Questions about hypnosis and hypnotherapy hypnotism

If you would like to research hypnotism further, I suggest you go to the web site of the National Institutes of Health of the United States (www.nih.gov). Enter the word “hypnosis” in the search box at the top right hand side of the screen and you will get a list of hundreds of recent research articles that have appeared in refereed scientific journals. Clicking on a study will bring up a short abstract of the research findings

How are hypnotists trained?

There are three large hypnotism organizations in the United States, and many smaller ones. The largest organization is the National Guild of Hypnotists, which is also the oldest.

National Guild of Hypnotists certified practitioners undergo a standardized training program, typically delivered by certified faculty at a state-licensed hypnotism school. Upon passing a standard examination a person can be certified as a hypnotist. Many practitioners then undergo an internship or period of mentoring by a senior practitioner.

I enjoy meeting fellow hypnotists and sharing success with them, however, I have met many hypnotists who opened their doors merely from reading a book and wanting to make a lot of money quickly. This is very dangerous as I have worked with clients who have been traumatized by other hypnotists. Make sure you are working with someone who is well-trained, preferably from a qualified and licensed institution, as well as, certified by a known agency like the National Guild of Hypnotists or the International Medical & Dental Hypnosis Association.

You are known for getting results quickly. How do you do that?

First, hypnotism is a short-term intervention. We are usually able to help with a problems quickly as we by-pass the questioning process of the conscious mind - which is where resistance to change tends to be.

Second, other professionals, like psychologists, often need to explore issues beyond those that the client identified as a problem when the client came for help. This is appropriate for psychotherapy, as it normally deals with psychosis, but it is not appropriate for hypnotism, as it is used for people who can take control of their own change. In hypnotism, the center of control must always remain with the client. Therefore, we work on what you came in for, and we stay on target.

What is hypnosis like?

There are different forms of hypnosis therefore I will comment on the type most frequently used. Hypnosis, by definition, is the state of sleep. When hypnosis was first implemented, it was misunderstood. We now know that hypnosis is NOT being asleep. It has been debated that using hypnotism while in the sleep state is less effective. (e.g. listening to a CD while sleeping.)

Most hypnotists will use relaxation techniques to help you relax and move you into a state that is less questioning of the process while hearing metaphors, guided imagery hypnotic and post-hypnotic suggestions. Ms. Hale incorporates this technique as well as NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

All hypnosis is self-hypnosis and it is experienced differently by each client and at each session. It is not something that anyone does "to you," it is something that you give permission to be guided through. You are always in control. My function is being your guide and teaching you tools to use to achieve success with whatever issues you are challenged with.

There is no particular "feeling" of hypnosis. Many people will comment that it is similar to listening to peaceful music on the radio. They become relaxed and focused on the the sounds.

How do I know if I am hypnotizable?

Anyone can be hypnotized, however, not everyone should be. (Those people with sever psychosis and some learning disabilities should seek alternative forms help.) We go in and out of hypnotic states all of the time (e.g. listening to music, watching tv, driving). What drives the hypnosis to take place is the willingness of the person to take responsibility to create change in his/her life.

I would like my husband (or wife) to stop smoking. Can you help?

The motivation to change must come from within the person using hypnotherapy. If you want someone else to change, but that person doesn't really want to, the chances that hypnotherapy will work is greatly reduced.

Can a hypnotized person be made to do something he or she doesn’t want to do?

No. Because hypnosis is not a state of sleep, you are consciously aware of what is being said. Therefore, you remain in control.

As a demonstration of this, reflect that hypnotism has existed as a body of technique for more than 200 years. If it were possible to use hypnotism to make people do things they didn’t want to do, hypnotists would be running the world. The fact that we are not indicates that hypnotism cannot be used for coercive purposes.

What hypnotism can do is enable a person to access motivation to doing what needs to be done in order to achieve a goal. It can help you get out of your own way and become successful, and it can help you stimulate your own natural healing power by soothing away the worries that interfere with that power.

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