Question 1

Where did Rob get his education?

Accepted Answer

Rob's Diploma in Hypnotherapy came from Hypnosis Motivation Institute, but he has certifications from many places.

You can read all about Rob's credentials here: [https://hypnotechs.com/about/credentials/](https://hypnotechs.com/about/credentials/)

Question 2

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.

Question 3

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 4

What Is Hypnotherapy Used For?

Accepted Answer

I started keeping this list on my "[General Hypnosis](https://hypnotechs.com/services/general-hypnosis/)" page and I add to it as I wander across new uses.

Abandonment    Fear of Loss of Control    Moodiness    Self-Control   Addictions    Fear of Needles    Motivation    Self-Criticism    ADD/ADHD    Fear of Success    Nail-Biting    Self-Defeating Behaviors    Age Regression    Fear of Surgery    Nausea    Self-Esteem    Aggression    Fear of Water    Negativity    Self-Expression    Agoraphobia    Forgiveness    Nightmares    Self-Forgiveness    Anesthesia    Frustration    Obsessions    Self-Hypnosis    Anger    Gagging    Obsessive-Compulsive    Self-Image    Anxiety    Gambling    Overeating    Self-Mastery    Assertiveness    Guilt    Overly Critical    Sexual Problems    Assist Healing    Hair Twisting    Pain Management    Shame    Attitude Adjustment    Headaches    Panic Attacks    Skin Problems    Bedwetting    Helplessness    Passive-Aggressive    Sleep Disorders    Biofeedback    Hopelessness    Past Life Regression    Smoking    Breathing    Hostility    Perfectionism    Social Phobia    Career Success    Hypertension    Performance Anxiety    Sports    Change Habits    Hypochondria    Pessimism    Stage Fright    Childbirth    Immune System    Phobias    Stress    Chronic Pain    Impotency    Postsurgical    Stubbornness    Communication    Improve Health    Premature Ejaculation    Study Habits    Concentration    Improve Sales    Presurgical    Stuttering    Controlling    Indecision    Problem Solving    Substance Abuse    Cramps    Inferiority    Procrastination    Sugar Addiction    Cravings    Inhibition    PTSD    Superiority    Creativity    Insecurity    Public Speaking    Tardiness    Death or Loss    Insomnia    Reach Goals    Temptation    Discouraged    Irrational Thoughts    Rejection    Tinnitus    Dreams    Irritability    Relations    Test Anxiety    Exercise    Jealousy    Relationship Enhancement    Thumb Sucking    Fear of Animals    Lack of Ambition    Relaxation    Tics    Fear of Death    Lack of Direction    Resistance to Change    Trauma    Fear of Dentists    Lack of Enthusiasm    Responsibility    Ulcers    Fear of Doctors    Lack of Initiative    Restlessness    Victimization    Fear of Failure    Lower Blood Pressure    Sadness    Weight Loss    Fear of Flying    Medication Side Effects    Self-Awareness    Worry    Fear of Heights    Memory    Self-Blame    Writer's Block     Mistrust    Self-Confidence

Question 5

Are you accepting new clients?

Accepted Answer

If new client introductory appointments are available for you to book, then we are glad to have you!

Question 6

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 7

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 8

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 9

Who or what is Hypnobot?

Accepted Answer

"Hypnobot" is the A.I. (artificial intelligence) assistant that indexes the Hypnotechs site and offers quick answers to questions. Hypnobot reads and re0reads every word on every page of the Hypnotechs site, then creates an index and a collection of responses. When you ask Hypnobot a question, it's able to use that prebuilt index to find the answer and show you the answer and links where you can find more.

Programming Hypnobot is an ongoing process, so it's constantly improving. When it has difficulty finding a satisfactory answer to a question a user has asked, it logs both the question and it's response so that it can be reviewed and either guidance given about how it should have responded or a new FAQ or content piece created to cover the question.

Need to find something on Hypnotechs.com? Try Hypnobot. It's located in the lower, right-hand corner of every page.

Question 10

Is there anything that you won't work on with a client?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I've got an open mind, but there are limits. If you are already lower than your ideal weight range and you want to work on weight-loss, I will suggest to you that we work on body image instead. If you insist, I won't be able to work with you.

Otherwise, I am open to a wide range of things. I won't do anything that I feel will endanger your health, sanity or well-being, or that of another. I won't do "past lives" or anything else that crosses the line into the mystic or metaphysical. I just don't have the temperament for it.

I don't have a lot of hard limits. Ask. I promise that the worst I will say is that I am not interested.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the first session going to be like?

I'm too _______ to be hypnotized. Right?