Does hypnotherapy actually work?

Hypnosis is a natural state, a level of altered awareness like those we can gently go in and out of ourselves through our day. For example, when concentrating on a task, and very deeply involved in it, you’ll notice time seems to go by slightly differently. You might be surprised to discover that what feels like 20 minutes, was in fact over an hour. Similarly, if you've ever driven a very familiar route, you might have arrived at your destination to discover you couldn’t remember the journey, because you were so deeply involved in thought about something else. 

In hypnotherapy we are able to utilise this natural tool, by applying it in a specific and concentrated way to address areas in our life we want to change. Our subconscious mind is a bit like a database, holding our beliefs, habits, expectations and our memories - all of the things that are stored on a deeper level. Our conscious mind dips in and out of that subconscious information, and those things can influence our behaviour and choices in ways that we often don't consciously recognise.

In hypnosis we can reframe erroneous, outdated information which is not serving us positively anymore. We can look at our behaviours, habits and thoughts in a different way, and suggest alternative ways of perceiving and behaving which can allow us to move forward more positively and effectively.

In the relaxed state of hypnosis our subconscious mind is open to suggestions, without the critical analysis provided by the conscious mind, so that we can make these changes more rapidly, moving us towards our goals and positive behaviours.