A friend of mine hates answering the phone. She hates it so much that she ignores any calls from unknown numbers and never even checks her voicemail. As a small business owner, she fears that she’s losing lots of business — but even that won’t get her to listen to her messages.
She mentioned wanting to try hypnotherapy to help get her past her phone problems. Personally, I think it’s a good idea.
Hypnotherapy isn’t just the stage tricks we see at fairs and on television. Working with a trained, licensed hypnotherapist can help a person make huge life changes.
How does hypnotherapy work? Basically, a trained hypnotherapist guides you through a series of exercises that help you enter a state of deep relaxation. In this state, your attention becomes more focused. Many people become more open to suggestion at that time.
Let’s say you want to use hypnotherapy to help you stick to a healthy diet. Your hypnotherapist will make a suggestion that will (hopefully) stay in your subconscious mind. Perhaps the suggestion will be that you will find fresh fruits and vegetables more satisfying than processed snacks. Perhaps the suggestion will be that you will feel full and satisfied with smaller portions of healthier foods.
Some people have used hypnotherapy to help successfully quit smoking! Others use hypnotherapy to deal with chronic pain, traumatic past events, and mental distress. Several studies have documented that hypnotherapy can be useful in aiding weight loss.
Is hypnotherapy safe? Hypnotherapy — like any treatment — does not work for all people. It may not be useful for you. The practice does have more than four thousand years of history, going back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In 1955, the British Medical Association approved the use of hypnosis for pain management during surgery and childbirth; the American Medical Association endorsed hypnotherapy in 1958 and encouraged research into the practice. By 1960, hypnotherapy was recognized as a branch of psychology by the American Psychological Association.
Take time to do your research and find a reputable hypnotherapist and your experience will be perfectly safe. A hypnotherapist cannot do anything or suggest anything that you don’t agree with first. At all times, you are free to say yes or no or stop the session entirely.