1. Is therapeutic hypnosis like sleep?
No. Hypnosis is not sleep. In fact, it is usually better understood as a state of focused attention. You may feel totally relaxed, less concerned with what is happening around you, but you are not “gone”, unconscious or switched off. Some describe it as being “zoned out”. Total daydream. Most people can still hear what is being said, think about it, respond to it and remember the important parts afterwards. That is one of the reasons therapeutic hypnosis can be so useful: you are still present enough for change to be meaningful and usable.
2. Will you control my mind or make me do something I don’t want?
No. Hypnotherapy is not mind control. You do not lose your values, judgement or ability to decide. If a suggestion does not fit with you, your mind will ignore it or simply not engage with it. Therapeutic hypnosis is collaborative, that is we work together building a bridge between therapist and client. Our role is to guide, not to overpower. We work with your goals and your preferences at your pace.
3. Can I get stuck in hypnosis?
No. People do not get stuck in hypnosis. If a session were interrupted for any reason, you would either return naturally to ordinary relaxation or drift into normal rest, returning normally. Hypnosis is a natural state, not an ambush. You move in and out of similar states of mind every day when reading, watching a movie, daydreaming or even driving on the Interstate.
4. How many sessions would I need?
It depends on what your problem is and how long it has been there. For many individual we work in blocks of 3 or 3 session, each about 14 days apart. A specific fear or habit may shift relatively quickly. More complex issues, especially those tied into long-standing patterns, trauma or identity, often need a broader piece of work. What matters is that we walk carefully through new territory, reviewing and evaluating progress as proceed.
5. What does hypnosis actually feel like?
It varies from person to person. Some people feel physically heavy and very calm. Others feel lighter, more inwardly focused, or simply more absorbed in what is happening. Some notice changes in breathing, blinking, body temperature or sense of time. What people often find surprising is that therapeutic hypnosis can feel quite ordinary. If you are expecting to be completely “out of it”, then feeling aware can make you think nothing is happening, when in fact you may be in exactly the kind of responsive, useful state we want.
6. How do I know if you are the right hypnotherapist for me?
If you have read this far, you may already have a better sense of whether this way of working feels like a good fit for you. This feeling must be mutual, i.e., we likewise need to feel comfortable working with you If this appears to be unlikely, you may be respectfully advised during the initial consultation that hypnotherapy under current circumstances not recommended for you.