Hypnotherapy

Are you tired of being a slave to old destructive habits? Do you want to gain control over your habits, thoughts, attitudes, and behavior — to be healthy, happy, and successful? Then hypnotherapy may be the right tool for you.

What exactly is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a tool you can use to reprogram your subconscious mind so you can gain control of your thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes to achieve your goals. No one can make you do anything you don’t want to do during hypnosis.

The brain is said to operate in four states: Full Conscious Awareness, the Hypnotic State, the Dream State, and the Sleep State. We pass through all four states sequentially as we go to sleep and as we awaken.

When in hypnosis, you can hear everything going on around you, including the suggestions you’re being given. In this relaxed state, the subconscious mind is open to accept these suggestions if you choose, and use them to create the behavioral or body changes you desire. The subconscious mind acts like a computer — it does what it is programmed to do. For permanent changes, you can either practice the change repeatedly or directly communicate it to the subconscious during hypnosis.

Misconceptions about hypnosis

• Putting another in control of your mind — False. No one else can control your mind or make you do anything you don’t want to do during hypnosis.
• Staying stuck in a trance — False. You are brought out of the hypnotic state by the hypnotist, and in self-hypnosis you come out of it naturally when you are ready.
• Being open to the devil — False. You are no more open to the devil during hypnosis than when you’re relaxed or sleeping.

As you experience hypnotherapy and learn self-hypnosis, you can:

• Gain control of your thoughts, attitudes, habits, and behavior;
• Attain your ideal weight and shape;
• Quit smoking and other addictions the easier way, without gaining weight or becoming grumpy or shaky;
• Eliminate phobias and fears (flying, public speaking, etc.);
• Learn to relax, control stress, and relieve insomnia;
• Find and deal with underlying emotional causes of problems;
• Relieve depression, anger, anxiety, and irritability;
• Learn languages and study more easily; do better in school, on the job, and on tests;
• Increase reading speed and retention, and improve memory;
• Manage pain, control asthma and IBS, and speed recovery from illness or injury;
• Increase motivation, confidence, and happiness;
• Improve personal and work relationships;
• Enjoy exercise and improve sports abilities;
• Learn to like healthy foods and dislike harmful foods;
• Lower high blood pressure (if emotionally caused);
• Ease pregnancy and childbirth;
• Forgive and love yourself and others;
• Program your subconscious mind for success in life.

Scientific research on hypnosis

There has been considerable scientific research done on hypnosis. In 1892, the British Medical Association commissioned a team of doctors to evaluate the nature and effects of hypnotherapy; the committee reported that hypnosis is frequently an effective therapeutic agent in relieving pain, aiding sleep, and alleviating many ailments such as psychosomatic complaints and anxiety disorders.

A 2003 meta-analysis by researchers at the University of Konstanz (Flammer & Bongartz) re-analyzed 133 studies with data for over 6,000 patients, and found an average 74% success rate among those receiving hypnotherapy. Enough studies have now accumulated to suggest that hypnotic procedures may be beneficial in the management and treatment of a wide range of conditions encountered in medicine, psychiatry, and psychotherapy.

Weight loss

A systematic review found that hypnosis enhances the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy for conditions such as obesity (BMJ, 1999). In one analysis of 18 studies, those who received hypnosis lost more weight than 90 percent of those without it, and maintained the weight loss two years after treatment ended.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Randomized trials have shown hypnosis to be of value in irritable bowel syndrome (BMJ, 1999). Researchers at the University of Manchester reported a success rate of about 70%, and a randomized trial in children found hypnotherapy led to a cure in 85% of cases after a year, compared with 25% for standard care.

Chronic pain

The evidence supporting hypnosis in alleviating chronic pain — including cancer pain, irritable bowel syndrome, jaw pain, and tension headaches — is strong (NIH, 1995). In an NIH-funded study, people with chronic back pain who practiced self-hypnosis reduced their pain sensation by 80% and slept better.

Anxiety, stress, panic, phobias, depression

The British Medical Journal concluded there is good evidence that both hypnosis and relaxation techniques can reduce anxiety, particularly that related to stressful situations, and that they are also effective for panic disorders (BMJ, 1999).

Surgery

A meta-analytic review found that surgical patients in hypnosis treatment groups had better clinical outcomes than 89% of patients in control groups. A study in The Lancet found hypnotized patients required less pain medication and left the hospital faster.

Childbirth, insomnia, asthma, cancer, headaches and more

Research supports hypnosis for relieving pain in childbirth, assisting with insomnia, improving asthma symptoms, and reducing cancer-related anxiety, pain, nausea, and vomiting. An updated review found hypnosis meets the criteria for a well-established and efficacious treatment for headaches and migraines, virtually free of side effects.

Smoking cessation

A large 1992 University of Iowa comparison of over 600 studies and nearly 72,000 people ranked hypnosis at the top of stop-smoking methods. Hypnosis combined with a Wellness Consultation can greatly multiply its effectiveness: you can learn which foods contribute to addictions, which foods and herbs help break them, and how to nourish damaged areas so the body can heal itself.

Laurie Lynch is a certified Hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner, and Time Line Therapist, as well as a Wellness Consultant, Naturopathic Doctor, Master Herbalist, and Nutrition expert at The Living Well Health & Education Center. (910) 426-5159