FAQs

It’s mind control isn’t it?

Hypnosis is simply a very relaxed state in which your unconscious mind is more able to absorb positive suggestions. Your mind will not accept suggestions that go against your own moral code and a Clinical Hypnotherapist would never make suggestions that were not of positive benefit to you! You cannot lose control.

Can I get ‘stuck’ in hypnosis?

No. Whilst in hypnosis you may find that you simply can’t be bothered to do anything but listen to the sound of my voice, but you will still be fully aware and should you choose to get up and walk away you could. A properly trained hypnotherapist will always ensure that you are comfortable, fully awake and alert at the end of the session and there is no danger of being ‘stuck’.

Will I remember everything?

If you chose to remember everything then you might well do but most people find that they relax and drift and that their recall is patchy. Hypnosis is a relaxed state not a memory test and it is not important to remember what is said.

What if I can’t be hypnotised?

Providing you want to enter hypnosis and are willing to allow me to help you, you will easily achieve the hypnotic state.

How will I know that I have been hypnotised?

Hypnosis is very individual. It can best be described as a sense of great relaxation and inward focus. Often people are not sure whether they have been hypnotised until later when they begin to realise that there have been changes in their habits or behaviour. The best thing to do is to relax and go with the experience. Remember, a state of light hypnosis is a state you will have been in before; for example, whenever you are absorbed in a task like driving or reading a good book.

Is it like Stage Hypnosis?

Stage hypnotists carefully pick their subjects and only choose people with a strong desire to go up on stage, who are clearly highly extrovert and like nothing better than showing off. This is how the stage hypnotist creates the impression that he is able to exert some kind of control over his victims. In reality, no one can be forced to do things under hypnosis that they do not want to do.
There is a very important difference between Stage Hypnotists and Clinical Hypnotherapists. Stage hypnotists do not take a case history or make any note of a patient’s psychological state or history. A properly trained clinical hypnotherapist is a member of a professional organisation like the BSCH and will adhere to the working practices and ethical guidelines set down by their professional body. A Clinical Hypnotherapist will be able to assess whether hypnosis is contraindicated for a patient and will defer to the medical profession and seek the advice of a patient’s GP before proceeding.

Selecting a Hypnotherapist – some things to watch out for

Always check that your therapist is fully trained and that their training is accredited by an academic body. The training should have taken at least two years. Your therapist should have clinical supervision throughout their career.
Your therapist should be fully insured to practise. Your therapist should be open about their fee structure.
Beware the therapist who offers advice outside Hypnotherapy, whether that be dietary advice or advice to change or cease a medication – a therapist is not medically qualified to do so (unless they can show that they are of course).
There are some physical problems that may not be all they seem, a good Hypnotherapist will not diagnose, for example, ‘stress headaches’ or ‘IBS’ and be happy to commence treatment without referring to your GP, in case the symptoms are an indication of a more serious illness that needs swift medical intervension.
Beware the therapist who takes no solid case history and makes no enquiry about your mental health; though hypnosis is very safe in the right hands there are some depressive states and psychiatric illnesses where Hypnotherapy would be contraindicated.

Why don’t you offer a free initial consultation?

Because most initial consultations are an opportunity to sell a service to you – you will still end up going back for the same number of sessions (and paying for them). The initial session should be all about you as a patient, not as a ‘customer’.