Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnotherapy

Q: What can I expect during a hypnosis session?

A: You will be asked to make yourself as comfortable as you possibly can. Then I will talk to you about becoming more relaxed and I will guide you with relaxation techniques so you are as relaxed as you can be. It will NOT feel like sleep; you will be able to hear me, as well as be aware of your surroundings.

Q: Only weak-willed or gullible people can be hypnotized, right?

A: Anyone who can understand the words that are coming out of my mouth, and is capable of following simple directions can be hypnotized. In fact, intelligent and imaginative people tend to be easier to hypnotize.

Q: What if it doesn't "take"?

A: Sometimes a method that works for most people will not work for some. Why? One possible reason could be something called "secondary gains."

An example would be: A man wants to quit smoking but, unknown to the hypnotherapist, he takes his smoke breaks with a beautiful woman in his workplace. He is in conflict because one part of him sincerely wants to quit, while another part wants to take smoke breaks with his beautiful co-worker.

In most cases this can be overcome. But some will resist the suggestions to make healthy choices. A possible factor is that the issue goes much deeper than the superficial, and requires regression or some other hypnosis technique to get to the root cause of the issue.

Q: I am in constant pain. Can I be hypnotized?

A: Yes. Pain may interfere with your ability to relax, but there are techniques for getting around it and inducing the therapeutic hypnotic state.