One of the first things that spring to mind when the subject of Hypnosis comes up is the image of people doing silly things, like acting like a chicken, or eating an onion thinking that it’s an apple. Hypnosis in a therapeutic context is nothing like Stage Hypnosis, in which people’s basic commonsense appears to be overcome enough to allow silly behaviour. You must remember, however, that those people volunteered to be Hypnotised on stage knowing full well the sort of antics they would be up for, and also that the Stage Hypnotist is a trained specialist who can easily pick out very suggestible people to have some fun with.

Hypnosis has been used throughout human history, from the Sleep Temples of Ancient Egypt and trance states described in early writings from Ancient Greece, to the present day. Hypnosis is usually used in a healing context, and there are documented cases of amputations and other surgeries performed by Scottish surgeon James Easdaile where an absence of pain and shock due to Hypnosis led to a mortality rate of only 5 %, when the then expected mortality rate was 50 %. Hypnotherapy is a very useful tool to change unwanted behaviours and habits, and can also be helpful with issues such as pain management and enhancing wellness in the case of degenerative diseases like arthritis or cancer, and with assimilating new skills and improving performance in everything from sales to sports.

During a Hypnotic trance, people don’t usually go into a biological sleep, rather they drift into a non-critical, highly focused state of conscious mind relaxation. Nobody will go any deeper into trance than they allow themselves to go. Getting ‘ lost in trance “ is an urban myth ! Hypnosis is not about authoritative mind control or emotional regression. Skilfully, correctly applied hypnosis is about subconscious perception enabling a conscious alteration of habitual negative beliefs. It could be described as a highly focused, parallel state of consciousness where you are taken down into your subconscious to tap into your own resources and then bring them back to where you can use them.When you are hypnotised, you don’t weaken or surrender your will to another person, in fact your will can be strengthened by hypnosis.

One of the beneficial side-effects of hypnosis is the ability of the subconscious to allow the conscious mind and the physical body to release accumulated stress. It is not unusual to gain relief from hypertension and high blood pressure disorders because mind – body systems have balanced automatically during trance. It has been scientifically proven that there is a very strong and effectual connection between the mind and the body, and also that an excessive accumulation of day – to – day stress is the primary cause for many of today’s physical and mental illnesses. A hypnotic trance can wipe the slate clean, so to speak, by releasing unwanted physical, mental and emotional tension from the nervous systems in the body and the mind.

In the last few years, Stress has become a buzz-word to describe the often overwhelmed response we have to all the demands placed on our time and resources.There are so many kinds of stress, from harassed mums juggling schooling and family commitments and sometimes trying to work as well, kids coping with school and sporting activities and trying to excel with their studies, dads often working long hours yet also trying to fit in parenting time, let alone time to keep a healthy relationship with their spouses, that its no wonder we use the word so liberally.

Then there are the ‘ on-the-job ‘ stresses of deadlines and quotas and a possibly less than perfect working environment. You may not be able to stand so-and-so at the office and want desperately to smack him over the back of the head for his irritating little habits, and resisting the urge to do just that has become a daily battle just to go to work. Repetitive tasks in the workplace can also be a source of stress, as can worrying about your health, your kids, your significant other, your finances or even your pets.

The good news is that all of these things can be helped with hypnosis. Hypnosis can be employed to help you change your perception of your problems, wether they fall into one of the categories mentioned above, or something else again, such as a fear of flying or of spiders, for example. Hypnosis can help reduce stress by changing the way you look at your circumstances, and therefore the way you react to them. This is particularly useful when you are unable to change anything about the source of your woes,such as your job or family, but need to find a way to deal with stress that is not destructive to yourself or anyone else.

Quite often most people only need two or three sessions to restore their good spirits and regain their equilibrium, and it’s a much more pleasant way to deal with stress and other problems than squashing down anger and frustration by self-medicating with food or drink, or venting your feelings on undeserving loved-ones. One of the attractive aspects of hypnosis is that the therapist does not need to know all of the details of a person’s problems, nor do you have to relive any traumatic experiences during therapy. One simply needs an idea of what you wish to accomplish from your session for your therapist to be able to help you. Aside from helping to deal with stress and phobias, hypnosis can be used for a wide range of issues, from the usual ones like quitting smoking or losing weight, to depression, memory and concentration, headaches, self-esteem and confidence, sexual problems, gambling and other problems of addiction, eating problems, dyslexia, anxiety and panic attacks, childbirth and bedwetting. It is very effective in managing pain including after chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and can even be used for drug and surgery free breast enhancement!

Hypnosis is a safe and natural experience suitable for adults, teens and children. Almost anyone can benefit from it and can even learn how to use it on themselves. Sessions take around a hour, and the pleasant feeling of wellness experienced after a trance can last for several days.