Doorway To Freedom

Because of its past and its nature hypnosis is still surrounded by an aura of mystery but, to put it simply, hypnosis is only a state of mind relaxation similar to meditation which instead is nowadays widely recognised and well reputable. The main difference between the two disciplines is that whereas the objective of meditation is to clear your mind through silence and deep breathing, in hypnosis you will be guided to imagining situations which will look very real in your mind.

This will feel just like when you are completely absorbed in a book or by a movie and it feels like if you were exactly there in the scene.

This is probably the best example of what hypnosis feels like, and once you are brought back to awareness it will feel like when the movie you were watching is over or when you decide to stop reading your book. You will be you, just like you have always been and with the bonus of feeling relaxed and most probably very surprised at how enjoyable the experience was.

This that I have just described is the traditional kind of hypnotherapy which is used to treat symptoms like bad habits (smoking, nail biting etc…) and which don’t have an emotional cause.

For more deeply rooted issues however there is even more that can be done with hypnosis, and being the cause of these issues buried deep inside your heart, the results will be just like opening a door in to heaven. The course of therapy, called hypno-analysis will be different but nonetheless involving your imagination.

Are there any contraindications and risks with hypnosis?

 Hypnosis, as said, is a natural state of the mind and as such it is fully safe in the practice of a professionally qualified therapist. So far there have been no insurance claims recorded against a hypnotherapist.

How Does Hypnosis work?

As we all know the mind is divided in two. These two distinct parts can roughly be associated with the right and the left hemispheres of the brain. The left part we can say is the conscious mind which is the seat of speech, the ability to make calculations, to make decisions etc. The right hemisphere instead is the seat of imagination and feelings. This is the subconscious mind which controls our heart beat, our breathing our nervous system and all our internal organs; it is the seat of instincts and habits.

What happens in a trance is that the conscious mind relaxes so that the subconscious mind is easily accessible.  In hypnotherapy we aim at relaxing the conscious mind as it is it that prevents the painful material to come to consciousness thus forcing the subconscious to create symptoms as an alternative outlet.

Dealing directly with the subconscious mind is what makes hypnotherapy efficient, in particular when combined with other techniques. In fact, as already mentioned it

Is there scientific evidence behind hypnosis?

In order for something to be scientifically proven the tests results must be objective. Objective means that you get consistent results throughout a number of tests in different environments or involving different kind of test subjects.

Hypnosis is a subjective phenomenon and as such it is difficult to be scientifically proven. In fact the signs of hypnosis and the reactions to it vary from subject to subject. However, hypnosis exists as a state of the mind which is read by an MRI scan and it exists as the effects can be experienced as well as some of them seen externally.

A comparable phenomenon that are not scientifically proven are dreams, on which however nobody would cast any doubt about their existence as they are more often than not experienced by all of us.

Are people aware of what’s going on while in trance?

Most of the times they are, unless they reach a really deep trance, which is usually not required for therapy. However people need not worry if the therapist chosen has the right professional accreditations. In order to ensure you arechoosing the correct therapist, double check the qualification acronyms after their name. Read about the Institute they have studied and practiced with, and you will be able to make a sound decision. Also before going in to therapy request a free introductory session and feel free to avail of a couple of them from different therapists and make your choice on the basis of your feeling at ease with him/her. It is very important that you feel at ease and feel free to ask anything you like as if you decide to take on therapy you must feel safe and secure with this person and the environment.

Can I be made do or say what I don’t want to?

This is a big myth that is part of the surrounding aura of mystery that has dressed up hypnosis for so many years. This image in people’s mind was created by stage hypnotists of the past, however hypnotherapy is very different form that and to make a story short you cannot be made do something against your will and that you do not consider ethical.

Also you do retain your full capacity in hypnosis and you would also be able to lie if you wanted to, or you could just open your eyes get up and go anytime from the practice, so you should feel very safe indeed.

Is there a chance that I might be stuck in trance?

There is no such a thing, as even in the rare possibility of a client not coming back to full awareness when asked, the therapist will

say the words again until the client if fully aware. The reason why some client might need prompting more than once is that they are enjoying that lovely state of relaxation. A client might nod off during trance but again there is no risk of remaining in a trance forever.

Are there any contraindications and risks with hypnosis?

So far there have been no insurance claims recorded against a hypnotherapist and it is

only contraindicated for use with people with certain conditions like mentally disabled, or with personality disorders of a certain degree.

Is Hypnotherapy for me?

Hypnosis is suitable for the majority of us.

With the stress of modern life, always busy and rushing around, hypnosis will help you relax and let all the tension drain out from your body. After any session you will feel rested, refreshed and full of energy, just as ifyour batteries had been fully charged again.

Hypnosis can help you with any symptoms you might have that are caused by physical and psychological stress alike.

Some people have a physical symptom that they have tried to treat for months or even years; they have spent consistent amounts of money to see all sorts of specialists and to buy the drugs, but unfortunately with little or only temporary relief. The reason why is that there is often a partly psychological cause to the symptom and as long as you try and treat it with drugs only it will stay with you together with a burden of chemicals that will most definitely do your body no good either.

If this story sounds familiar, have your GP write a note to confirm that everything possible is medically being done and contact me for a free introductory session.

During this time (30 min-1 hour) you will be able to ask anything you like and you will be able to get all the answers and the information you haven’t already found in here.

Is hypnosis safe for children?

It is. In fact the best subjects for hypnosis are children between the age 7-12. However for younger children there are specific psychotherapy techniques which can be performed without inducing hypnosis and which are very effective nonetheless.

No they are generally fully aware of what is going on and retain full control

I will be made do or say what the therapist wishes

Untrue. As you retain full control and are aware of what is going on you can choose to follow or not the therapist’s instructions. Hypnosis is like a role game where the therapist gives you suggestions and you are expected to follow them for the therapy to take place. However you can choose not to follow the instructions or you could choose to lie if asked a question. The downturn is that the therapy would not take place if you choose not to follow the suggestions given to you, or if you choose to lie the course of therapy would not be as beneficial to you.

Moreover the therapist is expected to conduct him/herself in an ethical manner and give you suggestions exclusively for your own benefit and therefore there should be no reason why you would not want to follow his/her instructions if you really are committed to change.

I will remember nothing after having been in a trance

Generally untrue.  Only if you go in to a very deep trance (somnambulistic) and the therapist gives you suggestions of amnesia (total forgetting) you do not remember about being in a trance. In some cases this is necessary for the therapy to take place. However it can happen even in a light or medium trance that once you are fully aware again you realise you have forgotten some of the details of the talk and this would tend to happen more likely after a lengthy trance, just like you normally would not remember every detail of a lengthy conversation you had with a friend.

I will be rid of my problems after one session of hypnotherapy

In most cases unfortunately not.  Hypnosis is no magic and although you will feel the benefits instantly, it will take some time for the issues to be transformed. However in my profession I am bound by a strict code of ethics which dictates that no course of therapy should take longer than 12-15 sessions which is a guarantee for you that you will not be kept going back for an uncertain and likely infinite number of sessions.

During hypnosis I will remember about a past life

 Only if the technique undertaken is past life regression.

In relation to this technique it must be said that there is no scientific proof that the images recounted are from a past life. You might believe so or not, it is up to you.

The only truth we know about this is that the mind, when in a trance, naturally picks different memories from the past and pastes them in a way that is beneficial to the release of the issue we are working on. It is believed that these memories span from the moment of birth, some believe from the moment of conception and some believe they go even beyond that but it is entirely up to you to believe what and how. Usually people believe what they feel comfortable with, which usually has to do with their own belief system. It is important to point out that a good and ethical therapist should never try to convince you against your own belief system.

People who can be hypnotised are gullible people

They are not. On the contrary, while it is true that in general everyone can be hypnotised, those that respond better are people with a strong active mind, rich in imagination and dexterity.

It can be safely said that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis as even in the therapist’s practice or on a stage show a person chooses to let themselves be hypnotised as per my previous explanation that hypnosis is like a role game.

People who go to a therapist (psychologist, psychotherapist, hypnotherapist etc.) have a mental illness

Untrue. People from all sorts of life may choose to consult a therapist with issues that range from mild (stop smoking, nail biting, concentration difficulty) to severe (alcoholism, abuse, trauma). The reasons why they choose to see a therapist may vary: they may be aware or suspect that their symptoms are psycho-somatic; they may be reluctant to use traditional medical treatments or they may turn to a therapist as a last resource after having treated their symptoms with drugs for a long time and having received little lasting relief. Realising that we may have an issue is the very first step to recovery, no matter how small or big the issue is.

On the other side persons with mental disorders are not suitable for hypnotherapy and need adequate psychiatric treatment.

My brain will be different after hypnosis

True to some extent but in a positive way! When used regularly hypnosis does change the neural patterns in the brain which is what we want to achieve from therapy. Anything that is repeated for at least 21 consecutive days will take root in the sub conscious, which is why we are bombarded with advertising nowadays!

Keeping in mind that an ethical hypnotherapist wants his patient’s best, the changes that will occur in you will only ever be positive. You  will  soon  feel  lighter,  more serene, more relaxed, you will find you are able to concentrate better and ruminate less, you will feel a shift has taken place, for the better!