Frequently asked questionsWill I be able to be hypnotised? Yes, because hypnosis is simply a state of deeply focused attention. People naturally go into this state when they become deeply involved in a fascinating conversation with someone, when playing a sport that they love, or watching a favourite film. In that sense, everyone goes into hypnosis on a regular basis. During a hypnotherapy session, some people immediately focus very deeply, whereas others start by just dipping their toes in and then become more involved as time goes on. However, everyone can be guided into a sufficiently focused state to produce real, immediate changes in how they habitually feel and act. How do you hypnotise people? Do you use a swinging pendulum? I'm afraid not! Most often I will start by asking you to just close your eyes, take a few, slow, deep breaths, and let your body relax. Try listening to my free MP3 "Exploring Trance" to get a better idea of what happens. Will I lose control? No. No more than when you're really enjoying a good film, or reading a great book, you are "controlled" by the actors or the author. It's always your choice how much you become involved in a film or a book, and hypnosis is exactly the same. What's more, there is a long history of people using hypnosis to gain control over things that are unconscious for most people. This includes deliberately accessing states of peak performance, confidence and relaxation, and even controlling their blood pressure or the level of pain they feel during surgery. So how do stage hypnotists make people believe they are chickens? They don't! For example, if the hypnotist in a stage hypnosis show tells someone to make a phone call to the Queen on an imaginary phone, the person typically does something very interesting. Instead of holding their hand like they believe they are gripping a real phone, they extend their thumb and little finger and put their hand to their face: the international mime for "phone"! Think about what this means. They are not in some strange state where they are hallucinating and literally think that they are on the phone to the Queen. They are following instructions and creatively acting them out to get laughs from an audience. I'm not saying there is no hypnosis involved in stage hypnosis. In fact, stage hypnotists can use their skills to get very shy, reserved people to perform as confidently and as well as skilled improvisational actors. They do this by selecting the most receptive people from the audience and guiding them (often quite dramatically) into a deeply relaxed and focused state of mind, before giving them scenarios to improvise. This concentrated, focused state is exactly what professional performers access instinctively before they go on stage. If acting is something the person has never done before, they might feel a bit confused about it after the show, like it was "somebody else doing it" because they wouldn't normally do that. But they were always in control and aware that they were performing in front of an audience. Can I get stuck in hypnosis? Absolutely not. This is a total myth. People may sometimes enjoy the relaxation of hypnosis so much they are reluctant to awaken immediately, but there is no case of anyone magically getting "stuck" in hypnosis, anymore than people can get "stuck" in a good film or book. Will I reveal anything I don't want to in hypnosis? No. The type of therapy I do does not involve unnecessary digging into childhood memories or finding "hidden subconscious forces". In solution focused therapy, we always concentrate on the goal you bring to therapy, and on the simplest steps to getting you there. You only need to discuss what you believe is relevant to therapy, and what you are comfortable talking about. The reason for using hypnosis is not to find out more information, but to reinforce the changes we have agreed on and to help them become instinctive for you. Book a session now or continue to Testimonials
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© Copyright Joseph Kao 2008 Hypnotherapist, hypnotist and solution focused therapist in North London Near: Crouch End, Highgate, Finchley, Hornsey, Camden Town, Muswell Hill, Archway, Wood Green Tel. 0208 350 2634 Email me |
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