How Hypnotherapy Works

What do we mean when we talk about hypnotherapy?

A definition from The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is particularly confusing and in my opinion widely inaccurate:

“The induction of a state of consciousness in which a person apparently loses the power of voluntary action and is highly responsive to suggestion or direction. Its use in therapy, typically to recover suppressed memories or to allow modification of behaviour, has been revived but is still controversial.”

It is impossible to create a state where a person loses voluntary action, and hypnosis is certainly not capable of that. It is also not accurate to suggest that it is used to recover suppressed memories as this is also down to the way that memories are recalled rather than hypnosis.

So a better explanation would be to guide a person using their imagination and free will to create an optimal state to visualise or imagine situations that would appear useful or beneficial to them.

That is basically how we use hypnosis in therapy, to guide the mind to create a more relaxed and calm physiological state, and to remove the barriers that the conscious mind places on finding the most useful and supportive information for that person.

If I was trying to solve a problem that was caused by an irrational or undesirable automatic response or habit, then I need to change my thoughts at not only a conscious level but subconscious. Our thoughts and behaviours are predominantly subconscious in their beginnings and then enter into our conscious awareness once formed. But to change the way you think or your response to automatic thoughts, you must have the desire, intention, motivation and free will to do so, know what the alternative preferred thought is and repeat this. You also have to take a conscious effort to act out the new behaviour in place of the old.

Hypnosis is a tool that can be used to help create a desired change.

Understanding Hypnotherapy

Some people think that they will just fall asleep or that they wont have any awareness of what is happening.

What is the difference between being asleep and in hypnosis?

1. Consciousness level

• Hypnosis: You remain conscious and aware. People in hypnosis usually hear and remember what’s said, though their focus is narrowed.

• Sleep: Conscious awareness is suspended. In deeper stages, you’re disconnected from your environment.

2. Brain activity

• Hypnosis: Brainwaves typically shift toward alpha (relaxed, awake) and sometimes theta (light trance, daydream-like).

• Sleep: Brain cycles through well-defined stages (NREM stages 1–3 and REM), with characteristic patterns like delta waves in deep sleep.

3. Responsiveness

• Hypnosis: You’re able to carry out guided imagery, recall, or changes in perception.

• Sleep: You’re not responsive to any suggestion (except sometimes in very light stages, like hypnagogia).

4. Purpose/Function

• Hypnosis: A tool for focused attention, therapeutic change, or altered perception.

• Sleep: A biological necessity for restoring body and brain, processing memory, and regulating emotion.

5. Subjective experience

• Hypnosis: Often feels like being deeply absorbed (like in a movie or a book) while very relaxed.

• Sleep: Usually not experienced until waking — we only recall dreams or sensations after the fact.

The role of the hypnotherapist.

The purpose of hypnotherapy like other therapy is to support a person to find their own answers and create a better understanding of themselves/

This is a combination of conscious and rational thinking, identifying the situation that would be different and then working out what needs to be done to achieve that. The hypnotherapist would take these goals and desires and then allow this direction to guide the subconscious mind to imagine how that might be. Using sensory stimuli to create a vivid and realistic picture of how life would look, and adding in the emotional responses to that outcome.

This then creates alignment between the hopes and objectives and the subconscious awareness and salience of this. The subconscious mind has a guide and knows what the desired outcome looks like and so can shift the focus and attention of thoughts and awareness to the opportunities and solutions that would help to make that a reality.

- Overview of training and expertise required.

- Importance of building trust and rapport with clients.

What can Hypnotherapy Help With?

Common issues addressed through hypnotherapy.

Stress and anxiety reduction.

Pain management.

Overcoming phobias and fears.

Rewiring new habits.

Confidence

Benefits of Hypnotherapy

• Psychological benefits.

Improvement in emotional well-being.

Enhanced self-esteem and motivation.

• Physical benefits.

Relief from chronic pain conditions.

Improved sleep quality.

• Long-term effects.

Development of coping strategies.

Lasting changes in behaviour and mindset.

Misconceptions about Hypnotherapy

It is not surprising that hypnotherapy is misunderstood and therefore many myths exist about what might happen during a session. The most common of these myths are:

You won’t remember what happened in hypnosis

It's clear how the myth of being unconsious and therefore having no recall of what happened has come about, Hypnosis is based on the Greek ‘hypnos’ which essentially means ‘sleep' so people may confuse the two. As I have already highlighted above there are several differences between the two.

Hypnosis is guiding you into a state of deep focus and relaxation. You are very likely to have experienced something like this before, perhaps when watching a film, driving along a familiar route, or reading a good book. During this state, outside noise and thoughts are less distracting, and your mind become more focused. When under hypnosis with your hypnotherapist, you will be awake and aware the entire time, and be able to recall the entire session with ease if you wish.

They will control your mind

There are stage hypnotists performing shows with volunteers who act strangely or embarrass themselves. You might think of Derren Brown shows, however a hypnotherapy session is far removed from the theatrics of stage.

It is simply not possible to be made to act against your will during or after hypnosis. An atheist can't be forced into believing in God, a person will not believe they are a chicken, and a person cannot be made to do anything that goes against their morals. You are fully in control of your actions, and if you ever felt uncomfortable with something then you can simply stand up and leave the room. It's a simple as that.

You may not wake up

Some people may have fears of being put in a trance and never being able to wake up.

It is also untrue.

Building on what was covered with the previous myths, under hypnosis you are aware, and you have control over what is going on. If a hypnotherapy session were to suddenly end without assisting you to awaken, it’s going to be a bit jarring. However, its extremely unlikely that would be intentional and more likely to be self-induced by your conscious brain brining your attention back to the room. If there was an emergency or you suddenly decided that you no longer wanted to be under hypnosis, then you can simply open your eyes and leave.

Hypnotherapy isn't for everyone, if you have seizures that are unmanaged or episodes of psychosis and hallucinations, then it is not advisable to work with trance. However, for the majority it is perfectly fine and if you choose a qualified hypnotherapist who is a member of a recognised association then you should feel confident they will be able to help you ethically

and responsibly,