When I started my journey to becoming a Hypnotherapist, and subsequently began sharing my new passion and career path with family, friends and acquaintances, I was met with a wide variety of responses; almost everyone had questions. People were intrigued, some positively and some had a slightly negative view on what it meant to them. I encountered some responses which, I believe were framed and informed by a lack of understanding of the process, emphasised by the existence of stage and TV ‘hypnotists’ who exploit the vulnerability of extroverted members of the public for a mass audience appeal, all in the name of ‘Entertainment’. As such, I feel it is so important to de-bunk some of the myths that surround Hypnotherapy in order to break down and diminish some of the perceived ideas people have, which may be preventing them from benefitting from this transformative and powerful short-term therapy.
Here is a list of the top 10 Myths surrounding Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy vs the realities:
1 - HYPNOTHERAPY = MIND CONTROL.
FACT: A person cannot be hypnotised against their will and they can come out of trance and end a session at any time they choose. Hypnosis sessions function through a mutually cooperative relationship between the client and the therapist. When I work with clients, it is on an equal basis, whereby I am the professional trained to facilitate the hypnotherapy process but I do not control it.
2- HYPNOTHERAPY CAN MAKE ME DO SILLY THINGS OR MAKE ME GO AGAINST MY MORALS.
FACT: The trance state induced by hypnosis is a form of increased awareness and focused attention. This focused attention is directed inwardly but you are aware of everything going on around you and you can hear what is being said to you. You can’t be made to do or say anything you don’t want to, you can reject any suggestion that is given to you at any time and you will never say or do anything that goes against your moral and ethical principles. Make no mistake, the people who end up prancing around a stage acting like a chicken, are fully complicit in this behaviour on a subconscious level and the ‘stage hypnotist’ who selected them will have done so purposefully knowing they would be willing to ‘play along.’
3 - HYPNOTHERAPY IS ‘FAD’ or ‘NEW AGE’ THERAPY.
FACT: Hypnosis and hypnotherapy has been around for a long time and it has proven results helping people overcome a vast range of issues both psychological & psychosomatic.
4- I MIGHT NOT WAKE UP OR COME OUT OF THE HYPNOTIC STATE.
FACT: NO ONE has remained in the hypnotic trance state indefinitely, the hypnosis state can be terminated by the therapist or the client at any stage or time, all that is required is to open your eyes.
5 - HYPNOTHERAPY IS A LONG TERM COMMITMENT.
FACT: On average most clients will come to me for between 1 - 6 sessions, which take place every other week over the course of around 3 months but it really does depend on the individual, the issue that they are wanting to overcome and how much work we need to do. Some clients return for one-off booster sessions if they feel they need them over a number of years but in comparison to other forms of therapy such as CBT, in general we see much faster results when using hypnotherapy.
6 -ONLY WEAK MINDED PEOPLE CAN BE HYPNOTISED
FACT: This is just simply not true, in fact studies have shown that the more intelligent and imaginative a person is the easier it is to hypnotise them. However, the more analytical and controlling a person is, the more difficult it is to induce hypnosis. A well trained and experienced hypnotherapist will be able to induce hypnosis in all but a small handful of their clients. The two most important factors associated with a successful hypnotherapy session are: 1) the talent, training and experience of the therapist and 2) the willingness of the client to be hypnotised, if the client is resistant to the process in some way then they may struggle. In this instance it may take a few more sessions to reach the level of trance required but it is still possible.
7 - YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR EYES CLOSED.
FACT: More often than not I will ask a client to close their eyes to facilitate a deeper level of the trance however much transformative and therapeutic work can be done in the very light stages of trance which does not require the client to have their eyes closed. I often conduct sessions in this way, where no ‘formal’ trance is induced.
8 - HYPNOTHERAPY HAS TO BE DONE FACE TO FACE.
FACT: It is possible to carry out hypnosis sessions remotely, via a video link or phone line and the results are just as effective for the client as a face to face session.
9 - I HAVE TRIED HYPNOSIS IN THE PAST AND IT DIDN’T WORK - I CAN’T BE HYPNOTISED.
FACT: The majority of clients who are unable to be ‘hypnotised’ is due to poor technique, understanding and rapport building by the therapist. There is no such thing as a ‘bad’ hypnosis client and everyone’s experience of hypnosis will vary person to person, week to week depending on what level of trance is ecological for them to go to at that time. The Hypnotherapy process is led by the client and a good therapist will gauge what they feel is appropriate and will be of benefit for the client during each session, with regular check ins to make sure client and therapist are on the same page throughout the therapeutic process.
10 - UNDER HYPNOSIS I MAY REVEAL DEEP SECRETS
FACT: It is not widely known but you can lie in hypnosis, you can also edit and withhold information, you are in control! I can guarantee that you will never divulge any information to the hypnotherapist that you wouldn’t divulge in a regular waking state BUT lying or withholding some types of information while in hypnosis is likely to reduce the effectiveness of the session.