Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnotherapy
Frequently Asked Questions
This page tries to answer the most frequently asked questions about Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy.
If you have a question that does not appear to be answered here, then why not drop Joan an e-mail?
Can Anybody Be Hypnotised?
99.9% of people can be hypnotised, or can enter into the altered state of “hypnosis”.
In fact Hypnosis is a perfectly normal state that MOST people experience several times a day without realising it.
Whenever your attention drifts from what you are consciously doing onto something else, whilst at the same time you continue to perform the action you are doing (say driving for example) then at this point you are experiencing “hypnosis” – a state of awareness in which you are able to carry out two functions simultaneously.
Technically, if your IQ is VERY low, or you are under the influence of drink or drugs, you may not be able (at that time) to enter into hypnosis.
Will I be out of control in Hypnosis?
Despite the behaviours of people who experience “stage hypnosis” you are never out of control whilst experiencing the hypnotic state.
In fact, due to the nature of the experience, you are MORE in control that normal.
This particular concern has been fostered in the minds of people since the popular Hollywood image of “Dracula” was seen to use “hypnotism” to subdue his victims.
There are those who try to portray hypnosis as a state under which you can be made to do something that you would not normally do, for example Derren Brown’s apparent ability to make a person “assassinate” Stephen Fry, but even this example misses the point that a person might actually feel comfortable doing something like that and therefore it was not necessarily against their nature.
As far as we (and the greater percentage of the profession) are concerned you cannot be made to do anything you do not want to do.
If it WAS possible, we “hypnotists” would just use our “power” in every bank we visited!
Does Hypnosis Really Work?
Millions of people will testify to the fact that their lives have been changed through the use of hypnosis.
In some ways it is a rhetorical question because what hypnosis and hypnotherapy actually do is to help people to utilise their existing internal abilities to bring about change.
Hypnosis helps people to help themselves.
On the other hand, there are many people who have built up the notion that Hypnosis “makes them” do something that they could not do without being “hypnotised” – as if it has some sort of “magical” power – this is just not true, and anybody seeking help who believes that they simply sit back and “go-under” are going to be disappointed.
What if I can’t be Hypnotised?
Everybody can experience hypnosis and therefore be “hypnotised” (with the exceptions noted in the question above) so you do not need to worry about that.
It is true that some people are more “susceptible” to the state, but this has more to do with their ability to relax, how anxious they are or how much they desire “to be in control” and are therefore “too resistant” to enter into the state.
Hypnosis is a “permissive” state and CANNOT be forced upon an unwilling participant.
Is Hypnosis safe?
Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy are perfectly safe and you cannot come to any harm whilst you experience it.
It is not possible to hypnotised so “deeply” that you become stuck in hypnosis.
What actually happens (if you are very susceptible) is that you might fall into a nice deep sleep from which you awaken perfectly naturally.
How long does the Hypnotic effect last?
Normally hypnosis ends instantaneously, but for some people the experience can be so “profound” that it takes a few moments for them to re-focus back onto the moment.
This is not a negative experience, sometimes “trance” can be such an “eye-opener” that it can leave you feeling quite surprised!
Most of the hypnosis sessions at Wolverhampton Hypnotherapy last about 50 minutes, some only 30 minutes depending on what you have consulted us for.
What if I can’t relax enough for Hypnosis?
This is a common concern, but I have only ever met one person (since 1988) who was so nervous that they could not “allow” themselves to relax enough to enter hypnosis.
Normally, within a few minutes, the experience is so nice that people tend to “go with it” and thus gain the benefits.
Hypnosis, of course, actually HELPS you to relax.
What if I fall asleep in Hypnosis?
A number of out clients do become so deeply hypnotised that they fall into a deep sleep, but this does not affect the validity of the treatment because we utilise an audio system known as the “hypno-com” system which is effectively a two-way headphone and microphone system that allows us to blend in our hypnosis sound-tracks whilst talking to the client.
As you have headphones on during the treatments, your subconscious mind continues to listen to what is being said even if you do not consciously listen.
Will I run around like a chicken in Hypnosis?
Not unless you really want to!
Remember, you cannot be made to do anything that you would not normally do, so unless you spend some of your day making like a chicken, this is just not going to happen.
Furthermore, this would be highly unprofessional and unethical and not good for our reputation so you can be certain that this will not be happening at Wolverhampton Hypnotherapy.
How many sessions of Hypnotherapy will I need?
Truthfully it’s impossible to say, however, we will always try to discharge you from treatment at the earliest opportunity provided we believe (and you do) that you have resolved your particular problem.
Clinical Hypnosis for fears and phobias, or perhaps stopping smoking, usually only require one or perhaps two sessions.
Everybody is of course unique and the rate of change through Hypnotherapy varies according to your personality and your ability to deal with and access the emotional causes.
Do you use a watch to hypnotise me?
This is a common question and again tends to lend itself to the Hollywood Movie era.
The watch that is used by some hypnotists is simply used to help the client “focus their attention” whilst the subconscious mind is “led into hypnosis”.
At Wolverhampton Hypnotherapy we simply use our voice and specially recorded music to help you to “internalise” and easily enter the hypnotic state.
Can you read my mind in Hypnosis?
Definitely not! Although as trained Analysts, we very often are able to listen more to what you are NOT saying that what you actually say.
Sometimes we might respond directly to this “sub-conscious” language and appear to be somehow reading what you’re thinking!
How long are the Hypnosis sessions?
All of our hypnotherapy sessions last an hour, although you may only be induced into hypnosis for 30-45 minutes during the sessions.
Our Stop Smoking session lasts longer at about two hours, but the hypnosis element of this treatment only lasts for 30 minutes.
What is “time compression” in Hypnosis?
Time Compression (or indeed time extension) is a very common phenomenon within the hypnotic experience.
What actually happens is that the hypnotic experience “seems” to last for just a few minutes when it has actually lasted much longer, typically 30-40 minutes.
On the other hand, many clients will experience the feeling that the session has lasted for “hours”.
These hypnotic distortions are due to the fact that you have become “internalised” and totally lost track of time as you “turn inwards” into your inner thinking and processing.]
What is “conversational hypnosis”?
Conversational Hypnosis is rather misunderstood.
You will not find it difficult to find lots of unscrupulous websites that claim to be able to teach you conversational hypnosis so that you can “covertly control” people without then realising that they are being hypnotised.
It IS possible to hypnotise people without having to go through a more conventional “induction” method, but generally this is only true when the recipient agrees to the process.
The most famous user of the conversational technique for therapeutic purposes was Milton Erickson, regarded as one of the real “masters” of the subject and extremely influential in getting Hypnosis adopted within the medical professions.
Free Initial Consultations
If you'd like to meet and discuss your particular problems with Joan here at the Wolverhampton Hypnotherapy Clinic in Wombourne then please get in touch.
These free consultations last about 50 minutes and are an opportunity to talk about your problems in a non-judgmental and confidential environment.
Joan has more than 12 years clinical experience and can almost certainly offer an effective solution using evidence-based hypnotherapy and psychotherapy.