Top Myths About Hypnotherapy in maryland

So, you are ready for a change. You’ve tried a number of things already, and nothing seems to really make a significant difference. You’re so ready for something to budge that you are open to considering hypnotherapy/clinical hypnosis in Maryland. But, there may be some things you’ve heard about hypnosis that give you pause. Let’s talk about the top myths and what is accurate and what is not.

you can be made to do things you don’t want to do while under hypnosis/in hypnotherapy

Hypnosis in pop culture often gets portrayed to show the subject fully under the will of a hypnotist, doing their bidding like a puppet, often doing terrible things against their will. Perhaps you’ve even seen stage/entertainment hypnotists get people to do silly things like shouting about aliens or quacking like a duck (I’ve seen both of these examples happen). Neither of these are representative examples of what hypnosis is like. During hypnosis you are not knocked out or asleep. You are aware of what is being said and will only take in suggestions that are right and helpful for you. If a hypnotherapist makes a suggestion that isn’t right for you, it’ll slide by with no more thought than a menu item that doesn’t appeal to you. You are always in control of yourself. If, during hypnosis, you ever need or want to be fully alert to your surroundings in the present moment, you will be. If you want to know more about what hypnosis is like, you can read more about it here. Also, there are no pocket watches or spinning spirals like in the picture above. That’s all pop culture.

Hypnotherapy will make change effortless

One of the great benefits of hypotherapy is that it offers a chance to unlock and amplify inner resources when we are looking to make a wanted change. But that doesn’t mean that hypnosis is like a magic spell that is put on you that makes change happen with no effort on your part. It’s a collaborative process and hypnosis is one powerful tool that is available in that collaboration. Lasting changes are most successful when clients take the information learned during sessions and apply it consistently on their own, at home. In later sessions, I teach you skills for self-hypnosis and encourage you to use it regularly on your own. Just like any skill or tool, the more you use it, the better results you get from it. In addition, there may be other parts of a change process that require action on your part, like changing things in your environment or bringing in other supports or tools.

You won’t remember anything your hypnotherapist says

Everyone experiences hypnosis differently. Some people get so focused that they are listening very carefully to all the words being spoken. Other people become very relaxed and let the words wash over them, taking in what they need, while they drift a bit in and out with their attention. Neither way is more effective than the other and in both cases you are listening and aware of what is being said.

some people just can’t be hypnotized.

People vary in their approaches and responses to things, including hypnosis, but they also naturally have some ability to go in and out of trance. This happens everyday as we transition between wake and sleep, as well as when we get totally absorbed in a movie or tv show, or end up on autopilot doing something while our mind was elsewhere. A skilled hypnotherapist will work to find an approach that works effectively for you, and has several tools at their disposal to help you. But, like any therapeutic modality, there is no guarantee that it will give you the result you are seeking, and if you definitely do not want to be hypnotized, you won’t be.

Seeing a hypnotherapist is the same as listening to a hypnosis recording

Recorded hypnosis scripts can be helpful—I’ve used them myself at times! But it’s very different than seeing a hypnotherapist. When you see someone for individualized care, they can craft an experience that is completely personalized to you and respond in real time as they are observing what is working well and what needs adjustment in a session, helping you work towards your specific goal. Before doing any sort of hypnosis, I get to know you and learn about the problem you are looking to solve and your unique, personal experience of it. Two people experiencing the same presenting issue are still two completely different people and may respond to very different approaches. Recorded scripts, by necessity, are one-size-tries-to-fit-all. Individualized treatment incorporates details, approaches and language that is designed to be most effective and compatible for you. It’s a bit like buying a regular suit off the internet or having one designed and specifically tailored just for you. Both can clothe you, but they are not the same experience.

Hypnotists are the same as hypnotherapists

Both hypnotists and hypnotherapists know how to facilitate someone going into a hypnotic state. Hypnotists are people who have learned hypnosis successfully. Hypnotherapists are using hypnosis as one tool to help you reach a desired outcome or change for you. Hypnotherapists also draw on all the other skills and tools of their trade since we are also licensed health professionals. Some of us are psychotherapists, but others are dentists, medical doctors, nurses or other health professionals. We are licensed in our particular health field and have additional training and experience in using clinical hypnosis within that field. A dentist may use clinical hypnosis to help a patient with bruxism (teeth clenching and grinding) but is also qualified to help solve that issue without hypnosis. A psychotherapist may use hypnotherapy to assist with reducing a phobia or fear but is also qualified to help solve that problem without hypnosis.

Hypnotherapy in college Park & online throughout maryland

I hope this helps dispel some common myths and misconceptions about hypnotherapy. If you are interested in exploring more about hypnotherapy in College Park, Maryland (and throughout the state, as hypnotherapy can be safely, securely and very effectively facilitated virtually online), you can read more about how I can help here.