Hypnotherapy

Clinical hypnosis is a natural and powerful therapy that can be applied to create positive change for resolving a variety of problems. Clinical hypnotherapy is totally safe and cannot be used to force any change against someone’s wishes. It will only create the effect that the person undergoing hypnosis allows it to have. This personal control protects each individual, and also ensures that the desired outcome totally matches the client’s needs and wishes.

Hypnotherapy is a proven and lasting tool for change. As well as resolving specific problems, clients learn a number of beneficial techniques to empower themselves in other areas of life.

What can hypnotherapy be used to treat?

Hypnosis is good for conditions with an emotional or psychological component. It can be successful for issues such as phobias, panic attacks, obsessive behaviour, trauma, emotional concerns, lack of motivation, certain allergies, psoriasis, smoking and weight control.

A hypnotherapist can teach you self-regulation skills. For instance, someone with arthritis may be told that they can turn down pain like the volume on a radio. Self-hypnosis can be an effective tool for managing chronic illness, by enhance the sense of control, which is often eroded by chronic illness.

Hypnotherapy is also effective in reducing the fear and anxiety that accompany pain and uncomfortable medical or dental procedures. For example, when used during an operation, hypnosis may improve recovery time and decrease anxiety as well as the pain after surgery. Clinical trials on burns patients suggest that hypnosis decreases pain sufficiently to replace pain medication, and speeds healing. Clinical studies also suggest that it may improve immune function, increase relaxation, decrease stress, and ease feelings of anxiety.

How does hypnosis work?

Hypnotherapy involves teaching the client how to access a state of calm where they remain totally in control, but are able to dip into a world of complete physical and emotional relaxation.

When the client is in this exceptionally relaxed state, positive suggestions, which have been agreed beforehand, are given. These work on the subconscious mind and help steer the client towards a chosen solution by creating the inner motivation to make a change. Because the subconscious mind controls much of the body’s functioning and welfare, it is possible to ‘re-programme’ body systems back towards health.

Hypnosis works because when something new happens to us, we remember it and learn a particular behaviour in response. Our brain stores memories of the original physical and emotional reactions that occurred when the memory was first formed. Each time a similar event occurs, the physical and emotional reactions attached to the memory are repeated.

However, these reactions may be inappropriate or unhealthy. To change this, in some forms of hypnotherapy, the trained therapist guides you to remember the event that led to the first reaction, separate the memory from the learned behaviour, and reconstruct the event with new, healthier associations.

During hypnosis, a person's body relaxes, while their thoughts become more focused and attentive. Like other relaxation techniques, hypnosis decreases blood pressure and heart rate, and alters certain types of brain wave activity. In this relaxed state, a person will feel very at ease physically, yet fully awake mentally, and will be highly responsive to suggestion. So, for example, if you are trying to stop smoking, the therapist may make a suggestion that convinces you to have a strong dislike for the taste of cigarettes.

There are several stages of hypnosis:

·         The process begins with a restatement of the problem

·         The client becomes relaxed, then deeply absorbed in the words or images presented by the hypnotherapist

·         Dissociation – letting go of critical thoughts ­– occurs

·         The client responds whole-heartedly to the hypnotherapist's suggestions

·         The client then returns to normality and reflects on the experience

What happens during a consultation?

During your first visit you will be asked about your medical history and what problem you want to resolve. The hypnotherapist will explain what hypnosis is and how it works. Appropriate and realistic goals will then be established. Once the goals have been agreed, the hypnotherapist will set out with you the various stages that will make up the course of therapy.

You will then be directed through relaxation techniques with a series of mental images and suggestions intended to change your behaviours and alleviate symptoms. For example, someone who suffers from panic attacks may be given the suggestion that, in the future, they will be able to relax at will.

Your hypnotherapy treatment may be combined with other therapeutic or counselling skills, to give a more rounded approach. The hypnotherapist will also teach you the basics of self-hypnosis and give you an audiotape for home use. This will enable you to recreate the feelings you experienced during the session and reinforce the learning by yourself.

Each session lasts about an hour, and most people begin to improve within four to ten sessions. Some cases, such as stopping smoking, may only require a few sessions while more deeply rooted concerns will take longer. Together, you and your hypnotherapist will monitor and evaluate your progress over time.

Children, especially those aged 9–12, often benefit the most from hypnosis because they are easily hypnotised, and tend to respond after only one or two visits.

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All content within is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional.LSCT is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of the LSCT website.Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.
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