FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Our clients are great – they have shared their questions and sought to really understand what they need to do to be able to have and maintain their robust mental health.
Here are some of their questions – and the answers.
Hypnosis: Do I loose control when in a trance?
Not at all. To lose control means you are unable to influence what you hear, what you say and what you do. You are in control of your body, your mind, and your thoughts during a hypnotic trance. You will most likely hear the therapists voice all the time. You choose what you hear, how focused your thoughts are, how deeply you relax your body and your mind, and therefore you are in control.
A hypnotized person is not a robot who will do whatever the hypnotist orders.
Neither the hypnosis nor the hypnotherapist can make you anything. Only you have the power to do that.
Psychotherapy: Is it quick
Hypnosis: Will I know if I am hypnotised?
Yes you will. Your experience will be unique to you. If you sit back in a comfortable chair, concentrate on your therapist’s voice, what they say and how they say it, you are highly likely to find yourself relaxing and become more still in your body. As the tension leaves your body, so you mind realises it does not have to work so hard to be alert and keep you safe. And then it too, begins to relax.
Psychotherapy: What does my changeability mean
This term refers to your ability to change or adapt your behaviour when facing new or different circumstances. As many clients are trying to change or adapt their own thoughts, behaviours, and emotions in response to the circumstances in their lives, understanding and growing their ability to change is critical to developing and maintaining robust mental health. Having good changeability is a skill which can be learnt, and when practised, using it makes a significant difference in our lives.
Hypnosis: Will I know what is going on around me?
There is a myth regarding hypnosis which says when you go into a trance like state, your peripheral awareness becomes significantly reduced. i.e., you are no longer, or have very low levels of awareness, of what is happening around you. This is a proven myth. Proven incorrect that is.
Research has shown, with available data, that a person’s peripheral awareness is not strongly reduced during hypnosis. This awareness is as sharp as if you were in your normal state of awakedness.
Psychotherapy: What is Strategic Psychotherapy?
Hypnosis: What does “go into a deep trance mean?
Some people become so relaxed they think they have gone to sleep. Others are in a light trance and are aware of the feeling of their skin in their clothes, of the hair on their neck or the breath on their lips. How deeply one goes into a trance is rather like sitting on a step on a ladder. Some people choose to sit on the top few steps and whilst they are relaxed, they are also aware of some of the sounds etc going on around them. Others choose to climb down to the bottom few steps of the ladder and are totally still and focused on their thoughts. How far you climb down the ladder or how “deeply” you go when in a trance depends on you.
To go into a deep trance means you have allowed your body to physically relax completely, your mind has gone quiet, and your internal chatter has all but stopped. But you are listening to the therapist’s voice and deciding whether what you are hearing has some meaning for you. You are reflecting on your own experiences and memories which come to you and making informed decisions about what you are going to learn and what you are going to leave and forget.
Of course, every session does not necessarily result in the same experience. And this is all OK.
Psychotherapy: What is counselling?
Hypnosis: Will I wake up again?
Absolutely yes to waking up. Some people take a longer time to come out of their trance – it depends on how deeply they have gone into trance. But everyone comes out of their trance.
If a client is particularly tired, they may sometimes fall asleep after hearing some of the induction suggestions (e.g., “Close your eyes”). Most clients however are awake and aware of their environment during hypnosis.
We know this because they repeat back to the therapist what they were thinking about or what they heard.
After each session, you should finish feeling calm and confident. There is a physical reason for this. Hypnosis, deep breathing, calming the mind and relaxing the body, all contribute to the effect of recharging your immune system, reducing your cortisol (stress hormone) and adrenaline levels.
Psychotherapy: Don't I
Hypnosis: And what happens if I fall asleep?
Should you have gone to sleep, the therapist will wake you up at the end of the session.
Usually, people reflect how calm and relaxed they feel when waking up from a sleep induced from a trance. All sessions are recorded, and you will be listening to the recording a number of times before your next session anyway. So, on the few occasions you might have gone to sleep, it is not a problem as you will hear everything when you listen to the recording.
What is a typical session look like
Hypnosis: Anything I can do to be prepared for our session?
Yes again… if you mean your hypnotherapy session.
Clients tell us they get better, faster and have longer lasting results from their hypnotherapy sessions when they:
- Come to the session open to new thoughts
- Come willing to share their story
- Being open to learning something new – and unlearning something known
- Always do your activities
- Reflect on your experience
- Be patient with yourself – changing takes time and self-care.
What benefits can I expect from working with a psychotherapist or a hypnotherapist
Hypnosis used in therapy gets fast results – how quick is “fast”
It all depends. Fast on which time frame?
Hypnotherapy is a very successful approach used to help people, for all kinds of things, It is a therapeutic intervention – and therefore it takes as long as the client needs it to.
It is not a quick fix, nor is it a magical solution which delivers results in 1 session. However, research shows lasting benefits can be observed with a few weeks of starting hypnotherapy.
Process orientated hypnotherapy does help the client to reach their goal quicker than other therapies. Reaching the desired result depends on how much effort the client puts into learning, practicing, and reflecting on their new skills and experiences.
Should I choose individual or group therapy
Hypnosis: How many sessions will it take for me to feel “better”?
Again, it depends on what you are wanting to achieve; your ability to change AND how consistent you are with your activities or tasks between sessions.
The number of therapy sessions needed varies according to the nature of your problem and your discipline to do take the actions between sessions.
On average the number of sessions people have is between 3 – 4 sessions.
Sessions are 50 min each. The first session is 90 minutes so that together we can determine the best way to achieve your intended outcome.
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Hypnosis: Is hypnosis not better for the stage and TV shows
Hypnosis is only a series of steps which help people to relax and focus on themselves. Stage hypnosis is set up so the people involved are focused on the hypnotist and what he says. The volunteers always tend to be outgoing, fun loving people who like to be noticed. They often like to do different things. They tend to enjoy looking as if they are being “controlled”.
This combination of the hypnotist, the people who choose to volunteer, the expectations of the audience and the stage the hypnotist creates all makes for entertainment.