I’m a Hypnotherapist

'I'm a Hypnotherapist' - I reply, when I am asked what I do. And then I wait for the reaction!

There are a few standard ones!

'I'm not looking into your eyes then!'

'You won't be able to hypnotise me'

'Can you make me cluck like a chicken?'

'Please make me stop liking chocolate'

'I want my husband to stop smoking, can I book him an appointment now?'

There are a lot more, but let's deal with these for now…

There are a lot more, but let's deal with these for now…

You can look into my eyes and remain quite safe! Yes, sometimes, in a therapeutic situation I will ask a client to look into my eyes - if I do, I will have a very specific reason for doing so. You can't just look into my eyes and fall into a swoon!

I almost certainly can hypnotise you, but why would I want to? I certainly would never hypnotise anyone who did not want to be hypnotised. I would explain how wonderful and beneficial the experience of hypnosis can be, and you can decide if you want to be hypnotised.

Ahh, the chicken. Do you want to cluck like a chicken? If you really would like to, then yes, I can do that for you. Perhaps we should have a little talk about why you want to be a chicken?

Being more serious now, in hypnosis it is possible be 'put off' chocolate. Often though, if we feel we are 'not allowed' something, we want it more. I would prefer to work with you to give you the skills to be able to be around chocolate and choose either to not eat it or to just have a small piece and feel satisfied.

So, you want your husband to stop smoking, do you?

Does he want to stop smoking? He has to be the one to want to stop smoking. Hypnosis and hypnotherapy is a collaborative process. If he is not yet ready for change, the chances of a successful outcome are reduced. I would be very happy to have a chat with your husband and explain how hypnosis can help him to stop smoking when he is ready to make that change.

.....and here are a few more questions I am asked:

"I've heard that you can get stuck in hypnosis"

You may well have heard that you can get stuck in hypnosis, this is as likely as getting stuck in a daydream - it simply does not happen. If the hypnotist had an accident, you would most likely enjoy a little snooze and then awaken feeling refreshed and relaxed. And hopefully offer any assistance that the hypnotist might need from you!

"I can't be hypnotised"

There are some people who won't be hypnotized, deliberately resisting the hypnotist. This is a choice they make for themselves. Otherwise, apart from individuals with some medical contra-indications, everybody in the world can be hypnotised. In fact, it's a fundamental human trait - you will experience a hypnotic state every day, several times a day. Those times when you 'drift off' perhaps when you are reading a book and for a few moments enter a state where you are not aware of what you are reading. Or you are so absorbed in a task that you don't notice anything going on around you. Notice how many times you enter this state today. You can learn to be very good at going into hypnosis whenever you want to. Just like anything that you learn to do and practice, you get better and better at going into hypnosis - the more you do it, the better you get. This is something my clients always comment on. So, yes, if you want to be hypnotised, you can
be hypnotised!

"What if I think I can do something stupid and hurt myself, or tell you all my secrets?"

No, you won't do that. Hypnosis isn't a truth drug; people are just as capable of lying under hypnosis as they are at every other time. When you're in hypnosis, you're still aware of everything that's going on around you (some studies suggest that you're actually more aware), so you're free to say as much or as little as you wish. Likewise, you won't do anything that is dangerous or stupid; hypnosis cannot bypass your moral code or blot out your natural sense of self-preservation.

"Do you always have to have your eyes closed?"

Actually, no you don't. It is perfectly possible and natural to be in hypnosis and have your eyes wide open and be active, as with the example of reading a book and drifting off into that hypnotic state. Athletes are a great example of this state, blocking out the sounds of the crowd, focused only on the starting gun, going on the B of the Bang as Linford Christie once described it. Or that total concentration needed to block out whistles and the eyes of thousands of people watching you make that kick to win the World Cup! The reason hypnotherapists suggest you close your eyes is that it helps you relax even more deeply and can help you visualise more easily - and you don't really wanting to be staring at me all the time, do you!

I'm a Hypnotherapist, how can I help you?

Call 01202 511096 now for a 30-minute free consultation or e-mail:

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Visit my website: www.lindsayshepherdhypnotherapy.co.uk