People are usually so skeptical when they hear that I use hypnotherapy to help my clients with pain relief, or to conquer fears.   Then their curiosity gets the better of them and they start asking questions. Does hypnosis work?  Usually people claim that they can’t be hypnotized.   But the truth is, everyone can be hypnotized.   Some people are more susceptible and some more resistant.  Some people are so open to it, that they are literally walk around all day in a hypnotic state.

Hypnosis is a natural state of consciousness, much like fully cognitive consciousness or unconsciousness.  Hypnosis is a state of consciousness somewhere between the two.   Everyone experiences it to some degree at one time or another.  For instance, have you ever been driving on the freeway and missed your exit because you were daydreaming?   Guess what – you were in a state of hypnosis.   You were functioning, that is, you were driving, but your subconscious mind was more in control of your thoughts than your conscious mind.    At any instant, say if someone cut in front of you, you could snap back to full focus, but for a few minutes there, you slipped into a less than fully conscious state.   Now think about people you know.  Some drift through life, not seeming to focus on anything.  Some are super focused, analytical and goal oriented.    Everybody falls somewhere on this spectrum of susceptibility to hypnosis.    My job is to recognize where you fall on the spectrum, and tailor my message and use of my tools to your specific needs.

Now think about what you do every day, and how much of it that you do without even thinking.  You get up in the morning and pick up the toothbrush and unscrew the cap of the toothpaste and squeeze the toothpaste onto the brush.  While you are doing that you may be thinking about some work you have to do later, or a phone call you need to make, or a chore that needs doing.  You are probably not thinking, “Now I am going to unscrew the toothpaste cap.  Now I am going to squeeze the toothpaste.”   You are performing these tasks and many others throughout your day with your subconscious mind.  You have brushed your teeth so many times that you can do it without thinking.    It might surprise you to know that about 88% of our actions and behaviors are controlled by our subconscious and only 12% by our rational, conscious mind.

Our subconscious mind is comfortable with “knowns”, whether good or bad.  If every time you fell off the monkey bars, your mother comforted you with a cookie, as an adult when you need comfort, you will reach for a cookie.  This is your “known”.    When you decide to go on a diet, your logical, rational 12% is telling you that you want to look and feel better.  But the subconscious 88% may be sabotaging your progress.  How does hypnosis work?    In the hypnotic state, your subconscious is at the forefront, rather than your critical thinking mind.  You subconscious is open to suggestions made by the hypnotherapist, and it becomes easier for you to reach any goal you desire.

Tags: Does hypnosis work, hypnotherapist, hypnotherapy, hypnotic state, state of consciousness, subconscious mind
Filed under: Hypnotherapy