Keyword: hypnotherapy
Word Count: 440
Keyword Density: 12/2.73%
What to Expect From Hypnotherapy
The dictionary definition of hypnotherapy is simple: it is therapy undertaken while the subject is under hypnosis, in a state of intense suggestibility. The treatment is used to change the subject's behavior and attitudes or to manage bad habits, anxiety, pain, and stress.
Mainstream Recognition of Hypnotherapy
Once thought to be a conjurer's trick, the effects of hypnotherapy were recognized by the British Medical Association in 1892. Hypnotherapy is thought to be most effective for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, pain management, and psycho-somatic, or stress-related, illnesses.
Studies conducted in 1955 expanded treatment areas for hypnotherapy to include anesthesia or analgesia for surgery and dental work and pain relief during childbirth. In fact, the famous Lamaze method for reducing pain and stress during childbirth is considered to be a form of hypnotherapy.
In a 2003 German studies, hypnotherapy was recognized to have a success rate of at least 64% to 74%, compared with untreated control groups, for treatment of pain control, smoking cessation, anxiety related to tests, and psychosomatic illnesses. The treatment had an even higher success rate in treatment of anxiety disorders.
What to Expect From a Hypnotherapy Session
When you visit a qualified hypnotherapist, the therapist will take your medical history, similar to what happens in a traditional doctor's office. The therapist will discuss with you what you expect to gain from hypnotherapy, and will establish goals for your treatment.
You should wear comfortable clothing to your hypnotherapy session, because you remain in your street clothes during treatment. There is no need to change into a skimpy gown or special attire. The exact atmosphere varies from treatment center to treatment center, but you will typically be seated in a reclining chair in a dimly lit room with soft, non-descript music playing in the background. The hypnotic experience appeals to as many senses as possible, so you may notice an aroma coming from scented candles or oils.
The hypnotherapist will help you achieve an altered state of consciousness where you are extremely comfortable and relaxed; where your sensory imagination is active; and where your attention is redirected to your treatment goals. This state is sometimes referred to as a hypnotic trance.
As the trance deepens, your conscious mind and subconscious mind divide, with the conscious mind focusing on the enjoyable hypnotic environment and the subconscious mind doing the work of learning hypnotic suggestions and storing them for future reference. Generally speaking, the more intense and compelling the hypnotic environment is, the greater will be the division of the conscious and subconscious mind, and the more effective the hypnotherapy suggestions will be to the subject.
