What is hypnotherapy and how does it work?
What is hypnotherapy?
You may not be aware of this, but you will not get exactly the same service from every hypnotherapist if you visit more than one. Hypnotherapy is different with different practitioners and it is worth knowing a little about this if you are looking for someone to support you.
The basics of hypnotherapy are relaxation, metaphor and anchoring and this is how it is most widely taught and practised. When I learned this in my first diploma I felt it was good therapeutic training but did not cover much about the 'hypno' part of hypnotherapy. So When I finished my hypnotherapy and counselling diplomas I went out to learn more about hypnosis.
To fully understand what hypnotherapy is, you need to understand what hypnosis is.
So, what is hypnosis in broad strokes?
Hypnosis is a type of trance state led by the hypnotist.
A trance state is a state of focus – a narrowing of awareness.
Hypnosis is the ability to experience the imagined as real.
Hypnosis is direct communication with the subconscious mind.
By the subconscious mind I mean the less rational part of your mind governed by feelings and imagination.
Effective hypnotherapy should also be all of these things.
How Does Hypnotherapy Work?
Hypnotherapy works by engaging the same processes the mind uses to create problems in order to resolve them.
If the problem is a behavioural habit such as smoking or nail-biting then the mind is narrowing its focus on an imagined need, and the belief that the behaviour is the only way to satisfy that need. While in that trance state of narrowed focus the mind forgets about the all the reasons you do not like that habit until after you've done it when you 'awake' from the trance and remember all those reasons you don't like doing it.
If the problem is emotional then the mind narrows its focus on one story, one perspective, and forgets about all the contradicting evidence in your life until you 'wake up' from that emotional trance and wonder why things felt so bad for that period of time.
Some of these trances can last for minutes and sometimes they last for days. We all do it. We should not stop doing it as many trance states help us do well in life. If these detrimental trances though are taking over your life and stopping you from doing what you want to do then a hypnotherapist might use hypnotherapy to create alternative trances to take over from the detrimental ones to that you stop that habit automatically or so that you focus on things that make you feel better instead of worse.
I am different to the majority of hypnotherapists in Worthing. I will do as I have described above, but I also use hypnosis to show you your mind, to show you how it works when it is working for you and how it is working when it is working against you. I will help you understand your thinking process so that you are not fooled by it in the ways you are now. This engages you in the process of change more and gives you a greater sense of choice when it comes to your thoughts and feelings.