What is hypnosis?

Is it sleep?

In Greek mythology Hypnos was the personification of sleep. Not surprisingly, many people therefore associate hypnosis with sleep. But, the experience of hypnosis has nothing to do with sleep. At all times in the hypnotic experience a person can hear what is being said and respond appropriately.

How important is relaxation?

Hypnosis has also long been associated with a state of relaxation. It is certainly true that the hypnotic experience can be deeply relaxing – but the relaxation is a happy by-product of hypnosis. Indeed, many people consult a hypnotherapist to help them learn how to relax. If being able to relax were a pre-requisite for the therapy to work the results would be very poor indeed. In fact hypnotherapy has great success in this area, showing that relaxation is not the reason hypnosis works.

Does hypnosis work by suggestion?

In a word ‘no’. If suggestion were the key to hypnosis then there would be very few problems or ‘dis-ease’. All we would need do is give each other positive suggestions and all would be well with the world. Suggestion can be used in hypnotherapy, but the results come about not because of the suggestions as such but because suggestions, like other therapeutic tools, lead to the activation of inner resources which in turn lead to problem resolution. The real skill in hypnosis is not then mere suggestion, but helping people access the inner resources they need.

So, if it’s not sleep, relaxation or suggestion what is it?

Hypnosis is a process of focused absorption which enables us to access the deeper inner resources we need (often called the ‘unconscious’ or ‘non-conscious’ or inner mind). The therapist acts as a guide and facilitator. Importantly, as the skills required to experience hypnosis are natural human abilities there is nothing that you need to learn in order to benefit – except perhaps a little trust in your own potentials.