When we think of hypnosis, most of us think of what we see on stage, people eating an onion as if its an apple, or quacking like a duck. The word hypnosis refers to this entertainment application. But this hypnosis is short lived, when people go back to their regular life, they can still taste the difference between an apple and an onion.
The word hypnotherapy refers to the use of hypnosis to address self improvement such as changing habits like stop smoking, or weight loss, pain management, addressing health issues, and other applications where long term results are sought.
The main differences between these two states has to do with the methods used in achieving the state. Largely, the hypnotist on stage uses confusational patterns and multiple directions to confuse the conscious mind so that the person will be open to suggestion from the hypnotist.
In hypnotherapy, the practitioner uses relaxation techniques and focus techniques to help the client achieve a deeply relaxed state with a greater sense of focus which then enables the client to follow the directions and suggestions. Because this style is based on following directions, it’s important to work with a hypnotherapist with whom you feel comfortable and that you can trust.
The hypnotherapist uses guided visualization with the use of story, imagery and metaphor speaks more directly to the unconscious mind, enabling it to make the change. Our unconscious mind speaks in imagery, metaphor, symbolism more than in words. If we want to update the unconscious mind and get its help in making a change, we need to speak to it in its own language.
Repetition is the key to helping the brain set up new habits. The more we repeat something, our brain wires into that neural pathway until it becomes a habit and runs automatically. Many of our habits are useful like tying our shoes or driving a car, we don’t have to think about it anymore. But, we also have negative habits that we’ve picked up through our lives, such as overeating, smoking, or even negative mental habits like negative self talk or worry.
The repetition of hypnotherapy through either self guided meditation or guided visualizations helps the brain set up new mental pathways and enforce the positive mental patterns until the positive thoughts and feelings become new habits.
Hypnotherapy is actually very simple. By feeding our mind positive messages and giving our unconscious mind clear directions, we are focusing our attention on what we want to think and feel, and thus we can effect the change we want in our lives.
The process of hypnotherapy can help you shift your perspective, so that finding your motivation and confidence become easier and more accessible. Hypnotherapy is effective in many applications including stop smoking, weight loss, pain management, speeding healing and recovery, anaesthesia, anxiety, depression and more.
Many people wonder if hypnosis will work for them. Here is a simple exercise to tell if your body will follow your visualization. Imagine holding a lemon, see its bright yellow waxy skin, with the light reflecting off of the dimples on its skin. Now take a knife and begin cutting the lemon in half. Take one of the halves, and hold it to your nose, inhale the fresh lemon scent. And now, imagine biting into the lemon, letting the sour juices flow over your tongue.
Did your body respond? Did you feel your saliva gland start to work or your mouth pucker? If you did, you know that your body will respond to what you think about. Hypnosis works because you engage positive visualizations and your body responds to what you picture in your mind.
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