The use of hypnosis dates back over 4000 years, with the more common use and scientific studies beginning in the 1800's with Frans Mesmer, the 'father of hypnosis'. We know that the use of hypnosis as a therapy tool has been around for hundreds of years and has had some extremely effective and amazing results, so why is it not more commonly known and used as a mainstream therapy? From what we can gather it is because of the misunderstanding of what the use of hypnosis as a therapy is, and how it works. A lot of people seem to be confused as to whether to 'believe' in it or not. More often people think it 'won't work on them'. While stage hypnosis can be very entertaining, it portrays the trance state in a very different way than you would see in a clinical hypnotherapists office. Unfortunately though, this stage hypnosis, used by a hypnotist specifically for entertainment purposes, has become more well known than the art of using hypnosis as a therapy. Hypnosis is a process in which a client and therapist engage together to achieve the desired outcome of the client. The therapist leads with suggestion into the process and the client follows those suggestions, leading them into a state of hypnotic trance. Therefore if the client is someone that 'doesn't believe' or 'doesn't think it will work' for them, then they could be right, as they will not be willing to relax and follow the suggestions of the therapist.
What hypnosis is and is not
Our minds are made up of two different parts, the conscious mind and the sub-conscious mind. The conscious mind is the one that we think with, the part that makes judgments and decisions, the 'voice in your head' if you like, it makes up 10%. The sub-conscious mind however makes up the other 90% and is 30,000 times more powerful than our conscious mind! It is the place where all the files for our life are kept. All the information for our bodies to run, beat our heart, pump our blood etc. It is also the place that holds all the programming for the way that we think - the patterns of our thought and our belief systems. Inside everyone's subconscious mind is a massive blueprint for the way our life is now, and within that blueprint are the smaller ones for every area of our life. With hypnosis we are able to quieten the conscious mind, and make suggestions to the sub-conscious mind to change parts of that blueprint, to achieve the goals that our clients have, whether it be breaking a habit, being released from a fear, or managing their weight. Hypnosis can work for anything in your life, if you are willing to let it. When a person enters the state of trance, they are not surrendering their will, they are not at the mercy of the therapist, rather they are getting assistance to create what they desire. There are different levels of trance and for most change only a light state of trance is needed. Although the deeper levels of trance can be very useful. There have been surgical operations done using only hypnosis when a general anesthetic cannot be used, Most of the time you will know what's going on. Your mind may wander and that's o.k, but over all being in these light levels of hypnosis is actually really relaxing and enjoyable, much like the moment right before you fall asleep, when your mind and body deeply relaxes and thought is suspended.
