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  • Writer's picture Deirdre Brady BA (Hons), Adv Dip Hyp MEAPH MAPCP

Hypnotherapy Misconceptions


Hypnotherapy is very often misunderstood and feared, it is seen as a form of mind control, something magical and mysterious. To eliminate some of the misunderstandings around Hypnosis I want to highlight a few misconceptions and bring a new awareness to what happens in hypnosis.




You are always aware under Hypnosis

You are not asleep in Hypnosis but very aware of what is going on during the session. Being under hypnosis is very similar to a dream state. Like the feeling, you get just before you are about to fall asleep. Some people drift in and out of this sleep state but at all times your unconscious mind is fully aware and alert to all dangers.


Hypnosis is not a form of mind control

While it may appear that way it is not mind control. You are always aware of what is happening in a session, your subconscious mind is always in control of your safety and if anything went against your belief system you would not accept that suggestion. You cannot be hypnotised against your will and in fact, all hypnosis is self -hypnosis. While it is true that some people are more suggestible than others hypnosis is a natural pneumonia and it happens to us every day of our lives naturally. A level of trust needs to be established with your therapist. If you believe that you can be hypnotised, then you will be more responsive to hypnosis.


There is no such thing as a hypnotised feeling..

Everybody experiences hypnosis differently. Many people say it feels like a very profound state of relaxation. People can experience heaviness, weightlessness, out of body feeling, tingling, time distortion. It can feel like a dream state where the feeling fades when you come back into normal awareness. But in trance memories can be very vivid and real. So working with regression you can go back into the experience and feel the emotions of what you felt. In this place, great resolution and healing can happen. Using this state to access the unconscious mind can heal trauma, remove limiting beliefs, inputting suggestions for positive change. Changing the old programming with new ways of thinking and being. The difference between meditation and hypnosis is that meditation is a state of being with nothing to do, nothing to be achieved.


Hypnotherapy is not a new idea…

Hypnosis dates back thousands of years to the Vedas (Revered Sacred Hindu Books ) The practice of Yoga Nidra today stems from this practice and is very similar to the practice of hypnotherapy where you are releasing unconscious debris (Sanskaras) and freeing yourself from limiting beliefs that we have accumulated since we were born. Peeling away the layers to reveal our authentic way of being.


Hypnosis is a natural phenomenon

While hypnosis may seem mystical and magical, it is, in fact, a very natural experience. It is a skill we can learn and use throughout our lives for our benefit. An example of this natural state is when our minds wander and zone out, like when watching TV, working, or reading. The average person experiences hypnosis a couple of times a day.


The mystery around a Hypnotherapy session – what really happens…


Suggestion Therapy for smoking, weight loss, etc. are 1-3 sessions and use Hypnotic suggestion – Using an induction method and guided relaxation to bring into a deep trance where you bypass the critical thinking mind and go directly to your subconscious mind. This allows suggestions to be received directly into the subconscious mind. These suggestions if accepted without resistance (maybe because of a limiting belief) work to reinforce positive affirmations and reinforce desired changes you wish to make.


For anxiety, depression, for example, you would use:


Analytical hypnotherapy (Psychotherapy & Psycho-Analysis).


This is around 8-12 sessions. It is a two-way communication is established between you and the hypnotherapist. This technique gets to the bottom of the problem, where it might have originated. Resolving trauma, removing emotional blocks, limiting beliefs, and bringing positive suggestions for a happier life freer life from past experiences. These sessions bring huge awareness and clarity to the person and they can see first-hand where the healing and change need to happen. As part of this process, we use Regression techniques. By going back into the forming childhood memories, memories are forgotten and repressed and shedding light on what might be troubling the mind and causing problems in people’s lives in the present.


Future Life Progression – You are guided to visualise the future associated with reaching their goal. Visualisation and goal setting is like planting the seed into rich fertile soil and watching it grow into the plant you want.


Past Life Regression – is a technique for the spiritual seeker who wants to go into the realm of past lives to bring resolution, understanding, and to access wisdom to enrich their current life experience.


Book a Hypnotherapy Appointment Today

Are you interested in booking a hypnotherapy session with me, or want to find out how hypnotherapy can help you why not get in touch and see how I can help you.

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