Hypnosis - has anyone found it helpful or is it more of a woo thing?

[DojaPhat]

I'm wondering if anyone has had hypnotherapy for anything and noticed it's helped in some way? I've been googling and didn't realise how popular it is for all sorts of things but I've seen it's also quite expensive for the sessions. I've been helping one of my nieces with some self development books, online talks and therapy etc as she's trying to change her way of thinking. She's can be very negative and self-critical but to extremes and more than a person typically would. Perceived slights can take her weeks to get over as she'll continue ruminating long after. I hadn't considered hypnotherapy as something worth looking into till I did some googling but I'm not sure if it's worthwhile. I'd appreciate any views if you've had hypnotherapy for anything tbh.

I went to a demo for a hypnotist course. A participant (not me) was hypnotised to avoid something he consumed a lot of. I haven't touched it since.

I don't know if it would work for what you want. NLP or CBT might be better.

Look for a properly qualified clinical hypnotist.

Can you elaborate? What happened? Did it work too well?

I don't know. I was watching. The hypnotist hypnotised someone else too, but that was for something I don't eat anyway.

I think you need to want it to work.

Sometimes I wonder if it can help you get rid of sweet cravings. But do I really want someone poking around my subconscious mind?

I think CBT sounds like more of a fit for your niece.

I’ve done hypnotherapy with a psychotherapist ( so not stage magician type stuff)

It just puts you in the same sort of alert but deeply relaxed state that meditation does. It’s basically a guided meditation that you can do yourself. I did it every day for a while and it helped to set me up for the day/ be less anxious, similar to the way meditation would.

It might be helpful to do alongside something like CBT or other ‘solution’ focused talking therapy., as the calming/ anxiety managing benefits of it would compliment the talking therapy.

You can learn how to do self hypnosis or buy hypnosis downloads, if you don't want to pay for one to one. I think it's good for relieving stress and helping stop smoking or or other compulsions.

@BitOutOfPractice I didn't realise there were clinically qualified hypnotists. That sounds a better option to me, firmly more rooted in something iyswim. I should have said hypnotherapy rather than hypnotist in my title.

Yes hypnotism works. You have to be willing and want it to work but, yep definitely changes subconscious behaviour.

I went to a Paul McKenna show, over 30 years ago before he was famous and can still hear his voice now 😂

I have a friend who is a practitioner who does amazing work and another friend who stopped smoking and drinking after being hypnotised.

I spent a fortune on hypnotherapy for anxiety. Didn’t make a blind bit of difference tbh.
My sibling spent a fortune on hypnotherapy to stop smoking. She stopped, but only for a couple of months.

I have tried hypnotherapy twice, for chronic insomnia, which is the bane of my life. Both practitioners were clinically qualified and very professional, but sadly neither of them were able to help and the sessions made no difference at all. I had several sessions each time, with each hypnotherapist, some years apart.
I can only speak for myself and it may be that someone else would have a different outcome or that it could be more successful with a different problem.

I had hypnotherapy for a phobia and it worked in one 3 hours session. It was for an animal, and while I still don’t love them I have no issues being near them, where previously I would feel panicky even seeing one on the TV.

Absolutely worked a treat on my brother for his eating disorder (textures/flavours/food itself grossed him out and his diet was so restricted). He wanted to enjoy food so much. The desire came from him and that’s why I believe it worked. Same with dad who wanted to quit smoking with all his might. It worked! But again, you have to want, with all your heart, to live the change hypnosis can deliver (under the guidance of a reputable therapist).

@Ladyslip Thank you. I agree re talking therapies. She did see a therapist for a while and it did seem to help. She's done a lot in terms of challenging the negative self-talk especially but it seems to fall apart when she's in her day to day environments like work. It's almost as though she can expressly accept that everyone doesn't think she's an idiot after giving a presentation at work, or whatever, but there's a fallout somewhere between knowing that cannot be the case and the ensuing feelings of stress, anxiety and the rumination that consumes her regardless.

@DojaPhat Nice to meet you. I'm a Clinical Hypnotherapist. You're right, it's a very misrepresented therapy and often undermined because it's not given the amount of public funding for research as CBT or EFT, but there are some phenomenal studies out there. I read your recent post about your niece's conflict between her logical brain and emotional brain. This kind of conflict occurs when we are not operating in full alignment with ourselves and in the type of therapy I do, we go back and repair that rift by reclaiming the authentic self. Psychologists call it the 'split from self' or the 'fracture in the psyche', either way, it CAN get repaired through powerful reprogramming. I see it happen all day every day in my practice. I specialise in a powerful type of hypnotherapy called Rapid Transformational Therapy, it's definitely worth looking into for you niece. There's no point in being in pain if you don't have to be. I'm happy to answer any more questions you may have.

I had hypnotherapy for a severe phobia, it completely changed my life and 13 years later I still say it's some of the best money I've ever spent. (Despite the therapist saying I was 'resistant' - I was pretty sceptical but desperate at the time. Prob depends on the person but truly transformed my life.

Meant to be helpful for eating disorders too I've heard. Might be helpful in your scenario as a try for negative thinking? Great you're supporting her like this.

Solution Focused Hypnotgerapy does both - a talking therapy and the relaxing part of hypnotherapy.

You can find qualified Hypnotherapists here

www.hypnotherapists.org.uk/

OP, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy sounds exactly like the therapy you are looking for. Feel free to DM me.

@rainydaysaway Thank you for that website!