What is hypnotherapy and does it work?

Hypnotherapy is a vehicle that therapists use to strengthen and empower other forms of therapy like cognitive therapy. Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation - when the mind is deeply relaxed suggestions can be made to create beneficial changes in ideas, emotions, beliefs and behaviour. This is also often accomplished through the use of forms of creative visualisation.

The subconscious mind controls the involuntary functions of the body including habits and things that we do 'automatically' - it is fuelled by our emotions and imagination and directs the energy from within. The subconscious mind also contains memories of every single thing that has occurred to us. In hypnosis, the mind is very receptive to new ideas and open to suggestions which encourage more sensible, balanced or helpful attitudes to reality.

In the clinical setting, symptoms associated with stress or anxiety can be helped; in such cases it is not a substitute for medical treatment, but a very useful supplement to it. Mind and body affect each other and the person as a whole in benefited by this holistic approach. For some conditions regression techniques can also be used. This may mean re-examining (without necessarily re-experiencing) events which influenced us at an earlier time in life. By bringing these memories to the surface the subconscious mind is able to discharge the negative effects and can be 'reprogrammed' for success.

You may have heard that only some people can be hypnotised. Clinical hypnotherapy is more akin to deep relaxation and bears no resemblance to stage or theatrical hypnotism. It is therefore open to anyone who enjoys naturally occurring hypnotic states such as day dreaming, being engrossed in a TV programme, film or book. The real state of hypnosis is a completely natural state and can be reached by everyone - the key to hypnotherapy is simply the use of the correct type of therapy while in this relaxed state of mind.

The number of sessions required usually varies from person to person, however at the Freedom Therapy Clinic we are committed to ensuring that a treatment programme is as brief as possible. Most people feel some benefit from hypnotherapy immediately and this technique is particularly useful for weight loss, stopping smoking, addiction treatment, helping with exam stress and low self-esteem.