The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, one of the primary professional organizations in the field, says:
“Hypnosis is a state of inner absorption, concentration, and focused attention”.
Michael Lovitch M.D. of The Hypnosis Network says:
“It is like using a magnifying glass to focus the rays of the sun and make them more powerful. Similarly, when our minds are concentrated and focused, we are able to use our minds more powerfully. Because hypnosis allows people to use more of their potential, learning self-hypnosis is the ultimate act of self-control.
Personally, I like to say is that hypnosis is a tool that lets you talk to yourself and access more of yourself. The therapist is a guide or a facilitator to help you achieve your goal.”
ALL HYPNOSIS IS SELF HYPNOSIS
It has often been stated that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis and is something we all do every day. You have no doubt spent time daydreaming, loosing yourself in your favourite music, book, hobby or TV show. Perhaps you have practised meditation and/or relaxation exercises. These are all forms of an altered state of consciousness and are simply a narrowing of focus or, self-hypnosis.
Hypnosis is a natural state and most people are able to achieve a medium to deep trance state quite easily. In a therapeutic setting, and once the desired outcome has been agreed upon, the clinical hypnotherapist will assist you to become relaxed and comfortable and narrow your focus by using appropriate music and language to assist you to effect the change you desire. In this trance state, your unconscious mind will be freed to take in new directions and suggestions that are congruent with your stated aims and thus effect healing.
A SHORT HISTORY AND USE OF HYPNOSIS
Hypnosis has a long history as evidenced in Sanskrit writings of the use of healing trances in India. Ancient Egyptian papyrus scrolls mention sleeping temples and the use of trance states for healing.
In the 1700s, the Viennese medical doctor, Franz Anton Mesmer who worked in Paris, used what we today would call hypnosis to help his patients.
One of the most respected 20thC practitioners is the late Milton H Erickson M.D. psychiatrist and hypnotherapist. Today, most hypnotherapists have been influenced by his astonishing work, results and teaching and consider themselves to be ‘Ericksonian Hypnotherapists’. It is interesting to note that clinical hypnosis was approved by the American Medical Association in 1958.
THE MISCONCEPTION
Most people have heard of hypnosis and have varying responses, perhaps been slightly mystified but intrigued by it, wondered what it really is, been entertained by stage hypnosis on television but, when considering hypnosis as a form treatment for yourself, that stage hypnosis ‘weirdness’ has maybe sneaked its way into your mind and you have wondered if you would end up clucking like a chicken or hopping like Skippy.I PROMISE THAT YOU WILL NOT QUACK LIKE A DUCK!
THE REALITY
Hypnosis as a form of treatment to help resolve a vast range of issues that beset people is entirely different to stage hypnosis. Stage hypnosis entertains and clinical hypnosis is a powerful tool for healing. As such, it is gaining more and more validity both in the medical and dental professions as well as in the field of psychology.
Increasingly, the power of the unconscious mind is being recognised and utilised via hypnosis to heal many physical and emotional states. Current scientific research almost weekly discovers how amazing the brain really is, how plastic it is and how it is so much more capable of regenerating and forming new neural pathways than was ever considered possible. Hypnosis as a treatment tool compliments these findings admirably.
