Hypnotherapy or hypnosis is a complimentary therapy and can be useful for a variety of mental health issues including depression and anxiety, smoking cessation, needle phobia, anger and even weight loss.  But how do professionals use Hypnosis?

Hypnotherapy defined: a person is guided by a professional to respond to verbal stimulation for changes in subjective experience, alterations in perception through suggestion and metaphor; altering sensation, emotion, thought or behaviour. Please see our Benefits of Hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy involves leading a client through a number of stages to achieve a desired change or response. Below I would like to show you the Hypnosis procedure, from start to finish.

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Stage One: Preparation

This first step is important, as with all therapy…first things first. It involves the client and hypnotherapist building a professional relationship through understanding relevant problems and/or issues and developing a strategy to work with them. The hypnotherapist will normally then explain the process of hypnosis and rid of any misconceptions of hypnotherapy. Sometimes the hypnotherapist will lead you to practice relaxation and mindfulness techniques to prepare you for your sessions.

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Stage Two: Induction

There are a number of techniques used to induce a hypnotic trance of which the most popular is the eye-fixation technique.  This involves the patient staring at a fixed point whilst the hypnotherapist suggests feelings of heavy eyes and tiredness which eventually lead to a deep, relaxed state.

Another technique is the hand levitation technique whereby the hypnotherapist focuses on sensations of the subject’s hand lifting slowly into the air and touching the face at which point the subject will close their eyes rest in the same relaxed state. However, this technique is not widely practiced anymore…

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Stage Three: Deepening

Next there is a period of deepening of the hypnotic experience. Techniques include the use of music, counting, periods of silence, visual imagery and story telling leading you into hypnosis. The key to hypnotherapy is through utilising your senses to engage deeper unconscious thoughts.

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Stage Four: Treatment

The hypnotherapist can then begin the process of treatment to help the patient overcome their anxiety, phobia or other conditions as listed above. This will be in the form a script that is worked out from the very beginning. Specific language is used to engage and nurture your mind into succumbing to suggestion.

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Stage Five: Ego Strengthening

Ego strengthening involves removing tension, anxiety and apprehension whilst restoring the confidence that the client has in their ability to cope with their problem.

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Stage Six: Ending (Coming back up)

Just before ending the hypnosis session, often with the use of a counting technique, the hypnotherapist may use post-hypnotic suggestions to counter negative thinking and introduce the idea of self-hypnosis sometimes using a tape of the session. This we can speak about after each session.

Please visit my YouTube channel for free Hypnosis Videos.

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