What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a complementary medical service. In hypnotherapy, therapy is conducted in a natural trance state called hypnosis.
The word “hypnosis” derives from the Greek god of sleep: Hypnos.
People "under hypnosis" may appear to others as to be asleep, but they are aware of their surroundings and can hear everything that is going on around them. They can think and talk and open their eyes.
Hypnosis creates a state of focused attention and deep relaxation of mind and body.
In hypnotherapy, the therapist creates a state of increased suggestibility. Then the therapist uses positive suggestions and guided imagery to help the client find a healthy way to deal with a variety of issues. Hypnosis is like a natural trance state, just like daydreaming.
As body and mind do not work in isolation, being in a hypnotic state triggers the client’s mental and physical self- healing process that lies in the subconscious.
Anybody can be put into this hypnotic state as anybody is capable of natural trance experiences like daydreaming. However, some people can be hypnotised easier than others.
Psychotic patients, people suffering from
- schizophrenia,
- bipolar conditions,
- manic depression,
- suicidal tendencies,
- people with extremely subnormal intelligence and
- young children are not advised to undergo hypnotherapy.
Hypnotherapy is also contraindicated in some forms of epilepsy.
During hypnosis, the client is conscious and aware but open to suggestions. The client cannot be induced to do anything against his will though. He responds to suggestion freely.
The therapist has many different techniques to induce hypnosis. He speaks in a soothing voice and gets the client to visualise relaxing and monotonous situations. When the client is in a state of very deep relaxation the hypnotherapist may deepen the trance. Then he begins to make positive suggestions. This is a kind of “bug fixing the program” of the client’s mind to help the client to deal with certain feelings differently and more healthily.
Hypnotherapy is particularly useful for overcoming phobias, addictions and unhealthy behaviours like smoking, nail-biting, snoring, teeth grinding, stammering or even sleepwalking. It reduces stress, can alleviate pain and can even be used instead of anaesthetics. Hypnotherapy can alleviate some of the symptoms of allergies, travel sickness and insomnia. And Hypnotherapy can increase and support the healing processes of our body.
Professionally conducted hypnotherapy claims a success rate of around 90% in less than 10 sessions and guarantees an improvement after the first session already.
Most of the people who attended a hypnotherapy session would recommend hypnotherapy to others.