any questions?
I am naturally asked many questions about hypnosis and NLP. Performance hypnotists, working either on stage or on television, frequently go out of their way to mislead their respective audiences, and it is therefore hardly surprising that certain misconceptions become entrenched. Whereas this practice may be quite acceptable in terms of creating a compelling show, it is not always helpful when trance is later being used therapeutically. In this section, I cover some important issues, but please feel free to use this contact link to send me any further questions you may have. I will do my best to answer them as well..
can anyone be hypnotised?
There is a small percentage who cannot be hypnotised. However, many experienced clinicians and researchers argue that it is a question of degree, all people CAN be hypnotised but some not very deeply. There are a wide variety of possible reasons that could explain why a Client is less responsive. These include a fear of losing control, an inability to distinguish ambiguous internal states such as tension or relaxation, a fear of impending change and various negative situational factors. Barber’s research suggests that the most consistent and important variables regarding hypnotisability are the Client’s motivation and the Client-Therapist relationship. Indeed it is well documented that a Client is more easily hypnotised when he or she is strongly motivated and has a positive attitude towards hypnosis.
do i hand over control to the therapist?
A client’s fear of losing control is the single greatest obstacle a Hypnotherapist is likely to encounter. Control is the major issue that arises for most Clients, whether or not they have had previous experience with hypnosis. In reality, there is not much difference between hypnosis and the sort of trance-state one experiences when fully engrossed in a novel, a movie or even a piece of music. If, while deep in thought, you either walking or driving, you can often not remember much about the journey itself. Without being aware of the process, you will have narrowed your conscious attention, focussing it purely on inner thoughts. All else will have been excluded. The mundane task of steering the car will therefore have been left to the subconscious, the part of the brain where we store the things we have learned.
Each of us regularly finds ourselves in similar situations, and experience has taught us that the process is a natural one and we have little to fear from it. So, for the above example, say a child unexpectedly runs in front of the car, you would instantly become conscious of the situation around you and almost immediately be in a position to react. That's how it works in trance-state. A Client is able to bring himself out of trance at any time you choose and has the choice of whether to accept or reject any suggestion made. A honest Hypnotherapist will readily confirm that, for various reasons, Clients regularly do reject certain suggestions, which is partly why counselling needs to be such an important part of any treatment plan. Even the induction process requires Client co-operation as there is little chance that a Client will be hypnotised should he actively resist going under. Hypnosis is based on a partnership between the Client and the Hypnotherapist. Visit this link if you would like to know more about my Code of Practice.
if i don't hand over control, how does stage hypnosis work?
Stage hypnosis is probably the biggest culprit in making control the enormous issue it is. The typical viewer has no idea how the Hypnotist can make seemingly normal people do strange and silly things they would not normally do, and assumes that the Hypnotist has some sort of power over them. The Hypnotist can be fairly certain that volunteers at such an event have at least some exhibitionist traits and tend to be fully aware of what they are volunteering for. Much is then to do with the selection process that they are put through. Subjects are chosen after passing certain tests, and are then placed in a small elite group for the performance. Membership of this group is contingent on continued success, and indeed much pressure is placed on these volunteers to succeed. In this context, success is directly proportional to the level of obedience displayed, so the Hypnotist is able to cultivate an almost unquestioning co-operation. There are also other strong factors at play, not least of which are audience pressure and the expectation that the subject will behave in a certain way. (The fairly strong sense of independence it takes not to do so is almost absent in this chosen group.) Added to this is the idea that the subject need not take personal responsibility for his or her actions, and can easily just blame any silly or unusual behaviour on the Hypnotist. Lastly there is the matter of the Subject’s self-image. The smart Hypnotist is able to link positive self-image to the Subject’s compliant performance, and in so doing add even more pressure to this already very strong mix. Throughout the performance, the Subject is nonetheless fully able to either accept or reject any suggestion given to him, but the capacity to reject is rarely used, as it is much easier for him or her to just comply. (Yapko – 2003)
can i get stuck in hypnosis?
In some ways, this is a bit like asking if one can get "stuck" in reading a book. Hypnosis necessarily involves focussed attention, be it inwardly or outwardly directed, and one cannot get "stuck" in concentration. During hypnosis, the Client is at all times in control, and able to initiate or terminate hypnotic sessions as he or she chooses. Perhaps the source of this misconception is that occasionally, at the end of a session, a Client may choose for a while to ignore the direction to "wake-up". Invariably the reason for doing this is not that he or she is "stuck". It may just be that the Client just feels very comfortable in that state or that he or she is still working on completing the experience and getting closure.
what are the characters of the conscious and unconscious minds?
In metaphorical terms, the unconscious mind is a reservoir for all the multidimensional experiences you’ve acquired throughout your lifetime. It not only controls your automatic functioning in countless behaviours each day, but it also holds all your acquired knowledge, both personal and social as well as your historic experiences. It is less rigid and analytical than the conscious mind, being capable of interpreting things symbolically and "reading between the lines". The conscious mind, on the other hand, has the ability to analyse things, to reason and to make judgements as to what is right or wrong. Although the two have different sets of functions, they also share a considerable number between them. The overlap allows them to work together, while the differences can and sometimes do surface in internal conflict.
why is it important to distinguish between the conscious and the unconscious mind?
In clinical hypnosis, we direct and absorb the conscious mind to create a somewhat dissociated condition between it and the unconscious mind. Doing this allows us to elicit responses at an unconscious level. The unconscious mind becomes able to function with a greater degree of autonomy than it does in our usual "waking" state. While you are in hypnosis, your conscious mind will naturally wonder from thought to thought. You may forget some of the suggestions I give you, and even lose track of me and what I’m saying. Nonetheless, you will be able to take in and respond to information at levels outside of your awareness.
what is the relationship between hypnosis and suggestability?
Hypnosis occurs because people are suggestible, and people are suggestible because they are in hypnosis. It is a circular relationship that is both apparent and a little confusing. In clinical hypnosis, suggestibility is your openness to accept new ideas and your willingness to absorb new information or perspectives, usually with the view to decreasing your distress or otherwise altering your experience. Although hypnotherapy is not a magic cure-all, the impressive therapeutic results gained by using it are very well documented and do speak for themselves.
what is secondary gain?
Secondary gain occurs when a client who seeks treatment of some description, finds a benefit in not changing, either on a conscious or an unconscious level. An example of this is a person who enjoys the attention he gets from his disability or illness. Another could be a case where someone who claims to wish to give up smoking is secretly concerned that doing so will rob him of the opportunity to take a break from work several times a day. He might also miss the chance to socialise with other colleagues who smoke together at such times. When undergoing therapy it is important to look out for and deal with any secondary gain issues that may arise, as their existence can have a marked effect on therapeutic results.
is one asleep or unconscious while under hypnosis?
No matter how it may look to an observer, hypnosis is not sleep. Physically, a client often displays minimal activity, muscle relaxation, slow breathing etc, but on a mental level he is often conscious and alert. Even in a deep trance there is always some level of awareness. The source of this misconception is the word "hypnosis" itself. It is derived from the Greek word, "hypnos", the word for sleep and the name of the Greek God of Sleep. Its use was coined in the early nineteenth century and has stuck. Visit this link if you would like to know more about Hypnosis.
can being hypnotised be bad for your health?
Hypnosis is not at all harmful. Under hypnosis, there is a slowing down of physiological functions, such as breathing and heart rate, and typically a client’s body becomes lethargic. Such physical responses are healthy and most effective in reducing stress and discomfort. Until undergoing hypnosis, people frequently don't realise the amount of stress they carry around. Over time, trance-work enables a client to distinguish more clearly between his or her internal states, and gradually develop greater control over his or her degree of tension. Ineffective or inappropriate uses of hypnosis can however cause some difficulties and even do some damage, but this is no different to the practise of any other skill, be it surgery, psychological testing or even cutting hair. It's most important, therefore, to be careful when choosing a hypnotherapist, and to ensure that the one that is selected is at very least a member of an appropriate regulating national professional body. Visit this link if you would like to know more about my Code of Practice.
can you become dependent on a hypnotist?
In the helping professions, people often seek help at a time when they are hurting and vulnerable and come to depend on the clinician to understand, care, comfort and help. Nonetheless, the ultimate goal of responsible treatment must be, whenever possible, to assist each client to establish self-reliance and independence. Hypnotherapy, if properly used, helps a person turn inward and tap into his or her own resources for coping skills, healing, problem solving and personal growth. Visit this link if you would like to know more about my Mission Statement.
can you lose the ability to resist hypnosis?
This misconception is based on the idea that the Hypnotist controls the will of his subject, and that once one is under the Hypnotist’s control, you are forever at his mercy. One of the reasons for this is the stage hypnotist who is seen to plant "triggers" in his subjects. The truth is that the hypnotic process is an interaction based on mutual power, shared to attain some desirable therapeutic outcome. If a client chooses not to go into hypnosis for whatever reason, then he or she will simply resist doing so. Even the most responsive clients can refuse to follow the suggestions of a Hypnotherapist if they choose. If you would like to know more about hypnosis, visit this link.
is it true that only weak-minded people can be hypnotised?
The average man does not understand how a hypnotised person can be in control of himself while demonstrating unusual behaviour under hypnosis. There is a misconception that for a Hypnotist to control someone, the individual concerned must have little or no will of his or her own. Modern scare-stories about evil Hypnotists who control people, play on this misconception. Each person has the capacity for will, but some choose not to exercise it, preferring to give up the responsibility of themselves for others to manage. The ability to be hypnotised is not reliably correlated with specific personality traits, or other factors such as age or gender. It is however a fact that many very intelligent, successful people benefit greatly from hypnosis. Indeed some of the world’s most successful actors, sports personalities and businessmen use it regularly to enhance their performance. Visit this link if you would like to know more about Hypnosis.
can you be made to do something against your will?
The capacity to influence people to act against their will does indeed exist. People can be brainwashed to do things seemingly inconsistent with their beliefs and attitudes and, under certain conditions, it is possible for one person to control another. However, the conditions necessary to achieve such a powerful influence are not part of hypnosis. In the therapeutic sense, hypnosis is based on a partnership between the client and the Hypnotherapist. It is a relationship of mutual responsibility and, during clinical hypnosis, a client always has the choice of whether to accept or reject any suggestion made by the therapist. There are, however, perhaps some other issues that should be considered beyond this somewhat simplistic response. An unskilled or unscrupulous therapist could, for instance, exploit vulnerable clients or produce autogenesis (the cause or aggravation of symptoms by treatment). It is therefore prudent to choose one’s therapist carefully. Visit this link if you would like to know more about my Code of Practice.
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