Hypnotherapy Program, also referred to as guided hypnosis, it is a form of psychotherapy that uses relaxation, extreme concentration, and intense attention to achieve a heightened state of consciousness or mindfulness. In other words, it places individuals into a trance or altered state of awareness.
Hypnotherapy is clear from the word itself. Hypnotherapy is the practice of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes. In other words, if you are a professional mental health therapist or medical doctor and you’re using hypnosis to help a client overcome a mental or physical condition, you’re practicing hypnotherapy.
Hypnosis is a mental state of highly focused concentration, diminished peripheral awareness, and heightened suggestibility. There are numerous techniques that experts employ for inducing such a state. Capitalizing on the power of suggestion, hypnosis is often used to help people relax, to diminish the sensation of pain, or to facilitate some desired behavioral change.
Hypnosis works best when a person is a willing participant. Some people are more open to hypnotic suggestion than others. Experts call this trait “hypnotizability” and recognize that it can vary greatly among individuals. Even people with high levels of hypnotizability may require multiple hypnosis sessions to see progress.
Hypnosis has been used instead of anesthetics to decrease pain and anxiety before and after surgery. It also seems to boost healing from many conditions. The physiological and neurological changes that occur under hypnosis are similar to the self-healing placebo effect—a case of mind over matter.
The program can be used to treat a wide range of presenting issues including:
- Anxiety or Panic Attacks
- Depression or Postnatal depression
- Marriage, Couple or Relationship Issues
- Alcohol or Drug Addiction
- Cigarette or Smoking Addiction
- Fears: Flying, Spiders, Needles, Heights, Public Speaking
- Low self-confidence or Low self-esteem
- Lack of motivation
- Sleeping problems
- Other Conditions
The program can be used to treat many of the presenting issues and psychological conditions as listed above – particularly when these problem conditions or behaviours are involuntary or are a long-standing issue.
Hypnosis can be used in two ways, as suggestion therapy or for patient analysis.
- Suggestion therapy: The hypnotic state makes the person better able to respond to suggestions. Therefore, hypnotherapy can help some people change certain behaviors, such as stopping smoking or nail biting. It can also help people change perceptions and sensations, and is particularly useful in treating pain.
- Analysis: This approach uses the relaxed state to explore a possible psychological root cause of a disorder or symptom, such as a traumatic past event that a person has hidden in their unconscious memory. Once the trauma is revealed, it can be addressed in psychotherapy.
Medical and mental health practitioners with hypnotherapy training help patients enter this relaxed state in order to assist with psychotherapy, promote stress or pain relief, change unhealthy habits, and reduce recovery time for illnesses and injuries.
During a hypnotherapy session, people are guided through a process to induce a trance-like state that helps them focus their minds, respond more readily to suggestions, and become deeply relaxed. Hypnotherapy utilizes the heightened awareness of the hypnotic state to help you focus on a problem more deeply. Hypnotherapy utilizes techniques including:
- Relaxation: You will be guided by the hypnotherapist to visualize yourself in a state of peacefulness and relaxation, even when confronting a problematic behavior or the object of your fears.
- Suggestion: Your hypnotherapist may make gentle suggestions for behavior changes that can help you conquer your issue. For example, you may be taught to see yourself as a supportive advisor during a phobic reaction, thus learning to trust yourself and your ability to get through the situation.
- Coping skills: You may be taught certain cognitive-behavioral coping skills, such as guided imagery and the STOP! technique, that you can use when confronting fears or anxieties.
- Exploration of past experiences: You may even be encouraged to talk about the first time you experienced the behavior or problem that you are trying to overcome and how you felt at that moment.
Most hypnotherapists utilize a series of calming messages, such as “you are safe” and “no one can harm you” to reassure their clients that during hypnosis they can objectively face their problems without having a panicked reaction.
There are many different reasons why a person might want to try hypnotherapy. Research suggests that some possible applications include:
- Chronic pain conditions
- Dementia symptoms
- Nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy
- Pain during childbirth, dental procedures, or surgery
- Skin conditions, such as psoriasis and warts
- Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Some therapists use hypnosis to recover possibly repressed memories they believe are linked to the person’s mental disorder. However, the quality and reliability of information recalled by the patient under hypnosis is not always reliable.
The therapist in Psychology Brighton will explain the process of hypnosis and review your treatment goals. Then the therapist will typically talk in a gentle, soothing tone and describe images that create a sense of relaxation, security and well-being.
When you’re in a receptive state, our therapist will suggest ways for you to achieve your goals, such as reducing pain or eliminating cravings to smoke. The therapist may also help you visualize vivid, meaningful mental images of yourself accomplishing your goals.
Hypnosis is performed by a licensed or certified mental health professional who is specially trained in this technique. At People Psychology Brighton, there are many experienced psychotherapist with the proper training and etiquette on treating their patients.
So long as the therapist is trained and follows basic ethical norms, hypnotherapy is safe. Some people may feel dizzy or nauseous during or after being hypnotized. People who discuss traumatic memories may be subject to feelings of panic, flashbacks, or general feelings of anxiety, and the clinician or client may elect to discontinue treatment when symptoms are severe.
Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding any mental health symptom or medical condition. Contact People Psychology Brighton to and set your appointment now.