Hypnosis must be the most misunderstood therapy on the planet. Today I want to reveal the top five myths about hypnosis. I want to demystify it for you, busting some of the misconceptions and downright crazy stuff people think hypnosis is all about.
Myth #1:
I could be made to do things I don’t want to do
“You only have to hypnotise one person to give you all their money and then you’re done.”
This is what a family member jokingly said to me when I started out. Hahaha (not).
Let’s put things straight:
There is no record in the history of hypnotherapy (and that’s a couple of hundred years) of ANYONE doing anything they didn’t want to do while in a trance (deep relaxation).
Stage or TV hypnotists frequently use pre-selected volunteers who are either exhibitionists or at least extroverts, who agree prior to the show to do “whatever the hypnotist says.” So that and only that is the reason they happily walk around clucking and flapping like a chicken or barking like a dog when told to do so. Nothing else.
As a hypnosis coach, I interview the client to find out what she wants to change and then we work out together what new habit or belief the client would prefer. When the client is in trance later on in the session and I was to suggest a different habit or belief that we hadn’t agreed on or one that the client doesn’t believe in, then she will simply reject it in her mind and just take on the suggestions that completely resonate with her.
It happened to me once a few years ago.
I was listening to a generic hypnosis download for weight control when the hypnotist said that I would reject wheat and dairy from now on. I thought to myself, “Huh? I don’t want to give up wheat and dairy. I just want to eat moderately and control my emotional eating.” So I rejected those suggestions and happily took on those that I fully agreed with.
That’s why us hypnotists say go “into” trance and not go “under”. That would imply that the client is under some kind of spell. We’ll leave that to the cartoons and to Hollywood, with the swirly eyes and swinging pocket watches on chains, shall we?!
Myth #2:
I have to reveal everything even things I want to keep secret
Poppycock!
Contrary to popular misconception, you are totally in control of what you say when in a trance. In fact, your awareness is heightened during trance.
Of course, if the hypnotist has built up trust with her client, then it would be helpful for the client to reveal what is necessary to get to the root of the issue she has come to work through, but she doesn’t have to.
It’s the job of the coach/therapist to coax and encourage the client to take the steps necessary to get to a place where she feels deep down that she has moved on from the issue (even baby steps – the client determines the pace). This will facilitate her moving forwards in her goals and in life (which is, let’s face it, why she’s come to coaching in the first place).
Myth #3:
I might not wake up
Gil Boyne, the late, great master hypnotherapist and master hypnosis trainer, used to joke with clients who brought up this fear, that they shouldn’t worry, he’s got a big enough warehouse downtown where he stores the bodies!
Seriously though, hypnotic trance is simply a natural state of mind.
Essentially, trance is deep relaxation, allowing the client to better respond to the therapist’s positive suggestions. Even if you did literally fall asleep during the session, it wouldn’t be a problem. You would always wake up on your own within a few minutes, even if the coach didn’t actively count you out of the trance state.
I mean, you wake up every morning, don’t you?
If your phone rang or your child came into the room and needed your attention, you would immediately open your eyes and be fully aware.
Myth #4:
I might lose control
This is a biggie. Looooads of people have the fear of losing control. I know exactly where they’re coming from because I’m a recovering control freak myself. But what I’ve learned through my personal experience with hypnosis, and through my training as a hypnotherapist, is, if you can’t let go of control when you need to or adjust the level of control when you want to, then you aren’t really in control at all!
A good hypnotist will check your response to suggestions in a number of ways before the trance stage of the session. You could say it’s a way to check to see how easily you can let go of control or how “coachable” you are at the moment.
If you’re inhibiting your response to the suggestions in any way, it’s all fine. Some people naturally respond better to suggestions than others. With practice, anyone can improve their “letting go” or coachability from week to week.
It often helps if you’re aware that you are trying to inhibit your response, and consciously decide to “leave your control over there in the corner of the room, knowing that you can call it if you need it.” Getting past the control leads to better and better results in the therapy.
Myth #5:
I can’t be hypnotised
As I said in #3, hypnosis is a natural state of mind, so being able to respond to hypnosis is a natural human ability. Therefore, everyone can be hypnotised as long as they have given permission to do so. This is crucial and important to know.
Also, as I said in #4, everyone has a different response to hypnosis, but if the response is low, it can be quickly increased with practice.
Seeking the help of a hypnosis coach simply means that you have decided to change, decided to take responsibility for bringing positive change into your life.
You want to get all parts of your mind working together as a team.
Hypnosis will get your energy moving and direct it in a positive and beneficial way so that it works better for you. You can work out what you want in life. You can work towards your goals and achieve them more easily and more directly. You can move forwards with your life and not want or need to look back.
Now that the myths have been disproved, there’s nothing in your way to using hypnosis to achieve your goals, improve your performance, boost your confidence and so much more.
If you’d like to work with me, please book a free, initial contact call here.
And as always, I would love to hear from you:
Do you have any fears concerning hypnosis? What other popular misconceptions do you know of? Did I bust some of your own misunderstandings about hypnosis?
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Thanks for reading my blog and I’m looking forward to serving you again soon.
All the best and lots of love,
Suzanne xx
