What Is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a focused state of awareness where the body is fully relaxed, but the mind is awake. This state allows the hypnotherapist to access your subconscious mind where the positive change and transformation you desire for yourself can start to take place through the use of hypnotic suggestions.

Hypnosis is a completely natural state. In fact, we all go in and out of hypnosis throughout the day. Have you ever been driving and missed your exit on the freeway? Or, been deeply absorbed in a movie and forgot you are actually in a room full of strangers watching a projected image of actors on screen? Perhaps you’ve zoned out and daydreamed while someone was talking to you. All of these are all examples of being in a state of hypnosis.

What Hypnosis is NOT

When most people hear the word “hypnosis” they think of swinging watches and the hypnotists telling someone to bark like a dog or cluck like a chicken on command. While that kind of hypnosis does exist, it is for the sole purposes of entertainment that you would find on the stages of a Las Vegas show.

​This is very different from clinical hypnotherapy. You are completely alert and in full control of your mind and body while in the hypnotic state. You can hear, speak, and even walk around. Your body is relaxed and comfortable. You will never be asked to disclose any secrets or do anything you do not want to do. I use hypnosis is strictly used as a healing tool.

How does hypnotherapy work?

When you are in a hypnotic state, your conscious mind is relaxed. This allows the hypnotherapist to work directly with your subconscious mind. The subconscious mind holds all of our “programming”, much like a computer. You can “know” in your conscious mind that you want to make a change and be determined to make that change, but if your “computer is programmed” to keep doing what you are doing it will be nearly impossible to make lasting change unless you change the programming. That’s precisely what hypnotherapy will accomplish.​ When you change the subconscious programming the behavior follows.

What does hypnosis feel like?

Hypnosis is a very comfortable, peaceful and pleasant feeling. Your body is extremely relaxed but your mind is aware. You will feel a sense of rejuvenation and feel refreshed after a hypnotherapy session.

Will I lose control of myself?

Absolutely not! Hypnotherapy is a way of giving you more control, not less. You cannot be hypnotized unwillingly, and you cannot be prompted to do something that is outside of your moral code or say or reveal anything you do not want to.

What happens in the first hypnotherapy session?

The first session is the longest one at 70-90 minutes and consists of the following 4 main components:

1.In depth consultation to understand what specific challenges you are currently dealing with, what you feel  the blocks are (if known), and what your desired outcome is from our hypnotherapy sessions together.
 
2.Detailed description of how hypnotherapy works in the human mind for your specific issue, and what you should expect to feel and experience while in hypnosis.

3.Suggestibility Testing – In order to best create the most significant and powerful changes in mental programming, it is of the utmost importance to understand how you personally take in suggestions and information. This testing allows us to know exactly what type of hypnotic suggestions can make the most impactful positive changes in your subconscious mind. 

4.The last part of the first session is the hypnotherapy itself in which your subconscious programming will begin to change.