Our minds work on two levels – the conscious and the unconscious. We make decisions, think, and act with our conscious mind. The unconscious mind controls our habits and behaviours. In the relaxed state known as hypnosis, we can communicate directly with the unconscious mind which is why it is so quick and easy to change habits of a lifetime with this practice.
Hypnosis then is a form of treatment that guides you into a deep state of relaxation, where you mind will be more open to suggestion of therapeutic value and improvement.
Going into hypnosis feels similar to how you feel falling off to sleep at night when you are tired. We all go into hypnotic states just before sleep and are in hypnosis when we first wake up.
Your eyes may feel heavy, as well as your head, chest, arms and/or legs, but pleasantly so. The experience can vary as some people report having instead felt a lightness or buoyancy in their body.
Your breathing tends to slow down and deepen.
Your body becomes more relaxed as your muscles loosen. You can still talk and move your body, but most people prefer to remain quiet and motionless but are still fully aware of what is going on and are awake enough to easily respond to questions.
Your conscious mind tends to drift back and forth during hypnosis. You may be listening attentively at first, and then only hear the hypnotherapist talking in the background, as you allow your conscious awareness to drift or go elsewhere.
This is exactly what we want to happen as this is the state in which your subconscious becomes directly accessible and highly suggestible to the ideas being presented.
Colours and imagery may appear more vivid. Memories, perhaps long forgotten, may be recalled. The experience of time may be distorted, slowing down or speeding up.
Nearly everyone says how relaxed, calm, and clear they feel at the end of a
hypnotherapy session.
At Bayside Healthy Living, we believe that everyone has the capacity to be hypnotised and it’s the trust and rapport between yourself and the therapist that will provide the best outcomes.
Many people wonder whether they can be hypnotised. They are concerned that they won’t “go under” and while there are various levels of intensity that people can achieve, virtually everyone can be hypnotized if they wish to. In fact, we go in and out of a hypnotic state on a daily basis. Have you ever “zoned out” in a boring meeting until someone mentions your name? Have you “drifted off“ at a traffic light until you hear a horn honking you to attention? Or have you listened for a weather report only to have forgotten to hear the temperature forecast? This is the hypnotic state in action!
How does clinical hypnotherapy differ from stage hypnotists?
It is important to understand the difference between stage hypnosis and clinical hypnosis, performed for entertainment at a club or party, and clinical hypnosis, induced in a professional and private setting for therapeutic benefit.
Stage hypnosis is a form of entertainment that typically seeks to amuse an audience by directing willing participants to perform stunts or to engage in silly behaviour under the direction of a stage hypnotist. Frequently, the subjects are under the influence of alcohol and eagerly volunteer to be part of the performance to show off in front of others.
Clinical hypnosis (hypnotherapy) is the use of hypnosis for its therapeutic value. Clinical hypnotherapists require over 900 hours of training and over 500 hours of supervised case studies to be recognised by the Australian Hypnotherapy Association.
Hypnosis can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. You are always in control.
Hypnosis allows you to focus on what YOU want to change. Hypnosis makes it easier to achieve what YOU want to achieve. Hypnosis can’t make you want to change aspects of your life that you don’t want to change.
You are not asleep in hypnosis. You are in a deeply relaxed and most people tend to feel refreshed and revitalized at the end of a session. It has been suggested that 20-30 minutes of hypnosis may even be equivalent to 4 hours sleep. We frequently hear from clients how refreshed and ‘light’ they feel after a hypnotherapy session.
This system is based on the latest available research and literature in hypnotherapy, neuro linguistic programming (NLP) and neuroscience. You will be aware and in control at every moment and will be free to terminate the session at any time. You cannot get ‘stuck’ in hypnosis or NLP. You should feel safe, relaxed and calm, like you are being guided through a peaceful daydream.
What if it is not suited to me?
We will always spend considerable time with you before commencing the hypnotherapy component of the session, to explore your issues and to explain the hypnotherapy process. We will then always seek your permission before going ahead, to ensure you feel comfortable, safe, and ready to embrace the process.
In addition, if for any reason we don’t think that you are truly ready to make the healthy living changes you desire, or that our approach won’t help you achieve your goals, we will advise you of such prior to the hypnosis, and will discuss with you how we can assist you with an alternative strategy.
