Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to Common Questions
What is Hypnosis?
In hypnotherapy relaxation is used to quiet our conscious thoughts, allowing communication with the subconscious mind. This relaxed but wakeful mental state is referred to as the hypnotic state or trance state.
Trance states are natural and we drift in and out of them throughout a typical day. Daydreaming and being absorbed by a media are examples of trance states we commonly experience.
What is Client-Centered Hypnotherapy?
What does it feel like to be hypnotized?
Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation of mind and body, much like the time right before we drift off to sleep. People often find it so blissful they tell me they “didn’t want to come back” into regular waking consciousness!
Hypnotherapy safe and gentle, clients remain in control during the experience, and are able to talk, move positions, and come back from trance whenever they desire.
What is the difference between the conscious and the subconscious mind?
If I come in for a problem, will we be searching my past for the cause?
How many hypnosis sessions will it take to reach my goal?
That depends very much on the issue, and it depends on the client. Smoking cessation typically 1-3 sessions.
I offer programs that can be purchased as a package at a discount to you and tailored to your needs. Packages range from 3 to 10 sessions. Some people do their work very quickly and others need more support through their process. If you need more sessions to complete a package program they will also be offered at the same discounted price. For more specifics, feel free to call for a free consultation. (541) 659 – 2179
Will I remember everything afterwards?
Will you put me to sleep or make me do strange things like a stage hypnotist?
Could a hypnotherapist make me do or believe things that are not in alignment with my morals?
No. If you were given suggestions that did not align with your morals, you would instantly “pop out” of hypnosis. “Popping out” of hypnosis and back into waking consciousness happens occasionally if the therapist unknowingly choses an image or metaphor that has a negative connotation for the client.
This is one of the most beautiful things about this kind of therapy. Your unconscious mind is the deepest, wisest part of you, and will reject suggestions that do not align with your highest purpose.
If my subconscious is so wise, why would it hold limiting beliefs?
Your subconscious is your connection to spiritual experience and guidance. Another way of saying this is that it is the home of your highest self and your connection to direct divine experience. However, it is also linked to the primitive parts of your brain and has evolved over the millennia to help you cope with life in the wild.
In its efforts to help us learn lessons that will increase our chances for survival, the brain does two things that no longer serve us in modern, civilized life:
- To seek the cause of negative experience within our own behaviors, i.e. to “blame ourselves” for negative experience.
- To weight the memories of negative experiences much more strongly than positive experiences.
(These functions make perfect sense in a wild setting where we must learn from our mistakes to avoid being eaten by a saber tooth tigers!)
Unfortunately negative experiences from birth, childhood, and adolescence often leave people with imprinting that holds them back from the truest and most beautiful expression of their life’s purpose.
Example: “I am terrible at speaking in front of large groups, I’ll never do that again!” This is an example of a belief that doesn’t have to be true.
I’ve tried before and it didn’t work. Could it be that I can’t be hypnotized?
It’s extremely unlikely that you can’t be hypnotized. The most common reason for failure to induce trance is a poor personal connection between therapist and client. The ease with which people slip into trance varies but studies show that light trance is equally effective as deep trance.
If you are interested in working with me, please call (541) 659 2170 for a free consultation and see how you feel. A good match between therapist and client is very important. In the unlikely case that we can’t achieve trance, I offer a money back guarantee.