Many people fall prey to believing outdated and misinformed societal dogma about Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy. The media, certain religious institutions and various groups are partly responsible for the ill portrayal of this Clinically effective psychological and therapeutic tool. With the advent of 'stage hypnosis' and gimmicky TV shows, such as the widely popular show 'You are back in the room', the scope for misguiding the public is very real and growing.
Clinical Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy actually has its origins rooted in the medical field. The conventional era of hypnosis and hypnotherapy really began with Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815) a Viennese physician who inadvertently shaped the word “mesmerism” which meant that he could perform various early operative procedures by mesmerising or putting folk into 'trance' (deep natural relaxation) without pain relief. General Anaesthetic was unavailable in this era, and so the arcane beliefs around Hypnotherapy were born and were driven into the modern era, that this type of 'mesmerism' must be occult or something dark and esoteric.
Forms of Trance, relaxation, and meditation have been often described within ancient historical and religious texts to describe what we now know as Hypnosis. Hypnosis in its raw form is a deeply relaxed peaceful state that we enter into frequently throughout the day unconsciously; there is nothing archaic or clandestine about that!
The word Hypnosis was derived from the ancient Greek word 'Hypnos' who was believed to be the God of sleep. The term Hypnosis wasn't coined until much later, in fact centuries later by James Braid. It is a widely held belief that in 1843, James Braid, a Scottish surgeon who carried many successful operations out under Hypnosis, conceived the term “hypnosis”, from the inaccurate notion that someone in a 'trance' state is asleep.
What Hypnotherapy is
Hypnotherapy is in its simplest form, a state of 'being' in which the individual enters into a pleasantly relaxed feeling guided professionally by the therapist. This feeling is actually one that we encounter at least twice a day just before sleep and following waking. This familiar feeling means that when our subconscious is at its optimal state; our critical, argumentative, problem solving, anxiety producing minds are at rest. This is why throughout history many of the worlds most successful people sought relaxing (hypnotic) type activities that altered their 'state' to aid their mind to reach a more restful passive state, bringing forth their most inspiring and brilliant work.
Today, athletes, important public figures and alike, regularly use Hypnotherapy techniques to help them banish issues that hold them back, and so maximising their life potential. The mind is there to be used to help every individual reach their best, in the very least help us make the right choices for survival.
Have a think about the last time you 'visualised' something so vividly or focused on something other than the world around you, what happened? It's my guess that you 'switched off' for a moment and entered a dreamy like state; quite pleasant and focused?
This 'focused' place is where our mind meets our creative potential, the impressionable blue print stamp that serves us whether the thought is negative or positive. Therefore it's important to monitor what we think, for the mind can't always discriminate between a fictitious (imagined) experience and a real one if the visuals are intense enough to induce 'feelings' too. This is what makes Hypnosis as a tool in experienced hands; very powerful. The Clinical Hypnotherapist can bring you to the desired state where you can find your best self and bring it forth.
What won't happen to you during Hypnosis
What won't happen when experiencing Hypnosis, is loss of control, being made to do or say something that you are unaware of or don't want to do, losing consciousness, memory loss or anything else terrible that you might conjure up.
These false associations at best are completely fictionally fanciful and are the result of years of fear mongering from misguided belief systems. If there were any truth within these claims, I'm quite certain that the medical field would not be supporting and advocating it as a line of treatment or aid to treatment.
Many hospital trusts are now actively using Clinical Hypnotherapy. Liverpool hospital has successfully employed the use of Clinical Hypnosis to help patients in various ways, in particular in operative procedures meaning safer outcomes for the patient and reduced post operative side effects.
In Hypnosis (relaxation) we have a chance to rest, unwind, and root out and let go of repressed feelings, pain, unhelpful and harmful beliefs. This is where we have the opportunity to really take a closer look at our own inner commentary, and examine it for what it is; just old adopted 'beliefs' that need an empowering upgrade. The result? Freedom from the confines of our own previously held beliefs, actions and rituals. Hypnotherapy is a blessing for many who suddenly find themselves letting go of years of pain, addiction, traumatic memories, unexplained pain, illnesses etc.
Written by, A Montague, Founder of Transform Clinical Hypnotherapy.
If you would like to know more about how Clinical Hypnotherapy can help you, please call Transform Clinical Hypnotherapy
visit: www.transformhypnotherapy.co.uk