Have you ever wondered if it’s really possible to change your thought patterns? Not just short-term – but if changes you’d like to make can actually be permanent?

Clients of mine will say, “I’ve had this ‘issue’ for so long, I don’t think it’s even possible to to be rid of it.” 

Or others have tried a variety of different techniques and noticed short-term relief, but their habitual thoughts and patterns come rushing back not long after.

I was 21 when I first discovered hypnosis. I’d been struggling with severe depression and anxiety for all of my adolescence, and I was on a constant quest to find some sort of solace. 

As much as I kept trying, I was still a bit skeptical that anything could help, since I had already tried counselors, psychologists, and specialists. I even tried medication – both holistic and allopathic – but nothing seemed to make a dent in uncovering where all my internal suffering stemmed from.

That’s when someone suggested hypnotherapy.

Like many, what I knew of hypnosis was the idea of losing control and leaving the depths of my mind in the hands of a stranger. Needless to say, that was a rather frightening thought. 

However, my curiosity – and, frankly, desperation – led me to want to understand more. Were all the myths I’d heard about hypnosis right? And was it really possible to transform my mind?

What Is Hypnosis, Really?

Hypnosis or trance is a state of a heightened sense of awareness and concentration that you experience on a daily basis. It naturally occurs during things like, day-dreaming, watching TV, or reading a book. 

It could be described as the moments when you ‘zone-out’ and yet still have awareness of your surroundings or are acutely aware of something while the world fades away.

Often the idea of a “trance” is shaped by what you see in movies or in stage shows, forgetting that these are solely intended for entertainment and therefore meant to be shocking or dramatic. That is what makes a good show, right? 

But the truth is that when things work well in those settings, it’s because someone has given their consent, in some way, to participate. No one is actually having things done against their will. 

While everyone can experience hypnosis, not everyone is able to be hypnotized in that type of setting. 

As it turns out, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis, meaning you are actually in charge of your level of depth, should you choose it.

Hypnosis is a safe, quick, and effective way to help people – help themselves. 

What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is facilitated by a trained hypnotherapist who acts as a guide through the pleasant hypnotic experience, allowing each person to be in charge of their own healing.

There is no loss of control or state of being at the mercy of another person’s will. Instead, there is always choice. It can feel much like a conversation in a waking state, only with more wisdom and perspective.

What makes hypnotherapy different from other forms of therapy is the process of bypassing the conscious mind (the present moment mind) to allow direct communication with the subconscious, or unconscious, mind (the mind running the show). 

This is what happens when you are in a state of hypnotic trance. 

According to the Theory of Mind, by John G. Kappas, the conscious mind is only 5-10% of our mind and while it is the thinking mind, it is limited in its ability to recall all the information required for deep change. Whereas the subconscious is 90-95% of the mind and the place that stores all your memories, values, and deepest beliefs about yourself, your life, and your experiences.

This is why hypnotherapy is known to be much faster at producing results or creating lasting change than other forms of therapy for example – because of its ability to bypass that critical factor of the brain and get to the real root of an issue. 

Effectiveness of Hypnosis vs. Other Modalities  

Hypnotherapy: 93% recovery after 6 sessions

Behavior Therapy: 72% recovery after 22 sessions

Psychoanalysis: 38% recovery after 600 sessions

Source: Psychotherapy Magazine (Vol. 7, No. 1, Alfred A. Barrios PhD)

This of course is not to diminish other forms of therapy and treatment, since many are known to be extremely beneficial, but rather to show another option that could get people the results they seek much faster.

“Trust your unconscious; it knows more than you do.” 

Milton H. Erickson

My first experience working with a hypnotherapist, while we only used one particular method I refer to as positive suggestion hypnosis, created enough of a shift that it propelled me to dive deeper into learning more about how the mind really works.

I later went on to complete my certification in Clinical Hypnotherapy and learned that there is a huge range of techniques and ways of using hypnosis to create profound healing and change. 

The subconscious mind is fascinating in many ways, but particularly in its function to protect us and the beliefs people have. It’s not aware that the beliefs you have can be negative or limiting. It just knows what you believe and will strive to find evidence of those beliefs in your daily lives – which only reinforces them further.

If your deep beliefs are ones of self-love, acceptance, and positivity, then that’s fantastic! Your subconscious will protect those beliefs. But that is often not the case for many humans. You might experience the opposite at least in one stage of life, if not throughout your life.

If only you were taught the fundamentals of how your mind really works right from the start. It would save you a lot of suffering. 

I no longer have debilitating depression and anxiety. Something that was so deeply woven into my being growing up that I never thought I’d escape it, but I have.

I am walking proof that true change is possible, and I see it constantly with my clients. Hypnotherapy can have instant results, but more importantly, lasting change. 

This doesn’t mean hard stuff doesn’t still happen or that bad days no longer exist. They do –  but I’ve learned how to trust my powerful mind to not go back to that dark place where all hope is lost.

My personal journey through hypnotherapy not only brought me great healing but also taught me how to tap into my inner strength and power. This has fueled my ongoing mission to empower as many others as possible, with the knowledge that we ALL have a superpower at our fingertips. It’s called the subconscious mind, and hypnosis is the key to unlocking its potential. 

Perhaps you’ve wondered…

• What’s the best way to increase your confidence?
• How to rid yourself of that stage fright?
• How to heal past trauma?
• Can you release a fear?
• How to stop binge eating?
• How to increase your motivation?

These are just a few areas that hypnosis can help with. 

When you tap into your powerful, all-knowing subconscious mind, you open the door for real transformation.

Sources

“About Hypnosis.” ASCH, https://www.asch.net/aws/ASCH/pt/sp/about-hypnosis#h_775067695151624844600672.

Barrios, Alfred A. “Hypnotherapy: A Reappraisal.” Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, vol. 7, no. 1, 1970, pp. 2–7., https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086544.

Elman, Dave. Hypnotherapy. Westwood Pub. Co., 1970.

“Hypnosis Myths & Misconceptions.” Hypnosis Alliance, https://www.hypnosisalliance.com/imdha/myths.php.