Clinical Hypnotherapy FAQ

Will I go to sleep?

No, although almost all hypnotists/hypnotherapists use the word 'sleep' during an induction, it is purely a signal to get the mind to relax very deeply, sometimes referred to as 'hypnotic sleep' You may look as if you are asleep but your mind will remain very clear and in control. (Should you actually fall asleep it will probably be necessary to gently wake you up as no suggestions can take effect during real sleep and time may be wasted).

Will a moment arrive when I lose control?

No, quite the opposite. This is the biggest, most widespread myth about hypnosis. Powerful changes are made but only ones that you want. It may appear as if subjects in stage hypnosis are being controlled, but in reality they are just very relaxed and uninhibited, rather like people who are drunk (without feeling remotely drunk). In fact, you will enjoy a definite feeling of increased control. Nobody can be hypnotised against their will. There is a myth that weak willed or simpler people respond more easily. In fact, statistics show that hypnotisability usually increases with intelligence.

So how will I know I'm under?

'Being under' may not be what you've always believed it is. People go in and out of trances almost every day and are not aware of it! You just feel mentally very, very calm and content, relaxed, focused and alert, like during a good film at the cinema. At these times the subconscious mind is accessible. It often happens at times of physical activity, as for example, in competitive sports. A tennis player may be having a poor game, then he/she suddenly relaxes and just can't hit the ball wrong - increased concentration has created a light trance and the brilliant shots are coming straight out of the subconscious, as if someone else were playing.

Will I remember anything afterwards?

Yes, almost certainly you will. Even people who have been able to have operations under hypnosis, and have felt no pain, will often chat about the experience afterwards (and during!). Occasionally people recall very little or nothing, rather like occasions when you cannot recall much or any of a dream.

What happens at the session?

First of all there is a detailed consultation in which you are able to talk things over in complete confidence and give details of your problem(s). This is often therapeutic in itself. A course of treatment will then be suggested, the number of sessions that are required depending upon a number of factors such as the type of problem, its depth and severity. I will then usually chat to you about hypnosis so that you are feeling totally relaxed and are aware that there is no possibility of losing control or consciousness at any time. I'll ask you to sit in a comfortable chair and then get you to focus on something such as a spot on the wall or my voice, to lead you gently into hypnosis.