All about hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is an effective method for finding the insight, inner wisdom and resources that reside deep within you. Connecting with this deep part of yourself can help you to achieve empowerment in every aspect of your life. I use hypnosis with clients that are interested in working in this manner. Please read below to answer your questions about hypnosis.

What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a method of therapy that uses hypnosis to resolve any emotional and/or psychological issue. Hypnotherapy employs the hypnotherapeutic trance, allowing you to move past your conscious mind to access the root causes of your particular issue.

The trance uncovers otherwise "hidden" or subconscious information – such as old beliefs and memories – and lets them flow naturally to the conscious mind. You'll discover the underlying causes of the unwanted behavior, habit or symptom, making it easier to understand and successfully resolve your issue. In Deep Insight Hypnosis (DIH), we trace your current life issue to its source through inner child work, prenatal regressions, and past life regressions. ^top

How is Hypnotherapy different than traditional talk therapy/Psychotherapy?

In talk therapy, we use our conscious and analytical mind to think and talk about our problems. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and I do work in a psychotherapeutic framework with some of my clients. The difference is that the hypnotherapeutic trance bypasses the conscious mind to access your inner wisdom – the place that contains the root of the issue. This is because old beliefs and painful memories – the issues that are causing the block – are stored in the subconscious mind. Even your most troublesome behaviors, habits, and feelings will change as old scripts and emotional wounds gently dissolve. As your subconscious beliefs and motivations change, so will your life. ^top

How is Deep Insight Hypnosis different from more mainstream "Suggestion Hypnosis"?

Deep Insight Hypnosis focuses on finding the root cause(s) of your issue and curing it at the source, which leads to long-lasting healing. Conversely, Suggestion Hypnosis tricks the mind into thinking that a certain problem has disappeared; it relies on external direct suggestion to the unconscious mind, with no consideration for the underlying causes of the unwanted behavior, habit or symptom. This method works in a small percentage of the population (about 12%), and the benefits are usually not long lasting; the suggestion tends to wear off.

Since the underlying problem has not been addressed, it will often come out in different ways. For example, if you are a smoker and you use Suggestion Hypnosis to stop smoking, you might find yourself drinking more alcohol because the underlying reason for smoking has not yet been addressed. Most clients find that Deep Insight Hypnosis has long lasting and profound effects that result from deep change. ^top

Why did you become a Hypnotherapist?

I discovered Hypnotherapy after completing my master's degree in counseling psychology. I had been working at a counseling center for 2 years and was frustrated with my patients' slow progress. They spent a lot of time, energy, and money on therapy, but their lives changed very slowly.

My supervisors and teachers said I was doing a great job, and it seemed that my clients would be content coming to see me weekly forever. However, I don't believe that you should be in therapy forever! I believe that life-long therapy is a failure of the therapy, not the client. I am an advocate for empowerment -- people need to be able live as a sole agent, without the constant guidance of a therapist.

People are happier and healthier when they feel empowered, and Deep Insight Hypnosis is the most effective, fastest way that I have found to achieve this goal. I feel good that my current clients are expending less time, energy and money on their healing and they are seeing greater benefits than I was able to provide through traditional talk therapy. ^top

Will I be conscious while I'm under Hypnosis?

You are always conscious during Hypnosis, which is a state of deep relaxation where the conscious mind plays a smaller role than it does during the waking hours. During Hypnosis your subconscious mind is open, so you have direct access to your memories, emotions, intuition, and, ultimately, your own truth. This does not mean that you are unconscious; you are fully aware of where you are, what's happening, and you will remember everything. ^top

Can I be made to do things against my will while I'm in Hypnosis? Am I in control?

You are in control at all times during Hypnosis; you will never do or be asked to do something against your will. If I ask you whether or not a memory feels significant, you will be able to answer yes or no. I never make an unequivocal command, suggestion, or direction. ^top

What does Hypnosis feel like?

Hypnosis feels different for everybody. The most consistent way it's described is as a feeling of relaxation and well-being where the mind feels free to float. Some people describe it as the feeling you have when you are able to hit the snooze button on your alarm in the morning: you don't fall all the way back to sleep, you are conscious of where you are, but your mind floats freely and imagery is easily accessible. ^top

What if I can't be hypnotized?

Most people can be hypnotized to experience a light trance state. There are different levels of Hypnosis and very few people are able to achieve its deeper levels. This is of no concern to me (it is of concern to a stage hypnotist), because the light trance is the state that is most helpful for Hypnotherapy. In the light trance state, your conscious mind is still available and engaged. The deeper states of Hypnosis are not necessary or desirable because you would not remember the session. It's vital that you remember the session and integrate the learning and understandings of the session into the conscious mind; thus, only a light state of Hypnosis is required. ^top

How is Stage Hypnosis different than Deep Insight Hypnosis (DIH)?

Stage Hypnosis takes advantage of the deeper states of Hypnosis where the conscious mind is no longer engaged. A stage hypnotist usually chooses many "subjects" and ends up using only a few of them. This is because so few people can achieve this deep level of Hypnosis. Once someone is deeply hypnotized, the stage hypnotist will give him or her the suggestion that they will not remember anything from the interaction; this allows a normally shy person to dance on stage like a rock star without a bit of self consciousness.

DIH is committed to the client's best interest, which means having the client in control at all times. DIH is geared towards healing and enhancing someone's life, whereas stage hypnotism is a means to an end, where the end is entertainment; there is little or no concern for the client's well-being. ^top

How do I choose a Hypnotherapist?

There are two things that are most important in finding and building a client-therapist relationship:

1. The therapist has a philosophy and a way of working that fits with your beliefs. If you like what I have to say, call me to schedule an appointment.
2. You and the therapist have a good rapport. Rapport means that you actually like the therapist as a person, not just as a professional. You should feel comfortable with her/him, and be able to comfortably share the deeper parts of yourself.

Meeting a therapist in person is the best way to figure out #2. ^top

What issues or problems can be addressed with hypnosis?

Any current issue can be resolved with hypnotherapy: your body, your environment, your relationships, yourself. I have created a list of issues that are more "typical" of the problems that I address with my clients. If your issue is not on this list, it doesn't necessarily mean that Hypnosis wouldn't work. Please call me to discuss your individual issue to determine if Hypnotherapy could work for you. ^top

Relationship/couples issues

Our personal healing and growth issues surface most within relationships. I often see couples on the verge of ending their relationship because they cannot agree on an issue. Usually there are reasons from each individual's own life that can explain why this issue is a "hot button" for them. Through the use of both joint sessions (the couple talks about the issues) and individual sessions (each partner can explore their own personal story that's attached to this issue), relationships will not only become harmonious again, but will be enhanced with the element of consciousness. Sometimes couples decide go their separate ways but – rather than being resentful -- they do so with insight and understanding. ^top

Problems related to past abuse or trauma

People are either aware or unaware of how trauma and/or abuse has affected their lives. Either way, Hypnosis can be a great tool for healing. Unexamined past abuse and trauma is a negative force in our lives that prevents us from seeing the truth about the incident(s). Using Hypnosis as a tool to look back with understanding and compassion can free us of the pain that's clouding our lives today. I have seen many people gain a sense of empowerment from realizing that these incidents from the past no longer control their lives or their well-being. ^top

Pregnancy issues / HypnoBirthing

I am certified as a HypnoBirthing practitioner by the HypnoBirthing Institute. I lead classes for pregnant women and their partners as well as do private sessions that focus on the issues that arise with pregnancy. Of all the passages in a woman's life, pregnancy and childbirth are among the most intense and transformative. As our bodies change with new life, we are faced with the challenge of integrating the new identities of "pregnant woman" and "mother" into our already busy lives. Whether a woman is in a stable relationship and has planned her pregnancy or not, pregnancy is often a time of both joy and trepidation.

I work with women to prepare them for the challenges of pregnancy, delivery, labor, and motherhood. Hypnosis can help alleviate the pain and discomfort of pregnancy and labor, and has been proven to be effective in helping a breech baby turn naturally inside the womb. I use HypnoBirthing techniques to prepare women for birth, and to address their fears regarding labor and delivery. I counsel women who are either having a hard time getting pregnant or who have had miscarriages. I also help women prepare for their shifting identity as a mother. Addressing our own "mother issues" before the birth of our own child can help each woman to fully embrace their pregnancy, their birth experience, and their newborn babies. For more information on the HypnoBirthing classes that I teach, click here. ^top

Smoking cessation

Just as people smoke for many different reasons, people also desire to stop smoking for just as many reasons. I work with people to find the underlying causes of their smoking. What do they like and dislike about smoking? What will they miss? What is their main motivation to quit? What does smoking mean to them? Through a combination of guided imagery and regression healings, you will find that being a non-smoker becomes more comfortable than being a smoker. ^top

Chronic pain / unexplained medical condition

People often come to me because they have tried every other method to address their pain: medical doctors, surgery, alternative methods. There may be a part of them that has started to believe that the pain is not a 100% physical experience, and that maybe they hold some emotional pain in their bodies. Hypnotherapy can help uncover if your pain has any emotional or psychological roots, and if your body is alerting you to address a deeper issue. Once the underlying issue is addressed, most clients find that they can be free of the pain because the physical signal is no longer needed. ^top

Anxiety & depression

Anxiety and depression are large issues. I work with people who are unhappy with their lives, and feel that anxiety and/or depression is preventing them from fulfillment. Although medication can be helpful, uncovering the underlying issues and healing them can have longer lasting benefits. ^top

The following issues are also important areas that can be addressed with DIH (Deep Insight Hypnosis):

• Stress
• Weight issues (overweight, body image, eating disorders)
• Addiction
• Sleep disorders (nightmares, insomnia)
• Phobia / panic
• Low self esteem
• Emotional pain
• Troublesome habits
• All types of compulsive or self-limiting behaviors
• Old beliefs & painful memories