FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a natural phenomenon that we experience daily. Hypnosis refers to a heightened state of concentration. Do you know when you’re driving a familiar route, and all of a sudden, you realize that you’ve reached your destination while being absent minded concentrating on other thoughts? That is called hypnosis. Or when you are absorbed while reading a book or watching a movie that you may feel you are part of the story you're reading or the movie you're watching? That is also hypnosis. 

 

How does hypnosis work?

First we need to answer this question - how does the mind work?

To understand how hypnosis works, we need to understand how the mind works first. A big portion of our daily activities happen in auto mode in the subconscious mind, such as brushing teeth, getting dressed, chewing food, and so on. You don’t need to give much thought when performing these activities.This is because our knowledge of these activities is stored in the subconscious mind. In a similar way, our emotions and the way we sense, feel, and react to the world around us is also stored in the subconscious mind. Patterns and habits are also stored. They become programmed into our unconscious thought process. The way we feel and react to triggers is based on what is stored in our programmed mind. Our conscious mind, on the other hand, is that part that acts as the interface to those stored emotions and responses. The role of the conscious mind is to notice and analyze how we feel and think of events as they are happening, formulate judgments, and make decisions. The way we perceive the world around us at any moment is analyzed through the conscious mind. However, it falls back onto the programmed processes in the subconscious mind, and so we act, behave, and respond according to that program. So whatever is stored in the subconscious mind (from our belief systems to the way we feel, think and behave) are expressed in our daily actions.This explains why we sometimes overreact or act in a way that is out of our control. It's because we are programmed to respond to certain triggers in a certain way. 

 

So how does hypnosis technique work?

During a hypnosis session, the active, conscious mind is quieted so that YOU can focus your attention into the subconscious portion of your mind and initiate the reprogramming of the thought process to feel, think, and respond differently.  

 

Why does hypnosis work?

The majority of our activities and thought processes happen in auto mode due to the programmed mind. That creates habits of thoughts and actions that are deeply embedded in the subconscious mind. Under hypnosis, one is able to tap into the programmed habits and through suggestions can begin the process of dismantling old habits and patterns of thought and creating new ones.  

 

Would I ever get stuck in hypnosis?

The biggest misconception is that anyone can be stuck in hypnosis. During hypnosis, you choose to calm down and quiet your mind so that YOU, with the help of an experienced hypnotist, can achieve the goals that you set for yourself. No one ever gets stuck in hypnosis. For the most part, you will continue to interact and talk during the session.The only thing that is quiet is the monkey mind, and once that is out of the way, you can refocus your attention and tap into your subconscious mind to make the changes that you desire for yourself. In addition, it’s a misconception that you are made to do things against your will under hypnosis. You would NEVER do anything that you don’t agree with or that goes against your values.

 

Can anyone be hypnotized?

All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. What that means is that how deep a person can be hypnotized depends on how willing a person is to relax and let go. To answer the question, yes. With the help of an experienced hypnotist, everyone is trainable to be hypnotized. 

 

Are there any side effects to hypnosis?

There are no side effects to hypnosis except potentially having lasting positive changes (if we consider that as a side effect!). Trusting the process is key for hypnosis to be successful in creating the changes desired.