What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a relaxed state of consciousness which feels very much like daydreaming. In the state of relaxation you are more open to suggestions and in this natural state your unconscious mind has the ability to accept, or reject, information or suggestions given by you or by the hypnotherapist.

How does hypnosis work?

Hypnotherapy allows us to communicate with the unconscious mind and reinforce new patterns of behaviour at a cellular level. The unconscious mind accounts for 90% of our daily activities, running our bodily functions, storing our memories and past experiences in a database and filtering information the brain receives every second into a manageable amount. During hypnosis, the unconscious mind accepts positive suggestions that will help us.

Is hypnosis safe?

Absolutely. There is nothing mysterious about hypnosis, and as a hypnotherapist, I cannot make you accept suggestions you do not agree with. Between the conscious and the unconscious mind there is a gatekeeper called the critical barrier, and this barrier will reject any suggestions that are not congruent with your beliefs, values or morals.

What do doctors think of hypnosis?

Doctors have now begun to accept hypnosis and hypnotherapy as a tool which can be used in conjunction with traditional medicine. Doctors recognise that over 60% of our physical problems start in our mind, and stress, tension, anxiety and worry are the biggest factors in the increase of heart attacks and even death. Negative emotions can affect our health, our body and our life. All emotions come from the unconscious mind and can be deleted or altered during hypnotherapy.

What is stage hypnosis?

You may think that participants in stage hypnosis are being made to do things against their will, but in fact the hypnotist has cleverly identified those persons who are outgoing and willing to make a fool of themselves. Occasionally, you will see participants who don’t seem to be responding, and this is because their conscious mind is telling them they are up for the fun, but their subconscious is saying "You really don’t want to do that!".