Because of sensationalist dramatic depictions of hypnotherapy, it is one of the most intriguing yet misunderstood forms of therapy there is. In order to understand the benefits of hypnotherapy, first you need to understand a little bit about what really happens during a hypnotherapy session.
What Happens During a Hypnotherapy Session?
There is always an element of high drama when a hypnotherapy session is depicted in film. The subject first goes into a deep trance and loses his connection with the external world. He becomes lost in an inner landscape and the only voice he hears is that of the hypnotherapist. He loses his free will and follows the therapist's commands or plunges into a frightening subconscious world and behaves violently. This Hollywood depiction of hypnotherapy couldn't be further from the truth.
A real hypnotherapy session wouldn't make great entertainment, but it can be of great benefit to you. Hypnotherapists use a variety of techniques to induce the "trance" state of hypnosis, but it is not a trance as we commonly understand the word. You do not lose consciousness of your surroundings and you do not surrender your free will to the hypnotist. On the contrary, you are fully aware throughout the session and do not do as the hypnotist commands. In fact, the efficacy of hypnotherapy depends largely on what you want to accomplish. Hypnotherapists often say that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis and that their only role is to facilitate the process of self-hypnosis. If you really want to quit smoking, for instance, a hypnotherapist can help you, even when willpower and other techniques have failed. If you just go to the hypnotherapist because someone else wants you to quit, you are not likely to benefit from it.
How Can Hypnotherapy Benefit Me?
In essence, hypnotherapy bridges the gap between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. Contrary to what we like to believe, there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that we act on the dictates of our subconscious minds more than we do what we consciously want to do. This is fine, as long as the two are in sync. But when you consciously want to lose weight, quit smoking, stop worrying obsessively or stop some other negative behaviour, but just can't seem to do it, that's when hypnotherapy can benefit you.
By quieting the conscious mind and awakening the subconscious mind, a hypnotherapist allows you to neutralise negative subconscious impulses or replace them with positive ones. The range of potential benefits of hypnosis is amazing. Just a few of them include:
- Stress and Anxiety Relief
- Pain Management
- Addiction Treatment
- Relief from Insomnia
- Habit Removal (such as nail biting or hair chewing)
- Overcoming Shyness
- Managing Anger
- Improving Academic or Sports Performance
In a nutshell, hypnotherapy can be of benefit to you if there is an emotional or psychological component to whatever you are seeking therapy for. While you may be physically addicted to cigarettes, for example, hypnotherapy can help you overcome the subconscious, psychological trigger that makes you reach out for another cigarette even when your conscious mind wants you to stop.
Many psychologists and holistic thinkers believe that our dissociation from our subconscious minds is responsible for many if not most of our unwanted behavioural patterns and may even be the underlying cause of many diseases. Hypnotherapy may help re-introduce you to your subconscious mind and enable you to become the master of your fate again, rather than a slave to negative subconscious impulses. As part of a holistic approach to wellness, hypnotherapy can be of enormous benefit.
Find a hypnotherapist in your area.
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