What Is Hypnosis?

A Natural Focused State of Awareness  

Hypnosis is a focused state of awareness that you enter many times during a day. It can feel like daydreaming but does not have to. Hypnosis leads to a heightened state of suggestibility, in which you are more open to suggestions.

 Not only is hypnosis a natural state of mind, but it is also a highly effective therapeutic method with long-lasting results. Hypnotherapy allows to you to make changes at the subconscious level and adopt positive and useful behaviors.

Do you remember the times when you were driving and you were so focused on the next outing, meeting, or milestone? Have you noticed that very often you might have wondered whether you had missed the exit? You were in a hypnotic state.

You were in a self induced state of hypnosis, also called self hypnosis.

Misconceptions Around Hypnosis

Contrary to common myths, hypnosis is different from sleep. In a hypnotic state, you do not fall asleep. You are not unconscious. The mind is still alert and aware. You should remember that in a hypnosis session you are doing the work.

Nobody will dangle a clock in front of you. Hypnosis shows and movies chose to depict hypnosis in sensational ways but they fail to highlight that hypnosis is a scientifically verified and effective technique and a natural state.

You do not lose control. You cannot be made to say or do anything against your will.

Everyone is suggestible to a certain extent. If you want to overcome a challenge and make the most of your life, you will be receptive to its effects. Another myth is that only the weak minded and gullible can be hypnotized. If you are able to concentrate and have a great imagination (two of the most important factors for success), you will be able to hypnotize yourself.

Hypnosis is not magic. Our hypnotist has no magical power. Through extensive training in hypnosis and neurolinguistics programming (NLP) in Europe and the U.S.A., she has mastered different techniques and tailored the sessions to each client. Many countries recognize hypnosis. The U.S.A even lists hypnotherapy as an occupation in its list of jobs.

Why do Medical and Psychological Associations Support Hypnosis?

The American Psychological Association agrees that hypnosis is a powerful and very effective therapeutic technique. This association highlights that it has become a very common part of treatments and urges people to look beyond the media portrayal. Movies have depicted hypnosis in a sensational way because it sells. Nowadays doctors and dentists in Europe are using hypnosis for analgesia in the operating theatres. More and more practitioners from healing professions are leveraging the power of hypnosis to help their clients make changes.

The advantages of hypnotherapy are even more remarkable when they are put in light of epidemics such as the opioid crisis. Hypnosis for pain relief can lead to reduction in pain ratings, the need for sedation, nausea and vomiting without the addictive effect of some painkillers. Hypnosis can even help when conventional medicine focuses on relieving symptoms without addressing the root of the issue. Often added to holistic medicine treatments,  Hypnosis for stress management as well as changes to diet and lifestyle can help manage the syndrome. Several studies support the long-term effectiveness of hypnosis for IBS.

Hypnotherapy is safe, non-invasive and yields long-lasting results. In a few sessions, you can reach your goals.

Hypnosis and the Brain

The brain is an associative machine, it creates patterns. For instance, the mere sight of a snake on a glossy magazine page can create a panic in those suffering from the fear of snakes. The panic bursts happens immediately after seeing the image. The brain associates the two dimensional representation of a snake with acute danger.

Hypnosis can help the person suffering from phobia to de-correlate the two. The image of a snake is inoffensive, a snake at a reasonable distance is inoffensive.

Functional MRI (fMRI) shows that hypnosis is neither sleep, nor placebo effect. The thought of moving a limb triggers all the regions in the brain related to that limb moving except for the zone directly linked to that muscle. The name “hypnosis” comes from the Greek “hypnos” which means sleep. It was popularized by Scottish surgeon James Braid around 1841, and misrepresents the true nature of the phenomenon. Hypnosis helps you rewire your brain differently.

There are many representations of the brain. The brain is often divided in two: the right brain, the lobe in charge of music, imagination, holistic thinking, daydreaming and creativity; and the left brain, that deals with logic, numbers, language, ordered sequences, and mathematics. While this is a simplification, it illustrates how different parts of the brain carry on different tasks. It is believed that in hypnosis, we use both lobes. A more accurate description of the brain refers to the primitive brain, the limbic brain and the executive center (prefrontal cortex). Another major simplified version of the brain architecture differentiates between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. Your conscious mind through the critical factor filters the information it gathers through all senses and then passes it on. Hypnosis bypasses the critical factor and the positive suggestions that you accept can reach the subconscious mind.

If you are still not convinced that hypnosis can help you manage pain, you will find that European surgeons have a different opinion. Pain is created in the brain after it receives messages from receptors in organs. Hypnosis enables the person undergoing surgery to remain comfortable with the help of hypnotic suggestions and local anesthesia.

Types Of Hypnosis

Hypnosis can have different names, which include but are not limited to the three following concepts.

Self hypnosis is a self induced form of hypnosis. You can ask your hypnotherapist to teach you how to use this technique on your own. If you have ever had a hypnosis session, you have already experienced hypnosis. Every hypnosis session is self hypnosis because the hypnotherapist guides you into that state.

Ericksonian hypnosis was created by Dr Milton Erickson. He used speech and non-verbal communication to help his patients create the hypnotic state and resolve challenges.

Clinical hypnosis (hypnotherapy) helps individuals overcome challenges. Whether it is to stop smoking, become slimmer, get rid of phobias or any other issue, hypnosis is an extremely powerful tool. Ericksonian hypnosis is a form of clinical hypnosis.

The many names associated with hypnosis highlights how ubiquitous and effective this technique has become. A skilled hypnotherapist can help you thrive on your wellbeing journey.

Why Would You Need Some Hypnosis Help?

If you observe people, you will notice them doing things that they know are harmful. Yet they are still doing them and they put themselves in difficult situations. For instance, some people cannot manage anger and might act or say words that they will regret. Other people know they should not procrastinate and yet they create more stress for themselves by delaying simple tasks. It is easier to notice what other people do wrong. Chances are that you are also engaging in behaviors that you should logically put an end to. Maybe you are lacking self-confidence despite a valuable education or experience, maybe you seek security at all costs even, at the expense of your talents…

We pride ourselves on being rational. The truth is that a lot of actions are led by the subconscious mind. Imagine that you are about to speak in public. Just the thought of it might make your heart beat faster. You might be feeling a knot in the stomach…. You are not standing in front of a large audience, you are just reading this page and yet you might feel anxious. Consciously you know that there is nothing to fear and yet your subconscious is changing your physiology: your body changes based on what your thoughts are. A Stanford University study even shows that the mind can overcome DNA.

We are the results of our habits. Eating too much can lead to obesity and other diseases, drinking too much to liver problems, lack of confidence erodes your ability to earn money or to create meaningful relationships. Eating disorders put our health at risk. Making our life more meaningful and brighter is as easy as changing habits.  Hypnosis can help you transform your habits so that they work for you. It can help you manage eating disorders.

Hypnosis is a valuable tool for empowerment. Given that you are in hypnosis many times in a day, you might as well harness that state to make the changes you need. You can create positive thoughts and convert these positive thoughts into fruitful actions.

What Can Hypnosis Help With?

Because hypnosis can help you change habits, it is one of the best tools to deal with emotional and physical challenges. Hypnosis can help you leverage the mind/body connection and alleviate or even get rid of physical symptoms rooted in psychology. It can help you control emotions and create better outcomes.

We have helped couples, entrepreneurs, executives, managers as well as children and teenagers reach a happier life. You can read more about its advantages:

While hypnosis is often cited for smoking cessation or slimming, it is also used by household names and athletes. Although these high-achievers are skilled in their sport of craft, one of their major focus is concentration and mental preparation. By letting go of useless distractions and focusing on their performance, these athletes are able to push the limits of the unthinkable.

The Must-Haves of a Hypnosis Treatment

You should do some research before settling in on a practitioner.

Your hypnotherapist should be certified by a reputable institution. The National Guild of Hypnotist (NGH) is the oldest and biggest hypnosis organization with members around the globe.

You should clarify your goals before the hypnosis session. The clearer and detailed your goals are, the better tailored the session will be.

You can only benefit from hypnosis if you achieve good rapport with the hypnotherapist. It is a prerequisite for a beneficial session. A responsible hypnotist will spend time understanding your goals at the beginning of the session. Because all hypnosis is self hypnosis, she will guide you in a hypnotic state. There is no magic to hypnosis. It encompasses a variety of techniques that your practitioner at Renewed Edge has mastered.

Renewed Edge is committed to helping you make the most of your life, talents, and skills. Contact us for more information.

Wanting More? Sign up for our Best Hypnotherapy Course

Once you start diving into some of the most life-changing applications of hypnosis, you might be thinking: How do I learn it?

Our best hypnotherapy courses can help coaches, therapists, and future hypnotherapists develop valuable skills.

Contact Renewed Edge Today