What is Hypnosis and How is it Used in Therapy?
Q. What is Hypnosis?
A. 'Hypnosis' refers to a procedure by which an individual is taught
to engage in deep relaxation, resulting in a psychological state known as a 'trance'.
Q. What is a 'trance'?
A. A 'trance' refers to a state where an individual becomes deeply focused
on their own internal thoughts and feelings, and temporarily looses touch with their physical surroundings. Many people
can spontaneously enter a state of 'trance' whether or not they are being actively 'hypnotized'.
Q. Are their different types of 'trances'?
A. Yes, a trance may be 'light' or 'deep'. In a 'light trance',
you will remember everything that is said to you and you will simply feel very relaxed and comfortable. You will be able to
talk about things that bother you without the anxiety or discomfort you generally experience.
If you go into a 'deep' trance, you will will feel so relaxed and
comfortable that you will temporarily loose track of time and place. A few minutes under hypnosis may feel like several hours, or vice versa. You may be able to move so deeply into your
imagination that you temporarily feel as if you are in another place or time. For example, the hypnotist might
tell you to imagine that you are in a special place from your childhood, and you may feel as if you are 'really there'. You may
be completely unable to feel aches and pains that generally bother you. If you suffer from severe or chronic pain, this
is clearly a very positive thing! By practicing hypnosis over and over again, you can learn to 'hypnotize' yourself
so that you can relax at will, even during very stressful real life situations!
Q. What will the therapist do when I go into a 'trance'
A. The therapist will quietly talk to you to help you to relax
your body and mind. Once you are deeply relaxed, the therapist might talk to you about how to more effectively handle difficult
situations in your life. Because, you will feel so relaxed,
you will be more open to your therapists suggestions, and more inclined to follow them when you leave the office!
Q. Who discovered this tool?
A. The term 'hypnosis' was originally coined
by a Scottish surgeon named James Baird in the 1840's. He discovered that if his patients stared at a visual point,
they would eventually become calm and impervious to pain. He named his discovery after 'Hypno' (The Greek God of Sleep').
Q. What is 'Hypnotherapy'?
A. 'Hypnotherapy' refers to the use of hypnosis as a therapuetic intervention. Today
hypnotherapy is used to treat a wide variety of psychological and physiological ailments. However, the best studied
uses of hypnotherapy are for the reduction of anxiety and pain. There have been numerous research studies documenting
how well hypnotherapy can work to releive conditions such as nausea, panic attacks, and acute pain reactions (especialy those
that are exacerbated by anxiety such as receiving a painful shot).
Q. How do therapists get trained to provide 'Hypnotherapy'?
A. There are many current schools of hypnotherapy as well as a national
organization that provides training and certification in this field. In the state of North Carolina, any independently
licenced psychologist can practice hypnotherapy as long as they have had specialized training in the form of courses,
workshops and professional supervision.
Q. If I come to you for hypnotherapy, is that all we will do when
I see you?
A. Hypnotherapy can be practiced in isolation, or as an adjunct
to ongoing psychotherapy. When I practice hypnotherapy, it is nearly always in conjunction with some type of ongoing
psychotherapy.
Q. Who should try 'hypnotherapy'?
A. If you suffer from excessive anxiety, phobias, compulsive or
addictive behavior patterns or excessive physical pain reactions, you may wish to explore this therapeutic option!
For further information about 'Hypnosis' Please
see 'Links' Page or call Dr. Parks today to arrange for a consultation to see whether this tool might work for you!
createahealthymind@earthlink.net
