Hypnotherapy FAQs – Answers to Common Hypnotherapy Questions

Trance is a naturally occurring state of semi-consciousness that we experience daily. Simply put, it is where your conscious mind loses focus on things that are happening around you that are obvious, but you have lost awareness to them. For example, have you ever been so engrossed in a movie that you completely lost track of the time? That’s right, you were in trance!

Hypnotherapy is where a therapist works with the client’s subconscious to change beliefs/patterns/behaviours instead of just talking to them in a conscious state.

The conscious mind involves logical thinking, the subconscious has automated behaviours. For example – you want to buy a new pair or shoes so you go to the shoe shop and consciously find a pair that suits, and you try them on. You then walk around the shop and use your conscious mind to decide whether the new shoes feel good on your feet. But you don’t stop to think about how to walk…which foot to put before the other…how to stand up and sit down again…. These are behaviours that are totally embedded in your subconscious mind. You are so used to walking, as this movement is run by the subconscious mind, that it just happens automatically.

All long-term behaviours/habits/addictions/traits are run by the subconscious mind. Consciously you know that you don’t want the problem, but it is extremely difficult to change old behaviours through therapy that involves talking to the conscious mind. By tapping into the subconscious, using hypnotherapy, the change happens easily and quickly without any self-conflict.

NLP is short for Neuro Linguistic Programming. It was originally developed in the 1970’s by John Grinder & Richard Bandler. This is a range of techniques that can change thoughts and behaviours without the need for hypnosis; often conversationally and quickly using specific techniques that bypass the conscious mind.

Both hypnosis and NLP are totally safe. The client is always in control and can come out of trance whenever they want to.

Hypnotherapy is a collaborative process where the client will accept suggestions to eliminate problems that they personally want to be free of. You cannot be forced to do something you do not want to do; you are always in control. The hypnotist is simply your guide to trance and the catalyst to allow you to make the changes you want, and this will never work against your beliefs and morals.

Stage, street and entertainment hypnosis are purely for entertainment purposes where volunteers are looking to have some fun and let the hypnotist take control for the benefit of the audience. This is not hypnotherapy and is not what you will experience in a therapy session that is bespoke to your needs.

Some issues can be dealt with in just one session. Some issues tend to have stemmed from deeper rooted issues such as childhood trauma or abuse and may need several sessions to overcome the symptomatic problems. After the full consultation we will have an idea of how many sessions to book in, and any subsequent sessions can be arranged later, if required.

As with all complementary therapies, and even most medical treatments, results are not guaranteed. Hypnotherapy is a collaborative process where the client must want the change and be willing to work with the hypnotist. Whilst the success rate is high, there can be occasions where a client has underlying health issues or emotional trauma that has not come to light in the consultation or sessions. Often “secondary gains” – for example emotional eating or snacking could fill the void that comes from lack of affection from your partner. The best thing is to be as open as possible in the consultation and be willing to change.

Of course. we work with clients all over the world online using Zoom. Traditionally hypnosis was done in person and trance was induced by physical touch. In recent years, especially post Covid, adjustments have been made to induce the same level of trance by working online and this is now the preferred method for appointments both for us and our clients.