When I am contacted by prospective clients inquiring about hypnosis, there is often a "magical" quality to their questions.  What I mean by the word  "magical" is that they expect that in using hypnosis, I am going to work some kind of magic on them.  This is part of an inaccurate myth that people in hypnotic trances are passive subjects being manipulated by the hypnotherapist.  This couldn't be any further from the truth.

Actually, depending on one's level of hypnotizability (most people tend to fall in the moderate range), chances are you have already been in a light hypnotic trance on your own without intending to do so.  A key component of hypnosis is the concept of focused attention (known as absorption).  We focus our attention all of the time.  We might be incredibly productive in a given moment at a task that we are working on.  I am a basketball fan, so I will use the recent example of Kobe Bryant's 61 point outburst at Madison Square Garden a month ago.  Kobe was "in the zone."  He was really focused on what he was doing - he was less susceptible to external distractions (other players, crowd).  This is an example of absorption.  Daydreaming is another example of absorption... in our own thoughts.

I mention this because when people come see me for hypnotherapy, chances are they already have hypnotic talents.  My role is to channel their natural hypnotic ability in efficiently inducing a hypnotic state, then to utilize specific imagery and language to create hypnotic suggestions that target their presenting concerns (examples might include anxiety, phobias, insomnia, weight concerns, IBS, smoking cessation, etc.).

Thus, in the hypnotherapy sessions, the emphasis is on consistent induction of hypnotic trance, symptom reduction during and after trance, and increased feelings of overall well-being.  This varies based on the individual person and concern, but most clients experience some positive effects within session in the first few sessions. 

At that point, the focus becomes on moving from hetero-hypnosis (another name for "hypnotherapy", e.g. hypnosis between a hypnotherapist and client in session) to self-hypnosis.  There are certainly some clients for whom this is not necessary.  I recently worked with a smoking cessation client who quit smoking after one hypnotherapy session.  Factors that influence timeliness and effect of the hypnosis include the level of hypnotizability, motivation, and the hypnotic and post-hypnotic suggestions given.  This subject will be covered in another blog entry.

For many other clients, however, an important part of transferring the positive hypnotic effects is repeated practice at home.  This practice allows the body and mind to more readily remember the physical, cognitive, and emotional sensations associated with trance.  Practice yawning, for example, and you will remember exactly how your body feels when you yawn, and you will be more readily able to produce those effects on cue.

In order to help my clients practice self-hypnosis, I prepare hypnosis recordings based on our hypnotic work in session.  These MP3 CDs can also include music background tracks (with and without the hypnotic language) at the client's request.  As clients continue to practice self-hypnosis, they begin to become more comfortable with inducing hypnosis and giving themselves suggestions related to their concerns.   Essentially, we have come full circle!   Clients are going into hypnosis on their own, except now they are doing it with intention, purpose, and skill, rather than by accident and/or without awareness.

I recommend self-hypnosis for everyone.  It is an important component of wellness and proactively managing stress.  Self-hypnosis is easy and fun.  You can set aside 15-20 minutes a day (e.g. before bedtime) for self-hypnosis; you can also practice hypnotic techniques to better cope with stress during the day (e.g. during traffic or a stressful work meeting).

For more information about hypnosis and self-hypnosis, I encourage you to read the page titled "What is Hypnosis?"on my website