Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is an increasingly accepted technique in which hypnosis is used as a tool to treat a wide variety of psychological, behavioural and medically related problems.
Although hypnosis has at times been misunderstood and even feared, the greater understanding in modern times of this valuable tool has led to receptiveness to hypnotherapy by the general public and more widespread use by medical and other practitioners.
Today, hypnotherapy is used extensively by physicians, dentists and therapists treating psychological problems. Practitioners of the technique can cite many success stories that have further enhanced its acceptance in such varied instances as relieving pain in surgery and helping people to stop smoking or lose weight.
In the United States, hypnotism has been accepted as a treatment modality since 1958, and hypnotherapy is now widely used to treat many common medical conditions, ranging from asthma and allergies to heart disease, as well as an adjunct to anaesthetics in dentistry, and as a behaviour modification tool. It has even been used as an experimental technique in treating cancer.
Philosophy and Objectives.
To understand hypnotism is to understand that there are different states of human consciousness. In hypnotism, the alpha level, a state of high concentration between sleeping and waking, is induced. In this relaxed state, critical factors of the mind can be bypassed and a person becomes more receptive to suggestions, such as the reduction of pain or to eat less and to stop smoking.
Also in this state, a person can be more receptive to recalling earlier life events that might have had a traumatic impact. These events can be dealt with in therapy. The hypnotherapist can help a patient replace negative thought processes with positive ones.
In essence: when critical factors of the mind are bypassed in hypnosis, patients can more easily accept their ability to achieve desirable, positive behaviours – “Can’t do” becomes “can do”. Hypnotherapy is a testament to the power of the mind to bring about positive behaviour and help heal the body.
