Hypnosis is not sleep. Although the term hypnosis is derived from the Greek word for sleep, as a clinical experience, hypnosis is simply a state of relaxation and focused concentration. Hypnosis feels a lot like daydreaming, or simply relaxing for a few minutes in your favourite chair after a busy day at work.

This is one of the most common questions about hypnosis. There is so much research to demonstrate the efficacy of hypnosis that it is impossible to list it all here. Research backs hypnosis as a treatment for physical problems such as pain management, IBS and other gastrointestinal difficulties, as well as a demonstrated effective tool to assist with accomplishing personal goals (i.e. test-taking, sports performance enhancement, confidence and self-esteem building, getting over stage fright and public speaking fears), and habit change (quit smoking, lose weight, stop nail biting, etc), and to help us relax (manage stress, overcome fears), as well as to increase intimacy, improve communication, and manage emotions such as anger, depression or anxiety.

This is another popular question about hypnosis. There are three primary reasons hypnosis is so effective: First, hypnosis teaches you skills to become aware of your body’s physical response to stimuli, so you can handle it. In a way, it is similar to biofeedback. Second, hypnosis is a pathway to learning. Our subconscious mind has probably learned many negative behaviors over the years that can be re-learned during hypnosis. For example, after 20 years of smoking you have essentially trained yourself to light up after each meal. Or, when eating dinner out, you have been trained to eat all of your food, even though the portions are double the dietary guidelines. These destructive learning patterns can be relearned (healthy retraining of the subconscious) in the process of hypnosis. Third, our hypnosis programs create accountability and help you to attain goals and feel supported in your decisions for change. Our well-qualified director is a skilled therapist, personal fitness trainer and certified clinical hypnotherapist. There are many other reasons hypnosis is so effective, and you will find your visit to be a professional learning experience that teaches you new skills to unlock new ways to live life.

Since hypnosis is simply a process of natural experience and learning, everyone can be hypnotized. It is a myth that some people cannot be hypnotized; everyone has the capacity to relax, to learn and to be creative. If for some reason you are distracted or have concerns that keep you from using these skills, simply let your hypnotherapist know and they will be happy to guide you into a process of hypnosis that is more comfortable or secure for you. Of course, mood altering drugs can affect your mind’s ability to follow directions, relax or experience hypnosis. For this reason, you should never use any mood altering drugs prior to any hypnosis session, and you should report any medications you are currently taking to your hypnotherapist.

No. Hypnosis is a natural phenomenon that occurs in everyone’s life on a daily basis, even though we might not recognize it as such. It is similar to the first five minutes of sleep, where you know you could open your eyes and get up, but it feels so good you simply choose not to – or when you get in your car after work and drive the 30 minutes home, and then wonder if you actually stopped at all the stoplights along the way. In life we are either highly alert, asleep, or somewhere in the middle; there is nowhere else for the brain to go. While it is true that in the process of clinical hypnosis we will alter the level of high alertness to a more relaxed pace, this is not a “6th dimension” or some magical place or out of body experience or any such strange thing. It is simply relaxation, something you are capable of experiencing at any time.

My goal is to help you meet your desired goals as quickly as possible, so you can get on with your new healthy, happy life. You will usually be scheduled for 1-3 sessions, and most people respond well to hypnosis in the first one. Our professional office is conducive to relaxation, and your sense of comfort is one of our greatest concerns. If you’ve ever been to a counseling, therapy or psychology office, you’ll notice the surroundings at Hypnoheal are fairly similar. When you come into the office you will sit in a comfortable chair and discuss your goals with me. Once the we agree on the subjects to be addressed during the session, I will then guide you through a relaxing process of creative problem solving and education. The office lights may be dimmed but they are always on, and although most people find it easiest to relax with their eyes closed, you can open your eyes at any time you wish.

There are few risks in hypnosis, a process the Mayo Clinic calls “benign.” Although a very small percentage of people report feeling ‘groggy’ after a session (sometimes referred to as a “hypnotic hangover”), the majority of people report feeling invigorated, energetic, relaxed and happy. If you are being treated with psychotropic medications or have certain psychiatric diagnoses, you will want to share this with your hypnotherapist, but hypnosis is generally viewed as a safe process with no side effects.

No. All hypnosis is actually self-hypnosis; a hypnotist merely guides you into your own experience of relaxation. A good analogy is that of the hypnotist sitting in the passenger seat of a car, reading map directions to the driver (the client). The driver can listen and follow the suggestions given by the passenger, or they can choose to go their own way, because the driver is always in control. A person who is hypnotized can awaken themselves at any time, and the hypnotist cannot make someone do something that they otherwise would not want to do. Those who fear that the hypnotist has some kind of “magical” power or “mind control” ability simply do not understand how the mind works. These concepts are myths, not realities, in clinical and medical hypnotherapy. Although the results may seem amazing or miraculous, there is truly nothing ‘mystical’ about hypnosis.

No, it is not possible to get stuck in a state of hypnosis This is unfortunately another common misconception You never lose control or consciousness and more often than not you will remember everything that goes on (this is why some people even think that they haven’t been hypnotized). You actually enter hypnosis many times a day without realizing it! If you ever feel uncomfortable in hypnosis, all you have to do is just count 1-2-3 and emerge easily.

Hypnoheal will release no information about our clients or their sessions to anyone without the client’s express written permission. We treat your information just as any doctor’s office would – with strict confidentiality.

Serious Psychiatric disorders such as those resulting in psychosis are always to be treated by a Psychiatrist. Medical problems to do with the physical body are always to be treated in conjunction with medical physicians and a good hypnotherapist will always ask for the patient to get their G.P or home doctor to sign a form asking for permission to work with the patient.