Hypnotherapy
What it is and isn't
I’ve found that many people,
even those who come to me
looking to try hypnotherapy for
themselves, have many
misconceptions about what it is.
Their only exposure to it may be
on T.V., in films, or in stage
shows, where what their often
seeing is a hypnotist, not a
hypnotherapist, perform amazing
feats in mere minutes, like
getting someone to bark like a
dog, without the participant
having any knowledge afterward
of having done anything out of
the ordinary. This is clearly
hypnotism done for entertainment
value, and it has it’s place,
and is not for me to speculate
on the authenticity of it. All I
can say is that clinical
hypnotherapy, which is what I
practice, couldn’t be more
different.
First of all, clinical
hypnotherapy is a very effective
therapeutic modality meant to
help people move toward whatever
their goal may be. My clients
come to me for: weight loss,
smoking cessation, fears and
phobias, specific stressors in
their life, pain management,
family or relationship issues (
done with one partner or both
simultaneously), understanding
dreams, finding purpose and
passion in their lives,
performance enhancement for
sports and the arts, among
others.
Secondly, I want to assure you
now that at no time during the
hypnotherapy session are you
unaware of what is being said to
you, or should you be asked to
say or do anything that is not
in accordance with your goal,
and has not been agreed upon
between you and your
hypnotherapist, prior to your
session. I believe anything less
is not only unethical, but just
as importantly betrays the trust
of your client. That is what the
interview process is for to
discover more about the client,
his/her goal, and through mutual
agreement how to go about
achieving it. I often compare
the hypnotherapy experience to
being in a deep, relaxed
meditative state where your
internal awareness is
heightened, your external
lessened, and with the help of
your hypnotherapist you are
capable of tapping into
subconscious and unconscious
material, that will assist you
in reaching your goal.
I received my certification, by
the American Board of Clinical
and Medical Hypnotherapy, and
was trained in a solution
focused style, which I believe
guides the client towards
focusing on their strengths when
wording and developing their
goal, allowing them to feel more
positive about the outcome
before, during and long after
the hypnotherapy session is
over. In fact, that is one of
the most lasting gifts of this
therapeutic modality, and what
continues to astound and impress
me about the whole process, that
it is constantly unfolding; it
is not just what is revealed to
you during the session that is
important, but what is revealed
to you days, weeks, and months
from your last hypnotherapy
session, about your most
important resource, you.
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