Hypnosis FAQ
What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation and focused concentration. It's sometimes described as a trance-like state. During hypnosis, a trained hypnotist (hypnotherapist) uses verbal cues, repetition, and imagery to guide you into this altered state of consciousness.
Here are some key points about hypnosis:
Deep Relaxation: Like meditation, you'll feel calm and focused.
Increased Suggestibility: You're more open to suggestions aimed at positive change.
Not Mind Control: You remain in control throughout the session and can't be forced to do anything or say against your will.
Altered Awareness: You're more aware of your inner thoughts and feelings but still aware of your surroundings.
Awake: Hypnosis is not like sleep or being anesthetized. People often have regular conscious thoughts but they tend to be less scattered or distracting. Some people can’t even tell the difference between a hypnotic state and regular wakeful awareness.
Theories about Hypnosis: There's ongoing debate about how hypnosis works. Some believe it's an altered state of consciousness, while others see it as a form of focused attention or a collaborative effort between therapist and client. In either case, there is a wealth of long-established evidence-based research to support the efficacy of hypnosis.
Is hypnosis safe?
Generally, hypnosis is safe when done by a qualified and trained hypnotherapist. Here's a breakdown of the safety aspects:
Minimal Risks: When performed correctly, hypnosis has minimal risks. Possible side effects can be mild and temporary, like headache, dizziness, or drowsiness.
Importance of Qualifications: Safety depends on the hypnotist’s expertise. A qualified hypnotherapist will have proper training and understand how to manage any potential concerns.
Not for Everyone: Hypnosis might not be suitable for those with certain mental health conditions like psychosis or dissociative disorders. Before trying hypnosis, discussing your medical history with a doctor or therapist is suggested.
What can hypnosis be used for?
Hypnosis has a range of potential applications. Here's a breakdown of some common uses:
Habit Change and Behaviors:
Smoking Cessation: Studies show hypnosis can be a helpful tool to quit smoking, increasing success rates when combined with other methods.
Weight Management: Hypnosis can help manage weight by addressing underlying emotional factors around food and promoting healthy habits.
Stress and Anxiety Reduction: Hypnosis can induce relaxation and help manage stress and anxiety symptoms.
Pain Management:
Chronic Pain: Hypnosis can be a valuable tool for managing chronic pain by helping individuals focus away from discomfort and promoting relaxation.
Pain During Medical Procedures: Hypnosis can be used to reduce anxiety and pain during medical or dental procedures.
Mental and Emotional Wellbeing:
Elevating old patterns and beliefs stemming from past trauma.
Phobias: Hypnotherapy can help eliminate phobias and is often combined with NLP protocols for this process.
Sleep Improvement: Hypnosis can help with sleep problems by promoting relaxation and addressing underlying causes of sleep disturbances.
Boosting Self-Esteem: Hypnotherapy can be used to improve self-esteem by helping individuals focus on positive qualities and challenge negative self-beliefs.
Other Potential Uses:
Improving Focus and Concentration: Hypnosis helps enhance focus and concentration by reducing distractions and promoting a state of focused attention.
Past Life Regression: This and other spiritually-based exploration is supported by hypnosis.
Does hypnosis work?
Hypnosis requires a willingness to change and participate in the process as well as a skilled practitioner.
Here's a breakdown of the key points:
Promising for Specific Issues: Research suggests hypnosis can be a helpful tool for managing various conditions. It shows promise for:
Smoking Cessation: Studies indicate hypnosis can increase success rates when combined with other smoking cessation methods.
Pain Management: Hypnosis can be effective in managing chronic pain and reducing anxiety associated with medical procedures.
Anxiety and Stress Reduction: Hypnosis can be a valuable tool for relaxation and managing symptoms of anxiety and stress.
Support for wellbeing: Hypnosis has a long history of being used in tandem with other healing modalities, such as therapy. It can ease disruptive emotions, support self-awareness, and improve self-confidence.
Understanding the self: When relaxed, we are primed to allow things to bubble up from the subconscious, such as the root cause of a concern. While more research is needed, there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence supporting hypnosis as a tool for identifying and/or alleviating the root cause of beliefs and behaviors.
How much does hypnosis cost?
The cost of a hypnosis session varies depending on things like the geographic area and the practitioner’s level of experience. A session generally runs between $125 to $350 per session. The number of sessions needed will also impact the total cost. Some hypnotherapists offer discount packages or a sliding scale.
Will insurance pay for hypnosis?
The short answer is no. Certified hypnotists cannot bill insurance for their services; however, a licensed therapist can bill insurance for a typical therapy session. If your licensed therapist offers hypnosis as a modality, then the session is generally covered (assuming the therapist is in-network and your insurance covers therapy).
Can anyone be hypnotized?
The short answer is yes. We all go in and out of different states of trance or focus without realizing it.
Examples of trance or a hypnotic state:
Flow State: Anyone who has been absorbed in a project, book, movie, video game, or the like has probably experienced this state of focus. You tend to lose track of time, feeling that less time has passed. The brain excludes sensory details outside of the project, so you’re started when someone calls your name and is standing next to you; you don’t hear them coming!
Daydreaming: If you’ve been so lost in thought or a daydream that you didn’t feel time passing or you were oblivious to sound or other stimuli around you, you’ve been in hypnosis. This can happen when we’re reimagining a past scene or daydreaming about the future. You might startle when your phone rings or someone taps you on the shoulder because you were lost in your own world of imagination. This is a kind of hypnosis.
Guided Meditation: If you’ve followed along with a live or recorded meditation and felt yourself become relaxed or immersed in the visualizations, you have been in a state of hypnosis.
What does hypnosis feel like?
Hypnosis varies for each person. Some people describe being unaware of their bodies and feel fully immersed in the mental images or experiences, while others remain aware of their body and surroundings. Some people feel very relaxed, while others are less so. Each person is unique in the way they experience this altered state of consciousness.
A majority of people describe feeling awake throughout the process. Conscious cognitive awareness is active during hypnosis.
What if I can’t visualize things very well?
Some people expect a virtual reality-type experience, as often depicted on TV and in movies. That is not the way most people visualize. You may not “see” details in your mind’s eye but feel more of a knowing or experience of it.
For example, you may not be able to picture the details of a forest, but you know what one looks like and can build the inner experience of what it feels like to be in one. Detailed visuals are not necessary for hypnosis to work.
Is hypnosis like mind control?
No. You remain awake and aware throughout the hypnosis process. No one can make you do something you’re not willing to do.
Can I get stuck in hypnosis?
No. Just as you cannot get stuck in a guided meditation, you cannot get stuck in hypnosis.