Myth Busters on Hypnosis… Scary or Not?
Hypnosis scare some people? There are many Myths About Hypnosis and these myths are being challenged every day. Even though stage hypnotists and TV shows have damaged the public image of hypnosis, a growing body of scientific research supports its benefits in treating a wide range of conditions, including pain, stress management, depression, anxiety and phobias, as well as behavior modifications!“Hypnosis works and the empirical support is unequivocal in that regard. It really does help people,” says Michael Yapko, PhD, a psychologist and member of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.
Hypnosis has been used for centuries for pain control, including during the Civil War when Army surgeons hypnotized injured soldiers before amputations. www.apa.org/monitor/2011/01/hypnosis.aspx
Hypnosis helps to facilitate a highly relaxed state of inner concentration and focused attention for the individual seeking relief in various areas of their lives. Hypnotherapy Practitioners can best serve their clients by also teaching them to hypnotize themselves at home to reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, or alleviate some symptoms of depression or anxiety. This is commonly referred to as Self-hypnosis. Many practitioners of hypnosis will educate their clients on the concept and theory that “all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.” What is meant by this is that the client is in complete control of their experience of the hypnotic state.
One of the most common myths about hypnosis is that the client is under the control of the Hypnotherapist and they can make you do things you may not want to do. Actually the complete opposite is true, the client is in the drivers seat. During a hypnosis session the hypnotherapist is offering a variety of suggestions to the client and the client has the complete freedom to either accept or reject the suggestion that is being offered. If a suggestion goes against the clients moral or ethical beliefs, or is in conflict with the clients goals than the client will easily refused the specific suggestion.
Because of myths many people have declined the opportunity to experience the benefits of a formal hypnotherapy session and what is surprising is that in reality we all experience various forms of self-hypnosis on a daily basis. It is similar to day dreaming or being so completely engrossed in a book or TV program that you may ignore someone speaking in the same room. That is basically what hypnosis is. Here is another example. Just before falling asleep every night, we pass through a phase that is very similar to hypnosis. In general, Therapeutic Hypnosis is a pleasant feeling of relaxation.
Clinical or medical hypnosis has been recognized by the American Medical Association since 1958, especially as a pain management tool. Medical Hypnosis is gaining popularity as a method for combating a host of problems, from nicotine addiction to chronic pain. Over the past few years, consumers have spent more money on alternative or integrative medicine, including hypnosis, than on conventional therapies, Dr. Thomas Nagy, a staff psychologist at the Center for Integrative Medicine at Stanford said.
Why not give hypnosis a try? It’s safe and can be a very rewarding experience. At the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts you can experience the benefits of hypnosis by attending the specialty clinics offered throughout the year. Just go to the website wwww.swiha.edu and click on Specialty Clinics (under Our Clinics) to schedule your complimentary session! At SWIHA, you can also train to become a hypnotherapist!
Guest Author: Linda Bennett - http://aheartcenteredcoach.com/index.html
Linda Bennett is a SWIHA employee and Hypnotherapy Coach. Per her website, she is “here to help you navigate your personal journey in actualizing what you most desire. Working together a course will be set, discoveries will be made, and the destination will be charted to realize what’s most important to you.As your traveling companion we will work together to set goals, clarify your values, create your own personal vision and mission statement, and use tools that will enable you to focus and achieve results along the way.”
