FAQs
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HYPNOSIS
How does it feel to be hypnotized? Under hypnosis the mind is very focused. You gain the power to screen out distractions and become exceptionally receptive to new ideas. You usually feel relaxed and comfortable while your mind remains intensely alert.
Will I lose consciousness? You are conscious and can recall everything that happens while hypnotized. Hypnosis is not sleep; however, you may relax so much under hypnosis that you may drift off and lose track of what is happening.
What if I do not want to lose control of myself? Hypnosis does involve a certain amount of letting go and opening up to a new experience. However, you are not really losing control when you respond to what the therapist suggests. You are making the decision to go along with his or her guidance at every step. It may be helpful to think of the therapist as your personal coach – a person helping you to master new ways to use your own mind.
Can I be made to do things I do not want to do? Contrary to a popular belief, people under hypnosis are not captive and spellbound. Hypnosis does not involve surrendering your free will to the therapist. You can resist direct suggestions at any time. It is not similar to a blackout experience in which the person has no awareness of what just transpired. Professional training, ethical, moral and legal constraints prohibit the clinician from doing anything hurtful or humiliating to the patient (i.e. barking like a dog).This is an important reason for seeking a licensed professional.
Aren’t gullible or simple-minded people most easily hypnotizable? Not at all, in fact, researchers have found that more intelligent people are slightly more hypnotizable. It seems that openness to new experiences, rather than gullibility, is related to hypnotic ability. Generally, brighter, better educated, more insightful, creative individuals are likely to be hypnotizable.
Are women more hypnotizable than men? Research has shown that on the average, there is no difference between men and women in their susceptibility to hypnosis.
Can people hypnotize themselves? Yes, they can. Entering hypnosis is simply a mental skill, and hypnotherapists commonly believe that regular hypnosis is nothing more than assisted self-hypnosis. It is just more easily learned under the guidance of a skilled therapist. However, once you have mastered it, you can do it on your own. This is the goal in many applications of clinical hypnosis, such as for pain control, where the benefits of hypnosis need to be available at any time.
How many sessions will I need? The number of sessions needed to address any problem is always dependent on individual circumstances. Ethical clinicians can never promise or guarantee a specific treatment plan or outcome without first properly assessing the patient and their unique circumstances.
Who is a qualified hypnotherapist? The only people qualified to treat your mental or physical problems with hypnosis, are those who are also qualified to treat the same problems without hypnosis. Therefore you need to look for proper and accepted clinical degrees. More importantly, find out whether the person is a state licensed health professional. This is important because each state regulates who is qualified through education and training to practice each area of clinical work. Look for a person who is a member of one of the two reputable national organizations of professionals in clinical hypnosis. These are the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) and the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis(SCEH). The ASCH and SCEH are the only two hypnosis organizations recognized by the professional societies (e.g. American Psychological Association and the American Counseling Association).