Applications of Hypnosis

Hypnosis is an extremely versatile tool. Virtually any problem that is rooted in thought process or behavior can be helped by hypnosis. A number of physical symptoms can also be relieved by tapping the power of the subconscious mind. When judging whether hypnosis can help with any particular need, I look at two main criteria:

  1. Is this an organic problem? If you are looking for relief from a physical illness or injury, you need to be visiting a physician. With the approval of your doctor, hypnotherapy can be used to help with symptoms in some cases. It's always important to see a physician first, though.
  2. Is this a mental illness? If so, I'd be professionally obligated to refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist. Hypnotherapy is not a cure for mental illness; it is a tool that mentally healthy people can use to make changes in their habits and behaviors.

Having said that, there are hundreds of practical applications for hypnosis. Here are a few of the more common ones:

Stress Management

Most people find that just going into hypnosis and coming out leaves them feeling wonderfully relaxed and stress free. That's only the beginning of learning to use hypnosis to manage stress, though. We'll talk about the things that cause you stress in your life, and develop strategies for dealing with them that you can take with you. Hypnosis will help to keep those strategies at the ready for when you need them. You'll also learn self-hypnosis so that you can take a mental breather any time you need to.

Smoking Cessation

With the Stop Smoking program I use, you can become a nonsmoker in one session provided you truly want to be one. During that session we'll find out why you smoke, what everyday things trigger you to light up, and what your particular motivation for quitting will be. In hypnosis, you'll give yourself alternatives to smoking and develop tools to get you through those first couple of weeks as your body throws off the cravings once and for all. This program is so effective that I provide free follow-up visits for up to a year after the first session.

School Performance

Some kids are naturally gifted and never seem to have any trouble getting top grades. Then there are normal kids -- kids who are smart, who work hard, but who for one reason or another have trouble in school. Hypnosis can be used to improve memory and concentration, remove test anxiety, boost self-confidence, and help kids deal with peer pressure and the daily stresses of student life.

Weight Management

As you can tell by the photo, I have some work to do in this area myself. One thing I've learned in that process is that there is no such thing as a successful generic approach to weight control -- everyone has their own set of factors that contribute to their personal weight problem. In hypnosis we'll discover what reasons your subconscious mind has for holding on to excess weight and what it will take to help your subconscious decide on new, healthier behaviors that will result in your finding the thinner person inside.

Habit Control

Nail biting, thumb sucking, bruxism (grinding of the jaw), and most other compulsive behaviors tend to stem from a subconscious need or desire. Once we discover that need, it's usually very easy to get rid of the unwanted behavior.

Self Hypnosis

All of my clients learn self hypnosis. I believe that it's a skill they should have so they can be active participants in their own therapy. It's also a very effective tool you can use throughout your life to make the most of your own mind. If you have no pressing issues but would like to learn self hypnosis and get tips on how to use it effectively, I can teach you in one session.

 

Other Uses of Hypnosis

The specific applications above are only a few of the many practical uses of hypnosis. Others include:

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