Robert Fahey, M.Ed., Ph.D., N.D. l [course info]

The purpose of this article is to help you remove any misconceptions about hypnosis. Hypnosis can best be achieved by first seeking a professional hypnotherapist who is qualified and appears to conduct himself or herself in a manner that makes YOU feel comfortable. Hypnosis will in all likelihood work for you if you are WILLING to be hypnotized and WANT to change your life.

Hypnosis has been sometimes called SUGGESTION THERAPY. The words that make up the suggestions used by a hypnotherapist - consciously or subconsciously can be considered bedside manner, office behavior, or a demonstration of an interpersonal relationship. Call it what you want, it is the talent of the professional hypnotherapist - hypnotist to positively influence the client to change their mental attitudes, motivational and habitual ways of thinking to achieve a better life.

For some time you may have read or heard about hypnosis and the wonderful results it offers in the field of medicine and dentistry. Many have a need for it, but are afraid. Fear of the unknown has been the greatest enemy of hypnosis. It is hoped that after reading this article, you will have a better understanding of what hypnosis is "really like" and accept hypnosis as a method of choice when you need to change your life for the better.

The word hypnosis comes from the Greek word "hypnos" which means sleep. In hypnosis you are NOT asleep. As you can see the word alone is misleading. I would like for you to think of the word "SUGGESTION" every time you read or hear the word "hypnosis." Why? Because that is exactly what hypnosis is really all about. The mastery and use of positive thinking words that make up positive suggestions and given in a special way under special controlled conditions to help others change their life.

Now, throughout my hypnosis teaching and private personal counseling career, many have asked me when the first act of hypnotism was demonstrated. I enjoy referring all to:

• Genesis 2:21 "SO THE LORD GOD CAUSED A "DEEP SLEEP" (my parenthesis) TO FALL UPON MAN, AND HE SLEPT; THEN HE TOOK ONE OF HIS RIBS AND CLOSED UP THE FLESH AT THAT PLACE."

Well, there you have it! The first act of instantaneous hypnosis that lead to hypno-anesthesia management for the successful removal of a body part to be used for a special purpose - to create Eve.

Hypnosis has had its ups and downs throughout the ages. Its popularity has come and gone many times. It's acceptance declined when it was used for entertainment purposes and when attacked by certain medical authorities that condemned its use. Its popularity increased during and after World War I and II, when hypnosis was successfully used for war neuroses. Finally, in 1958, hypnosis was formally approved by the American

Medical Association as a viable method for helping others in both the medical and dental fields. Later, other professionals starting to successfully use hypnosis in their private practice. It is important to point out that today there is a vast difference between modern hypnosis and the old fashion "mesmerism."

Today we know that a professional hypnotherapist does not treat the client with hypnosis - but with what one can call SUGGESTION therapy. The professional hypnotherapist does not pretend that he or she has some kind of magical powers. The professional hypnotherapist does not try to make you do anything against your will or morals.

The professional hypnotherapist will teach you positive methods of mind control so you can with practice learn to successfully self-induce hypnosis – self-hypnosis. As a result of this education learning process, a positive change can take place in your thinking: which cannot always be completely explained. Negative thoughts, tension, anxieties, fears, doubt, and worry diminish or disappear completely. You develop a feeling of well-being together with a tremendous amount of positive energy, power, courage, confidence, and reassurance in yourself. The little things of everyday living that annoyed you don't bother you anymore.

Below are some commonly asked questions about hypnosis. Read them and the answers that follow so you can more fully understand the science of hypnosis.

What IS hypnosis and HOW does it work?

No completely acceptable theory or definition of hypnosis has ever been given. Hypnosis can be illustrated but cannot be defined. There is no scientific explanation of what happens in the hypnotic state. It has been defined as a state, a method, and an attitude, something that just happens.

For example, hypnosis has been defined as a learning process, a student-teacher relationship wherein the more you practice the easier you are able to enter the hypnotic state. Hypnosis can be said to offer the client a heightened sense of suggestibility making the subconscious mind dominant over the conscious. Meaning, the hypnotic induction allows your conscious mind to become LESS active thus making your subconscious mind MORE open and accessible to helpful positive suggestions. The hypnotherapist can then verbalize well thought out positive SUGGESTIONS that can help you resolve faster current issues, concerns, and problems.

Hypnosis is certainly a therapeutic tool that is widely used today in individual, group, and family counseling. It is differentiated from yoga, transcendental meditation, and mind control in that hypnosis is a science that has been formally approved over 40 years ago by the American Medical Association in 1958, as a beneficial medical and dental tool.

Today hypnosis is successfully being use to eliminate the smoking habit, control food habits, mobilize the powers of concentration, facilitate psychotherapy and for the relief of a variety of fear; such as heights, small places, air travel and so forth. An increasing number of doctors and dentists are now using hypnosis to perform operations, extract teeth, control bleeding, and for pain control. Some obstetricians have been using hypnosis for years as an effective aid in childbirth conditioning.

Every person has a personal built in "S-Q" factor or Suggestibility Quotient. We are all suggestible at times. It depends on our individual likes, make-up, mental and physical capacities that determine the outcome of a hypnotic experience.

Hypnosis is a state wherein the client is concerned only with words, ideas, objects, and surroundings to which their attention is specifically directed. The hypnotherapist offers specific suggestions to help one think only about solutions to current issues, concerns, and problems. Indirectly, the hypnotherapist is only SUGGESTING the client say good riddance to negative thoughts and feelings that sometime make us participate mentally, physically and emotionally with an addiction like behavior reacting to our thinking about personal problems that somehow guide many of us to become lost and troubled in the mist of life's ongoing tasks.

The hypnotic state is something that the client accomplishes HIMSELF OR HERSELF and each person will describe the experience differently. For example, when emerging from hypnosis the client will sometimes admit to listening and hearing every word said to them. Usually after emerging a client from hypnosis and questioning them about exactly what was told to them while in hypnosis, many times they (happily) fail to recall the information. The situation is a good sign and not a bad sign. Why? It means the client was mentally doing what they were supposed to be doing while in hypnosis - they were NOT concentrating: using their conscious mind.

Sometimes a client will explain that they did experience a state of mind similar to daydreaming. Others say they felt heavy and some report they felt light and buoyant. Many get a feeling of numbness in the hands and fingers.

Others get a tingling sensation in certain parts of their body. Again, these are all good signs of hypnosis coming about. Just about everyone feels totally relaxed and more in control of their mind and body. Hypnosis is such a pleasant state, that once it is entered into, another hypnotic experience is wanted.

If a hypnotized client is asked, "What are you thinking about?" With almost certainty the answer will be "nothing."

Hypnosis is not a medicine. It is not a curative agent. It is a "tool" which can be used much like a surgeon's knife when helping a client's mental outlook and physical condition. Before the client is accepted for any hypnotherapy, a careful history is usually taken. If it is felt that other tests should be made to rule out organic disease then this is taken care of as the hypnotherapist sees fit.

Will hypnosis harm you?

You can rest assure that a professional hypnotherapist will not want to use or do anything that would harm you. It has already been mentioned herein that the American Medical Association approved hypnosis as a method of helping others. You must trust your intuition and believe your hypnotherapist can help you with hypnotherapy.

What is the difference between talking to a client in the ordinary awake state and talking to a client in the hypnotic state?

We have a conscious mind and a subconscious mind. In the awakened state, the hypnotherapist presents ideas to the conscious mind; while in the hypnotic state ideas are presented to your subconscious mind. The subconscious mind will more readily accept ideas presented to it and will act on them.

Let us say for example that a client has a fear of riding in an airplane. The hypnotherapist can spend hours explaining to the client in the ordinary awake state why they should NOT be afraid of riding in an airplane. When finished the client will still say, "I agree with everything you said, BUT, I am still afraid to ride in an airplane." With the same reasoning given to the client in hypnosis, they will accept and act on the positive suggestions given with control and confidence."

What is a post-hypnotic suggestion?

A post-hypnotic suggestion is a well thought out correctly worded suggestion given to a hypnotized person that is then carried out by the client during or after he or she emerges from hypnosis. There are many reasons for giving a hypnotized person post-hypnotic suggestions. Some of the reasons I will list below.

• To help the client feel more relaxed;
• To re-hypnotize the client more easily the next time they are hypnotized;
• To re-enforce suggestions already given;
• To teach the client self-hypnosis;
• To help the client positively and successfully emerge from hypnosis;
• To help the client emerge from hypnosis with a sense of well-being;
• To successfully demonstrate self-hypnosis for the achievement of personal goals;
• To bring about faster results in psychotherapy;
• To enhance the client's powers of life control.

Do all persons react in the same way to hypnosis?

No. Some people are more suggestible than others. Those who are very suggestible will enter the hypnotic state in a matter of seconds. Others may take several minutes to hours. The power of hypnosis lies in the client's ability to utilize the power of their imagination.

The client having the least degree of suggestibility is classified as simply being resistant. They may have one or many reasons for not entering the hypnotic state. The greatest enemy to hypnosis as mentioned earlier is fear.

Fear of hypnosis usually comes about as a result of the client's earlier life experiences. In particular what they might associate with hypnosis? Perhaps they saw a stage hypnotist at the movies or on television. It could be a product of their imagination and what they think about when they even hear the word "hypnosis." Listed below are some common reasons why a client is likely to resist using hypnosis and self-hypnosis for self-improvement purposes.

• The experience of the hypnotherapist is not adequate making the use of hypnotic suggestions ineffective.
• The client tries to hard to be hypnotized analyzing too much about what is happening during the process.
• The client has mere curiosity on the part of the client with no real intent on entering the hypnotic state.
• The client’s extreme stress may prevent them from going into hypnosis for the very first time.
  
• The client tries consciously to hold onto reality to control their behavior, reactions, and responses to suggestion.
• When the hypnosis is aimed at a problem the client is not yet ready to give up.
• Fear of saying or doing something while in hypnosis they would not normally perform.
• When the client has fear of not awakening from hypnosis.
• Trying to do two things at the same time.
• The client concentrates and analyzes everything going on while being hypnotized.
• The client has fear they will achieve their desired objective.
• The client has fear of change and success.

Who has a need for hypnosis?

It is for every normal person who needs to regain or increase his or her confidence and enjoyment for life. Hypnosis can easily help you prepare yourself for the daily negative attacks that bombard us daily in the newspapers we read, on the television, and by some people in our lives. Hypnosis offers you an opportunity to literally be transformed by reprogramming old negative attitudes into new positive attitudes about life and living.

Hypnosis lets you become the final judge as to how your thoughts and the thoughts of others will affect you. Hypnosis allows your mind to move into greener pastures that can produce only positive energy, good health and success.

If hypnosis is so good, why aren’t more practitioners using it?

Since its approval by the American Medical Association in 1958, and the blessing of the late Pope Pius XII, hypnosis continues to be used more and more each year. It does take time to educate the public and the real values of hypnotism. Each new generation needs to experience hypnosis for themselves. It is encouraging to note that each year there is an increasing number of professionals in many fields now authorized to practice and teach hypnosis.

Practitioners like medical doctors, dentists, chiropractors, massage therapists, social workers, nurses, psychics and many other professionals at all levels of training are just starting to realize the benefits hypnotism can have on themselves and their clients. More and more people are turning to hypnosis as a way of gaining positive control.

What should the client expect from the hypnotherapist?

The hypnotherapist should be well trained in the art of SUGGESTION therapy - hypnosis. This includes induction, maintenance, and utilization of the hypnotic state. Other professional qualifications dealing with the mind and body such as majoring in counseling or clinical nutrition will go a long way in helping those clients desiring to lose weight and needing to increase energy levels. The professional hypnotherapist should be able to speak at different levels. Most importantly at a level the client can understand.

The professional hypnotherapist should have an understanding attitude toward the client they are seeing. The professional hypnotherapist should impress the fact they are NOT treating them with hypnosis, but with SUGGESTION while in hypnosis.

The professional hypnotherapist should not lose sight of the client's feelings and emotions, which are responsible for most of their symptoms. The hypnotherapist should never make rash promises about results. The results will depend largely on how well the client learns to relax. The professional hypnotherapist is a good listener. He or she should know how to help people when they are under a great deal of stress.

The professional hypnotherapist should have absolute confidence in their ability to use hypnosis and positive suggestions. This talent comes only with continuing education, life experiences, training, study and application.

What does the hypnotherapist expect from the client?

The hypnotherapist expects you to understand that they are going to help you to help yourself.

The hypnotherapist is not going to put you in hypnosis and make your life change without your permission or help.

The client must have absolute faith and confidence that he or she will be helped. After a thorough explanation of what hypnosis is and what it is not, and when all your questions have been answered will the hypnotherapist expect your fears of hypnosis to be eliminated. Only then will you be motivated to be hypnotized. The request for hypnosis should come from the client and not the hypnotherapist.

The hypnotherapist expects the client to have willingness and desire to follow all suggestions - uncritically. All the suggestions that the hypnotherapist gives are planned and when given will help you rebuild your self-image so you can better reach all of your desired objectives.

What is autohypnosis or self-hypnosis?

Remember that hypnosis is a learning process. You are taught what to do. You go home and practice your lessons. It becomes a "do it yourself" project. The more you practice, the quicker you learn and get results. With repetition, you develop a success pattern - a blueprint to success -, which will enable you to go into self-hypnosis quickly and as deeply as you wish without the presence of the hypnotherapist.

When you are practicing self-hypnosis, do not try hard to make it WORK; often times, the harder you try, the less you are able to achieve your desired objective. Just LET it happen, WANT it to happen, EXPECT it to happen and it WILL HAPPEN.

"I don't think I was hypnotized, I heard every word you said!"

The statement of course is an illogical one especially if the client has not previously been hypnotized. The popular misconception most have about hypnosis is that when you are hypnotized you're "asleep." The client must understand that when you go into hypnosis the five senses actually increase in sensitivity - almost one thousand percent. All five senses become more acute. The client will always hear every word spoken.

I hope that I have given you a better understanding of hypnosis. It is not a "cure-all," but it is a useful "tool" in today's modern world of alternative healthcare therapies.

Should you or anyone you know want to learn all about hypnosis and self hypnosis, please go to the following

Site: AkashicUniversity.com

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Dr. Robert A. Fahey, M.Ed., Ph.D., makes no representations about the content published in this manuscript. It is provided "as is" and without warranties of any kind. Dr. Robert A. Fahey, M.Ed., Ph.D., and/or the BioHealth Counseling Center, Inc. d/b/a/ Hypnosis Specialists Training Institute nor does the Akashic School of Hypnosis hereby disclaims all warranties and conditions with regard to this information, and user agrees that all such use is at their own risk.

Learn all about hypnosis today. Anyone can by taking enrolling in the Akashic School of Hypnosis – Hypnosis Certification Program. No college background is required. A positive attitude and a sincere desire to learn the subject of hypnosis and self-hypnosis is of most importance. For more detailed information goto: [course info] [AkashicUniversity.com] [Questions?]

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