What is Hypnotherapy?
When people think of hypnosis, they often think of stage hypnosis because that may be their only frame of reference. Stage hypnosis is very fun and entertaining but very different than Hypnosis used for therapy and behavior change.
A stage hypnotist is very skilled at selecting the perfect people for demonstration. This type of hypnosis for entertainment is not used to change patterns of behavior, it is used to create an immediate response or reaction using the most powerful subconscious part of the brain to show the extraordinary power of the mind.
Hypnotherapy is used to harness that power to make positive behavioral changes, or thought pattern changes. Using hypnosis to change a behavioral pattern usually takes more time depending on what that pattern is and why the person developed it.
Hypnosis is defined as a highly suggestible state. Suggestibility is simply the way a person learns and processes information. Hypnosis is a natural state which we all drift in and out of several times a day, and is just your minds way of taking a break, but it is also a time when accelerated learning can happen.
Everyone can be hypnotized because it is a natural state of consciousness. Hypnosis can be used to heal physical and psychological issues, or in conjunction with medical or mental health treatment.
Some people ask, “Can a person be hypnotized against their will?” The answer to that is no. A person cannot be hypnotized if they don’t want to be. There is a surrendering to the process and you must be a willing participant to reach that brainwave state for effective therapy.
Another common question is, “Would a person do or say anything in a hypnotic state that they wouldn’t otherwise?” The answer is no. Being in a hypnotic state does not cause a person to lose control of what they say and do. Unfortunately, Hollywood makes hypnosis appear as a magic spell put upon someone to control them. This is not the case; the therapist gives suggestion in the hypnotic state according to what the client is wanting to change about themselves. When a person is in a hypnotic state, they are still aware of everything that is happening.
If you are curious about how Hypnotherapy can help you, contact Hypnotherapist Lynda Pulford today!