With the skillful guidance of a personal hypnotherapist, let go of everything that is not you.
In hypnosis discover and nurture the uncluttered you.
"One of the interesting ironies about hypnosis is that old fantasy that it takes away control," says Dr. David Spiegel, a leading hypnotherapy expert and the Associate Chair of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine. "It's actually a way of enhancing people's control, of teaching them how to control aspects of their body's function and sensation that they thought they couldn't."
How does hypnotherapy work?
During hypnosis, the hypnotherapist guides you to adopt changes you want, but even with all your willpower (conscious mind), you have not been able to achieve. Working from willpower works until you are tired or stressed, then the old behavior emerges. To use an example from Dick Sutphan, relying on willpower is like trying to hold down a raft, you can do it for a while but eventually you'll tire, the raft will float up, and often that happens at an inopportune time. In hypnosis you access your subconscious thoughts and emotions so the negative thoughts and feelings that surround what you desire to break free from are released. Then, while still in hypnosis, you experience yourself as you desire to be, fully and completely. Finally, positive suggestions that support your changed outlook, emotions, and choices are made. Because of your heightened levels of self awareness and control while in hypnosis these suggestions go directly into your subconscious. This makes new healthy thoughts, emotions, and behaviors feel natural and familiar sooner.
What is the difference between the conscious and subconscious mind?
A very broad way to explain the difference between the conscious and subconscious mind is that the subconscious is the part of the brain that functions in a more automatic way. I like this example Don Mottin, a very gifted hypnotherapist, gives:
DO THIS LITTLE GAME. First, say the alphabet out loud. Try it. Notice how fast it comes out. This is the subconscious at work.
Now, I am going to make it easier for you. I am going to diminish your task. You only have to say every other letter!! Do it.
Unless you have done this many times before, your conscious mind had to do the work; you had to think of what you were saying.
What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is the power of YOUR mind. Hypnosis a naturally-occurring state of mind. Everyone experiences this state each day. When you daydream, read a riveting book, lose yourself in artistic expression or drift off to sleep at night, you're experiencing a hypnotic state of mind. While in hypnosis your brain waves shift to pre-sleep or sleep pattern (alpha and theta brain waves), the blood flow to all areas of your brain increases allowing for enhanced use of your brain, and your body relaxes into a state of optimal functioning. Hypnosis is a state of optimal focus, self control, relaxation, and body functioning. While in this state you have greater access to all your thoughts, emotions, and memories. This means that you can easily draw out anything within you that undermines your health and happiness and replace it with thoughts, feelings, and experiences that support your long term fulfillment.
Does the hypnotherapist have control over me?
NO. NEVER. Here is my firsthand account of this.
In one of my trainings I volunteered to go into hypnosis in front of the class with Gil Boyne as the hypnotherapist. It was to be a brief example of how one guides others into the hypnotic state. Gil, being a master hypnotherapist with over fifty years of experience, sensed an issue I had with my sleep (insomnia for years) and with my consent we began to explore it. We were not very far in and I began to sense that I was about to expose (in order to heal) very personal information. I did not want to do this in front of a class, so I chose to clam up. I WAS FULLY IN CONTROL. He immediately picked up on my resistance and skillfully rerouted our session.
If you hear a suggestion that you don't agree with, or don't understand, your subconscious mind will automatically reject it.
Sometimes we do access strong emotions. These emotions are always a doorway to self awareness, acceptance and self love. Therefore, as your guide I help you to access and learn from these emotions. Emotions want to communicate something then leave. You can feel, release, and gather the information behind all of the emotions we tap in to, you just can’t act on all of the emotions.
Can anyone go into hypnosis?
YES. If they WANT to. Hypnosis is a natural state of mind. And with practice a person enters into this state more rapidly.
Will I know and remember what has happened?
You will not become unconscious. You will be able to hear my voice, and the sounds around you. You will be able to speak and you will always be able to bring yourself out of hypnosis if you want to.