Many people have preconceptions and often misconceptions about what hypnosis and hypnotherapy are. This is likely due to the influence of stage hypnosis which is what most lay people understandably probably imagine, but this bears little resemblance to the performance of hypnosis for therapeutic aims, i.e., hypnotherapy.

Different hypnotherapists follow different theories, but my practice works on the basis that hypnosis is a way of helping people respond to suggestions and ideas that can help them. So during the course of hypnosis I will make suggestions which are intended to change, for example, your perceptions, sensations, feelings, thoughts or behaviour depending on, and as relevant to, our agreed goal.

What is vital to the process is that you are actively receptive to these, that you want this process to happen, that you want what I say to be your reality. This is what we call adopting the hypnotic mindset. Many people, myself included, believe therefore that hypnosis is something that you, as the client, actively need to focus on doing, and is not something that is done to you. When I make suggestions, you need to believe them to be happening. You need to make it so. And if you think about it, you might have noticed in the past that when you imagine something that’s happened to you – for example something that was really funny, you might find yourself laughing again as you think about it once more. It’s rather like that. But also do not worry at all if you do not feel sometimes that you do not respond to a suggestion or experience anything. Only a few people will respond to all suggestions. Similarly if you do not want to imagine something I suggest, you do not have to do that either.

You might have heard the term “trance” in hypnosis and some people think of this as being zombie-like or sleepy. However, when I refer to a hypnotic state or hypnotic trance, I mean that you will be awake but absorbed by your inner experiences and by my suggestions, with your attention drawn away from your surroundings. You remain in control at all times, and if you do not want to be hypnotised, you will not be. We use a term called “induction” which means starting hypnosis, at which point you will begin to enter the hypnotic state or trance and you will follow my voice to guide you. If at any time you want to exit the “trance”, you can choose to do so.

During hypnosis, we will focus on your treatment or therapy, hence the term “hypnotherapy”. This is where we try to address the issue of concern with the plan we agree in advance. This plan is determined by the assessment questions we will go through before we start hypnosis, so we can find the best treatment strategy for you. Hypnosis will involve your following my voice and using your imagination to make my suggestions real to you. At the appropriate point, I will then bring you out of hypnosis, talking you through this all the way. And remember, ending the hypnosis is something you can do yourself at any time should you wish. Some people say they worry about being “stuck” in hypnosis. This cannot happen. And you will likely remember much of, if not all of what you experience during hypnosis.

During your sessions we also talk about how you can use some of the strategies yourself at home and we agree on some specific tasks for you. These will make each session progressively more helpful for you and also give you control over reaching your goal.

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