What is hypnotherapy?

When describing hypnotherapy it can be useful to divide how the mind works in to 2 parts: There's the unconscious part that contains all of our memories, our beliefs, our hopes, fears and dreams; then there's the more conscious part that processes incoming information and uses our memories, beliefs and dreams to decide how we'll react.

We're not born with this conscious part, this critical factor...it develops when we're children. A lot of psychologists agree that it becomes fully formed at around the age of 6.

For the most part, this conscious, critical factor does a great job. It filters everything that enters our minds, removing those things that contradict what we already know to be true and removing those things that just aren't a priority for us at that moment. Any information that gets through this filtering process is believed totally and absolutely as reality by the mind from then on. In this way it protects our memories, beliefs and identity and allows us to live and work in what can often be a noisy, confusing and contradictory world.

The critical factor is always working to protect us, but sometimes can do its job a bit too well. Sometimes it can protect beliefs that aren't actually true, I'm ugly, I'm stupid, I'm clumsy, People don't like me, I'll never be able to run that fast. Once we have them, anything we experience that contradicts these beliefs is filtered out. Only those experiences that confirm our beliefs are allowed through, and our bodies tend to react to what it believes to be true. If you absolutely believe you're clumsy or stupid, then that's exactly what you'll be.

Using hypnosis it is possible to relax the critical factor so that the individual has control over what is allowed through and what isn't. The role of the hypnotherapist is twofold, firstly to act as a guide in to this state of increased control and then to assist individuals in the introduction of more positive beliefs and habits, and in the removal of negative or limiting beliefs and habits.

How does it feel?

The hypnotic state is a very relaxing and comfortable state to be in. After the hypnosis clients typically feel deeply relaxed, happy and like something positive has occurred. Sometimes clients will feel totally energised and like they can achieve absolutely anything. Sometimes the effects of a hypnotherapy session are immediate and people talk about feeling brand new - more often what happens is that the seeds of change have been planted and take effect over the coming hours, days, weeks and months. At first you'll notice perhaps a few small changes for the better but as time passes these positive changes will compound until one day you'll realise that you no longer have these negative or limiting influences.

What kinds of things can be achieved with hypnotherapy?

Here are some of the areas where hypnotherapy can help:

• Increasing confidence, self-esteem and assertiveness - generally, or in more specific areas like giving presentations, social situations, sporting events, exams and so on.
• Reducing stress.
• Preparing for exams, improving memory and mental dexterity.
• Increasing creativity.
• Improving performance and motivation - sporting, at work, musically and so on.
• Losing weight.
• Removing habits like smoking.
• IBS.
• Dermatology.
• Removing phobias.
• Insomnia.
• Enhancing the immune system.