Is hypnosis in an office setting like stage hypnosis?

Hypnosis in an office setting is used as a tool for wellness, personal development or as an investigative process. The client's welfare is the sole focus of the procedure and the work is geared towards helping the client.

Stage hypnosis is a show where people perform acts that are used to entertain an audience.  Since the purpose is usually to hold the audience’s interest and to entertain them, the subjects are carefully selected and screened before the stage demonstration begins to ensure the success of the show.

What is a trance?

A trance is a natural state that can occur whenever your attention is narrowly focused and relatively free of distractions. Your attention may be focused either internally (on internal self-talk, visual images, or both) or externally (on a task, a book, a movie, etc.). The focus of attention is so narrow that other stimuli in the environment are ignored or blocked out of conscious awareness for a time. During trance, habitual behaviors may be performed without conscious awareness (i.e., behavior performed without mental effort). Examples of common trance states are daydreaming, meditation, or being involved in a really good book or movie.

Will I remember anything after the session is over?

You will remember everything unless the hypnotist valid reasons to delay the recall until he/she feels it is safe and beneficial to the client. (This would be particularly true of uncovered early memories of abuse or other traumas.) Usually, you will remember only what you are ready to remember. You may be asked to describe images or sensations or sounds as they come to you.

What happens after the session is over?
Your hypnotist will summarize what has been accomplished in the session. He or she may ask you to listen to a recording of the session for reinforcement and encouragement. Very often, after the session is over and in the days to come, images or memories will surface spontaneously to your awareness.  Be sure to share them with your hypnotist.

Can I be stuck in hypnosis?

Everyone comes out of hypnosis. Remember that you went into hypnosis willingly. So, just as you decided to go into hypnosis, by the same token, you will decide to come out of it. Occasionally, a client enjoys the experience so much that they resist coming out. It is the continuous dialog of the of the hypnotist that keeps the person in hypnosis.  With the realization that the hypnotist’s voice is no longer heard, the client emerges.

How will I feel when I'm hypnotized?  Will I be sleeping or unconscious?

The word hypnosis is derived from the Greek word for sleep. While hypnosis is very relaxing, you never lose awareness during hypnosis.  You certainly will not be asleep or unconscious. If you were asleep, you would not be able to have a dialogue with your hypnotist. In. fact, during hypnosis you are even more aware of what is going on around you than you would ordinarily be but you can be selective about it (which you can't do in the waking state). While in hypnosis, you are in a very relaxed and pleasant state. normal awareness.  During hypnosis, you will be relaxed, but mentally alert; retaining at all times a level of awareness to the direct environment.  If you enter into a state of hypnosis when you are already very tired you may simply drift off into a natural sleep and reawaken.

Can everyone be hypnotized?

Everyone can be hypnotized provided that they want to be. Hypnosis is not something one person "does" to another.  We are all born with the ability to enter and utilize trance. The depth of its use, deliberate or unwittingly, varies from person to person.  Your development of this skill can be enhanced with the guidance of an experienced hypnotist.

I'm very intelligent can I be hypnotized?

The ability to concentrate or focus is essential for hypnosis. People with a wide range of intellectual giftedness or limitations can be hypnotized. Almost anyone can be hypnotized, even some children as young as three to the very elderly.  The ability to enter hypnosis frequently depends on the training and expertise of the hypnotist.

Are there circumstances under which a person should not be hypnotized?

There are some individuals who may not benefit from hypnosis. This is where the evaluative skills and clinical training of the hypnotist are essential.

What if I cannot go deeply enough?

Of the six levels of trance measured by the Aarons Depth test, most typical goals can be accomplished in the lightest three stages.  Most people can achieve a trance deep enough to allow for the process. Practicing self hypnosis can help you achieve greater depths of trance.

Can experiences be fabricated under hypnosis?

Hypnosis is not a truth serum. There is no guarantee that all information obtained under hypnosis is accurate. If there is information that the person chooses not to divulge or if it is information that is not consciously known, frequently, the subject will not reveal it.

Can I be sure that the memories I recall are real?

There is no totally reliable way (including hypnosis) to accurately recall disturbing memories

Is it possible to make me do or think negative things?

People can be manipulated into doing things against their will and even against their systems of value and belief with or without hypnosis. Although techniques of brainwashing exist, they are not in the realm of clinical hypnosis and the ethics as practiced in professional situations.

Can memories I've read or heard about or seen others go through be recalled as mine in hypnosis?

Hypnosis cannot guarantee the factual revelation of the experiences of hypnotized subjects.  All of the above may influence hypnotic recall.

How is hypnosis different from sleep, meditation or guided imagery?

Hypnosis is best described as an altered state of consciousness, a changed or focused state of awareness, concentration and perception. During the experience of hypnosis, the person remains in complete control and should they ever feel uncomfortable because of the experience, they can always reopen their eyes and terminate the experience.  Everyone at some point or another naturally experiences the hypnotic state.

What is Guided Imagery?

Guided imagery is the use of mental images to help bring about changes.   Meditation, guided imagery, and hypnosis share relaxation as part of the procedure, but that is where the similarities end.

Can I bring someone with me to my session?
Yes, you can bring anyone with you if you need the reassurance and if that makes you comfortable.  However, your hypnotist may suggest that your companion waits for you outside of their office to avoid distraction.