What Exactly Is Clinical Hypnosis?

Debra LeGere, LCSW, NBCFCH

The American Psychological Association defines hypnosis as “A state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness, characterized by an enhanced capacity for response to suggestion.”
(Elkins, G.R., Barabasz, A.F., Council, J.R., Spiegel, D., 2015).

Picture clinical hypnotherapy as a collaborative dance between you and your hypnotherapist. During a hypnosis session, your hypnotherapist will guide you into a state of relaxation that is commonly referred to as a “trance” state. The word “trance” can sound a bit “woo-woo” or mysterious to some. So, let’s demystify it. We all dip into light to medium trance states every day. For instance, have you ever been so engrossed in a book, TV show, a video game, your phone, or your computer screen that someone could be waving flags at you,
and you wouldn’t even notice? You were so absorbed in what you were doing
that you were not paying attention to what was going on around you.
You were in a light to medium trance state.

Will I lose control?

A concern about “losing control” sometimes comes up with my clients.
However, research states that only 8% of individuals delve so deeply into a hypnotic state that they may not recall every detail. For most people, it’s more about entering a
deeply relaxed state while still holding onto most of the experience.

For example, have you ever found yourself arriving at a destination wondering how you got there ~ because you zoned out during the drive?
That’s a light trance state in action ~
part of you was aware of the drive, yet another part of you had its own agenda.

Imagine a hypnosis session like participating in a sport.
On one level, you’re aware of your surroundings,
but your primary focus is on the game.
Or, you may be so focused on winning the game,
that you lose awareness of your surroundings at times.

This type of feeling embodies the essence of “a state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness”. You’re cognizant of
where you are, but your awareness has zeroed in on your inner experience.

Hypnosis can be a potent tool for healing past wounds,
shifting perspectives, and tweaking behaviors.
But it’s not about pulling rabbits out of hats.

Sometimes, one session is all it takes. Other times, we unveil other issues
and embark on a deeper exploration down the road.

For example, a client might use hypnosis to help manage binge-eating.
The session may unveil a link to anxiety, prompting another session
to address the anxiety (the root cause of their desire to binge).

Hypnotherapy may facilitate changes in your inner experience, may rewrite memories, alter beliefs, and plant visions for your future.

Here’s the scoop:

Your subconscious mind, the star performer during hypnosis, introduces only what you’re emotionally prepared to handle. Consider it your best friend. It knows everything about you and is always looking out for your best interests.

Plus, you’re the captain of the ship.
Even with your eyes closed, you’re in conversation with your hypnotherapist.
If things get a bit too intense, or awkward, you can simply declare a pause,
or open your eyes and wrap up the session ~ it’s entirely up to you.

Just in case you missed it…

Hypnosis is NOT for everyone. Mental health clinicians will not use
hypnosis with someone unless they are relatively
stable mentally and emotionally.
If hypnosis doesn’t resonate with you ~ I wouldn’t recommend it.