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What is Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is a means of bypassing the conscious mind, working with the subconscious mind to address deeply rooted emotional or mental issues.
Throughout our lives we are mainly aware of our conscious mind; it gets us up in the morning, and helps us with our work and everyday life. But we also have something called a subconscious mind. This is an aspect of our mind that we are not really aware of in our daily lives and it’s from here that many of our automatic reactions (both positive and negative) come from. They are ingrained in our behaviour and come out in our conscious lives whether we want them to or not.
For example, a client may experience a significant, traumatic event in their life. Due to the trauma associated with it, the client may have suppressed part or all of the emotional energy associated with this event. Even when the conscious mind forgets, the subconscious mind always remembers and has to cope with these forgotten emotions. The subconscious mind is unable to fully suppress such issues, and these hidden events eventually begin to filter into the conscious mind, perhaps manifesting as anger problems, physical pain, stress, depression, physical illness, lack of confidence, etc. The subconscious mind will keep leaking this emotional energy until these issues are addressed.
This is where hypnosis comes in. It has been used as a gateway to the subconscious mind for years, allowing us to understand why we respond to certain situations in a certain way. It is a deep state of relaxation, where the conscious mind relaxes while the subconscious mind is fully aware and able to give and receive information on a deep level. This deep level of relaxation allows a hypnotherapist to work closely with the client to introduce positive suggestions and other techniques to help improve the client’s situation. Even in this deep state of relaxation the client is in complete control of themselves at all time, and could open their eyes and leave the therapy room at any time if they desired. Hypnotherapy is a collaborative process, in which both client and therapist play an equal role. (Please see the ‘Myths of Hypnosis’ below!)
Hypnotherapy can be used to treat a great number of issues and symptoms, from the very mild symptoms to more extreme issues, such as:
Stress and Tension
Lack of Self Confidence
Anxiety and Fears
Phobias
Insomnia
Depression
Stopping Smoking
Weight Control
Children’s Issues
Sports Enhancement
Sexual Issues
...and much more
Unlike many other psychological therapies, hypnotherapy is generally considered to be a fairly short-term approach where beneficial change can occur fairly quickly, giving the client the abilities and skills to tap into their own potential and make great changes for themselves in their lives.
With hypnotherapy we don’t just treat the presenting symptoms, we find the real root of those symptoms and then build from there. Therefore, when entering into a course of hypnotherapy it is essential that the client is ready and committed to change in their lives. If a client isn’t ready to really look at their issues with honesty and isn’t willing to work through these issues, then it’s unlikely that any course of therapy will work. If a client is truly ready for change then the world is their oyster, and we can help you.
To Book an appointment for your initial FREE 30 minute consultation please contact me via the ‘Contact Me’ page.
Myths about Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis has often been misinterpreted in the past, and there are many myths about what it really is. Many stage hypnotists have given the impression that they can make people do anything they want to, such as making their poor victims run around like a chicken! Let me reassure you that this cannot occur with genuine hypnotherapy. The client is in complete control of themselves at all times and is able to open their eyes and leave the therapy room at any time if they desired. The client has free will at every stage of the therapy process.
Some other popular myths are that hypnotists have special powers; hypnosis will only work on certain people; hypnosis can be bad for your health; you can get stuck in a hypnotic trance; etc.
While it would be nice if I did have special powers, I have to emphasise that none of the above are true! All that a hypnotherapist does is to help you to relax deeply to access the subconscious mind. We all slip in and out of our conscious minds throughout the day, everyday. You may have found yourself staring out of a window when all of a sudden you realise that your mind drifted off and you had been gazing out the window for quite a long time. At these moments you were completely aware of your surroundings yet in a slightly altered mind state. This is the same state as hypnosis. There is really nothing to fear or worry about with hypnotherapy. The truth is that hypnosis is a perfectly natural state, and something that should be embraced for its ability to encourage personal growth and empowerment.
Code of Ethics
I follow a strict code of ethics, and am affiliated with 'The National Council of Psychotherapists'. My code of ethics can be read on the National Council of Psychotherapists website.
To book your FREE 30 minute hypnotherapy consultation, please contact me via the 'Contact Me' page.
Offer excludes Yoga Classes and smoking cessation therapy.