“Questions are the answer”

What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis for therapeutic benefits. It has been said that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. We experience trance or a hypnotic state every day. Here are some examples of the hypnotic state:

Have you ever had the experience of driving home while being preoccupied by something and suddenly realising that even though you have arrived safely at your destination, you can’t recall driving past familiar landmarks? It’s as if you were on automatic pilot. That’s driving trance.

Have you ever stared into space, thinking of nothing, and been unaware of the passage of time?

Have you ever had the experience of reading a novel or watching a film and being so absorbed that you forgot about your surroundings, almost living the story? That’s TV trance.

What happens in hypnosis?
A Hypnotherapist uses hypnosis to enable the client to achieve a state of mental, physical and emotional relaxation.

When in hypnosis, the conscious mind (Daytime Brain) is bypassed. Hypnosis allows people to tap into the vast amount of information that lies in the subconscious (sometimes referred to as the unconscious) mind and make positive changes to thought patterns, habits or the effects of traumatic incidents that are having a negative impact either mentally or physically.

What does hypnosis feel like?
The feeling when in hypnosis is of being physically and mentally relaxed. It has been likened to the feelings we experience just before waking completely from sleep or just as we drift off to sleep. Some people say it feels like daydreaming. When in hypnosis, people experience a state of complete mental, physical and emotional relaxation. In itself, this is a very healing state.

Dr Milton Erickson, a leading American hypnotherapist, described the process of clinical hypnosis as “a free period in which individuality can flourish”.

Can anyone be hypnotised?
Pretty much anybody – some more easily than others. Like anything else in life, the more people practice self-hypnosis, the more easily they can slip into that wonderful relaxed state. The depth that people reach in hypnosis varies between individuals. It is not necessary to achieve a very deep level of hypnosis to bring about change to habits or conditions that are having a negative impact either mentally or physically.

A common myth about hypnotisability is when a person says, “No one could hypnotise me, and I’m too strong minded”. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. A person goes into hypnosis because they choose to. So strong-minded individuals are really good candidates for hypnosis provided they are committed to wanting it to work for them.

Is hypnosis the same as meditation?
Brain scans of people in a hypnotic state show that brain activation during hypnosis is different from when the brain is in a normal waking state, sleep, or in meditation.
Are abilities enhanced during hypnosis?

Yes, as follows:

  • The ability to IMAGINE
  • The ability to REMEMBER
  • The ability to BE CREATIVE
  • The ability to RESPOND POSITIVELY to suggestion
Would I be asked to do anything against my will?
People will not do or say anything under hypnosis that they would not do when not in hypnosis. While TV shows and stage hypnosis might make it seem that way, you can NOT be hypnotised against your will. The truth is all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.
What is self-hypnosis?
All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The clinical hypnotherapist facilitates the process using a range of techniques, which may differ from client to client. A clinical hypnotherapist can teach you to use self-hypnosis, thereby giving you a life-long skill.
How many sessions will it take?
This is a hard question to answer accurately as every person and every condition is different. It is suggested that you discuss this with your Hypnotherapist either prior to or during your first consultation.
Is a doctor's referral necessary?
A referral is usually not necessary. A medical check is advisable before therapy in cases where the problem may have a predominantly physical cause. Often the Hypnotherapist will work with your Doctor as many problems can best be overcome by a joint effort.
In what areas can hypnotherapy be used?
Hypnotherapy can help with stopping smoking, gaining and maintaining ideal weight, pain management, releasing anxiety, phobias, and alcoholism.

Hypnotherapy has been a great help in improving exam performance, study recall, memory, sports focus, public speaking, personal growth, performance, assertiveness, and even childbirth.

How safe is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a normal, naturally occurring, healthy state of mind. It is totally drug-free. There has never been a single documented case of harm resulting from the use of hypnosis.