Question 1

What Does It Feel Like To Be Hypnotized?

Accepted Answer

Focus

Probably the most common element of hypnosis an intense level of focus. When James Braid coined the term "hypnosis" in 1841 he quickly realized that wasn't quite the right name, since hypnosis has very little to do with "hypno", or sleep. He tried to rename the state "monoideaism" or "single focus", but it was too late, "hypnosis" had caught on. People who have been hypnotized report having been able to concentate with singular effectiveness, often to the exclusion of everything else.

Open-mindedness

In the hypnotic state, we call it "trance" as a sort of shorthand, much of the critical factor of the conscious mind has been bypassed. That doesn't mean that that the hypnotized will fall for anything, they won't, but rather that a principle we call "trance logic" is in play. You won't fork over your deepest secrets, but you might be willing to connect the dots leading you down the path to beleive that going to the gym is going to be a fun adventure that you have actually been looking forward to experiencing for a long time.

Detachment

Hypnotized people have an easy time letting things go. It's easy to take a step back and watch a reply of something that got you really worked up, but do so as an observer and actually create a commentary on what might have been done differently. Imagine experiencing something very stressful. Now imagine watching that same thing on TV. That is the same sort of detachment that many people experience in hypnosis.

Sensory Changes

I LOVE this one. Synesthesia is common. Synesthesia is a mixing up of your senses. Some people can "see" sounds while in trance. Others experience smells as sounds. Synesthesia doesn't happen for everyone, but it's pretty common and even if you don't experience it, sounds are often more intens, colors brighter, light often has "halos" around it and so on.

Relaxation

Okay, hypnosis is not relaxation and relaxation is not hypnosis. Hypnosis can occur in ways that would seem to preclude relaxtion, like onstage in front of hundreds of people. But, in a therapy environment, relaxation is the number one sensation that most people report feeling. Cares and troubles fade into the distance and just don't matter anymore.

Question 2

Can someone hypnotize you without you knowing?

Accepted Answer

Yes, no, maybe. I am sorry to start out that way, but it's really tue. Give ma chance to explain.

The problem really lies with the definition of hypnosis.

There's what I do in my office, where there's a recognized "induction" to create an environment where hypnosis can happen. Then using my training, I use certain techniques to advance that state until you enter into and remain in the state that we call "trance", which is the working space of hypnosis. Think of it as kind of like "the construct" that Morpheus teaches Neo to use in The Matrix. It's big, infinite really, and we can fill it with pretty much anything we can imagine. I think we can all agree that is "hypnosis".

However, imagine that you are tired, after a long day of holiday shopping and you are looking for that one last, perfect, gift. You are running out of time, the mall is closing soon when you encounter the nicest salesperson you have ever met. She seems super knowledgeable and she really relates to your dilemma. She's got some great suggestions and she gets you to imagine the scene when you give the gift she has to offer. She describes the joy in face of the person you are giving it to and she tells you a story about how she once got something just as special and how she still cherishes it and thinks goo things about he person who gave it to her. You fine yourself buying what she has to offer, though it's not something you had even thought of before you encountered her.

Were you hypnotized by her? I've had sales training. Heck, I have conducted sales training and I have to say that many of the techniques are mighty close to some of the training I have in hypnosis. Some people call this "waking hypnosis" or "covert hypnosis".

With that in mind, yes, if you consider influencing you to be part of the definition of "hypnosis", the you are influenced or "hypnotized" by advertisements, media, friends and even salespeople all the time.

Question 3

What percentage of people respond to hypnotherapy?

Accepted Answer

71% of patients initially responded to therapy. Of these, 81% maintained their improvement over time while the majority of the remaining 19% claimed that deterioration of symptoms had only been slight. With respect to symptom scores, all items at follow up were significantly improved on pre-hypnotherapy levels (p

Question 4

What is "Ericksonian" hypnotherapy?

Accepted Answer

In the 1950s, Milton H. Erickson developed a radically different approach to hypnotism, which has subsequently become known as "Ericksonian hypnotherapy" or "Neo-Ericksonian hypnotherapy." Given that dysfunctional behaviors are defined by social tension, Erickson coopted the subject's behavior to establish rapport, a strategy he termed "utilization." Once rapport was established, he made use of an informal conversational approach to direct awareness. His methods included complex language patterns and client-specific therapeutic strategies (reflecting the nature of utilization). This divergence from tradition led some, including Andre Weitzenhoffer, to dispute whether Erickson was right to label his approach "hypnosis" at all. Erickson's foundational paper, however, considers hypnosis as a mental state in which specific types of "work" may be done, rather than a technique of induction.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnotherapy

Question 5

What is "Kappasinian" hypnotherapy?

Accepted Answer

John Kappas attained his orientation to hypnosis from stage practice whose exponents assumed that only half the population could be hypnotized. Through practical experience, Kappas realized that direct suggestion was resisted by the half of the population that is left-brain dominant (analytical). This led Kappas into a lifetime of study of suggestibility, drawing upon personal experience treating tens of thousands of clients. Those cases covered both behavioral and psychological disorders. In recorded training seminars from the seventies, Kappas frequently stated that psychosis was due to hypersuggestibility - a chronic state of hypnosis - that makes the client unable to distinguish real and imaginary experiences.

The dominant factor in suggestibility is brain bilaterality (left/right dominance, generating respectively the "Emotional" and "Physical" patterns of behavior). Kappas saw hemispheric dominance as arising from nurturance, with natural complementarity arising between mother and infant. Preferential laterality carries through to our mature relationships, where we seek similar friends but complementary partnerships. Unfortunately, dysfunctional partnerships tend to exacerbate laterality, leading to alienation. Extending these insights to sexual behavior, Kappas was a successful marital therapist.

Kappas characterized hypnosis as a state of mind - our ideal learning state. Kappasinian therapy is built upon theories of personality development, most respectably the Ericksons' Stages of Development. The stages are extended with accessible theories of the subconscious and mind-body syndromes. These elements are introduced in dialog to increase client receptivity to suggestion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnotherapy

Question 6

What's the minimum number of sessions I should expect to need?

Accepted Answer

Many problems, especially most phobias are gone after one session. But, I always recommend that clients have at least two sessions. In fact, I used to bundle a second session along with the Introductory Session every time, but in thinking about that, it detracted from the no high-pressure upsell that is my policy.

But I still strongly recommend at least two sessions for everything.

Very often, a new client, especially if they have never been hypnotied before, spends much of the first session not wanting to "miss anything", and thus they don't relax as completely as they could. That's normal. However, in the second session, the client knows what to expect and will "let go" more, so they are able to go into trance deeper and more completely.

So, while one session may be enough for relief from some issues, I ALWAYS recommend a follow up session. But it's your mind and your wallet, so I am not going to high-pressure sell you on that.

Question 7

In your Kappasinian Suggestibility and Sexuality assessments, why do you ask me to predict where I am on the scale?

Accepted Answer

For both the Kappasinian Suggestibility Assessment and the Sexuality Assessment, I ask users to take a guess about where they fall on the scale before taking the quiz.

Your answer for that question has no effect on the assessment results.

I ask that question out of curiosity alone. It's interesting to see how well people understand the scale and then how well they apply the descriptions to themselves. In general, the responses are roughly correct, though they are often off in the level chosen. (A person predicts they are a Strong Analytical, and they are on the analytical scale, but not as strong as they thought)

When the results are way off, opposite ends of the scale even, I am always curious whether the person didn't understand the exercise or whether their self-image is that different from what the test indicates. For Hypnotechs clients with that sort of incongruence, I always explore that in our first session.

Question 8

Can I take the Kappasinian E&P (Emotional/Physical) Assessment online?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! Please do!

You can take the Kappasinian E&P (Emotional/Physical) test on the Hypnotechs site at: https://hypnotechs.com/resources/kappasinian-suggestibility/

Question 9

Will you need to talk to my doctor or mental health professional?

Accepted Answer

Depending upon the subject matter of your hypnotherapy, we may ask to coordinate with your doctor or mental health professional.

For some types of hypnotherapy, you may be asked to allow Hypnotechs to contact your medical doctor, mental health professional, personal trainer, nutritionist, dietician or other providers to coordinate services. This request will be made in writing and will list specifically who is covered by the agreement. You may decline this request or revoke it in writing at any time.

Question 10

What if I want to experience hypnosis, but don't need therapy?

Accepted Answer

That's fine.

Sometimes you just want to try something. I get it. We still have to do all the required paperwork, but if you don't have anything specific to work on that's completely okay. I can demonstrate some hypnotic phenomenon, show you what real focus feels like and send you away to sleep like a baby that night.