Hypnotists Near Me

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FAQs:

What is Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy?

Hypnosis or ‘ hypnotherapy’ names for a technique that induces a trancelike state to achieve increased focus and concentration. Hypnosis is usually done with the help of a therapist who uses verbal repetition and a steady tone of voice to create mental images and bring the mind into a state of relaxation. A person under hypnosis becomes more open to suggestions, which the therapist can use for many beneficial ends. Hypnosis can be used to help you gain control over your undesired behaviors or help you cope better with any anxiety or pain that you might be experiencing. It’s important to know that although you’re more open to suggestions during hypnosis, you don’t lose control over your own behavior when you’re in that state.

How Does Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy Work?

When under hypnosis, the therapist places your mind and body into a heightened state of learning, making you more susceptible to suggestions for self-improvement or behavior modification, as the American Psychological Association states. The therapist uses their voice to bypass your conscious mind and influence your subconscious directly. Even if you don’t necessarily remember what is said during a session, the therapist’s implanted suggestions can surface in your daily life and move you toward the behavior you want to achieve.

The method behind hypnotherapy takes advantage of distinct states of awareness, transitioning you from one to the other. Specifically, the human brain has two distinct levels of awareness: alpha (relaxed) and beta (alert). When a person is in an alpha state, they become more susceptible to hypnosis, but that's not their state of everyday functioning. To promote hypnosis, a professional guides you through a series of steps designed to relax your body, calm your mind, and focus your attention on specific thoughts or sensations. During each step of hypnotherapy, you might be asked to imagine certain scenes or recall experiences that are conducive to reaching an alpha state.

 As you can see, the method behind hypnosis is ultimately based on relaxation. Once you reach that relaxed alpha state, the therapist's next steps will depend on the outcome you hope to achieve. They might help you recall certain memories you've forgotten or ask you about patterns of behavior that you would like to change. It all depends on your reason for visiting.

What Can Hypnosis Help You With?

Hypnosis can be an effective way to cope with stress and anxiety. In particular, it may ease stress and anxiety before a medical procedure, such as a breast biopsy.

Hypnosis also may be helpful for:

1. Pain control

Hypnosis may help with pain due to burns, cancer, childbirth, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, jaw problems, dental procedures, and headaches.

2. Hot flashes. 

Hypnosis may ease hot flashes caused by menopause.

3. Behavior change. 

Hypnosis has been used with some success to treat sleep problems, bed-wetting, smoking, and overeating.

4. Cancer treatment side effects. 

Hypnosis has been used to ease the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

5. Mental health conditions. 

Hypnosis may help reduce anxiety associated with fears and phobias.

What is the Effectiveness of Hypnosis?

Hypnosis can be effective in helping people cope with pain, stress, and anxiety. Keep in mind, though, that healthcare providers typically suggest other treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, for those conditions before or along with hypnosis. Hypnosis may be effective as part of a larger treatment plan for quitting smoking or losing weight. Hypnosis isn't right for everyone. Not all people can enter a state of hypnosis fully enough for it to work well. In general, the more quickly and easily people reach a state of relaxation and calm during a session, the more likely it is that they will benefit from hypnosis.

Is Hypnosis Safe?

Hypnosis is not a dangerous procedure. It is not mind control or brainwashing. A therapist cannot make a person do something embarrassing or that the person doesn't want to do. The greatest risk is that false memories can potentially be created and that it may be less effective than pursuing other, more established, and traditional psychiatric treatments. Hypnosis also may be less effective than pursuing other, more established, and traditional psychiatric treatments. It’s not, for example, a recognized alternative to established treatments for major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.

Does Hypnosis Work for Quitting Smoking?

The evidence for hypnosis as a successful smoking cessation method is a mixed bag. Some studies have seen high success rates, whilst others are more modest. A review of 59 different trials found that hypnosis is often better than no support at all. However, researchers did not find hypnosis to be any more effective than the other available addiction treatments. A study by McNeilly and colleagues found that hypnosis may help quitters to focus on their own resources to curb cigarette cravings. Other researchers have suggested that success rates are caused by the relaxation effects of hypnosis. These might allow people to cope with nicotine addiction and nicotine withdrawal.

Can Hypnosis Help Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness and fear that may cause someone to sweat, feel tense, and experience a rapid heartbeat. Those with anxiety disorders have anxiety that does not go away. It interferes with daily life and leaves people feeling overwhelmed. Hypnosis may help individuals with anxiety because it eases them into a relaxed and calm state.

In a 2016 study, scientists scanned the brains of 57 people undergoing hypnosis. They found changes in the areas of the brain that allowed for greater emotional control and reduced feelings of self-consciousness.

One 2017 review found that hypnosis has a significant, immediate, and prolonged effect on anxiety in people with cancer. It was especially beneficial for those with procedure-related anxiety.

Hypnosis works best at reducing anxiety when combined with other psychological interventions, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure therapy.

Does Hypnotherapy Work?

Despite its use since the 1700s, hypnotherapy continues to have skeptics in the medical community. However, it’s becoming a more accepted and recognized form of therapy. The number of certified and licensed medical professionals incorporating hypnotherapy in their practice is increasing. Scientific evidence supporting the benefits of hypnotherapy has been limited but is growing. Some studies show “promising” results or “may be helpful in” conclusions. The strongest evidence supporting the use of hypnotic treatments comes from research on hypnosis for treating pain, IBS, and PTSD symptoms. Most medical associations and organizations state that more studies are needed to draw meaningful conclusions about the effectiveness of hypnotherapy.

How Do You Feel When You Are Hypnotized?

The way people typically describe the feeling of being hypnotized during hypnotherapy is to be in a calm, physically, and mentally relaxed state. In this state, they can focus deeply on what they are thinking about. They usually feel open-minded and willing to think about and experience life differently, often in a more detached way than usual. That said, there is no right way to feel when undergoing hypnosis. If you are curious about trying hypnotherapy as a way of treating addiction, make sure that the person you are working with is qualified to treat you.

How Much Does a Hypnotist Cost?

The average cost of hypnotherapy ranges from $75 to $125 or more per session, but several sessions may be required to experience results. Sometimes the cost may be bundled into a broader program, such as with smoking cessation or weight loss. Insurance will sometimes cover hypnosis when treated by a licensed clinical mental health professional.

Who Discovered Hypnosis?

Modern hypnosis started with the Austrian physician Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), who believed that the phenomenon known as mesmerism, animal magnetism, or fluid was related to an invisible substance--a fluid that runs within the subject or between the subject and the therapist, that is the hypnotist or the "magnetizer". 

The term hypnosis was introduced in the 1840s by a Scottish surgeon James Braid (1795-1860), who believed the subject to be in a particular state of sleep--a trance. In the late 19th century, French neurologist Jean Martin Charcot (1825-1893) thought hypnotism to be a special physiological state, and his contemporary Hyppotite-Marie Bernheim (1840-1919) believed it to be a psychological state of heightened suggestibility. 

Sigmund Freud, who studied with Charcot, used hypnosis early in his career to help patients recover repressed memories. He noted that patients would relive traumatic events while under hypnosis, a process known as abreaction. Freud later replaced hypnosis with the technique of free associations. 

Today, hypnosis is used as a form of therapy (hypnotherapy), a method of investigation to recover lost memories, and a research tool. According to Caplan & Sadock, F.A. Mesmer is generally thought of as the fons et origo of modern psychotherapy; and from the early techniques of mesmerism, it is said, have evolved the more elaborate and sophisticated therapeutic measures of the analyst and his colleagues. 

Although Mesmer was certainly dealing with individuals suffering from a variety of neurotic disorders, and though the clinical successes he achieved were the result of psychological processes that his procedures induced in his patients, Mesmer's theoretical formulations, his understanding of the nature of the treatment he developed, and his specific procedures were all different from those of the 20th-century analyst. He was one of the cornerstones in the development of psychoanalysis through hypnosis mainly for hysterical patients.

Types of Hypnosis

There are a few different ways that hypnosis can be delivered:

1. Guided hypnosis: This form of hypnosis involves the use of tools such as recorded instructions and music to induce a hypnotic state. Online sites and mobile apps often utilize this form of hypnosis.

2. Hypnotherapy: Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis in psychotherapy and is practiced by licensed physicians and psychologists to treat conditions including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders.

3. Self-hypnosis: Self-hypnosis is a process that occurs when a person self-induces a hypnotic state. It is often used as a self-help tool for controlling pain or managing stress.

The Benefits of Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis can be a great tool for those who are unsatisfied with aspects of their behavior. It may be especially helpful for those who are trying to cope with a stressful situation or habit, like procrastination, workplace anxiety, or addiction. Hypnotherapy can also be an effective treatment for overcoming fears, phobias, or other issues without resorting to medication or more invasive methods.

The therapy can be used to treat conditions like:

Pain

Hypnotherapy is an effective form of therapy for pain management. Doctors will sometimes even recommend hypnotherapy as an alternative to pain medication for those who they think might benefit from it.  Hypnotherapy is also a good choice for those who are suffering from chronic pain. It can be used to treat and help manage a variety of physical conditions, for instance: 

- Headaches

- Back pain

- Digestive issues

- Injuries

Behavior Change

Hypnotherapy can be used to help people change their behavior, which is a great tool for those who want to be more productive at work, school, or in life in general. It can also be used to help people learn new habits and skills or overcome habits that are holding them back. The deeper, more relaxed state of mind induced by hypnosis is also the source of many of our behaviors. Hypnosis can help people change their thoughts and feelings at this level, which in turn can change their behaviors.

Side Effects of Treating Cancer

Mainstream cancer treatments are hard on the body, to say the least. Hypnotherapy can be used to help people deal with the emotional and physical effects of cancer, such as pain, stress, anxiety, and more. It can also be used to help people cope with the side effects of cancer treatment, like nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.

Mental Health Conditions

Hypnotherapy is perhaps most associated with treating mental health conditions. It can be used to help people manage the side effects of antidepressant medications and to help people cope with the symptoms of depression. It can also be used to help people learn to cope with anxiety, which is especially useful for those who are dealing with phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or panic attacks.

5 Uses for Hypnosis

The range of uses for hypnotherapy is broad and varied, touching on physical, psychological, and mental health conditions. From chronic pain or depression to acute and sudden illness, health professionals frequently recommend hypnosis to treat patients or clients.

It may help anyone considering hypnosis to take a more in-depth look at the following 5 uses for hypnosis:

A Treatment for Fears and Phobias

A phobia is an unreasonable or irrational fear of just about anything imaginable. People struggle with these issues every day; often paralyzed by this overwhelming fear. Common fears that grip phobia sufferers include spiders or arachnophobia, enclosed spaces or claustrophobia, snakes, heights, the fear of flying, and the fear of leaving home, which is called agoraphobia. Hypnotherapists work with patients, while therapeutically hypnotized, to trace possible reasons for their fears and work to find ways to resolve them.

Smoking Cessation

Smokers who are finally ready to quit smoking, once and for all, often need reinforcements. The CDC notes that quitting smoking usually takes multiple attempts, regardless of how committed the smoker is to cessation, before finally giving up cigarettes and nicotine completely. A healthcare professional who uses hypnotherapy may help their client by creating a relaxing atmosphere while working to understand the stress factors in the client’s life that cause them to return to smoking when they consciously want to stop.

A Weight Loss Tool

People who struggle with weight loss sometimes feel like their lives are out of control when it comes to food. A qualified hypnotherapist can help clients learn more about their relationship with food and why the compulsion is so strong, in spite of their desire to develop a healthy perspective about food.

A Confidence Booster

Many people suffer from low self-confidence and often need objective assistance in making improvements. Sometimes it takes a dramatic life change, such as the need to interview for a new job or pursue a new life partner, to inspire someone to boost their self-confidence. A qualified hypnotherapist can help clients tap into their best qualities and properly acknowledge them.

Anesthesiology for Surgery

Surgeons sometimes employ hypnotherapists to supplement anesthesia. In some rare cases, hypnotherapy has been used as the only anesthetic during a surgical procedure, according to the ASCH. Surgeons have used hypnosis in procedures such as gall bladder removal, amputation, cesarean, and hysterectomy. Patients with allergies and sensitivities to chemicals in anesthesia can still have life-saving and health-improving surgeries that might not have been possible without hypnosis.

5 Things Everyone Should Know Before Trying Hypnotherapy

Here are the five most important things you should know before seeing a hypnotherapist:

1. Hypnotherapy sessions are different from what you've seen onstage.

2. Hypnotherapy "miracles" are just a myth.

The good news is that hypnosis is safe, effective, and works very quickly compared to other types of therapy. But, hypnosis is not a magic wand and in most cases, results won’t happen overnight. Remember, it takes 21 days to create a new habit and then a minimum of 3-6 weekly, consecutive sessions to yield the best results.

3. Everyone can be hypnotized.

It’s important to remember hypnosis is a willing state. You cannot be hypnotized against your will, and working with a hypnotherapist is a co-creative process. The most common reason for failure to induce a hypnotic state is a lack of rapport with a hypnotherapist, or working with someone without proper training.

4. Hypnosis is not the same as sleeping.

Hypnosis is a heightened learning state where the body is deeply relaxed and the mind is alert. On occasion, a person may drift into sleep, but this is not the goal of the session. It is the hypnotherapist’s job to make sure the client maintains a relaxed awareness during the session and remains awake. Although the mind may drift, you should still be able to hear everything that is being said to you during the session.

5. Hypnotherapists are not doctors.

Hypnotherapy is not meant to replace medical care; rather, it is a self-improvement tool to enhance the healing process. A hypnotherapist specializes in general self-improvement and behavior modification. They are not licensed by the state as healing arts practitioners, and cannot diagnose or treat medical or psychological conditions.

Conditions Where Hypnosis is Helpful in Treating

Hypnotherapy may help treat any number of medical conditions in which psychological factors influence physical symptoms.

Common mental health uses include:

- Stress and anxiety, especially before medical or dental procedures; panic attacks; and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).

- Phobias.

- Behavior control issues, including giving up smoking, losing weight, and enuresis (bedwetting).

Common medical uses include:

- Insomnia.

- Asthma.

- Hot flashes during menopause.

- Gastrointestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

- Pain control, including after surgery, childbirth, cancer, fibromyalgia, burns, and headaches (migraine and tension).

- Skin conditions, including warts and psoriasis.

- Side effects of cancer chemotherapy or radiation treatment, including nausea and vomiting.

- Hypnosis continues to be explored for use in these and many other medical conditions.

What Typically Happens During a Hypnotic Session?

There are four stages of hypnosis: induction, deepener, suggestions, and emergence.

Induction

During this stage, you begin to relax, focus your attention and ignore distractions. Your hypnotherapist will guide you through this stage with specific techniques such as controlled breathing (breathing in over a count of seven, then breathing out over a count of 11), or progressive muscle relaxation (tensing muscles as you breathe in and relaxing muscles as you breathe out, then repeating in a certain order of muscle groups throughout your body) or focusing on a visual image.

Deepener

This stage continues the first stage, taking your relaxation and focus to a deeper level. This step often involves counting down or using similar descending imagery such as walking down stairs or slowly sinking deeper and deeper into a comfortable bed. These first two stages are aimed at easing your openness to suggestions.

Suggestions

This is the stage for actual change in experience, behavior, or perception. Your hypnotherapist will use imagery and carefully chosen language. The suggestions are usually symptom-focused (to resolve a symptom) or exploratory (to explore experiences associated with the start of symptoms). Suggested changes may be in perception, sensation, emotion, memory, thought, or behavior.

Emergence

During this stage, you come out of hypnosis. Your hypnotist may use reverse deepeners, such as giving you the suggestions that you’re climbing up stairs or counting up.

Some Myths about Hypnosis

Myth 1: Hypnosis isn’t real. It’s a form of entertainment.

Hypnosis isn’t a stage act or some magical act. Clinical hypnosis is a type of medical therapy that’s often used as part of a treatment plan that includes traditional medical approaches.

Myth 2: You lose consciousness or have amnesia when you’re hypnotized.

Most people remember everything that happens during hypnosis. You remain aware of who you are, and where you are and remember what happened during a hypnosis session.

Myth 3: You’re under the control of your hypnotherapist when you’re hypnotized.

Your hypnotist or hypnotherapist guides hypnosis, but hypnosis is something you do for yourself. You can’t be made to do anything against your will. You won’t reveal any information that you wished to remain secret. You don’t lose control over your behavior. Hypnosis makes it easier to experience suggestions but doesn’t force you to have certain experiences.

Myth 4: Hypnosis is nothing more than deep sleep.

Hypnosis isn’t sleeping. Some deeper forms of hypnosis could make you appear to be asleep because your body is very still and quiet, but you aren’t asleep.

Impact of Hypnosis

What impact does hypnosis have? The experience of hypnosis can vary dramatically from one person to another. Some hypnotized individuals report feeling a sense of detachment or extreme relaxation during the hypnotic state while others even feel that their actions seem to occur outside of their conscious volition. Other individuals may remain fully aware and able to carry out conversations while under hypnosis. Experiments by researcher Ernest Hilgard demonstrated how hypnosis can be used to dramatically alter perceptions.

After instructing a hypnotized individual not to feel pain in their arm, the participant's arm was then placed in ice water. While non-hypnotized individuals had to remove their arms from the water after a few seconds due to the pain, the hypnotized individuals were able to leave their arms in the icy water for several minutes without experiencing pain.

How to Select a Hypnotherapist

First, look for a healthcare professional who’s properly trained, licensed, and credentialed in a healthcare field such as medicine, dentistry, psychiatry, psychology, social work, or nursing. This practitioner should have additional training in hypnosis and hypnotherapy techniques. 

Hypnosis should be used along with their mental health and medical training as an additional treatment tool. Ask the practitioner you intend to see about their training, credentials, and license to practice hypnotherapy. Also, ask if they’re experienced in the condition(s) you’re seeking care for.

To find a hypnotherapist near you, talk to your healthcare provider or call or search the websites of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, or the American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists.

You’ll want to find a therapist you feel comfortable with and trust. Don’t hesitate to try a different therapist if you feel a hypnotherapist isn’t the right fit for you.

Sources:

Sofia Health

Healthline

The Healthy

Science News

MayoClinic

WebMD

NIH

Quit Genius

Very Well Mind

Cleveland Clinic

Online Psychology

Penn Medicine

Medical News Today

The Hypnosis Clinic

MBG Mindfulness

 

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 (in the United States) immediately.