Hypnotherapy is an alternative curative healing method that is used to create subconscious change in a patient in the form of new responses, thoughts, attitudes, behaviours or feelings. It is undertaken with a subject in hypnosis.[1]
A person who is hypnotized displays certain unusual behavior characteristics and propensities, compared with a non-hypnotized subject, most notably heightened suggestibility and responsiveness.
How Hypnotherapy Works
Based on the work of Sigmund Freud - the human mind can be split into three distinct areas of consciousness; the conscious, subconscious and unconscious. It can be useful to think of each part of the mind on a scale of depth.
Freud believed that the conscious mind is the top or shallowest part of the mind and is responsible for making sense of the things we are directly aware of – like stress levels.
The subconscious mind is below consciousness most of the time, a deeper level – it is therefore not so easily accessible and controls how we may feel or react to certain situations or circumstances, based on what we have learnt through experience, in the past. It also controls and regulates our essential bodily functions, such as breathing.
- To start the process you need to feel physically relaxed and comfortable. Try using a basic relaxation technique such as the one outlined on our Relaxation Techniques page.
- Find an object that you can focus your vision and attention on – ideally this object will involve you looking slightly upwards on the wall or ceiling in front of you.
- Clear your mind of all thoughts and just focus on your object. This is obviously quite hard to achieve but take your time to let thoughts leave you.
- Become aware of your eyes, think about your eyelids becoming heavy and slowly closing. Focus on your breathing as your eyes close, breathe deeply and evenly.
- Tell yourself that you will relax more every time you breathe out. Slow your breathing and let yourself relax deeper and deeper with every breath.
- Use your mind’s eye to visualise a gentle up and down or sideways movement of an object. Perhaps the hand of a metronome or a pendulum – anything that has a regular, slow and steady swing. Watch the item sway backwards and forwards or up and down in your mind’s eye.
- Softly, slowly and monotonously count down from ten in your head, saying I am relaxing after each number. ’10 I am relaxing’… ‘9 I am relaxing’ etc.
- Believe and remind yourself that when you finish counting down you will have reached your hypnotic state.
- When you have reached your hypnotic state it is time to focus on the personal statements that you prepared. Focus on each statement – visualise it in your mind’s eye, repeat it in your thoughts. Stay relaxed and focused.
- Relax and clear your mind once more before bringing yourself out of your hypnotic state.
- Slowly but increasingly energetically count up to 10. Reverse the process you used before when you counted down into your hypnotic state. Use some positive message between each number, as you count. ‘1, when I awake I will feel like I have had a full night’s sleep’ … etc.
- When you reach 10 you will feel fully awake and revived! Slowly let your conscious mind catch up with the events of the day and continue feeling refreshed.
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