Believe it or not, even the experts and those who have been practicing for many years disagree as to what exactly hypnosis is and how it works. I’m not going to go into all the theories; you can find them in google if you really want to do so. However, there is no doubt that it is real, and it can help someone change their life for the better.
Personally, I think like an engineer. It doesn’t matter WHY it works, it just matters that it does work. In practical terms, hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation where you choose to allow your conscious mind take a break, and permit a hypnotist to interact directly with your subconscious. You have two parts of your mind… the conscious, which is analyzing and which values things staying the way they are now, and the subconscious, which specializes in feelings and visuals, and which is open to change. Your conscious mind sees what is, while your subconscious sees what can be.
The best metaphor to me is that your conscious mind values stability, and keeping things the same. And to ensure that things remain the same, it has placed a bouncer between the outside world and the subconscious mind. This bouncer is normally a good thing…. It keeps you from buying something every time you see a commercial and stops you from sending your money to a exiled Nigerian prince.
With Hypnosis, though, you ask your conscious mind to give the bouncer a little time off, and allow a hypnotist to make suggestions to your subconscious. Generally, the words the hypnotist uses invoke visions and feelings, which the subconscious understands so well. Any positive suggestions given, especially those in concert with your reason to visit the hypnotist, are accepted and your mind adjusts to fit them into your future. On the other hand, if you receive a suggestion you don’t agree with, you will automatically reject it.
With that… Let me address some of the most common questions I get about my services…
What will I remember? In general, you will remember about as much of what is said in hypnosis as you would with a regular conversation.
What if I don’t want my hypnotist to know something? Not a problem. Contrary to movie myths, hypnosis does not compel the truth. It is just as easy to lie in a hypnotic state as it is when fully conscious.
Can I get “stuck” in hypnosis? No. While I have never failed to bring a client back from a hypnotic state immediately when hypnosis is complete, the literature mentions that this can happen in very rare cases. If this does happen… you essentially transition into a “normal” sleep and wake up as usual.
Is Hypnosis sleep? Not really. Every person experiences hypnosis differently…. Some feel like they are asleep, others feel like they are wide awake, while somes feel like they just accept everything said. One client tells me that waking from hypnosis makes her feel so relaxed, she feels as if she had just had a deep muscle massage. I have had clients snore during hypnosis, but when questioned, they remembered everything I told them while they were snoring.
Will I be made to bark like a dog? No, that is stage hypnosis. Explaining the difference would take a long time, but it has to do with the intent of the hypnotist and the client. Since neither of our intents have you barking like a dog, it’s not something that will happen.
Is Hypnosis “mind control”? No. You have watched too many movies. A hypnotist is more of a guide than an evil villain in a movie; he can help you reach your goal, not set you on a path to do something you have no wish to do.