Clinical Hypnotherapy
How is clinical hypnotherapy different from talk therapy?
Clinical hypnotherapy is quite different from talk therapy. During session, we’ll talk less about the symptoms you are experiencing from day to day and instead focus on using hypnosis to discover and remove the cause of the problem. Together, we remove the cause and after use positive, healthy suggestions to learn positive ways of thinking, feeling, and being.
What is traditional talk therapy or counseling?
As a licensed mental health counselor, I am trained in traditional, evidence-based talk therapies in addition to clinical hypnotherapy. Sometimes we just need to talk things through, get the words out, and verbally process with another person. Talk therapy is also sometimes the best choice for treatment, and provides you a space for healing and clarity. Things commonly worked through in talk therapy is relationship issues, strong feelings, and sharing resources and advice. Since it’s your therapy, you can customize what you’d like your process to look like. You may choose to do a mixture of talk therapy and hypnosis.
What is hypnosis?
Simply put, hypnosis is a state of hyper-focused attention. Have you ever been so absorbed in a book or movie that you don’t realize someone has walked into the room? What about when you’re driving down the highway lost in your thoughts and you can’t remember the last few miles? Both are examples of hypnosis.
In hypnosis, you are focused so intently on something that you don’t notice other things going on around you. This allows your mind to more easily absorb positive, helpful suggestions.
What is hypnosis like?
Good question! A lot of people are curious about this and some people are even a little nervous about doing hypnosis for the first time. That’s totally normal. Therapeutic hypnosis is very different from portrayals in pop culture or stage hypnosis. In therapeutic hypnosis, you remember what happens during hypnosis and you have complete control over your experience in hypnosis—if you needed to ask me for something, you are fully capable of doing so.
Hypnosis feels different for everyone and some days you are more relaxed than others. Think about how you feel right before you fall asleep at night. Right as you’re falling asleep, you feel relaxed, warm, and comfortable. Hypnosis feels a lot like that sensation. Hypnosis also feels a lot like meditation. In fact, meditation and hypnosis happen in the same brain wave called Theta.
In hypnosis, you are focused so intently on something that you don’t notice other things going on around you. This allows your mind to more easily absorb positive, helpful suggestions.
What is hypnosis, hypnotherapy, and hypnoanalysis?
Hypnosis is the state of hyper-focused attention paired with relaxation. Hypnosis and self-hypnosis alleviate stress and help you relax.
Hypnotherapy is direct suggestion that provides positive, healthy suggestions to reinforce and support your goals. During our therapy sessions, we will use hypnotherapy as part of your healing process.
Hypnoanalysis is the “technical” name of the protocol that I use. It can treat a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression phobias, panic disorder as well as other concerns such as weight loss, smoking, relationships, self-esteem and more. Hypnoanalysis is also a powerful tool for treating mind-body issues, including chronic pain and chronic fatigue.
Hypnosis feels different for everyone and some days you are more relaxed than others. Think about how you feel right before you fall asleep at night. Right as you’re falling asleep, you feel relaxed, warm, and comfortable. Hypnosis feels a lot like that sensation. Hypnosis also feels a lot like meditation. In fact, meditation and hypnosis happen in the same brain wave called Theta.
In hypnosis, you are focused so intently on something that you don’t notice other things going on around you. This allows your mind to more easily absorb positive, helpful suggestions.
Why hypnoanalysis?
Hypnoanalysis is a unique protocol because it diagnoses the reason you’re having a symptom and resolves the root of the issue. While traditional talk therapies can be a meaningful step in your journey towards wellness and self-discovery, these therapies only access your conscious mind which gives you and the therapist an idea about your symptoms but not about the root of your problem. On the other hand, hypnoanalysis allows us to find answers in your subconscious mind.
It probably is no surprise that hypnosis is the key to this protocol. Because hypnosis narrows the focus of your mind and also allows you to relax deeply, the conscious mind steps into the background and we can access information in your subconscious mind about the root of your problem. This allows us to treat the emotional cause of your problem which then heals symptoms you are experiencing. This is why we call it “hypnoanalysis”—we analyze the subconscious mind using hypnosis.
Hypnosis feels different for everyone and some days you are more relaxed than others. Think about how you feel right before you fall asleep at night. Right as you’re falling asleep, you feel relaxed, warm, and comfortable. Hypnosis feels a lot like that sensation. Hypnosis also feels a lot like meditation. In fact, meditation and hypnosis happen in the same brain wave called Theta.
In hypnosis, you are focused so intently on something that you don’t notice other things going on around you. This allows your mind to more easily absorb positive, helpful suggestions.
What can hypnoanalysis treat?
Hypnoanalysis can treat a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, phobias, panic disorder, other anxiety disorders, trauma, and pain as well as other concerns such as weight loss, smoking, relationships, self-esteem and more. Hypnoanalysis is also a powerful tool for treating mind-body issues, including chronic pain and chronic fatigue.
What if I lose control in hypnosis?
It is impossible for you to be hypnotized against your will or without consent. An important part of the protocol is that the therapist acts a guide to your experience, and you are in control of how relaxed you are and the places you explore in therapy.
Can the hypnotherapist control my mind?
As per the social work code of ethics, it is unethical for me to control someone else. Because you are in control of your experience in hypnosis, no one can control your mind in hypnosis. You decide which suggestions you want to accept and which you don’t—especially if a suggestion goes against your value system, religion, etc.
What if I can't be hypnotized?
You are hypnotized in some way on a daily basis because humans experience hypnosis everyday. Think about times when you’ve been daydreaming or falling asleep. The key to hypnosis is focusing on the sound of the therapist’s voice and letting go. Somedays you might not feel as relaxed in hypnosis as other days, but you are most likely more relaxed than you think. Again, you have the power to choose how deeply hypnotized you become.
What should I expect at my first visit?
Before we begin the first session, you fill out required paperwork. Then, we conduct a thorough history that will take between one and a half to two hours. During the first session, I will also tell you about the protocol and what to expect in future sessions.
What does a typical session look like?
It depends on where you are in the hypnosis protocol. I will explain more about what a session looks like during your first session!
How long will therapy take?
Hypnoanalysis takes on average between 12 and 20 sessions.
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