What Is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a natural state we can all access! It feels similar to when you are deeply relaxed. You are completely aware, and not asleep.

If you have ever daydreamed, let your mind wander while you are driving, or become deeply absorbed in a book, movie, or creative activity so that time flies by, then you already know what it feels like! 

If you have heard of a hypnosis stage show, where people are hypnotized into doing silly things, such as clucking like a chicken, you may be concerned about what you would do if you were hypnotized. Fear not. You won’t do something while in hypnosis that you would not be willing to do while not in hypnosis.

You have to want to be hypnotized in order for it to happen. Hypnotists have learned techniques to help you take advantage of this natural process. While you are deeply relaxed in hypnosis, you are suggestible, meaning that your unconscious or subconscious mind is open to receiving suggestions.

Advertisers and store-owners take advantage of a similar concept all the time. For example, you may be relaxing while watching television, and suddenly a commercial comes on for a fast-food chain. Unbeknownst to you, they have carefully used a combination of colors, symbols, images and sounds to suggest that you are hungry for a hamburger. Soon after, you may actually begin craving a hamburger. Or perhaps you are shopping in a store and you find yourself reaching for products you did not intend to buy before going in. Subtle messages are used to guide you towards impulse-buying. Perhaps you actually did not really want to purchase their product because you are dieting.

Hypnotists help you identify and make changes that you want to improve your life. For example, you may want to lose weight. Hypnotists will help you explore your thoughts, feelings and goals around weight loss. Then, we will help guide you into hypnosis, a deeply-relaxed trance-like state, and make suggestions to you to guide positive behavior. This often leads to effective and lasting change.

While hypnotists may say, “sleep” as part of inducing a hypnotic state, it is not sleep. However, people can become so profoundly relaxed that they drift into sleep. There is a spectrum of trance states. Hypnosis can be used to help with sleep.

We use hypnosis to help you help yourself make changes you want to make in order to live your best life.

If you are like many people, not having enough time and juggling multiple responsibilities has become normal, and taking care of yourself may feel like just another chore. Stress exacerbates or underlies many physiological symptoms. Self-neglect can lead to frustration, burnout, anxiety, anger, or depression as well as physical illness or pain.

Hypnosis can help naturally and safely retrain your mind and body to respond to stressful situations in more helpful and appropriate ways. With practice, optimizing awareness of the mind-body connection can reduce the harmful effects of stress, and increase wellbeing. 

Many personal stories as well as research studies have shown that hypnosis can be used to address a wide variety of issues: physical, mental and emotional, and even spiritual. These include, for example, improving sleep, self-esteem, or performance, reducing menopausal symptoms, promoting rapid physical healing, management of pain, increasing motivation, weight management, smoking cessation, recovering from grief or loss, time-management, study skills, procrastination, and increasing self-awareness.

How to Learn Hypnosis?

In our comfortable office setting, we help you engage your natural abilities to relax and focus, to guide you into a hypnotic state of quiet, focused awareness and heightened suggestibility. Like any skill, regular practice will help you reap more benefits. You won’t drop three dress sizes the first time you are hypnotized, and you may not quit smoking after just one session (although some people do!), but with patience and perspective you can reach your goals.

Unfortunately, our work together will not be covered by insurance. As such, we do not diagnose you. Hypnosis is an investment in yourself. You will find it is well worth it.