FAQ

Can anybody be hypnotised?

Pretty much. The exceptions are: those who are educationally subnormal or suffering from senility, very
young children, hard drug addicts, anybody under the influence of large amounts of alcohol.

How does it work?

Although there has been much speculation and theory over the years, all that is truly known about the
phenomenon of hypnotherapy is that it allows the conscious critical faculty to be bypassed, allowing a
'gateway' to the subconscious mind.

Does it always work?

No, no more than any other form of medicine, complimentary OR orthodox does. A responsible therapist
will soon detect when it is not going to and discharge that client so that they may seek the help they need
elsewhere. Another hypnotherapist might produce the desired result where the first one could not, because
of the different client/therapist 'mix'.

What does it feel like to be hypnotised?

Actually, it doesn't. For the vast majority of people there is actually no such thing as a 'hypnotised feeling' -
the vast majority of people would insist afterwards that they had not 'gone under'. After a few sessions,
though, most people start to become aware of how the state feels to them. It may be that they feel
excessively heavy or light. Their arms and legs may feel rigid, as if they have been moved into a different
position, or even absent. They can sometimes feel other strange phenomena, too - pleasant sensations of
floating, whirling and/or spinning are not unusual, or of some part of the body being distorted in some way
(I always refer to this as Hypno-morphing) or as if they have become very small/big. I personally feel as if
my hands are encased in an air bubble - my signal that I am in self hypnosis. Most people suffer some form
of time distortion, usually in the ratio of around 2.5:1, so that after the session there is a feeling that it was
much shorter than it actually was. Typically, a 50 minute session would feel like 20 minutes.

Is it successful with real phobias?

Absolutely, provided that the right sort of therapy is employed.

Is it good for performance enhancement?

Hypnosis, with the right sort of adjunct work, EXCELS at performance enhancement of all types! Here are
just a few of the things with which it can make profound improvement:

" Sporting performance
" Career matters
" Memory and concentration
" Stage performance
" Study
" Exams and tests
" Presentation/speaking skills

Is it dangerous in any way?

Not at all, in the hands of a properly trained hypnotherapist. There are some circumstances that would be
undesirable with a non-trained or poorly-trained hypnotist, but nothing serious could happen, in any case.

How can you tell if somebody is hypnotised?

There are several external signs, though few people show all of them. Some of the most noticeable are: A
facial flush, total immobility and relaxation, rapid eye movement, eyelid flicker, enhanced salivation
(causing frequent swallowing), slowed respiration, drooping lower jaw.

Can you get 'stuck' in hypnosis?

No, you definitely cannot! If you were hypnotised and the hypnotist just walked away and left you, you
would simply bring yourself out of the state whenever you wanted to.

Can you make anybody do things they don't want?

In my opinion, definitely not, but there is considerable conjecture about this. It is often said that hypnosis
cannot breach the moral code, though there are therapists and hypnotists who claim otherwise - but of
course, we cannot truly know what another person's moral code/values consists of. People will frequently
do things they would not normally do, though this does not mean it is something they do not want to do;
hypnosis lowers inhibition, so it could be just something that that individual was too inhibited to do in the
normal way, even though he/she was not averse to it.

How does clinical hypnotherapy differ from stage hypnosis?

The hypnosis process is similar, though many believe it is not. The stage hypnotist is out to entertain
others. The hypnotherapist is out to make somebody's life more enjoyable to live. Do not confuse Clinical
Hypnotherapy with Stage Hypnosis.

Is there anybody who should not be hypnotised?

To a large extent, it depends on the sort of therapy being employed. Some say that anybody suffering from
epilepsy should never be hypnotised, but I have never heard of an epileptic fit being triggered by hypnosis.
Where psychotic individuals are concerned, care needs to be exercised and regression/analytical therapy
should most definitely not be employed.

How long does a cure produced by hypnosis actually last?

It depends on how much subconscious change was brought about in the first place. If a change has been
made to a flawed fundamental belief system, then the cure will be permanent and last for a life-time. If
only superficial changes have been made, then it might be only a few days or weeks. This is why direct
suggestion therapy sometimes fails miserably. The best therapy is where the/an underlying cause has been
resolved before any suggestion work is carried out at all.

What's the difference between hypnotherapy and psychotherapy?

Usually, psychotherapy makes changes to the subconscious mind by using the understanding and imagery of
the conscious mind. Hypnotherapy attempts to bypass the conscious mind to a large extent, working
directly with the subconscious mind. For this reason, hypnotherapy is often quicker than psychotherapy.

What ethical, legal and moral issues are involved in the use of hypnosis?

From a professional point of view, hypnosis should be used ONLY for the benefit of patients and clients -
and not for any other reason at all. That pretty much sums up the basis of most Codes of Ethics. From a
personal viewpoint, though, it is only your own moral code that you would have to follow.