What is hypnosis therapy?

If you have ever asked question "What exactly is hypnosis therapy?" and only had a vague reply let me explain it like this ... Hypnosis. Actually being in an hypnotic state is that special kind of condition which is just like, for example, you could be on a long journey where it's so boring you arrive before you've realised the time has gone ... you were there ... but not there! A 'Day dreaming' state, just like watching the TV and not hearing the door bell. At school were you good at staring out of the window? You've got it!

But ... and its a big but... you don't have to be "hypnotised" or "in a trance" to benefit from the 'side effect' of therapy or the lovely relaxation! This very positive state can be used without the person being "out of it" in fact, that doesn't have to happen at all to benefit.

Also it's important to understand that when a person is in the relaxed body/mind/emotion condition, (in a trance state) the subconscious can absorb suggestions only if they are acceptable, at any time one might snap out of the lovely dreamy phase, particularly if uncomfortable about anything. 

The hypnotic condition is used to access the unconscious - the part of the mind that does all the things we just don't need to be aware of all the time. Things like breathing, digesting, circulating water air and blood etc. 

Why do some people say it might not work? What can can hold up the process? In short, a hyper-aware state, because 'over thinking' blocks the door to the unconscious part of the brain. I liken that condition - that thinking process - to 'white noise' e.g. when you are trying to hear something on the phone, the message can't get through because of poor reception. 

Therapy is used to treat situations which are blocking the fully functioning person and as I'm sure you know, any discomfort is distracting - but when prolonged it causes harmful stress. 

A common inhibitor to enjoying life in general is fear, fear of being out of control particularly, so forget all the hypnosis stage productions, they are specialised to entertain (and you know they only use the folks that are up for a laugh!), and be assured hypnosis is a way to heal all kinds of things. Those pains that might be physical, or emotional - and some say spiritual. 

We are all complicated entities, made up of many parts and the very fact that human beings are still on the planet Earth tells us that the unconscious primitive 'flight, fight, faint' mechanism is fully functioning, so let's make good use of it and have it working for us, not against us in any upsetting ways. 

Ways like inducing the very over alert states such as panic (here's the extreme state of fight, flight etc.) but also other more common reactions to difficult circumstances, such as anger, worry, fear, and yes, grief. 

Our emotions are essential tools, and have valid uses, they're part of the positive or negative reaction to life's circumstances, who's function is to protect from harm, like pain does for the physical, they activate the 'stay alive' part, but unfortunately sometimes it can get some not-so-good ideas. Let's try alcohol - that's one way of avoiding pain, but ... Problem? Let's try the answer of Smoking, this might relax the physical/mental but ... Problem? Eating may sooth the stomach and delay ulcers ... But ... I could go on ... and on ...

Did you know that the emotion of grief can have many effects? Loss of a loved one, loss of property, loss of freedom, loss of identity, loss, loss, loss - in so many and varied ways. Resulting in skin disorders, asthma, IBS. These may all be helped through this complementary therapy. But that's a subject for another time.

Any sort of pain at any level of existence that's needing attention will, when ignored, stimulate the primitive part of our brains into action, that built-in mechanism from our prehistoric ancestors. There are so many ways that can help, or hinder. I'm sure we can all think of physical reactions to mental/emotional disturbances of anger for example.

To sum up. Through hypnosis we access that ancient helper that's always willing to protect. We can avoid the negative effects of everyday life by attending to that primitive (brain) part of us that is only trying to do its best, let's help it to do exactly that, through hypnosis, the door to the helpful mind - and therapy, that kind and gentle healing tool. Amen to that.