What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis, also referred to as hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is a trance-like state of mind. It is usually achieved with the help of a hypnotherapist and is different from your everyday awareness. When you're under hypnosis:

• Your attention is more focused
• You're deeply relaxed and calm
• You're more open to suggestions, and less critical or disbelieving

The purpose of hypnosis is to help you gain more control over your behavior, emotions or physical well-being.

It's not clear how hypnosis works. Hypnotherapists say that hypnosis creates a state of deep relaxation and quiets the mind. When you're hypnotized, you can concentrate intensely on a specific thought, memory, feeling or sensation while blocking out distractions. You're more open than usual to suggestions, and this can be used to change your behavior and thereby improve your health and well-being.

Who is hypnosis for?

Hypnotherapy has the potential to help relieve the symptoms of a wide variety of diseases and conditions. It can be used independently or along with other treatments. For example, it's one of several relaxation methods for treating chronic pain that has been approved by an independent panel convened by the National Institutes of Health.

According to preliminary studies, hypnotherapy may be used to:

• Change negative behaviors, such as smoking, bed-wetting and overeating
• Reduce or eliminate fears, stress and anxiety
• Treat pain during childbirth and reduce labor time
• Control pain during dental and surgical procedures
• Relieve symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Lower blood pressure
• Control nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy
• Reduce the intensity or frequency of headaches, including migraines
• Treat and ease the symptoms of asthma
• Hasten the healing of some skin diseases, including warts, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis

Although hypnosis may have the potential to help with a wide variety of conditions, it's typically used as one part of a broader treatment plan rather than as a stand-alone therapy. Like any other therapy, hypnosis can be helpful to some people but not to others. It seems to work best when you're highly motivated and your therapist is well trained.

Types of hypnosis

There are a variety of hypnotic techniques. The approach you choose depends on what you want to accomplish as well as your personal preferences. Your hypnotherapist may make a recommendation regarding the best technique for your condition.

For example, in one method a hypnotherapist leads you into hypnosis by talking in a gentle, soothing tone and describing images that create a sense of relaxation, security and well-being. While you're under hypnosis, the hypnotherapist suggests ways for you to achieve specific goals, such as reducing pain or stress or helping to eliminate the cravings associated with smoking cessation.

In another technique, once you're under hypnosis, the hypnotherapist helps stimulate your imagination by suggesting specific mental images for you to visualize. This conscious creation of vivid, meaningful pictures in your mind is called mental imagery, and it's a way to help bring about what you want to achieve. For instance, hypnotherapists can help athletes visualize what they want to accomplish before they perform it physically, such as shooting baskets or hitting a golf ball.

Self-hypnosis is a third technique. A certified hypnotherapist teaches you how to induce a state of hypnosis in yourself. You then use this skill on your own to help yourself.

Although hypnotherapists, like other health care practitioners, each have their own style, expect some common elements:

• A typical session lasts from 30 to 60 minutes.
• The number of sessions can range from one to several.
• You generally bring yourself out of hypnosis at the end of a session.
• You can usually resume your daily activities immediately after a session.

Myths about hypnosis

If you've ever seen hypnotism used as entertainment in a stage act, you've probably witnessed several of the myths about hypnosis in action. Legitimate clinical hypnotherapy practiced by a qualified professional is not the same process as that performed on stage.

Myth: When you're under hypnosis, you surrender your free will.
Reality: Hypnosis is a heightened state of concentration and focused attention. When you're under hypnosis, you don't lose your personality, your free will or your personal strength.

Myth: When you're under hypnosis, the hypnotherapist controls you.
Reality: You do hypnosis voluntarily for yourself. A hypnotherapist only serves as a knowledgeable guide or facilitator.

Myth: Under hypnosis, you lose consciousness and have amnesia.
Reality: A small number of people who go into a very deep hypnotic state experience amnesia. However, most people remember everything that occurred under hypnosis.

Myth: You can be put under hypnosis without your consent.
Reality: Successful hypnosis depends on your willingness to experience it. Even with voluntary participation, not everyone can be led into a hypnotic state.

As a consulting hypnotist, I help my clients inculcate positive thinking and the capacity for self-hypnosis wherein I coach, teach, guide, instruct, or train motivated individuals to achieve their goals.  Hypnotism for the issues related to medical or psychological problems requires a referral from a licensed medical or mental health practitioner.  - Tim Porter

How Can Hypnosis Help You?
By facilitating change, discovering and accessing creative, unlimited potential, by releasing negative or limiting habits, identifying the stressors that trigger negative behavior or feelings. 
 

Facts You Should Know:

• Hypnosis is pleasant state of mind, similar to daydreaming, in which you become very receptive to proper suggestions.
• The effects are feelings of calmness, tranquility and profound relaxation.
• You will not actually be asleep or unconscious.  You will always be aware of your surroundings, but you'll easily disregard the normal elements in the environment.
• You will always remain in control and be able to awaken yourself at any time.
• You will reject any inappropriate suggestions.
• You cannot get stuck in hypnosis.  If you are left alone, the absence of the hypnotist's continued dialog will cause you to come out of it.
• The depths of hypnosis can be divided into three levels: light, medium and deep, and varies with each person.  The lightest level is sufficient to break most habits.  The most important factors are your motivation and ability to accept and follow the suggestions.
• Anyone of average intelligence can achieve a state of hypnosis.  If you can focus your attention and use your imagination, hypnosis will probably occur immediately.  For varying reasons, some people do require some additional time and practice.
• You cannot be hypnotized against your will. If you do not want to experience hypnosis - you won't.
• Because hypnosis is a familiar and natural state of mind some people experiencing hypnosis are not sure if they were hypnotized or not.
• A person that expects to be unconscious might think s/he was not hypnotized because s/he retained awareness of the surroundings.  Hypnosis is a state of heightened awareness and focus - not a loss of consciousness.
• You'll remember your hypnosis session.
• Your attitude about reaching your goal is very important. A good attitude produces good results.
• To achieve the maximum benefit from your hypnosis session, you must be willing to practice self-hypnosis and/or listen to hypnotic CDs you are provided with to reinforce positive suggestion.

Risks of hypnosis

Hypnosis conducted under the care of a trained therapist is considered a safe complementary and alternative medicine treatment. Adverse reactions, such as headache, dizziness and nausea, can happen but are uncommon.

During this interview both written and verbal information about your issues is gathered. Information such as when the issue is a problem, when it is worse or  better, how it affects you, how would you like it to be. 

We'll also explore the possibility that you have come to "change" for someone else.   It's important that you understand that for lasting change to take place your decision to utilize hypnosis must be self-directed.

If you are seeing a consulting hypnotist for the first time, you probably do not know what to expect; and might have misconceptions about the process. For instance, you may feel very relaxed, or you might feel very alert and may question whether you've been hypnotized.  During our pre-induction interview, I will explain how hypnosis is an interactive, cooperative experience., and that we build the hypnotic experience together. (All hypnosis is really self hypnosis).   This is also the time to find out what type of induction will suit you best and what suggestions will be appropriate for you.  We'll establish trust, build rapport, build your sense of positive expectation and correct any misconceptions you have. Each subsequent session begins with an interview to determine your progress and current goals.

SETTING REALISTIC, POSITIVE GOALS
Together, we'll identify a goals that are realistic, believable and achievable.    For instance, rather than "I don't want to be nervous in front of crowds." for your goal...  We would re-phrase the goal to.  "I am calm and confident in front of crowds." 

THE INDUCTION
There are many types of hypnotic inductions.  Over several sessions, inductions can become instantaneous or rapid because positive expectation and post hypnotic suggestions for trance have been established.  However, typical inductions last from 10-20 minutes and might incorporate several induction styles.

Initially, I will choose the method that best suits your personality and needs and program direct suggestions while you are in trance.  During this kind of session a client interacts little, if at all, with the hypnotist. 

Later, interactive hypnosis, (where the hypnotist and the client converse back and forth) may be introduced. Guided imagery, and mental rehearsal is also part of this interactive approach.  All sessions include post-hypnotic suggestions to anchor desired change.

SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGE
Hypnotic suggestion is a rapid yet long lasting way for a client to reframe negative old beliefs and patterns of behavior into new and positive beliefs and behaviors that result in success. 

REVIEW/SUGGESTIONS
The post-hypnotic suggestions are programmed.  A post hypnotic suggestion empowers you by accessing inner resources without the continued need for the hypnotist. 

MENTAL REHEARSAL
Mental rehearsal is simply a way of checking the efficacy of the post-hypnotic suggestions and determining whether or not the processes were completed.  You'll know success has been achieved if you are able to imagine yourself in a situation that previously triggered undesirable responses and  you are now able to invoke the newly anchored positive response. 

EMERGING FROM TRANCE
After "emerging" suggestions are given, you will emerge, remember your session, and feel wonderfully refreshed from the hypnotic experience.

The Code of Ethics

of the National Guild of Hypnotists