Hypnosis is a perfectly natural, voluntary state of deep relaxation which can be induced by the hypnotherapist or the person themselves. In fact, some say that all hypnosis is self hypnosis.
The word hypnosis was coined after the Greek God of Sleep ‘Hypnos’ but, when in the state of hypnosis, you are most definitely not asleep. You are totally aware of everything around you and can hear and respond verbally when necessary. It is not possible that you could be made to do anything that you do not want to do, or say anything that you do not want to say. No one has control over you – you are in control at all times.
Hypnosis is in fact a state where our conscious and sub-conscious minds are working together, without conflict, on a single thought or series of thoughts to the exclusion of everything else; it heightens the sense of recall and enhances the emotions attached to those memories. It is a co-operation between the client and therapist to help change and improve your quality of life.
Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever been reading a book or listening to a favourite piece of music – things are happening all around you but your mind just phases them out – that’s a hypnotic state; when you are driving down a motorway, or maybe it’s a familiar journey you have done many times before, you arrive home and don’t remember most of the drive home – that’s a hypnotic state; It’s only when a threat is perceived by the sub-conscious mind that you are brought back to the conscious state so you can react accordingly. We all go into a hypnotic state during our everyday lives but most of us do not even realise it…..