The Beauty Society

What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a process used to access the sub-conscious mind. Our patterns of behaviour are based on associations we have made from our thoughts to our emotions. Certain thoughts trigger certain emotions, and likewise, certain emotions can trigger certain thoughts.

Within hypnotherapy, you can learn to tune into your feelings and associate your thoughts with your feelings, and then learn to be more discerning in your conscious waking state when a certain feeling or thought arises. In this manner, merely by recognizing the connection of the thought and emotion, you are stopping the automatic, or trigger reaction. This is essential when dealing with behavioural changes.

Many people are wary of hypnosis and have misconceptions around the process of hypnosis. The hypnotic state is a very natural state of physical relaxation and heightened mental awareness. We slide in and out of different states of consciousness all day long, and we often enter into a hypnotic trance state while wide awake. One example of this kind of trance state is road hypnosis. When you are driving, you often slip into a trance state because of the constant movement of the car and the road going by. Sometimes you may become drowsy while driving or not remember driving the most recent mile or so on your trip, or you may even miss your exit on the motorway. Another common trance state is when you are very absorbed in watching a film or reading a book, you may even not hear someone in the same room talking to you. You are in a waking trance state when these situations occur.

Myth & Truth

There are many myths surrounding hypnosis, mainly due to movies and books. Here are some truths on Hypnosis:

• You cannot be made to do anything against your basis belief system while in trance
• You may end a trance at any time by opening your eyes
• You cannot get stuck in trance
• You may fall asleep while in trance, but when you awaken, you will be out of trance
• Everyone who wants to be hypnotised can be hypnotised, although the depth of trance will vary with each person.

What are the benefits of Hypnosis?

We can use hypnosis to improve our ability to deal with many behavioural issues such as:

• Smoking cessation
• Weight control
• Stress management
• Anxiety conditions (e.g. stage fright, fear of flying, stammering, blushing, psychological skin conditions, and phobia treatments)
• General performance enhancement issues (e.g. sports, business, and educational).