hypnosis in different
areas of interest to medical doctors and dentists because
it was originally written for them." - Laura De Giorgio
"This book de-mystifies hypnotism and gives real and
workable techniques. A non "airy-fairy" approach
to this art. Each page has valuable, useful information...a
great book." - D. Kramer
Learn
more...
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More
Hypnotherapy Books
Self-hypnosis
Books
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Recommended CDs
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Hypnosis for Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem
Janet I. Decker
The eagle on the cover of this audio CD represents what
this hypnotic audio product can do for you. [Eagle: It's
ability to soar to great heights without so much as a thought
both inspires and encourages.] This Audio CD contains 2 programs.
Program 1: "Hypnosis for Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem".
Verbal step-by-step instructions gently guide the listener
into a hypnotic trance state. Positive suggestions are then
given to the subconscious mind to improve self-confidence
and self-esteem. Program 2: "Relax and be Self-Confident".
Step-by-step instructions guide the listener into a deeply
relaxed trance state. Deep relaxation is extremely beneficial
to mind, body and spirit. Program 2 enhances the effects
of program 1. Program 1 and program 2 may be used independently
of each other. An enclosed booklet describes what hypnosis
is and how best to use this CD to achieve the greatest results.
Effects will vary from person to person. Hypnotherapy is
considered "complimentary medicine" and is not
intended to be used in place of medical or psychiatric care.
Learn
more...
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Appetite Zapper
Wendi Friesen
The Appetite Zapper - What is it? This CD session uses a
unique method of creating an internal (and unconscious) mechanism
that makes food choices for you. Without a thought you will
find that your appetite has changed. One of my clients told
me that she was cutting up vegetables the next day for a
snack. She says she never eats vegetables, but now loves
them. Another client told me that she had a box of chocolates
in front of her and didn't feel like eating them. She called
me to ask if something was wrong with her. I said, well,
tell me how you feel about the chocolates. She said that
she just didn't feel like eating them. Wonderful! You inner
mind is doing just what it should... making it natural and
easy for you to turn down the fatty foods.
Learn
more...
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Allergy Freedom
Wendi Friesen
Nine Sessions on CD Introduction- This track will help you
understand why the immune system responds the way it does,
and what the underlying causes are for allergic responses.
You will learn how hypnosis, NLP, and EFT can permanently
reduce or eliminate your allergies. Allergy Release, condition
and anchoring. You will create a condition in your body that
does not react to allergens. When you create the subconscious
anchors you can access that healthy condition anytime. Disk
of light - An easy process of using a light meditation to
cleanse the body of toxins, and teach the mind to release
the triggers and cellular messages that relate to allergies.
Specific Allergy release - This session is from an NLP trainer,
Robert Dilts. This process will target a specific allergic
response to ONE allergen, and remove the brain's trigger
to this specific substance. In many cases, the reaction to
this one substance is permanently removed in just one session.
You can then do another session, targeting another substance
and eventually remove all of your specific allergens. Holographic
Mind and Body - During this process your mind will integrate
all the functions of the mind and body to create an optimum
state of health. The immune system is creating a balance
state that integrates the functions of mental, physical,
emotional and energetic aspects of the best state for your
body to be healthy and allergy free. Morning Meditation -
Listen to this when you awaken in the morning. Your mind
will hear a slow and easy sunrise meditation that will help
you maintain your healthy balanced state throughout the entire
day. EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique has a profound and
instant effect on allergies. Direct Suggestion - Listen to
this when you are going to sleep at night. Deep Trance Training
- Train your mind to go into trance easily and quickly.
Learn
more...
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