Is Hypnotherapy Safe?
Have you watched Netflix’ thriller Hypnotic (2021) where the villain appears to have quite ludicrous, hypnotic powers?
The way hypnosis is portrayed is, of course, a fantastic and absurd caricature created for dramatic purposes. It’s beyond the realms of possibility.
Yet it has caused people concern.
Stage Hypnosis vs Hypnotherapy?
When I say I am a Hypnotherapist, some people joke, in a mock serious tone: “Look into my eyes, not round my eyes, in my eyes”.
Sometimes they refer to the snake in Disney’s Jungle Book, making suitable hand gestures to suggest rotating spirals in my eyes!
Others ask me if I’m going to make them “Bark like a dog” – to which I usually reply jokingly, “Not unless you want me to” (by the way, I can’t actually do that).
Unhelpful misconceptions
It’s frustrating when misconceptions about hypnotherapy are created by stage hypnotists using tricks and illusions for entertainment purposes, or tv and films portray hypnosis as a form of sinister mind control.
The reality is rather more different.
What is Hypnotherapy?
The NCH defines hypnotherapy as the, “…application of hypnotic techniques in such a way as to bring about therapeutic changes.”.
Hypnotherapy is not hypnosis.
Hypnotherapy is a therapy that uses hypnosis to create gentle trance, and to use suggestions - often the clients’ own language - to benefit people in a controlled, disciplined, supportive and safe way.
Hypnotic trance is an every day state
Hypnotic trance is an everyday, normal occurrence.
The most powerful natural trance state is the one you have at night, when you sleep; Rapid Eye Movement dream sleep.
Trance, induced by a trained, accredited therapist, is very similar to the REM dream state but the client is aware enough to be able to accept or reject suggestions.
Hypnotic language in every day life
In every day life, you are being manipulated by language patterns.
If you look, you’ll see them everywhere - linguistic tricks by powerful leaders, fire and brimstone preaching, great oratory, rhythmic music, addictive computer games, powerful advertising or the spinning of great yarns.
It’s wise to be aware of how visual images, language and music are used to influence us.
The danger is not the natural hypnotic trance state, which we fall into many times a day; it’s the people intent on doing harm. These exist in all walks of life - politics, religion, commerce, medicine and indeed, therapy.
In fact, if we find ourselves losing control and autonomy because of external influence, that’s where accredited hypnotherapy can really help us wrest back control.
Hypnotherapy helps you take control
If you don’t feel safe and comfortable with a therapist, you simply won’t co-operate. You will naturally resist suggestions.
You won’t go in to trance.
Hypnotherapy can be the best way for you to take control over persistent external negative influences - whether that’s a toxic ex partner or boss, or the drip drip drip of advertising persuading you to eat or buy things you neither want nor need.
With a trained, accredited hypnotherapist, you can tap into your ability to ease into a natural trance in a safe controlled way for your own benefit; to change bad habits, overcome limiting beliefs, reduce anxiety, lower stress and to imagine and create the better life you want.
You can decide what you want to change and your active participation in the process is what makes it so powerful.
Why is Solution Focused Hypnotherapy super safe?
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is particularly safe because the client identifies and explores what they need and want through structured, open questions.
Scripted generic suggestions are often tailored using the clients own language and influenced by the clients own defined needs and wants.
By eliciting what the client most needs to move forward - aligned with the clients values and beliefs - the therapist can support the client to achieve their hopes and aspirations.
Trained and accredited hypnotherapists are taught specific methods of inducing trance that are gentle and permissive (they don’t work without your active permission), within strict codes of conduct and ethics.
Clients feel deeply relaxed but aware.
What is Hypnosis?
So what exactly is hypnosis? And how can accredited and regulated hypnotherapists use it to help you manage and resolve anxiety, depression and related disorders.
Ivan Tyrell of The Human Givens Institute explains how hypnosis can be potentially a cause for good, or harm.
So just how can it be harmful?
Unscrupulous therapists claim esoteric skills
Tyrell explains, “Unfortunately, something mysterious often attaches itself to talk about hypnosis … as if practitioners who use it have highly specialised, even esoteric, skills – indeed, some seem to encourage that belief.”
When choosing a hypnotherapist you do need to make sure you choose someone trained and accredited. Just as you would with any therapist?
You need to feel safe and comfortable with that person. Usually there’s an opportunity for a short free exploratory assessment to find out. Always listen to your gut.
If the hypnotherapist claims magical or esoteric powers, claims to cure, or claims miraculous powers, these are alarm bells!
Addressing your fears
As a qualified Solution Focused Hypnotherapist, I feel it is important to address people’s fears, and to be honest about the potential for harm from an unaccredited or unscrupulous therapist.
This potential for harm is why accredited hypnotherapists spend so many months training, use tried and tested language patterns, or induction methods, and generally use suggestions not directions or commands (with some exceptions which are agreed and discussed in advance, for example Stop Smoking commands or direct hypnosis direct hypnosis in Gut Directed Hypnotherapy).
Trance is a commonplace experience
Trance is a commonplace experience
The first thing to understand about hypnosis is that the experience of the trance state is not esoteric or mysterious.
We move into trance state quite easily and regularly.
The hypnotic trance is a state in which we are both focused and deeply relaxed, for example when we are watching an absorbing film, driving along the motorway or playing a sport at which we excel.
During the state of trance, our brain waves change from beta brain waves (busy and focused) down to alpha waves (deeply relaxed) and close to theta waves (meditation down to rapid eye movement dream sleep).
The trance state tends to fluctuate between the bottom of alpha and the top of theta waves.
The reputable Human Givens Institute describes the hypnotic trance state as the ‘REM state’ because this natural state is most like dreaming - known as Rapid Eye Movement dream sleep - when our eyes flicker involuntarily calming our central nervous system.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapists gently induce this alpha to theta brain-wave state through guided meditation style induction. It’s a similar to the ordinary and every day trance state, but deeper and even more relaxed. You can still hear what I’m saying and if there was an emergency you would come to full consciousness quickly.
How do hypnotherapists induce trance?
The process involves a brief physical relaxation, followed by the ‘induction’ which involves a script which describes the sensation of moving downwards into a safe place (down stairs, down a long windy path) and finally suggestions and a themed metaphorical short story the subconscious mind interprets for itself.
The metaphor, often tailored to the client, is often the element that’s remembered and embedded most easily.
Hypnosis is a process
The Human Givens Institute states that: “…hypnosis is not a state of consciousness at all; it is any artificial means of accessing the REM [Rapid Eye Movement period of sleep] state. Thus hypnosis is a process, separate from the trance state that it induces, and its effects are no longer mysterious because this can account for all phenomena associated with it.”
How else are trance-like states induced?
Different levels of trance state can be induced by a number of things: drugs, sudden shocks, rituals involving music or clapping, charismatic preaching, unexpected touch, sexual experiences, a beautiful sunset, particular breathing patterns, mindfulness, prayer and meditation, and being asked to recall specific memories.
In fact, any stimulus that arouses strong emotion while paradoxically creating a deeply relaxed state that lowers emotional arousal, can induce the state we call trance.
Trance states are powerful catalysts of change
Solution Focused Hypnotherapists know that the state of hypnosis they induce is natural and safe.
It’s natural because it is induced through the open and suggestive nature of tried and tested Ericksonian hypnotic language patterns, and not by using any tricks, shocks, drugs or mind control.
Vulnerable clients
We are very aware that vulnerable clients may be more suggestible and we owe them an extra duty of care.
Where necessary, with their permission, we may contact medical professionals or psychiatrists to make sure there are no contraindications for hypnosis.
On occasion we may need to respectfully turn a client away if we feel their mental health condition is beyond our experience or skill set. That’s absolutely part of our duty of care.
How do I know the trance state safe?
Solution Focused Hypnotherapists undertake 450 hours of training, and commit to ongoing Continuous Professional Development.
Governed by a Code of Conduct
We are also governed by the Code of Conduct laid down by the Association of Solution Focused Hypnotherapists (The AfSFH) and are fully insured and governed by ethical guidelines. I am a full member of the AfSFH undertaking regular supervision sessions.
Professional Accreditation
Most professional hypnotherapists belong to professional bodies and have been thoroughly trained in the same way. Any therapist who is a member of the National Council of Hypnotherapists (The NCH) will be equally well trained and will follow its Code of Conduct.
Always check out the accreditations of your hypnotherapist.
What can Hypnotherapy help you with?
Hypnotherapy can help clients overcome negative perceptions of themselves, low self-esteem and obsessive thoughts about people or things, and help to reduce stress, anxiety and fears.
Irrational fears
Some people experience irrational fears of animals or insects, or even objects such as buttons, and hypnotherapy is the ideal therapeutic approach (along with NLP) to overcome these often disabling conditions and Rewind Phobia Therapy.
Distressing and overwhelming feelings
For those that suffer from a wide variety of distressing and overwhelming feelings such as panic attacks, social anxiety, shame and guilt, anger or feelings of not being good enough, hypnotherapy can be more effective than drugs and psychotherapy.
Hypnotherapy can also help people overcome bad habits or unhelpful behaviours, from smoking to nail-biting. In all these cases, these positive results come with no side-effects.
Compulsive behaviours
In addition, Hypnotherapy can help with a huge range of issues: weight control, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, stress related illnesses, anxiety related disorders, sleep issues, self-esteem issues and specific things such as panic attacks, exam stress, travel phobias and performance anxiety.
A safe, drug free form of therapy
Look for a Hypnotherapist who is accredited by a reputable accrediting body like the AfSFH or the NCH, who is fully insured. The accrediting body and the insurer check that the therapist is appropriately trained, supervised and insured.
Then you can be assured that the hypnosis you will experience will be safe and you will remain in control of the process.
No tricks.
No mind control.
No manipulation.
Just a supportive therapist helping you to make changes to your own subconscious without stress.
For frequently asked questions see Sense-Ability FAQs.
If you have any further questions do get in touch.
Jane Pendry
DSFH, HPD; Reg CNHC, AfSFH, ABNLP, ABH, IARTT, BA Hons (London), PGCE (Cantab)
Sense-Ability Hypnotherapy & Coaching
www.sense-ability.co.uk
jane@sense-ability.co.uk
07843 813 883