WHEN I ENROLLED for a weekend introduction to hypnosis over 15 years ago, I had no idea it could help in so many ways. For one, I didn’t realise that the anxiety I had experienced from a young age could be truly challenged and cleared for me, personally, such was the impact hypnotherapy had on me.
That was my first experience of this remarkable approach to wellbeing. I knew it would be transformative and was the right discipline for me to explore. It was after that weekend that I began studying hypnotherapy in earnest, gaining the right qualifications and stepping into my dream career. I didn’t realise I could help thousands of people overcome life-limiting issues and beliefs through hypnosis.
Many scientists are perplexed by the vastness of the human brain, some calling it “the most complex thing in the universe” and others saying we know more about the bottom of the ocean than we do the workings of our brain. What we do know is that much of our limiting self-beliefs, habits and compulsions are stored somewhere deep in our subconscious, layered down in that part of our consciousness after years of conditioning and learning. Carl Jung, the famed Swiss psychologist, said, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.”
Science is moving forward too when it comes to hypnosis, with lots of research now showing the benefits of this non-invasive approach to complementary healing in a number of areas.
It’s always so important to say… we all need to be clear that when you are unwell, the healthcare you begin with is your local doctor. We are blessed to live in a time when healthcare has come on so much. Lifesaving diagnoses and medication, surgeries are all there to address illnesses. What hypnosis can do is assist in the maintenance of our health, to complement everything else we do around building good habits, in the same way we eat healthy foods, get exercise and mind our mental health.
A lot of people think hypnosis is just a trick used to entertain people. To have people on a TV or stage show and follow instructions from the celebrity hypnotist. To do all kinds of things from clucking like a chicken to barking like a dog and many other entertaining efforts.
After all, it’s a show and in that situation, the hypnotist’s job is to entertain. The chosen subjects follow suggestions and they perform under hypnosis. Yes, that is one aspect of it. But there is a much more beneficial side to this state — clinical hypnosis. Clinical hypnosis is a tool for making positive change. People seek help from a qualified hypnotherapist for many issues, some of the better-known issues would be to quit smoking and help with anxiety and weight loss.
There are a whole range of other issues that can be helped by using hypnosis. These include public speaking, anxiety, depression, addictions, sports/exercise motivation, fears, phobias, behavioural issues, the list goes on.
When someone seeks help for an issue in the clinic, they can naturally feel unsure or sometimes a bit nervous as they don’t know what to expect. They could be reminded of a TV show on hypnosis they’ve seen, or they’ve been advised by someone who doesn’t understand the process that they are “under a spell” or being controlled by the hypnotherapist.
With that in mind, my explaining the process to the client is hugely important. Outlining how they can expect to feel and everything the hypnotherapist will say is for their benefit. They can then enjoy the process and benefit from a positive outcome. Performing some simple tasks to show them how powerful their mind is and how they can be directed to help them instead of hinder them is another important step.
This is the basis for success for a client, and they can then go into the session open for the change they desire. They can relax and feel more comfortable following the simple steps throughout the session. Each client is carefully guided through the process in their minds which allows them to create the change they have presented for and emerge feeling relaxed and calm.
Clients will often comment afterwards that it was the most relaxed they have ever felt and are surprised at how a short time in hypnosis can help them.
When a person comes in for a session, I do a consultation to find out as much information about their issue. I then explain the process and what to expect in the session and follow on with the session. I like to describe myself as being a personal trainer for the mind. We all know a personal trainer for the body can teach us to achieve our physical goals. I help people achieve goals by using the power of their minds.
Our mind is a powerful thing but sometimes works against us. For example, a person can have a fear of flying and even the mere thought of being on a plane causes all kinds of anxiety and fear. That part of the mind just needs to be re-educated to show that flying is a very safe form of transport.
Likewise, a person wanting to quit smoking struggles and cannot achieve their goal. In hypnosis, by re-educating the subconscious mind about the negative effects smoking has on the body, that change occurs more easily. Hypnosis effectively helps to ‘clean out’ the old habits that were lodged there. A form of mental hygiene.
Florence Bray, Adv.Hip. MGHSC, MIHA, MICHI is a Certified Hypnotherapist based in Dublin and Kildare. She is qualified over 14 years and works with clients in person and online. More information at IrishHypnosis.ie.
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