Psychotherapy can be done through conversational therapy or hypnotherapy. However, to understand what hypnotherapy is, one needs to understand hypnosis.
The hypnotic state is called the concentration of the mind. A person may be induced into this state: (1) purposefully by suggestions of relaxation, or (2) accidently by sudden captivating circumstances. This implies that when the therapist is communicating with such a person one is communicating with the subconscious mind.
Hypnotic experiences are common, we frequently have them in normal living: for example daydreaming, time distortion when reading a book or watching a movie; anyone who has meditated has had a trance experience.
The picture titled the waking state, shows everyday waking state that everybody experience while they are having a conversation and thinking of other things too. The picture titled the hypnotic state, explain what happens when you are in a hypnotic or concentrated state , when attention is fixed and absorbed in some matter of interest that is either inside or outside ourselves. This is the state that psychologists use when doing hypnotherapy.
“ There is no doubt whatsoever that hypnosis is an altered state of human activity. There is no doubt either that in that condition he is in a highly increased state of awareness. The degree of suggestibility varies with the depth of hypnosis of which the individual is capable. Yet in spite of this there is no loss of control but an increased vigilance and awareness by the subject of his ability to control and exploit his own capabilities.” Waxman (1981:28).
What problems can be addressed by hypnotherapy?
- Ego-Strengthening: Enhancing esteem, self-efficiency and confidence;
- Emotional Disorders;
- Sexual Dysfunction and Relationships Problems;
- O besity and Eating Disorders;
- Anxiety, Phobias and Dental Disorders;
- Preparation for surgery;
- Pain Management;
- Cancer patients;
- Medical Disorders (sleep);
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology;
- Smoking addictions and habit disorders;
- Concentration, Academic Performance and Athletic Performance (sport); and
- Hypnosis with children (enuresis, speech);
How do you use hypnosis in psychotherapy?
Hypnosis is not a school or system of psychotherapy but rather a condition or state of awareness . One does not, therefore, treat a patient WITH hypnosis, but IN hypnosis (Just as the surgeon does not operate his patient with anesthesia, but under anesthesia). This means that one can do any form of psychotherapy in hypnosis . In fact in certain cases psychotherapy is much more effective when done in hypnosis, because by using hypnosis one can DIRECTLY address the REAL issues.
Hypnosis is characterized by a state of focused attention . Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness in which, “one’s perception of and interaction with the external environment are different from those in the waking state, and the individual is more deeply absorbed in internal experience” (Frederick & McNeal, 1999:24).
In human events, especially those related to difficulty, trauma and survival, the body is flooded with informational substances – millions of messenger molecule that communicate with the cells. As a result, a unique chemical outpouring of hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and endorphins occurs. Information is processed and retained within the physiological and chemical substrate of the state in which the individual is at that time. Because it is a unique portal to the inner world, hypnosis can allow the individual to have access to state-bound material and other inner resources. State-bound material is information that is often processed and stored on a psychophysiological level and acquired when the experiencer was in a particular state of mind-body.
For example, if George is knocked off his bicycle by a car, there is, at the time, a tremendous outpouring of hormones and informational substances into his body that is registered at the cellular level. George may not subsequently be able to get in touch with the difficulties and the resources present to him during that experience unless he is able to enter something like that physiological state again. Although George may recall little of what happened when he was knocked off his bike in his conscious waking state, he might be able to use a hypnotic state to produce memory material about what it felt like to be knocked off his bike, what his fears were, what resources he discovered to help him deal with this traumatic situation, and what decisions he may have made at that time.
Clinical Hypnosis provides a structured procedure to accurately identify, re-experience and reframe causative, hidden subconscious faulty beliefs enabling a gratifying freedom of mind and body.
The picture below explains the mind of a human being by using the analogy of an ice berg. Only 10% of what is in our mind is part of what we are conscious about. The rest is hidden in our subconscious/unconscious. Through hypnotherapy one can sink into a very relaxed state so that you can access your subconscious mind to find solutions to problems that the conscious mind is having trouble dealing with. Together we replace the distorted perceptions with acceptable suggestions that is saved in the subconscious mind.
