Aspire Therapy

Turn Good Intentions into Actions with Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy can be an ideal means of turning good intentions into actions - actions that will bring about the changes you most desire.

Whether you want to lose a bit of weight, get over a relationship, feel more confident at work, overcome a phobia or just do something different, hypnotherapy can help.

It can be difficult for people to make changes on their own, yet seeking support from a therapist is sometimes seen as a sign of weakness.

This is not the case. I am always full of respect for those people who come to therapy, because this indicates they have the determination to bring about real change. They have decided that now is the time to take control of their lives.

Hypnotherapy - An Integrated Approach

Hypnotherapy is an approach to overcoming everyday problems and limitations which takes account of all the ways we experience the world. It recognises that we respond to situations and events in a variety of ways - through our feelings, our emotions, our thoughts and our senses.

It acknowledges the importance of the unconscious as well as the conscious mind in moulding our beliefs and our personality and uses the power of the mind and the imagination in helping to bring about solutions to problems.

Often this also means overcoming limiting beliefs we have about ourselves and being clear that change is always possible.

When Is A Trance Not A Trance?

It’s commonly pointed out by hypnotherapists that the state of mind we call hypnosis is something all of us experience in our everyday lives.

We enter this state during periods of concentrated attention when we shut out surrounding distractions to focus on a particular thing or sensation. This might be a television programme, a book or a piece of music.

It could also be a train of thought, which we get caught up in to the exclusion of all else, pursuing it to the point where we lose conscious awareness of our environment. I’m talking here about daydreaming of course.

When you think about it in these terms you begin to realise that we actually spend large chunks of our lives in trance states, states where our attention is very focused – often to the exclusion of all else.

Hypnosis for Everyday Living

People don’t always realise that hypnotherapy can be used to enhance the quality of everyday living in a wide variety of simple ways, and is not just effective in the treatment of deep-seated problems or unwanted habits.

All of us at certain times in our lives face situations which can bring us considerable stress and anxiety, even though we may not regard ourselves as having any kind of habitual or long-term problem.

How does Hypnotherapy work?

Hypnotherapy is mainly concerned with the unconscious mind. We have explained a little about how the mind works, and the role of the unconscious in our ‘What is Hypnotherapy?’ article.

In that article, we likened the mind to an iceberg, with the tip representing the conscious mind.

The conscious mind is responsible for all our rational thought processes. We use this part of our brain when we need to focus or consciously think about something. For example, when we are doing something for the very first time or learning a completely new skill.

The unconscious mind, (or the hidden part of the iceberg), also plays a huge role in our everyday lives. The importance of the unconscious is often underestimated because this part of the brain operates on “auto-pilot”. Many people are unaware of its tremendous influence on our lives.

In the course of a day, we do many things on an unconscious level – the kind of things which we don’t even have to think about.

We carry out many tasks automatically because we have done them many times before.

This is where the unconscious mind steps in. It is responsible for many of our ‘taken for granted’ functions, including our;

• breathing and automatic nervous system
• emotions
• memories
• dreams
• imagination.

The unconscious mind is important to the hypnotherapist because it influences and controls many of our inner beliefs and behaviours. Some of these beliefs and behaviours are ones which we would want to change. Perhaps we have developed unwelcome habits or patterns of thought. Perhaps they have been learned in childhood for example, and are no longer appropriate to our adult lives.

These things cannot simply be changed by will power, reason or rational thought. The hypnotherapist therefore seeks to go directly to the unconscious mind in order to make changes.

It is easier to do this during hypnosis because the conscious mind relaxes, making the unconscious more open and accessible.

It’s almost as if the conscious, thinking part of our brain ‘goes on holiday’ and the unconscious comes to the fore.

Can I Be Hypnotised?

It is sometimes assumed that only gullible or weak willed people can be hypnotised.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. It takes an imaginative, creative and intelligent mind to experience hypnosis.

The people who find it most difficult to enter hypnosis are those with very limited intelligence, or who are under the influence of alcohol.

There are also a few people who have a great fear of ‘losing control’ and this may mean that they have to try a little harder to relax. In fact, there is absolutely no question of losing control during hypnosis, as our Common Fears article explains.

There have been a number of research studies that have explored this issue in some depth. They all seem to agree on the following:

• About 10% of people find it very easy to be hypnotised
• About 10% of people find it more difficult to be hypnotised
• About 80% of people are somewhere in between and make reasonably good subjects.

It is true that some people experience a deeper sense of relaxation than others – but clinical tests have shown that even a light state of relaxation can have tremendous benefits.

We will discuss any concerns that you may have in detail at the initial consultation, and will also explore the best ways to help you to relax and get the most out of your treatment.

How Can Hypnotherapy Help Me?

Hypnotherapy can successfully treat a wide variety of problems.

These include:

• Stress and Anxiety
• Weight Loss
• Smoking Cessation
• Depression
• Confidence Building and Self Esteem
• Assertiveness
• Insomnia
• Phobias
• Panic Attacks
• Unwanted habits or behaviour

Other Physical benefits to the client

In addition to the treatment of a specific problem or issue, there are other physical benefits associated with hypnotherapy.

Clinical tests carried out in the last few decades have proven that hypnosis can have a direct and positive effect on the body and its functions.

The deep relaxation experienced in hypnosis can :

• Slow down breathing and heart beat
• Lower blood pressure
• Reduce stress hormones
• Decrease the production of stomach acid
• Strengthen the immune system

These scientific findings are helping to establish Hypnotherapy as a highly effective treatment in the eyes of the medical profession, and general public alike.

Hypnotherapy is now officially recognised in the NHS Directory of Complementary and Alternative Medicines. This follows an increased demand from the public for information on, and access to, such services.

Go to to bbc.com article 'Hypnotherapy changed my life' for an insight into how hypnotherapy helped one person overcome stomach problems.

What is Hypnosis?

The traditional view of hypnosis as a form of stage entertainment is now disappearing, with the rapid growth in the numbers of people seeking help from hypnotherapists to deal with a range of everyday problems.

Hypnotherapy can provide help with stress, anxiety, depression, phobias, weight-loss, confidence, smoking-cessation, exam nerves, unwanted habits and many other common conditions.

It can also help to improve concentration, sporting performance, public speaking and assertiveness.

But the idea that hypnosis can be used to control people’s minds and make them behave in uncharacteristic or ridiculous ways still holds some sway.

This view is based on a misunderstanding of what being in hypnosis involves. Common concerns include the fear of losing consciousness, of not being able to wake from hypnosis, of betraying innermost secrets or of appearing weak-minded or gullible.

In actual fact you cannot be hypnotised against your will. All hypnosis is really self-hypnosis. There is nothing either sinister or miraculous about it. The therapist is simply your guide. You remain aware and in control at all times.

Imagination and strength of mind are needed to enter hypnosis and there is certainly no question of passing out or becoming unconscious.

So what exactly is hypnotherapy and why might someone benefit from it? The mind is like an iceberg, with the glittering tip representing the conscious mind responsible for our rational, everyday thought processes. By far the largest part of the iceberg however is hidden away deep beneath the surface of the ocean.

This hidden part of the iceberg can be likened to our unconscious mind which plays a massive part in the way we live our lives. It is responsible for our memories, emotions and nervous system – even our breathing. It is this hidden part of the mind which is the concern of Hypnotherapy.

Put simply, hypnosis is a form of deep relaxation during which the conscious activities of the mind are partially suspended, leaving our unconscious mind open to the influences of the therapist. Work can then be done to help change an unwelcome behaviour or condition.

We all experience hypnosis in our everyday lives; when, for example, we become so absorbed in an activity that we forget where we are or the time of day. It may be when we are reading a book, watching television or just daydreaming. Hypnosis can also be likened to the phase we enter just before sleep.

Often treatment will be accompanied by techniques which will help to change your attitudes and beliefs about a particular issue which is affecting your life.

For deep-rooted problems sessions with the therapist may also take a more in-depth form designed to get to the source of the problem. It may be helpful, for example, to explore the early life of the client to discover how the problem which they are experiencing first emerged.

Hypnotherapy differs from other therapies in offering a rapid, highly focused but also relaxing approach to the treatment of everyday problems.

You can explore the various items on this website to improve your understanding of hypnotherapy.

Our 'Common Fears' entry will help to dispel any worries you may have and you can find an description of what the experience of being hypnotised is like in our article 'What Is It Like To Be Hypnotised'.

For an impartial explanation and information about its history go to the entry on Hypnotherapy in Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.

Contact us with your questions, or for other useful explanations see the links below:

Hypnotherapy: A Brief Introduction

A Short Guide to Hypnotherapy, bbc.co.uk

Hypnotherapy, bbc.co.uk, Health

The General Hypnotherapy Register, (The GHR)

"Promoting the Profession, Protecting the Public"

The General Hypnotherapy Register, (or GHR), is the administering agency for the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council, (GHSC).

Both are concerned with maintaining and promoting good practice across the Hypnotherapy profession.

Being members of the GHR means that:

• We are bound by a Professional Code of Ethics
• We have successfully completed a professional training course which is recognized by the GHSC
• We have the right to appear on the GHR National Register of Hypnotherapists
• We are committed to our own Continuous Professional Development
• We are required to monitor our practice and to keep up to date with developments in our field

The GHR also administers a complaints and appeals procedure which safeguards both members of the public and therapists alike.

You can find out more about the GHR and view our listing by visiting www.general-hypnotherapy-register.com

Common Fears About Hypnosis

There are a number of worries that people have about hypnosis. Frequently asked questions include:

• Will I lose control and be in the power of the hypnotherapist?

• Will I pass out, become unconscious or fall asleep?

• If I can be hypnotised does this mean I am weak-minded or gullible?

• Will I betray my innermost secrets?

• Could I become locked in hypnosis and unable to wake-up?

The answer to all these questions is emphatically NO! Lots of our ideas about hypnosis come from what we have seen or heard about stage hypnosis.

In actual fact ALL HYPNOSIS IS SELF-HYPNOSIS. You cannot be hypnotised if you don't want to be hypnotised. Your therapist is simply your guide or facilitator. You will remain in control at all times.

There is certainly no question of you passing out or becoming unconscious.

Although it is best to be open and honest with your therapist, you cannot be forced to tell him or her anything you do not wish to.

And rather than showing weakness, it takes imagination and strength-of-mind to enjoy the benefits of hypnosis.

As part of your treatment your therapist may well teach you how to hypnotise yourself for the purposes of relaxation or to reinforce the work you have done during your sessions.