Clinical Hypnosis

We all have right to be happy and peaceful.

When life force energies are not in harmony, we experience a state of dis-comfort, called dis-ease. A state of dis-ease is indication of disharmony of energies.

Famous Holistic healer Louise Hay has written a book, "You can Heal your Life". In this book she explains how thoughts and acts have an impact on the human body. Hay provides practical guidance on how to get rid of one’s negative thoughts and unlock the mind’s potential to heal any illness. She also shows how negative thoughts build up and create negative energy that blocks and prevents people from making their lives better. She firmly believes that thoughts shape human lives. She uses her own experience to help readers, and gives out snippets of her personal struggle. Hay was diagnosed with cancer, but she states that she applied the techniques described in the book to cure herself. She attempts to show the readers how it is possible to use the strength of their thoughts in positive ways, to heal illnesses and make life better for themselves. In this book Hay enumerates dis-eases with root thought causes. I would recommend you to read this book for better understanding of the subject.

What is Clinical hypnosis?

Broadly speaking, Clinical Hypnosis is the science of assessing sub conscious mind. It is assessed with the purpose of going to the root cause of the dis-ease and attempting to neutralize the same. Clinical Hypnosis attempts to change the negative thought patterns, so as to lead healthier and better life.

However, the definition and basic nature of hypnosis, and hypnotic phenomena, are still not completely understood and remains open to debate and exploration. I feel fairly safe in saying that the phenomena of hypnotic experience arise from a complex interaction of alterations in states of consciousness and psychosocial forces.

To varying degrees we spontaneously enter a hypnotic state at least twice every day - as we are falling asleep (hypnologic state) and as we are awakening (hypnopompic state). It can also occur when we become absorbed in a story, whether we are reading or watching something that captures our attention and imagination. In the process of recounting an experience to a friend we usually slip into a light trance as we access our stored memory of the physical sensory content and emotional context of the experience we wish to relate.
Hypnosis seems to be a naturally occurring alteration in the state of consciousness, wherein awareness is focused, and suggestibility is significantly increased. Mediated by hypnosis, memory and present-time perceptual experience are subject to modification, as are many, typically involuntary, physiological functions. Hypnosis can be systematically induced, permitting the utilization of the above phenomena for a wide variety therapeutic applications.

It has been mistakenly positioned that relaxation is a characteristic trait of hypnotic experience. The association of relaxation with hypnosis is probably due to the common use of relaxation suggestions during hypnotic induction, in an effort to quiet the mind and focus awareness. However, hypnosis and relaxation occur independently of one another. It is possible, even common, for hypnotized subjects to affect muscular tension and rigidity, as well as dramatic expressions of mental and emotional arousal.

FAQs on Clinical Hypnosis:

Can a hypnotized subject be made to do something "against their will"?
No and never. The false idea that a hypnotized person is "under the control" of the hypnotist, and can be made to act against their own will, has been fostered by fiction writers of the print, movie, and television media, and by stage hypnosis acts.

A person in a hypnotic state retains full control of their decisions. They can decide to comply with a suggestion or reject it. The person in hypnotic state still can not be forced to do anything against the ethical conditioning or value system.

Is a hypnotized subject aware of their surroundings?
Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness. It is not a state of unconsciousness. At the depth of hypnosis typically used in hypnotherapy, and most stage acts, the subject remains consciously aware of their surroundings. Even in deeper states of hypnosis, in which a subject is no longer consciously aware of their surroundings, the subject is not actually "sleeping". They are just in a very deep, relaxed and suggestible state. They are still subconsciously aware of everything that is being said and everything that is happening around them. They are able to "awaken" and respond to anything in their environment, if they wish to. There are some situations when masking or suppressing conscious awareness of the surroundings (such as the whine and vibration of the dentist's drill and the smell of burning dental enamel) is both desirable and beneficial to the subject. Here, the subject is choosing to accept suggestions that would permit them to modify, or ignore, their conscious perception of specific external stimuli. They know that doing so would reduce their fear, pain and anxiety. This would enable them to undergo the beneficial procedure without enduring psychological trauma. They also know that time required for healing any surgical wounds would be reduced and their resistance to infection would be improved. Subconscious memory of everything that transpired during the procedure is still retained, and can be retrieved by accessing the subconscious through hypnosis.

What are some things that hypnotherapy is useful for?


A list of issues a hypnotherapist can help, but is not limited to:

Academic performance	Addictions Alcohol /Tobacco / Drug	Anxiety
Aura improvement	Asthma	Autoimmune Enhancement
Bed Wetting	Body Reshaping / Contouring	Blood Pressure
Constipation	Cancer Therapy	Childbirth
Chronic Pain	Concentration	Confidence
Creative "blocks"	Chakra balancing	Dental Procedures phobia
Depression	Diabetes	Dream Exploration
Eating Disorders	Fear and Phobias	Guilt Feelings
Height Increase	Higher Mind Therapy	Incontinence
Memory	Neurological Conditions	Performance Anxiety
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder	Preparation for Surgery	Pain Control
Relaxation	Regression & Past life Regression	Relationships Improvement
Self Esteem	Stammering	Sexual Dysfunction
Sleep Disorders	Stress Management	Sexual Desires
Surgical Recovery	Thumb-sucking	Weight Reduction

Is hypnosis dangerous?
This question may be of interest to both the person with issues and the serious student of hypnosis alike. According to many instructors, hypnosis of and by itself is not dangerous. If it were, we would all be in jeopardy every time we get engrossed in a good book, movie, or TV show. Unwise use of suggestion may create the opposite of the desired results if the person using hypnosis does not understand the disciplines of suggestion structure. For example, a suggestion such as "You don't like candy" will cause someone to imagine candy, and imagination is the language of the subconscious!
What we say and how we say it creates images in the subconscious, which does not know the difference between fact and fantasy. (If you don't believe that last statement, hold your arms out in front of you and close your eyes. Then imagine a bucket in one hand and 100 helium balloons in the other. Imagine SEEING water pour into the bucket. HEAR it splashing, and FEEL the bucket getting heavy. After several seconds of deep breathing, open your eyes and notice where your arms are. Most people will notice a difference!) An untrained hypnotist often talks about the problems to be avoided; whereas most competent hypnotherapists focus on results - whether they use direct or indirect suggestions, and/or discovering and releasing the subconscious cause(s) of resistance to change.
However, with that being said, I wish to address several concerns:
a. AVERSION SUGGESTION: In my opinion, the gross aversion suggestion given in many group hypnosis seminars is very risky. If a person VIVIDLY IMAGINES major disease as a result of smoking, and convinces himself or herself that the disease will come if the smoking habit persists, then how can we be sure whether the negative subconscious belief had anything to do with creating the onset of the disease??? Suggestions must be kept POSITIVE, affirming the desired results. Yet there are books written by people with doctorate degrees advocating the use of aversion suggestion when dealing with tobacco and other addictions.
b. REGRESSIONS AND FALSE MEMORIES: First of all, let's consider the fact that a  trained hypnotherapist might, in some cases, choose to hypnotize a client with a hypnotic regression being one of the objectives to achieving therapeutic results! This is perfectly acceptable if the hypnotherapist understands how to effectively handle client abreactions, understands the risk of false memories, AND stays within his or her field of competency. The therapist without actual "hands on" training in regression therapy should avoid regression therapy. Also, any regression therapist MUST understand the important difference between "leading" and "guiding" questions.
c. PAIN MANAGEMENT: Since pain is a warning that something is wrong with the body, the cause should be discovered by someone who is licensed to diagnose. If you already have a medical referral for hypnotic pain management, you may contact the International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association to obtain a referral to a hypnotherapist in your area.
d. ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR: No ethical hypnotherapist would even consider trying to use hypnosis to induce criminal or anti-social behavior, nor trying to deceive someone into doing such. I personally believe that a normal person could resist unwanted suggestions (especially if he/she knows that hypnosis is self-hypnosis), but I'm not qualified to state what might or might not be possible with certain mind-altering drugs. Also, people can be tricked even in a fully conscious state; so it might be unwise to let an unscrupulous person hypnotize you.
e. DEPENDENCE: The dependence issue should not be a concern with any client of a hypnotherapist who seeks to help a client become self-empowered. Client-centered techniques help clients use the power of their own minds to change, while the hypnotherapist serves only as the guide or facilitator of such change. Since I'm a firm believer in the benefits of self-hypnosis, perhaps you could say that I've become dependent on self-hypnosis because it works! Furthermore, I'll put myself on the receiving end of hypnotherapy whenever I require it. Self-hypnosis is like lifting a chair; but when I'm moving a piano in my subconscious, it's much easier with someone on the other end helping to lift.

Can every person be healed through Clinical Hypnosis?
While such healing is common, several factors influence the degree and rate at which success is achieved, and the durability of a successful outcome once it is achieved.
The three main influences on the outcome of hypnotherapy, in ascending order, are:
1) The skill of the hypnotherapist;
2) The rapport existing between the therapist and client;
3) The expectations of the client and their desire and commitment to changing their behavior.
Neither I guarantees any 100% "cures",  nor  promise "miracle healing". Only standard, ethical clinical hypnosis modalities and procedures are used.

As the joke goes...
Q: How many hypnotherapists does it take to change a light bulb? 
A: Only one, but the light bulb really has to want to change.


Disclaimer:
Clinical Hypnosis is a complementary method of healing and not a substitute to medical treatment.