Landry and colleagues 9 and Jensen and Patterson 10 give good and comprehensive information on recent research into the neural correlates of hypnosis. However, recent advances in neuroscience have enabled us to begin to understand what might be happening when someone enters a hypnotic state, 3 – 8 and evidence is building for the use of hypnosis as a useful tool to help patients and health professionals manage a variety of conditions, especially anxiety and pain. Hypnotic states have been used for healing since humankind has existed, but because hypnosis can be misused for so-called entertainment and has been portrayed in the media as something mysterious and magical, supposedly out of the hypnotic subject’s control, it has been viewed with distrust and scepticism by many health professionals. Hypnosis does not make the impossible possible, but can help patients believe and experience what might be possible for them to achieve. Hypnosis in itself is not a therapy, but it can be a tool that facilitates the delivery of therapy in the same way as a syringe delivers drugs.
Hypnosis can not only be used to reduce emotional distress but also may have a direct effect on the patient’s experience of pain. However, the main usefulness of the hypnotic state is the increased effectiveness of suggestion and access to mind/body links or unconscious processing. Depending on the suggestions given, hypnosis is usually a relaxing experience, which can be very useful with a patient who is tense or anxious. This might be to allay anxiety by accessing calmness and relaxation, help manage side effects of medications, or help ease pain or other symptoms. Suggestions are then given either verbally or using imagery, directed at the desired outcome. Hypnosis could be seen as a meditative state, which one can learn to access consciously and deliberately, for a therapeutic purpose. Our conscious awareness of our surroundings versus an inner awareness is on a continuum, so that, when in these states, one’s focus is predominantly internal, but one does not necessarily lose all outer awareness. By the use and acceptance of suggestions, the clinician and patient construct a hypnotic reality.Įveryday ‘trance’ states are part of our common human experience, such as getting lost in a good book, driving down a familiar stretch of road with no conscious recollection, when in prayer or meditation, or when undertaking a monotonous or a creative activity. 1 Hypnotic induction involves focusing of attention and imaginative involvement to the point where what is being imagined feels real. We have a large number of qualified and experienced hypnotherapists on our directory from around London and the rest of the UK.Hypnosis can be seen as ‘a waking state of awareness, (or consciousness), in which a person’s attention is detached from his or her immediate environment and is absorbed by inner experiences such as feelings, cognition and imagery’. The register is governed by an authoritative body for hypnotherapists called the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council and hypnotherapists need to meet strict criteria relating to their training and experience so as to become members. However, if you find a hypnotherapist through our directory you can feel confident they are all highly qualified as we only allow hypnotherapists to join us who are members of the General Hypnotherapy Register. Some hypnotherapists will have undertaken quite extensive training but others may only have done quite short courses. There are different avenues and levels of training for hypnotherapists. Hypnotherapy also often involves a short course of treatment, with only a few sessions needed in some instances to address a particular issue. At all times when being hypnotised the client actually should remain in control and although very relaxed, should be able to talk or get up and leave the room if they want to.Ĭommon issues that can be addresses through hypnotherapy are things such as giving up smoking, phobias, weight loss and confidence issues.
However this doesn't mean you risk losing control or that you can be manipulated to do or think things you don't want to. Unlike counselling, psychotherapy or psychology which may involve looking at a number of issues in a conscious way, hypnotherapy often focuses on a singular issue and works with the unconscious. Together the hypnotherapist and client will decide on the desired changes to work on prior to the hypnosis occurring. Hypnotherapy is a talking therapy involving hypnosis which focuses a clients imagination and subconscious to help bring about positive changes to their thoughts, feelings or behaviour.