onetherapy

The term hypnosis is usually spit into two broad groups:

1. Self Hypnosis

2. Hypnotherapy - the 'healing' use of Hypnosis.

Self Hypnosis

Self hypnosis is training the ability to hypnotise yourself! This is great way to help yourself achieve your goals easier and faster than you ever thought possible!

It has been said that all hypnosis is self hypnosis.

Hypnotherapy

Much has been written about hypnotherapy, however it is summarised by the stage hypnotist David Knight as:

"It overthrows the theories of judges and philosophers and shakes the faith of material scientists in their preconceived opinions. It replaces the physician and the surgeon, cures the afflicted and the deformed who they pronounced beyond the hope of recovery. It breaks the chains of demoralising and destructive habits. It comforts the sorrowing and brings peace of mind to those distracted by the perplexities of life. It abolishes periods of time and extents of distance. It makes the lame walk, strengthens the weak and causes the maniac to become as docile as a baby. It cheats the hand of death and snatches almost from the grave the grim destroyer's victims. It loosens the tongue of the stammer, overcomes the self-consciousness of the backward and tempers the impetuosity of the rash enthusiast. To mankind it is a blessing, leading their innermost thoughts to higher and nobler things, developing their powers to plan and to execute and giving them social, financial and intellectual eminence among his fellow men. All this and more is HYPNOTISM."

It is accurate to say that there are many differing fraction of hypnotherapy, however, in the context which in operate, hypnotherapy is used to enable the subconscious mind to speak, without the control of the conscious mind. In other words, we use hypnosis as a tool to change. Hypnosis is not undertaken without stage one of the counselling approach we use, see Egan.

States of hypnosis

There are several different depths of hypnosis to enter - the main states are summarised here:

The waking state (Hypnoidal state)

This is the initial stage of hypnosis that begins the moment you they are asked to close their eye lids together. It is a lovely lazy state that we all drift into prior to sleep or, although fully conscious, just before we wake up. Many volunteers will be in the hypnoidal state, which is enough to react to your suggestions, to let the ego be subdued.

The light trance state (lethargic state)

This is the next level of hypnosis, and in this light trance, as the title suggests, the subjects feel quite lethargic. A flickering of the eyelids is often noticed or a movement of the eyeballs under the lids (known as R.E.M.'s , Rapid Eye Movements). This merely shows that the subject is entering a deeper level of trance. When the subject is in a light trance, it is easy to work with them for the same reasons as when they are in the waking state.

The medium state (Cataleptic trance)

In this state, the person feels detached from their surroundings, be very relaxed and communicative. The subject will still respond well to suggestions. In fact, for information purposes, this is the state of trance you'd want a subject in to make their body rigid and support them like a plank of wood across the back of two chairs. Or to move a blow torch across their arm with no pain as will soon be described.

Practical uses of hypnosis

Hypnotherapy is accepted to benefit the following and more:

unwanted habits - smoking, nail biting, bed wetting, weight control / healthy eating, improve work / study / sporting performance, boost self-confidence and achieving potential, phobias, compulsions, emotional problems, sleep problems, inhibitions, worries, reduce stress, tension and blood pressure, stomach problems, IBS, gynaecological problems - PMT, psychogenic infertility, obstetrics (painless childbirth), skin problems, pain control, minor surgery, dentistry, arthritic pains, aches and pains, some sexual problems.