Hypnosis is often misunderstood. Many people believe it is some kind of “black magic” or mind control, while others believe they just cannot be hypnotized. The fact is, hypnosis is really a normal state that we all experience on some level, just about every day of our lives. If you have ever been driving and wondered how you got to your destination, or you have been so focused on reading or doing the dishes that you couldn’t even hear someone calling your name, you have experienced a basic hypnotic state.
This may begin to tell you how hypnosis works. Essentially, hypnosis is a deep state of trance coupled with suggestions that influence the subconscious mind. Whether we are talking about childbirth hypnosis, smoking cessation hypnosis, or just plain stage hypnosis, hypnosis works by relaxing the mind so that it is receptive to suggestion.
Belief Is Key
For hypnosis to truly be effective, the subject must have at least some belief that he/she can be hypnotized, and that they will achieve some outcome from the hypnosis session. That is to say that hypnosis is a two-way street. On the one hand, you need a competent hypnotist or hypnotherapist. On the other hand, the subject must be a willing participant, and one that is open to suggestion, and believes that:
- he/she will be hypnotized.
- he/she will achieve their goal or outcome.
To revisit our examples above, the expectant mother must believe in some way that hypnosis will help to get rid of fears about birthing, or help her reduce childbirth pain. The smoker will expect hypnosis to help him/her quit smoking. Even in stage hypnosis, the willing participant has the desire to be hypnotized (and usually the hypnotist can, from experience, spot those who appear as willing subjects).
The Steps Of Hypnosis
- Pre-Talk: In this stage, the hypnotist warms the patient up. This is generally when the hypnotist lays out what is going to happen–how and why hypnosis will be effective.
- Induction: This is where the actual hypnosis begins, when the hypnotist guides the patient into a state of relaxation using different techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, guided breathing, or having the patient focus for a long period on one spot. This might conjure up the somewhat trite image of the hypnotist dangling a pocket watch in front of the subject.
- Deepening: In this step, the hypnotist brings the patient into a deeper state using different techniques. One popular technique is the staircase metaphor, in which the subject is told to imagine a staircase that he/she is slowly descending.
- Suggestion: In this step, the hypnotist makes suggestions. The subject’s mind should be completely relaxed and open. It is in this state that the subconscious is open to suggestion and highly influenced. Still, keep in mind that hypnosis is NOT mind control. The subject can wake up at any time, and the hypnotist is not in some power position. Remember, the subject is a willing participant.
- Post-Talk or Awakening: This is the final step, in which the patient is brought “back up,” usually when the hypnotist slowly counts backward from three to one.
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