Frequently asked questions and myths

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a heightened state of awareness where incredible changes can be made in the way a person thinks and feels. Hypnosis is a completely natural path from conscious mind to subconscious mind. It is defined as the bypass of the critical factor of the conscious mind and the establishment of acceptable selective thinking.

How does hypnosis work?

It relaxes the conscious mind and opens the subconscious mind to the point that suggestions can be accepted. Once the suggestion is accepted and agreed on by the hypnotised person the suggestion then becomes an automatic, stable and strong resource in that persons belief system.

What can hypnosis be used for?

Hypnosis can be used for anything a person can imagine. Overcoming phobias and quitting bad habits are the most commonly known requests. Research has shown it helpful in confidence, insomnia, stress, test taking anxiety, managing pain, recovery from trauma and more.

Who can be hypnotized?

Almost everyone! If you can use your imagination you can be hypnotized. Some people tend to go into very deep trances while others only experience light trances. Most people go into medium trances. The good news is that you only need a light to medium trance for most hypnotherapy work.

How long do the results of the session last?

When you go into a hypnosis session and get the results you want, those results are with you for life. The more you use hypnosis the more profound the results become.

What does it feel like to be hypnotized?

Have you ever got lost in a good book? Hypnosis feels like that most of the time. You lose track of time. You become fully absorbed in the reality of the book. Most people find hypnosis to be a wonderful experience. Furthermore you must also realise that when hypnotised, you do not black out. You actually hear and see everything very clearly.

Can a person in hypnosis be controlled?

Absolutely not! The only time it looks like that is in stage hypnosis, where the hypnotist asks for volunteers out of the crowd. These are people who want to act like they do on stage. Clinical hypnosis is quite different. A hypnotherapist is there to help you with your issues and needs your cooperation with the process. If the hypnotherapist were to give you suggestions that you didn't agree with or were morally against your beliefs, you would either refuse them or you would stand right up and walk out of that session.

Can I be stuck in hypnosis?

Never! Can you get stuck in the reality of a book? The worst case scenario is that you fall asleep and then wake up later. If you are thinking, what if I were to be hypnotised and something were to happen to the hypnotist and I were left alone, still hypnotised? You would just snap right out of hypnosis whenever you were ready. When you are in a state of hypnosis, anything alarming or of importance would pop you right out of this state. There is absolutely no danger to you in a state of hypnosis.

Many people believe that they won’t remember anything, and that they will lose control of themselves during a session. We can assure you that none of this is the case. You are always in total control during a session and very much aware. Your state of consciousness is different, in that you are in a deep relaxation which you are guided into by the therapist. You’ll come out of the session totally relaxed and remembering everything, and of course achieving your objective.