What is Hypnosis?
A bit of History
Hypnosis has been around for centuries, and is in fact derived from scientific research. Evidence of hypnosis dates back to the eighteen century with an Austrian doctor, Franz Anton Mesmer, who found that he was able to “cure people of illness” without medicine or surgery. This is where the term "mesmerism" came from. Mesmer's findings evolved over time when popular surgeons such as Elliotson and James Esdaile and researcher James Braid brought it to the medical field. Many others followed developing and studying hypnosis further, but it was Milton Erickson, in the 1960's, who popularized Hypnotherapy as it is commonly used today.
How it works
Hypnosis or trance is a state that we can all experience on a daily basis, for example; being engulfed in a great book or movie, daydreaming or even while driving a car - these moments where we might find ourselves "zone-out” even though there is still some awareness of our surroundings or what we are doing, is a type of trance. This is called Natural Hypnosis.
Therefore, Hypnosis is not actually sleep but rather a state that involves total body relaxation with a heightened state of awareness and concentration. This state allows for the bypassing of the conscious mind (our present moment mind) to allow direct communication with the subconscious mind (our all-knowing mind). This is where all our memories, beliefs, and values are stored. When working at this level, it creates space for positive changes to be made quickly and effectively on a deep subconscious level. This makes seeing results substantially quicker than some other forms of talk-therapy that work primarily on a conscious level.
During a Hypnotherapy session with a trained practitioner, you are always in control. The Hypnotherapist cannot make you do or say anything that you wouldn’t normally do or say. In fact, all Hypnosis is Self-Hypnosis and the Hypnotherapist is merely your guide into the pleasant Hypnotic state. Together you will work as a team to create new positive thoughts, feelings and anchors to replace any specific negative ones that you wish to eliminate or work through.
Hypnosis has been around for centuries, and is in fact derived from scientific research. Evidence of hypnosis dates back to the eighteen century with an Austrian doctor, Franz Anton Mesmer, who found that he was able to “cure people of illness” without medicine or surgery. This is where the term "mesmerism" came from. Mesmer's findings evolved over time when popular surgeons such as Elliotson and James Esdaile and researcher James Braid brought it to the medical field. Many others followed developing and studying hypnosis further, but it was Milton Erickson, in the 1960's, who popularized Hypnotherapy as it is commonly used today.
How it works
Hypnosis or trance is a state that we can all experience on a daily basis, for example; being engulfed in a great book or movie, daydreaming or even while driving a car - these moments where we might find ourselves "zone-out” even though there is still some awareness of our surroundings or what we are doing, is a type of trance. This is called Natural Hypnosis.
Therefore, Hypnosis is not actually sleep but rather a state that involves total body relaxation with a heightened state of awareness and concentration. This state allows for the bypassing of the conscious mind (our present moment mind) to allow direct communication with the subconscious mind (our all-knowing mind). This is where all our memories, beliefs, and values are stored. When working at this level, it creates space for positive changes to be made quickly and effectively on a deep subconscious level. This makes seeing results substantially quicker than some other forms of talk-therapy that work primarily on a conscious level.
During a Hypnotherapy session with a trained practitioner, you are always in control. The Hypnotherapist cannot make you do or say anything that you wouldn’t normally do or say. In fact, all Hypnosis is Self-Hypnosis and the Hypnotherapist is merely your guide into the pleasant Hypnotic state. Together you will work as a team to create new positive thoughts, feelings and anchors to replace any specific negative ones that you wish to eliminate or work through.
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become” – Buddha