FAQ
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What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a profound healing modality that uses the power of the subconscious mind to transform old limiting beliefs, habits and images that we're stored in our subconscious mind and transforming them into newer & healiter images, habits and beliefs that a person wants for themselves and their lives. Hypnotherapy can be used for almost any area of life that you would like to enhance or transform into something better for yourself. Hypnotherapy is the perfect add on benefit to working with healthcare professionals such as a primary care physician, pain specialist or mental health counselor. In fact studies have shown that adding in hypnotherapy to a treatment plan of any kind can increase your chances of success. Hypnotherapy is a very old and true practice that has been around for an extremely long time. As human beings become more open minded we are finally at the age in humanity where we are discovering more and more of its benefits and implementing them into our lives.
Does hypnosis really work? How does it work?
Yes! Hypnosis is an effective way to create healing and change in our lives. Hypnosis allows us to clear out old beliefs, old ways of seeing ourselves and replace them with new, healthier and happier images and beliefs that move us toward the life we most want for ourselves. All hypnosis is self hypnosis. The power for positive change resides within your own mind. If you choose to accept the suggestions presented in this session, you will rest comfortably knowing that you are the one safely in control of your own positive results.
Can hypnosis help me stop ________?
Yes! Our subconscious is 90% of our mind, and whatever our subconscious believes to be true is acted out in our lives. If your subconscious believes that smoking actually calms you down, than you will be reliant on the cigarette to be calm. If your subconscious believes that the only way to get a break in your day is to smoke a cigarette, then you will find that you crave one when you need a break. Whatever beliefs your subconscious has about smoking, we can clear those out and replace them with images and beliefs that are more accurate and that allow you to be free of cigarettes.
Will this help me get to the "root cause" of a problem?
Yes! This is actually how hypnotherapy works! The root cause of any issue is stored in the subconscious. When we heal or release that root, we’re free to release the problem and create change in our lives.
I saw a stage hypnosis show and it sure looked like the people on stage were under some kind of mind control. What's that about?
No one can be hypnotised against their will and it’s unusual for people to forget what happened under hypnosis. Stage hypnotists know this and employ some clever tricks to ensure that the people who come on stage are open to hypnotism, are ‘suggestible’ and are up for some fun on stage! The hypnotists do this using selection tests. Only audience members who have succumbed to some suggestion the hypnotist has made will volunteer; fewer still will be chosen to go on stage.they don’t have much to do with therapeutic hypnosis.
It’s important for you to know that you won’t do anything you are uncomfortable with, and you won’t accept a suggestion that isn’t right for you. This is one of the reasons I take the time to do an initial consultation with you. The better I understand your goals, and the better I get to know you, the better I can craft a session and suggestions that your subconscious will accept.
A stage hypnotist is trained to look for people in the audience that will be comfortable being the center of attention and making people laugh. I’m trained to listen to the way you speak about your goals and determine the best way to help you achieve them.
I think I'm very analytical, so it'd probably be difficult to hypnotize me, right?
I actually enjoy working with analytical people. I’m pretty analytical myself, so I get how your mind works! My job is to find the best approach to help you into hypnosis, and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the experience! While some analytical people do best with a technique to distract or tire the mind, many actually do very well with a relaxation technique because it feels so nice to let your mind and body relax! Because you are analytical you may have a little more mind chatter – or random thoughts. That is perfectly fine. That is your conscious mind, and since your conscious mind is already convinced to make these changes, I’m not concerned about what it is doing. Just let yourself become aware of the thought, and then let it drift away. Over time, that will happen less and less. I’m very easily hypnotized, but I still get mind chatter from time to time.
What if I can't be hypnotized?
Everyone with normal brain function can be hypnotized. Your mind goes in and out of hypnosis all day, every day. We’re just going to do it intentionally, to create a specific change.
Right now, as we’re chatting you are most likely in Beta brain waves – very alert. You’ve probably had many experiences of sitting in a meeting or classroom and discovering that your mind has wandered. You’ve probably enjoyed daydreaming, too. Those are moments that your brain slips into Alpha brain waves. That is light hypnosis. If you’ve ever gotten lost in a good book or watching a movie or even a fire in a fireplace, and completely lost track of time, then you were in Theta brain waves. This is also that feeling of being almost asleep, but not quite. That is deep hypnosis. And of course, you’ve been asleep, which is Delta brainwaves.
We can get a lot of work done in either Alpha or Theta brain waves. Some hypnosis techniques work best with lighter, mid-level or deep hypnosis. Part of my job is to work with whatever level we achieve today. The most important thing to know is that you cannot do this wrong.
What will I feel? What does it feel like to be hypnotized?
Everyone experiences things in a unique way, but in general you will feel your mind and body relaxing. You may find that your body feels very light, as if you can float. Or you may find that your body feels very deep, as if you are sinking into the chair.
It’s kind of like a tranquil state of daydreaming.
You may find that you are able to clearly focus on each word I say, or you may find yourself drifting deeper and missing out on some of my words.
You may find that you are very visual and you see everything I talk about. Or, you may find that it is more of a sensory experience for you. Or, you may just relax and listen to my voice. The most important thing to know is that you cannot do this wrong.
What should I expect during a session?
Each session is unique. We’ll always start by chatting about how things are going in your life. This is important, as sometimes you’ll have made such progress I’ll want to change my plan for that session!
In some sessions, we’ll work with metaphors and direct suggestions, and you will just rest and relax. In some sessions, I’ll be talking with your subconscious and you will be a more active participant in how the session goes.
How often should the sessions be done? How many sessions do I need?
Everyone is so different, so it can be hard to predict the number of sessions. I suggest you plan for 4-7. We may find that you are done in 3, or that you need 8 or 9.
How long is each session?
My sessions are between 60 - 90 minutes; about half of that time is spent in hypnosis.
Is there a guarantee? How will I know it worked?
I don’t offer a guarantee. Every journey is unique, and together, we will take that journey to completing your goal. You’ll know it has worked when you have achieved the specific goal we’ve set together.
What if I get stuck in hypnosis?
Because brain waves aren’t static, it is impossible to get stuck in any particular set of brain waves. For example, we don’t get stuck in sleep. If I were to stop speaking and leave the room, one of two things would happen. Most likely, after a couple of minutes you would open your eyes and wonder where I went. If you happened to be tired, you might drift into a short nap, and then you would open your eyes and wonder where I went.
Can you help me forget a terrible experience I went through?
Your subconscious will continue to remember the event. What we will do is heal the experience so that the resulting negative feelings or trauma begin to dissipate.
Will I remember what happened during the hypnosis? What if I go to sleep?
Most of the time you will recall what we did in the session. It can be a bit like recalling a dream, so you may wish to bring a journal to write down any important thoughts.
It is possible that you will drift down into deep theta brain waves and not recall everything. If that happens I will be happy to give you an overview.
While it isn’t common for someone to actually fall asleep in my office, it does happen on rare occasions. This is usually because the client is very tired, or perhaps has been sick. More commonly, it feels as though you were asleep because you went deep into theta brain waves. If you open your eyes when I ask you to, or take a deep breath when I ask you to, you are in theta brain waves. If you don’t, even after I prompt you a second or third time, then you may have fallen asleep! Not to worry though, as your subconscious doesn’t go to sleep and continues to get the benefit of the session. I’ll just squeeze your toes and ask you to open your eyes.
What if I recall something in hypnosis that is awful and I hadn’t remembered it before?
This isn’t a particularly common event, but if it does happen it means that your subconscious feels that you are ready to deal with it. And we will do that together. That might mean that we move through what comes up and allow it to be released and healed, or if in that moment you prefer, we can move away from it to something that feels safer. If we move away from it for now, we'll come back to it when you're ready.
Statistics
90.6% Success Rate for Smoking Cessation Using Hypnosis
Of 43 consecutive patients undergoing this treatment protocol, 39 reported remaining abstinent from tobacco use at follow-up (6 months to 3 years post-treatment). This represents a 90.6% success rate using hypnosis.
University of Washington School of Medicine, Depts. of Anesthesiology and Rehabilitation Medicine, Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2001 Jul;49(3):257-66. Barber J.
87% Reported Abstinence From Tobacco Use With Hypnosis
A field study of 93 male and 93 female CMHC outpatients examined the facilitation of smoking cessation by using hypnosis. At 3-month follow-up, 86% of the men and 87% of the women reported continued abstinence from the use of tobacco using hypnosis.
Performance by gender in a stop-smoking program combining hypnosis and aversion. Johnson DL, Karkut RT. Adkar Associates, Inc., Bloomington, Indiana. Psychol Rep. 1994 Oct;75(2):851-7.
PMID: 7862796 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
81% Reported They Had Stopped Smoking After Hypnosis
Thirty smokers enrolled in an HMO were referred by their primary physician for treatment. Twenty-one patients returned after an initial consultation and received hypnosis for smoking cessation. At the end of treatment, 81% of those patients reported that they had stopped smoking, and 48% reported abstinence at 12 months post-treatment.
Texas A&M University, System Health Science Center, College of Medicine, College Station, TX USA. Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2004 Jan;52(1):73-81. Clinical hypnosis for smoking cessation: preliminary results of a three-session intervention. Elkins GR, Rajab MH.
Hypnosis Patients Twice As Likely To Remain Smoke-Free After Two Years
Study of 71 smokers showed that after a two-year follow up, patients that quit with hypnosis were twice as likely to remain smoke-free than those who quit on their own.
Guided health imagery for smoking cessation and long-term abstinence. Wynd, CA. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 2005; 37:3, pages 245-250.
Hypnosis More Effective Than Drug Interventions For Smoking Cessation
Group hypnosis sessions, evaluated at a less effective success rate (22% success) than individualized hypnosis sessions. However, group hypnosis sessions were still demonstrated here as being more effective than drug interventions.
Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus, OH 43210, USA Descriptive outcomes of the American Lung Association of Ohio hypnotherapy smoking cessation program. Ahijevych K, Yerardi R, Nedilsky N.
Hypnosis Most Effective Says Largest Study Ever: 3 Times as Effective as Patch and 15 Times as Effective as Willpower.
Hypnosis is the most effective way of giving up smoking, according to the largest ever scientific comparison of ways of breaking the habit. A meta-analysis, statistically combining results of more than 600 studies of 72,000 people from America and Europe to compare various methods of quitting. On average, hypnosis was over three times as effective as nicotine replacement methods and 15 times as effective as trying to quit alone.
University of Iowa, Journal of Applied Psychology, How One in Five Give Up Smoking. October 1992. (Also New Scientist, October 10, 1992.)
Hypnosis Over 30 Times as Effective for Weight Loss
Investigated the effects of hypnosis in weight loss for 60 females, at least 20% overweight. Treatment included group hypnosis with metaphors for ego-strengthening, decision making and motivation, ideomotor exploration in individual hypnosis, and group hypnosis with maintenance suggestions.
Hypnosis was more effective than a control group: an average of 17 lbs lost by the hypnosis group vs. an average of 0.5 lbs lost by the control group, on follow-up.
Cochrane, Gordon; Friesen, J. (1986). Hypnotherapy in weight loss treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 489-492.
Two Years Later: Hypnosis Subjects Continued To Lose Significant Weight
109 people completed a behavioral treatment for weight management either with or without the addition of hypnosis. At the end of the 9-week program, both interventions resulted in significant weight reduction. At 8-month and 2-year follow-ups, the hypnosis subjects were found to have continued to lose significant weight, while those in the behavioral-treatment-only group showed little further change.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1985)
Hypnosis Subjects Lost More Weight Than 90% of Others and Kept it Off
Researchers analyzed 18 studies comparing a cognitive behavioral therapy such as relaxation training, guided imagery, self monitoring, or goal setting with the same therapy supplemented by hypnosis.
Those who received the hypnosis lost more weight than 90 percent of those not receiving hypnosis and maintained the weight loss two years after treatment ended.
University of Connecticut, Storrs Allison DB, Faith MS. Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for obesity: a meta-analytic reappraisal. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1996;64(3):513-516.
Hypnosis More Than Doubled Average Weight Loss
Study of the effect of adding hypnosis to cognitive-behavioral treatments for weight reduction, additional data were obtained from authors of two studies. Analyses indicated that the benefits of hypnosis increased substantially over time.
Kirsch, Irving (1996). Hypnotic enhancement of cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments-- Another meta-reanalysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64 (3), 517-519.
Hypnosis Showed Significantly Lower Post-Treatment Weights
Two studies compared overweight smoking and non-smoking adult women in an hypnosis-based, weight-loss program. Both achieved significant weight losses and decreases in Body Mass Index. Follow-up study replicated significant weight losses and declines in Body Mass Index. The overt aversion and hypnosis program yielded significantly lower post-treatment weights and a greater average number of pounds lost.
Weight loss for women: studies of smokers and nonsmokers using hypnosis and multi-component treatments with and without overt aversion. Johnson DL, Psychology Reprints. 1997 Jun;80(3 Pt 1):931-3.
Hypnotherapy group with stress reduction achieved significantly more weight loss than the other two treatments.
Randomised, controlled, parallel study of two forms of hypnotherapy (directed at stress reduction or energy intake reduction), vs dietary advice alone in 60 obese patients with obstructive sleep apnoea on nasal continuous positive airway pressure treatment.
J Stradling, D Roberts, A Wilson and F Lovelock, Chest Unit, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7LJ, UK
Hypnosis can more than double the effects of traditional weight loss approaches
An analysis of five weight loss studies reported in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 1996 showed that the “… weight loss reported in the five studies indicates that hypnosis can more than double the effects” of traditional weight loss approaches.
University of Connecticut, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 1996 (Vol. 64, No. 3, pgs 517-519).
Weight loss is greater where hypnosis is utilized
Research into cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments established that weight loss is greater where hypnosis is utilized. It was also established that the benefits of hypnosis increase over time.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1996)
Showed Hypnosis As “An Effective Way To Lose Weight”
A study of 60 females who were at least 20% overweight and not involved in other treatment showed hypnosis is an effective way to lose weight.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1986)
Hypnosis Reduces Frequency and Intensity of Migraines
Compared the treatment of migraine by hypnosis and autohypnosis with the treatment of migraine by the drug prochlorperazine (Stemetil).
Results show that the number of attacks and the number of people who suffered blinding attacks were significantly lower for the group receiving hypnotherapy than for the group receiving prochlorperazine. For the group on hypnotherapy, these two measures were significantly lower when on hypnotherapy than when on the previous treatment. It is concluded that further trials of hypnotherapy are justified against some other treatment not solely associated with the ingestion of tablets.
Anderson JA, Basker MA, Dalton R, Migraine and hypnotherapy, International Journal of Clinical & Experimental Hypnosis 1975; 23(1): 48-58.
Hypnosis Reduces Pain and Speeds up Recovery from Surgery
Since 1992, we have used hypnosis routinely in more than 1400 patients undergoing surgery. We found that hypnosis used with patients as an adjunct to conscious sedation and local anesthesia was associated with improved intraoperative patient comfort, and with reduced anxiety, pain, intraoperative requirements for anxiolytic and analgesic drugs, optimal surgical conditions and a faster recovery of the patient. We reported our clinical experience and our fundamental research.
[Hypnosis and its application in surgery] Faymonville ME, Defechereux T, Joris J, Adant JP, Hamoir E, Meurisse M, Service d'Anesthesie-Reanimation, Universite de Liege, Rev Med Liege. 1998 Jul;53(7):414-8.
Hypnosis Reduces Pain Intensity
Analysis of the simple-simple main effects, holding both group and condition constant, revealed that application of hypnotic analgesia reduced report of pain intensity significantly more than report of pain unpleasantness.
Dahlgren LA, Kurtz RM, Strube MJ, Malone MD, Differential effects of hypnotic suggestion on multiple dimensions of pain. Journal of Pain & Symptom Management. 1995; 10(6): 464-70.
Hypnosis Reduces Pain of Headaches and Anxiety
The improvement was confirmed by the subjective evaluation data gathered with the use of a questionnaire and by a significant reduction in anxiety scores.
Melis PM, Rooimans W, Spierings EL, Hoogduin CA, Treatment of chronic tension-type headache with hypnotherapy: a single-blind time controlled study. Headache 1991; 31(10): 686-9.
Hypnosis Lowered Post-treatment Pain in Burn Injuries
Patients in the hypnosis group reported less post treatment pain than did patients in the control group. The findings are used to replicate earlier studies of burn pain hypnoanalgesia, explain discrepancies in the literature, and highlight the potential importance of motivation with this population.
Patterson DR, Ptacek JT, Baseline pain as a moderator of hypnotic analgesia for burn injury treatment. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology 1997; 65(1): 60-7.
Hypnosis Lowered Phantom Limb Pain
Hypnotic procedures appear to be a useful adjunct to established strategies for the treatment of phantom limb pain and would repay further, more systematic, investigation. Suggestions are provided as to the factors which should be considered for a more systematic research program.
Treatment of phantom limb pain using hypnotic imagery. Oakley DA, Whitman LG, Halligan PW, Department of Psychology, University College, London, UK.
Hypnosis Has a Reliable and Significant Impact on Acute and Chronic Pain
Hypnosis has been demonstrated to reduce analogue pain, and studies on the mechanisms of laboratory pain reduction have provided useful applications to clinical populations. Studies showing central nervous system activity during hypnotic procedures offer preliminary information concerning possible physiological mechanisms of hypnotic analgesia. Randomized controlled studies with clinical populations indicate that hypnosis has a reliable and significant impact on acute procedural pain and chronic pain conditions. Methodological issues of this body of research are discussed, as are methods to better integrate hypnosis into comprehensive pain treatment.
Hypnosis and clinical pain. Patterson DR, Jensen MP, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA USA 98104 Psychol Bull. 2003 Jul;129(4):495-521.
Hypnosis is a Powerful Tool in Pain Therapy and is Biological in Addiction to Psychological
Attempting to elucidate cerebral mechanisms behind hypnotic analgesia, we measured regional cerebral blood flow with positron emission tomography in patients with fibromyalgia, during hypnotically-induced analgesia and resting wakefulness. The patients experienced less pain during hypnosis than at rest. The cerebral blood-flow was bilaterally increased in the orbitofrontal and subcallosial cingulate cortices, the right thalamus, and the left inferior parietal cortex, and was decreased bilaterally in the cingulate cortex. The observed blood-flow pattern supports notions of a multifactorial nature of hypnotic analgesia, with an interplay between cortical and subcortical brain dynamics. Copyright 1999 European Federation of Chapters of the International Association for the Study of Pain.
Functional anatomy of hypnotic analgesia: a PET study of patients with fibromyalgia. Wik G, Fischer H, Bragee B, Finer B, Fredrikson M, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Karolinska Institute and Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden Eur J Pain. 1999 Mar;3(1):7-12.
Hypnosis Useful in Hospital Emergency Rooms
Hypnosis can be a useful adjunct in the emergency department setting. Its efficacy in various clinical applications has been replicated in controlled studies. Application to burns, pain, pediatric procedures, surgery, psychiatric presentations (e.g., coma, somatoform disorder, anxiety, and post traumatic stress), and obstetric situations (e.g., hyperemesis, labor, and delivery) are described.
Significantly More Methadone Addicts Quit with Hypnosis. 94% Remained Narcotic Free
Significant differences were found on all measures. The experimental group had significantly less discomfort and illicit drug use, and a significantly greater amount of cessation. At six month follow up, 94% of the subjects in the experimental group who had achieved cessation remained narcotic free.
A comparative study of hypnotherapy and psychotherapy in the treatment of methadone addicts. Manganiello AJ, American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 1984; 26(4): 273-9.
Hypnosis Shows 77 Percent Success Rate for Drug Addiction
Treatment has been used with 18 clients over the last 7 years and has shown a 77 percent success rate for at least a 1-year follow-up. 15 were being seen for alcoholism or alcohol abuse, 2 clients were being seen for cocaine addiction, and 1 client had a marijuana addiction
Intensive Therapy: Utilizing Hypnosis in the Treatment of Substance Abuse Disorders. Potter, Greg, American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, Jul 2004.
Raised Self-esteem & Serenity. Lowered Impulsivity and Anger
In a research study on self-hypnosis for relapse prevention training with chronic drug/alcohol users. Participants were 261 veterans admitted to Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs (SARRTPs). individuals who used repeated self-hypnosis “at least 3 to 5 times a week,” at 7-week follow-up, reported the highest levels of self-esteem and serenity, and the least anger/impulsivity, in comparison to the minimal-practice and control groups.
American Journal of Clinical Hypnotherapy a publication of the American Psychological Association) 2004 Apr;46(4):281-97)
Hypnosis For Cocaine Addiction Documented Case Study
Hypnosis was successfully used to overcome a $500 (five grams) per day cocaine addiction. The subject was a female in her twenties. After approximately 8 months of addiction, she decided to use hypnosis in an attempt to overcome the addiction itself. Over the next 4 months, she used hypnosis three times a day and at the end of this period, her addiction was broken, and she has been drug free for the past 9 years. Hypnosis was the only intervention, and no support network of any kind was available.
The use of hypnosis in cocaine addiction. Page RA, Handley GW, Ohio State University, Lima, OH USA 45804. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis,
1993 Oct;36(2):120-3.
Healed 41% faster from fracture
Healed significantly faster from surgery
Two studies from Harvard Medical School show hypnosis significantly reduces the time it takes to heal.
Study One: Six weeks after an ankle fracture, those in the hypnosis group showed the equivalent of eight and a half weeks of healing.
Study Two: Three groups of people studied after breast reduction surgery. Hypnosis group healed “significantly faster” than supportive attention group and control group.
Harvard Medical School, Carol Ginandes and Union Institute in Cincinnati, Patricia Brooks, Harvard University Gazette Online at http://www.hno.harvard.edu/gazette/2003/05.08/01-hypnosis.html.