I'm a hypnotist (remedial, not stage) AMA

[Eyesopenwideawake]

As per the title! I love my work and happy to answer any questions 😊

I have tried 2 hypnotherapists neither put me under or whatever the correct expression is. Do you think that some people just cannot be hypnotised.

@Oblahdeeoblahdoe - try the CMA; www.the-cma.org.uk/ or the ISH; www.ishhypnosis.org/ or ask around for recommendations.

@newbiename - what did the hypnosis uncover as the reason for your weight issues?

@MindPalace (great name!). Yes. When a traumatic issue happens, a part of your subconscious will try and work out what happened. Very often there simply is no answer, or the people who could provide the answer are no longer in your life, but the subconscious keeps going over the problem searching for a satisfactory conclusion. By talking to the SC and explaining that there will never be an answer and the search is only hurting the mind, it can be put to rest. It's a favourite part of my work.

@Sparklingbrook I am not a doctor so I can't comment on physical ailments however if her IBS is exacerbated by stress or anxiety then hypnosis can definitely help with that.

@havecourage Yes, absolutely. Pain is the mind's way of telling us there's a problem with the affected part of the body, hypnosis has been used for years to help alleviate it. As part of my training I read books by Dave Elman, who wrote extensively about hypnosis for pain control during dental surgery and Milton Erickson - the father of modern hypnotism. You can still see some of his TV shows on You Tube, they are fascinating.

How much of hypnotherapy is actually hypnosis and how much is CBT or NLP style therapy?

@stepuporshutup - some people can't be hypnotised because they don't trust the hypnotist, or they don't trust themselves not to reveal information they feel uncomfortable about while under hypnosis. I don't use trance so I don't put people 'under' but I have come across people who just don't want to engage (and that's fine) so I don't take them on as clients. It would be unethical otherwise.

@IncompleteSenten - there is a definite overlap; any therapy that educates the client as to why they are having the thoughts and feelings that disturb them has to be beneficial. Hypnosis goes one step further and allows the practitioner (and the client) to communicate directly with the subconscious to talk about the root of the issue.

In gardening terms, CBT and NLP will teach the client what are weeds and how to manage them, hypnosis will dig out the roots to ensure they can't grow again. 😊

Thank you I suspect with me I don't like not being in control so I fight. My son used hypnotherapy really successfully.
I think it must be a
Fascinating job.

Thanks. Im not historically great at being put under, but I will try anything, given the level of my distress. What is the best way to get hold of someone reputable (I’m in London)? Is it via the CMA link? Thank you.

I've had hypnosis once. It didn't work for my problem.

One thing I'm curious about though is that I was very aware that my hand moved. When I 'came round' (I didn't feel that I was under) I asked the person who said I hadn't moved a muscle. Is that possible, OP? I didn't believe them.

@Eyesopenwideawake would you mind saying whereabouts you are please? I think when I've tried hypnotherapy before we haven't got to the "digging up the roots" stage. I'm in Hertfordshire.

@stepuporshutup - it is and I'm glad your son had a good experience.

@MindPalace - as I mentioned, the academy I trained with don't use trance so that might be better for you. If you'd like to DM me I can send you a link to the list of practitioners.

@Orgasmagorical - involuntary movements (IMR's) are very common in hypnosis; it's the way the subconscious communicates. If the hypnotist didn't know that then it's a bit worrying.

@Lio - I'm not in the UK but plenty of my colleagues are so happy to DM you a list if you'd like. Most of us work by video now as the relationship with the hypnotist is more important that the location since Covid.

Thank you, I felt he was lying to make me think something magical was happening 🙄. He also counselled me for some other stuff and I have since learned/decided that a fair bit of his behaviour and things he said were not good.

I want to try hypnotherapy after this thread! I was fascinated by the Derren Brown show I went to see recently, but also a bit sceptical that the people he hypnotised weren’t just ‘pretending’.
can you explain a bit more about how it works? Are some people immune to it or not very suggestible?

@garlicandsapphires - I don't know a lot about stage hypnosis but I bet the show was amazing - I think that watching any performer who is brilliant in their profession is always a joy! I'm guessing that he would pick people who would enjoy the process; outgoing, confident and not worried about being on stage.

He then gives them a positive suggestion - "sleep" - and all they have to do is respond to that. Far easier to close your eyes and drop your chin down than to either argue or not comply, thereby fucking up the show and becoming "that" one person in a massive crowd. After that it's all about harnessing the participants imaginations and using suggestion.

What an interesting thread. You sound lovely. Once I got my hands stuck together for ages by a classmate who'd done a couple of hours of hypnosis 'training'. Nobody else did. My mum had her hands locked on her head after a stage show when she was young. Why are some people more susceptible/open in this way?

@fj23

What an interesting thread. You sound lovely

^^^
Agree

This is fascinating. I’d love a DM with some recommendations of people who work virtually (I’m not in the U.K.) on weight loss, anxiety and phobias please.

@fj23 - Thank you! Take it as a compliment that you, and you Mum's, hands got stuck - it means you've got an excellent imagination 😊

The subconscious is responsible for emotions, automatic action, automatic thoughts, creativity, memories and - crucially for hypnosis - imagination. So when your SC took over from your conscious mind it was because you were able to image it so well.

If your conscious mind had needed to step in (to protect you from falling over for example) it would have done it so you weren't in any danger.

I had a hypnotherapy session before my driving test as a teenager. I can't remember the details now but, after closing eyes and relaxation talk, I had to picture a good driving-connected memory surrounded by a yellow light. What might that that have been? Is that similar to what you'd do?

I failed the test that time! Though I'm not blaming the hypnotherapy, I probably needed more sessions (and I didn't drive in a temporary bus lane that I should have used!)

@Orla83 - hope you passed the next time! The hypnosis was probably to help you relax. Pity the therapist hadn't checked the test route 😂

@Sparklingbrook I am not a doctor so I can't comment on physical ailments however if her IBS is exacerbated by stress or anxiety then hypnosis can definitely help with that

Yes she was hoping that hypnotherapy it could get her out of the 'anxiety over the IBS causing the IBS' cycle. i remember there was definitely the 'tapping' type stuff. The hypnotherapist she used had great reviews and was highly recommended, maybe she was just an impossible cause? Or she wasn't receptive enough. Not sure.

@Sparklingbrook - happy to have a conversation if you think she'd be interested. It doesn't cost anything and can't do any harm.

That's really kind thank you, I'll speak to her but I'm not sure where she's at with it all currently.

Great thread @Eyesopenwideawake. Would you be able to recommend anyone in N.Ireland?

Can hypnosis help with inattentive add ?