Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis has been defined as "The bypassing of the critical factor of the conscious mind to establish acceptable, selective thinking, thoughts, ideas and concepts". Hypnosis is a state of focused attention. In the same way as you can use a magnifying glass to focus the rays of the sun and make them more powerful so you can use hypnosis to focus the mind and use it's power.

What is it like to be in hypnosis?

Being in hypnosis is also described as being in a trance state. All of us have experienced being in a a trance state on a more or less daily basis, but we don’t usually call it hypnosis. At some time or another, all of us have been so absorbed in thought –maybe while reading a book, watching a film, or even driving a familiar route– that we fail to notice what is happening around us. While we were so engaged in what we were doing, another level of consciousness, which we refer to as our unconscious mind, took over. These are very focused states of attention similar to hypnosis.

What is clinical hypnosis?

Clinical hypnosis is the use of the hypnotic trance state by a clinical practioner for therapeutic purposes. Hypnosis may be used in therapy for exploration of the unconscious, to identify whether past experiences are associated with a problem or to better understand underlying motivations for current actions.

Am I being controlled?

Many people worry about this after they have seen stage hypnotists or films in which hypnotists seem to be able to make people do things that they wouldn't really want to do. However, there is no doubt that you will be in control at all times, and as soon as you decide you don't want to do something, you will stop.

If a hypnotist could really control people and make them do things against their will, there would be no need for them to spend their time working in oder to earn the money to pay the mortgage; they could just hypnotise a bank manager into handing over the keys to the vault!

Is it safe?

Hypnosis is very safe indeed. When in a trance state you are aware of what is happening and will be able to come straight out of the trance if you need to. Even if the hypnotist walked out and left you, you would eventually get bored and come out of the trance. It is not possible to get "stuck" in a trance.

Can everyone be hypnotised?

Practically anyone can be hypnotised. The main thing that prevents people from going into trance is fear of what might happen. This fear prevents people from relaxing and "letting go" with the conscious mind.

What is the Subconscious or Unconscious Mind?

The unconscious or subconscious mind holds all awareness that we are not actually alert to at any given moment in time. Thoughts, memories and feelings that are out of conscious awareness are "unconscious." It is also known as the "deep" or "dreaming" mind. Many people use an icebrg as a metaphor for the mind; the conscious mind is represented by the tip of the iceberg visible above the water and the unconscious is the bulk of the iceberg, hidden beneath the sea.

Is Hypnotherapy Suitable for Everyone?

Hypnotherapy is suitable for the vast majority of people. However, there are a few people who it would not be beneficial for. One of the reasons for the clinical assessment process that you will undergo before embarking on your hypnosis is to make sure that it is the best thing for you.

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