What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy – or hypnosis, is a type of ‘complementary’ and ‘alternative medicine” treatment approach.
It is a mind-body intervention which uses guided relaxation, increased and focused, concentration and attention while in a dream-like state to achieve a heightened state of awareness that is sometimes called a ‘trance’.
The Conscious and Subconscious Mind.
The brain has two parts or elements – a conscious mind which forms between 10-20% and a sub-conscious mind which forms between 80-90%. The smaller conscious part of the mind is associated with rational thinking (our thoughts), feelings memories, decision-making, analysing and the forming of judgements at a given moment in time and thus behaviours. It is fundamentally what a person is ‘consciously’ thinking about or deciding to do ever day. The larger subconscious mind does everything else. It acts as a support network of resources for the conscious mind. It an be likened to reservoir of storing feelings, thoughts, beliefs. urges, and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness. It is always taking in information. The unconscious mind contains contents that are identified as unacceptable or unpleasant, such as feelings of pain, anxiety, or conflict.
Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state which allows access to the subconsious mind.
Hypnosis – What’s Involved.
During Hypnosis the person’s attention is so focused that anything going on around them is temporarily blocked out or ignored.
Through use of techniques and processes (including words and visualisation – pictures), such as suggestion or deep relaxation states, a person can be guided to focus their attention on specific thoughts or tasks, and positive suggestions can be delivered and absorbed into the subconscious mind.
Most of us go in and out of the trance state regularly. Trance-like states can include zoning out while day dreaming, or driving and not remembering the details of passing signs, turns, or going past or through places, falling into a dream state lost in ones own thoughts while listening to music, or being immersed in the world of a book or movie These are all trance-like states.
The only difference between hypnosis and these everyday trance states is that, in hypnosis, someone induces the trance state to achieve something: healing, discovery, or stress relief, for example.
Hypnotherapy – Uses
Hypnotherapy can be used as a form of therapy with treatment to help support health and wellbeing, life challenges and with physical and mental health. It can be used to identify and recover past memories and incidents which might be the source of problems and issues.
It an be used to treat issues and conditions including stress anxiety, depression, pain, unwanted behaviours, addictions, fears and phobias, trauma, weight loss and control, motivation, performance and goal setting, confidence and self-esteem IBS and birthing.
At a basic level hypnotherapy is a useful body and mind relaxation tool utilising breathing visualisation and releasing tension techniques and exercises which can help and be a benefit with negative feelings and emotions.
