FAQs

There are many prevailing myths about hypnosis, thanks to the movies, TV and stage shows. It is important to know the truth from the fantasy regarding hypnosis. Here are some of the common concerns I have heard over the years, and my answers to those concerns.

Can I be Controlled During Hypnosis?

NO, hypnosis is NOT mind control! Far from it. If it was, it would be 100% effective in reversing habits etc. (such as smoking) which it isn’t (though studies show it is about 80% effective for smoking cessation after 6 sessions). Even someone in deep trance is still entirely aware and in control at all times.  The hypnotic state does induce a desire to fulfill suggestion, and so some people will experience sensation, if suggested correctly, that will give the impression of being controlled.  If that person had any strong reason to ignore that suggestion however, it would have no effect.  Hypnosis will never override one’s judgment, morals or free will.

Will I become unconscious in trance?

No.  Many of my clients come to me having attempted hypnosis before, but explaining they “didn’t go under” as if they expect hypnosis to render them unconscious.  The hypnotic trance is very pleasurable and causes profound relaxation, and so it may often seem like someone in trance is unconscious, but they are not. In trance you can hear everything (often more clearly in fact!) and you can even open your eyes and talk and still be in trance. In fact, you can enter trance standing up.

Is this something supernatural?

Trance is not some special magical state. It is very ordinary, and everyone enters this state at various times (usually entering and leaving sleep state). It involves a shift of brainwave states very much like the process of entering sleep, shifting from predominantly beta wave patterns into alpha, delta and/or theta. Though these shifts are always sequential in sleep, in hypnosis they can jump from one to another.  Similar states are also experience during long drives, or in the midst of prolonged repetitive tasks.

Will I have to tell all my secrets?

Hypnosis is NOT TRUTH SERUM! You are more than capable of lying in trance, though it usually will not support your therapeutic goals!

What if I get stuck in trance?

It is not possible to become STUCK in hypnosis. It has never happened. Though some people can be coached to achieve very deep levels of trance (often referred to as the Eisdale State, or even “catatonic state”) in which they become almost entirely non-responsive, they are still perfectly able to return to normal awareness as soon as they wish. It is just that such states are so pleasant, those experiencing them are reticent to leave it! But they always can be convinced to do so by very simple and immediate methods.

Can I use hypnosis for any and all of my issues?

Hypnosis is not a panacea. It will not cure all your ills. It is best to think of it as an adjunctive self-help method which empowers people to use the full potential of the mind for the sake of their own well-being and to reach their goals.  It is a widely applicable tool, but not the ultimate answer to everything.  People looking for a cure-all are usually trying to avoid being real active participants in their transformation — this is not what hypnosis is about.

I think I can’t be hypnotized.

Everyone can be hypnotized! The only exceptions are people with serious mental or physical ailments that make the process not physically possible. Many people think that only the “weak willed” can be hypnotized, but in fact the opposite is closer to the truth. The more powerful the intellect, the imagination and the ability to focus, the easier and more profound the hypnosis process will be. It has been said that “all hypnosis is self-hypnosis” and this is largely true, though the experience is different with the assistance of a well-trained hypnotic guide.

Is hypnosis the work of The Devil?

There are many different systems of spiritual belief, some of which have traditionally frowned upon the idea of “hypnosis” and labeled it as evil or harmful.  It is my personal belief that these ideas came about due to the acts of a few unscrupulous people who sought to use altered states in others for their own selfish reasons.  There are many ways to manipulate people and confuse their thinking (in fact, there are those who would say this is what many religious groups do!) but this is antithetical to my understanding of hypnotherapy.  If you have held a belief that hypnosis is evil then this approach may not be for you, but I encourage everyone to explore for themselves, trust their intuition, and base moral judgments on the individual and not the approach.  Hypnosis is only a tool, a way of thinking.  As with any tool, it is possible to misuse it, though I believe any misuse of hypnosis is more often the result of ignorance than malice.  It makes sense to screen your practitioner before doing sessions!