MAKING LIFE CHANGES WITH THE HELP OF HYPNOSIS

How does hypnosis help us to make changes? It’s like this: The subconscious is a little like a computer. A new computer, out of the box, is really just a bunch of wires, switches, and a screen which shows you what’s going on. For a computer to be useful, you have to provide instructions-- you need to “program” it. In the same way, if we wish to use hypnosis to change a behavior, for example to quit smoking, then we’d want to “remove” old programs, (such as I REALLY LIKE TO SMOKE ) and replace it with new ways of behavior (such as I HATE SMOKING). It works well!

Hypnosis can be used for many, many purposes, such as helping the client to be rid of emotional reactions to past events, such as military trauma, sexual abuse or other kinds of emotional shocks to the psyche. Hypnosis can also help you make physiological changes such as boosting your metabolism, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, healing broken bones, sexual dysfunction, even for regrowth of scalp hair and breast enlargement. Duration of treatment will depend upon the issue. Hypnosis can be done individually, or as a part of a class, such as a class for smoking cessation. It is one of many tools we use at Helping To Heal to help folks who desire to make changes. It is a gentle and effective tool: No drugs, no stress, and so safe to use that no state of Minnesota license is required to use it with our clients.

In case you have ever seen STAGE HYPNOSIS, know that hypnosis for healing is NOTHING like stage hypnosis. YOU are the one who is in absolute control of the process. The hypnotherapist is there as a kind of ‘coach’. Hypnosis does permit new programs to make their way into the subconscious, but in exchange, the 5 senses of the mind become MUCH more alert and sensitive while you are hypnotized. You will never do, or divulge, anything under hypnosis that you wouldn’t do in the waking state.

NOW, to further explain how hypnosis works, here’s a short story about one of our hypnosis based classes called “STRESS FREE/SMOKE FREE WITH HYPNOSIS”:

As the scene opens, Carla, an inquisitive, intelligent lady has entered the door of Helping To Heal in Tracy. She pauses to look at the literature and supplements on the shelves, as if searching for something... Darlene, a nurse on duty, welcomes her...

  • DARLENE:Hello! May I help you?
  • CARLA:Is there someone here who works with addictions, like smoking?
  • DARLENE:Several of our staff help people with addictions-- to food, to gambling, to smoking...
  • CARLA:I’ve heard about using HYPNOSIS for problems like mine. Is Hypnosis like going to sleep?
  • DARLENE:Hypnosis is QUITE different. In sleep, we aren’t aware of what is going on around us. With Hypnosis, we are VERY aware-- much more so than we are right now! Your hearing and other senses become MUCH more sensitive than in sleep.
  • CARLA:Will I be lying down? I might fall asleep if I lie down...
  • DARLENE:Usually, hypnosis is done in a lounge chair, like a LAY Z BOY recliner, so that you WON’T fall asleep. If you sleep, the important benefits of hypnosis would be lost.
  • CARLA:I wonder if I’ve ever been in a HYPNOTIC STATE???
  • DARLENE:Have you ever daydreamed? Missed an exit on the freeway? Ever cried during a movie? Those are all examples of hypnosis, which you’ve drifted into, all by yourself! In fact, we believe that ALL hypnosis is really SELF hypnosis. The therapist assists you into that state, but it’s always YOUR CHOICE to decide to go there. Hypnosis is always under YOUR CONTROL. You decide to relax into that state. You also choose when to come out of that state.
  • CARLA:Could I ever “get stuck” in hypnosis?
  • DARLENE:It has NEVER happened. Nor has anyone ever been injured or had negative side effects with a trained therapist, as sometimes happens with medications. The worst thing that could ever happen is that you would simply fall asleep and not get the benefits. I’ve been hypnotized many times; it’s wonderful and I love it! (She shows Carla into a private room.) One of our staff will be with you soon...
    (THERAPIST ENTERS)
  • THERAPIST:Good morning! You’d like to clear an addiction?
  • CARLA:It’s a frustrating thing that I’ve been dealing with for 20 years. Can hypnosis help me?
  • THERAPIST:Probably. Would you like to learn more about it?
  • CARLA:Yes! When I’m free of this addiction, I can just imagine how my work, my family, my relationships, my whole life could improve! I could be a brand new person!
  • THERAPIST:And that’s just the beginning. Let’s start by learning a little about the Mind...
  • CARLA:I’m ready! LET’S DO IT!
  • THERAPIST:Hypnotherapists think of the Mind as having THREE DISTINCT PARTS : We can call these parts the CONSCIOUS MIND, the UNconscious MIND, and the SUBconscious MIND. The Unconscious Mind is simplest; let’s take that first
  • CARLA:Does the UNconscious mind have to do with regulating my heartbeat, my respiration, my immune system, and things like that-- it’s like the “operating system” of the body?
  • THERAPIST:Exactly! For our purposes, that’s about all we need to say about the UNconscious mind. It’s there, operating in the background, doing its thing, independent of any changes we may wish to make with addictions. Can you imagine what comes next?
  • CARLA:I’m remembering from Psych class, something about the CONSCIOUS mind. Does that help me balance my checkbook?
  • THERAPIST:That does that and more... The Conscious Mind is also a decision maker-- what to buy at the store, what to wear, what route to take to work, decisions about meal preparation. We make hundreds of these decisions on a daily basis. Sometimes we call this part the “ANALYTIC MIND”....
  • CARLA:Does the Conscious Mind also deal with memory?
  • THERAPIST:Yes, we call it the “working memory”-- remembering your partner’s name, children’s names, shopping lists, tasks to be completed at work, phone numbers, social security numbers. It’s like the “random access” memory of your home computer...
  • CARLA:Where does Will Power come in? After 20 years of trying to be rid of my addiction by just toughing it out, I’m just about convinced I don’t have any! Is that in the Conscious Mind?
  • THERAPIST:It is. Many folks try to use Will Power to accomplish a task, but it is inadequate for most important changes...
  • CARLA:When I’ve tried to clear my addiction, it seems like I can think of a hundred reasons why I NEED IT! I need this addiction to be HAPPY, or so I can sleep at night, or so I’ll be popular with my friends, or so I’ll be healthier, or, or, or.... I just RATIONALIZE why I need to keep doing something that, deep down inside I know is a stupid thing to do. The only thing is that it does “let me off the hook” at the time so I can live with myself.
    THERAPIST:That part is called the RATIONAL mind. It’s very necessary to our well being, and it DOES make it possible for us to “live with ourselves”, especially when we make poor decisions.