Frequently Asked Questions...
Can I be hypnotised?
The short answer is, yes! Hypnosis is a method of bringing you into a level of trance. Most people move in and out of trance states throughout the day, for example driving, watching a movie, going for a run (so I hear! ) it's when your focus has shifted, some may call it day dreaming or being on automatic pilot. Hypnosis is a guided form of taking you into a trance. There are different levels of trance and some people even have operations without anaesthetic using hypnosis - it's powerful stuff. But really for most people it only matters that you experience some form of trance for your subconscious to welcome in hypnotic suggestion.
Will you make me dance like a chicken?
The short answer to this...well only if you want to! Hypnotherapy is a powerful tool combined with psychotherapy, quite far removed from its more extravagant cousin of stage hypnosis. Our subconscious mind is a powerful tool but imagine if we could truly control people with it. For better or worse the world would be a much different place. Stage hypnosis or even what you see on films (also a huge exaggeration for entertainment purposes) only really works on a select few people...firstly they are in the crowd (so they are generally open to being on stage!) and secondly the hypnotist usually has a person identifying the most suggestible people. (You could argue here those that really wouldn't mind dancing like a chicken...) If that's really not you...there's very little chance you'd be on that stage in the first place. Our subconscious does a pretty good job of taking care of us.
So all in all...huge differences between Clinical Hypnotherapists & Hypnotists...and if you wanted to dance like a chicken - sorry about that - only Hypnotherapy here!
How many sessions do I need?
Generally speaking I aim to work between 8-12 sessions. But it will depend on the condition and I can give you a much better idea after the initial consultation.
Smoking is a 1 x 90 minute session, though if you are really experiencing a lot of pressure in life it may work much better for you to reduce some stress around the time you are embracing a smoke-free life and book in a couple of extra sessions.
Fears & Phobias will depend on the complexity of the phobia. Some phobias we call simple phobias like heights or flying usually take between 3-5 sessions (and are slightly longer in duration normally) Other phobias such as agoraphobia may take a bit longer as the anxiety or fear may have different aspects that need to worked with.
Why does hypnotherapy work so well?
Hypnotherapy is a gentle yet dynamic way to work with the subconscious, reducing stress to change and reinforcing what you are really looking to change. Our subconscious mind is not innovative so it runs on proven programmes. Now, let's say that programme worked at one time. For example, we had to do an exam, driving test, presentation to a group, stand our ground for something we wanted...for most people there would be an element of stress, adrenaline and cortisol. This can be good we are prepared and alert, when it's not good is when it's too much or misplaced.
Our subconscious is only concerned with our safety and survival right now. Not tomorrow or next year, but now. The subconscious may have linked that stress reaction to your survival and next time something similar comes up it runs the same programme...because hey it must have worked - you're still here after all! It might be SUPER careful and say let's ramp up that reaction a little.
Let me share a couple of examples of how the subconscious may pop up blocks to the progress we know on a conscious level we really want. i) Someone with a long-term illness desperately wants to get better, but worries they may have to go back to doing job interviews (the subconscious may say it's not safe to get well) ii) a person want to lose weight but they are nervous of getting back on to the dating scene (the subconscious is stepping in and effectively sabotaging efforts to lose weight to keep you safe).
Change can feel scary for so many reasons and I promise you sometimes we have no idea where it's coming from. Hypnosis calms the over zealous protector of our subconscious and allows us to build faith in ourselves that actually we can have or do the things we want in a calm and confident way.