Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy
What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a naturally occurring altered state of consciousness similar to daydreaming or the drifting process we experience just before we sleep. You unknowingly experience this natural state every day.
It's just a way of tuning out distracting thoughts, and focusing your attention, just as you do when you're daydreaming, or when totally absorbed in a film, book, TV show, or favourite hobby.
Contrary to popular belief, hypnosis is not a state of deep sleep. It does however involve the induction of a relaxing 'trance-like' state, but when in it, the patient is actually in a heightened state of awareness , concentrating on the hypnotherapist's voice. In this state, the conscious mind is in neutral and the unconscious mind is revealed.
This allows the unconscious mind to be more receptive, where it is able to accept suggestions more easily.
The unconscious mind contains all your memories and experiences, and controls your automatic thoughts and behaviours, and this is the part which has to change for your behaviour and physical state to alter.
What is hypnotherapy?
In hypnotherapy you are guided into hypnosis for therapeutic purposes. It is literally therapy done while in hypnosis and can be thought of as an effective and speedy form of psychotherapy.
Hypnotherapy can change your patterns of behaviour and perceptions, enabling irrational fears, phobias, habits, negative thoughts and suppressed emotions to be overcome. With the help of the hypnotherapist, you are able to look at problems differently and maybe discover solutions to problems that had been missed before.
Using hypnosis to gain access to the unconscious mind allows the therapist to suggest positive and beneficial ideas which become firmly planted in your unconscious. Old, outdated and inappropriate patterns of behaviour can be dropped, in favour of new and more rewarding patterns of behaviour.
Hypnosis or the state of trance is a natural state of the mind.You have often experienced this pleasant relaxed state,such as daydreaming or lying in your bed when you are so relaxed with comfort that you wish the moment could last forever.
By using simple hypnotic relaxation techniques ,James helps you to easily attain this pleasant relaxed state to visualise yourself becoming healthier, happier and more confident in reaching your goals.
How does hypnosis work?
Hypnosis is thought to work by altering our state of consciousness in such a way that the analytical left-hand side of the brain is quietened down, while the non-analytical right-hand creative side is made more alert.
The conscious control of the mind is relaxed (just like day dreaming), and the unconscious mind awoken.The unconscious mind is a more instinctive force than the conscious mind, It is the part which has to change for the patient's habits, behaviours and physical state to alter.
Progress can only be made by re-programming the unconscious landscape of the mind so that deep-seated instincts and beliefs are challenged, abolished, dissolved, altered or even re-routed to something more positive
It is useful to know that the patients can also learn self-hypnosis techniques which can also be practiced at home, to reinforce the usefulness of formal sessions with the therapist and to further reduce the frequency of formal sessions. This can particularly help to counter the affects of stress and anxiety related conditions.
Learning how to practice self-hypnosis regularly can not only reduce levels of hidden stress, but can help to reduce levels of physical pain, and program you to be better at anything you focus your goals on.