Hypnotherapy -busting the myths!
What do you know about hypnotherapy? Have you seen some stage shows where people have been put in a trance and been made to do silly things? That is not the same as hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy is…a therapy. It is there to provide a safe and relaxing intervention to support your goal or issue. Are you worried that you ‘can’t be hypnotised?’ Well, it’s true! If you don’t want to be hypnotised, you wont be. But if you DO want to go into hypnosis for therapy, you can learn and practise hypnosis like a skill. You might be surprised to know that I came to hypnotherapy a bit sceptical. I had always been one of those ‘you can’t hypnotise me’ types. In the past, I did not want to be hypnotised during stage show I watched. But when I was doing my hypnotherapy diploma, I was surprised about some of the results I experienced with myself and others. Firstly, I decided that I ‘wanted’ it to work so I went along with the suggestion to raise my arm. My head was a bit distracted. I was also thinking about something else I needed to do later that day. I was relaxed but not asleep or in a ‘trance’. I was just focussing more of my attention on the suggestions being made to me with the intention of going along with it. And when my arm lifted up, I was pleasantly surprised. The suggestions we give you will not be something you don’t want to think, say or do. We agree them together as part of setting your goals.
You see hypnosis might seem a bit like magic, but it is not. It is a collaborative therapy and hypnosis is a trainable skill. In fact, we teach you the art of self-hypnosis so that you can practice at home for yourself. Another myth or concern some people might have is that they can be ‘stuck’ in hypnosis. Don’t worry this is not true. You will always be safely emerged from hypnosis and given time to ‘wake up’ properly. You will not get stuck in hypnosis. Did you know there are different types of hypnotherapy and styles of practice? I practice cognitive behaviour hypnotherapy which is evidence-based. Cognitive and behavioural tools are sometimes integrated into the hypnotherapy sessions along with mindfulness techniques. This kind of hypnotherapy does not usually use regression to take you back to an event or experience, although sometimes you might be invited to remember positive feelings and images. So you do not need to worry about unpleasant regression experiences. Are there any other ideas you have about hypnotherapy or hypnosis that you would like to know more about? Please feel free to email me or book a free phone call to find out how I can help you.
Kate Dimmer is a registered cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist in Cheltenham, working in person or online via Zoom. If you are considering hypnotherapy in Cheltenham or online, do get in touch with Kate and she can arrange a free chat where you can ask questions and see if this is the right therapy or practitioner for you.