Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a system of using various naturally-occurring psychological and physiological states. It is a collaborative process in which you allow yourself to follow the guidance of the therapist by using your imagination to evoke positive emotions and rehearse behaviour change.

Hypnosis is definitely not passive mind control. You cannot be made to do anything against your will. On the contrary, for it to be effective you must want to accept suggested ideas and actively imagine responding to experience their effects.

Hypnosis is definitely not a state of sleep or unconsciousness. Roughly 90% of people report being aware of everything that happens, and relaxation helps but is not essential to hypnosis.

Hypnosis is completely safe when used in a responsible and professional manner. Nobody has ever been “stuck” in hypnosis.

Hypnotic suggestion is a means of experiencing certain helpful ideas at a level profound enough to directly influence our emotions, behaviour and thinking.

Psychological and emotional problems can be seen as the result of negative thinking, whereas hypnotherapy aims to encourage ("suggest") positive ideas which lead to improvement.

Comedy stage hypnosis has very little to do with clinical hypnotherapy and has been shown to foster misconceptions which can prevent people from benefiting from treatment. Take what you see on television with a generous pinch of salt.

Thousands of positive experimental and clinical research studies on hypnosis have been published. It was recognised as an effective treatment by the British Medical Association (BMA) and American Medical Association (AMA) in the 1950s and, more recently, by the American Psychological Association (for obesity) and NICE guidance (for IBS) used by the NHS.