Hypnosis is a heightened state of suggestibility. When a person is in a hypnotic state it becomes much easier to make positive and beneficial lasting changes at the subconscious level. Hypnosis is a natural state that people enter into daily (I will discuss this further during our pre-talk). In order for hypnotic suggestions to ‘stick’ the person must be genuinely motivated to achieve whatever it is they are seeking hypnosis for. For example, if Bob wants to try hypnosis to quit smoking because his wife wants him to quit, it will not work; however, if Bob wants to quit smoking because he himself genuinely wants to quit for his health and wellbeing he will have a much better chance of success.

Hypnosis and meditation both bring about a similar state of mind, however the intentions behind the two practices are different. During meditation people typically see what arises or bubbles up from the subconscious, whereas during hypnosis, suggestions are implanted into the subconscious. Chances are, if you are doing a guided meditation where the guide is offering suggestions, you are actually practicing hypnosis (whether you or the guide are aware of it or not).

Hypnosis does not require comfort and relaxation and can be achieved standing up or in any posture or location. However, for the hypnosis we will be doing, I think that comfort and relaxation can be helpful. That being said, when listening to the recordings or going through a virtual session, you should be in a comfortable seat where you can easily relax. The space should be relatively quiet if possible to minimize distractions and it may be helpful (but not necessary) to have dim lighting.

DO NOT use hypnosis (live, virtual or recorded) while driving a vehicle or while operating machinery. When in a safe and appropriate place to practice hypnosis, if you prefer to lay down that is fine, but I wouldn’t recommend this for an in-person or virtual session if you are tired and think you may fall asleep (it’s fine to fall asleep while listening to the recorded tracks). Your subconscious will hear the messages even if you do happen to fall asleep, but during our live sessions it is preferrable to stay awake so that when you emerge from hypnosis we can discuss the session.

It is impossible to hypnotize someone to do/think/feel/believe something that goes against their personal belief system. If, for instance, the hypnotist tried to hypnotize you to rob a bank for them, you would simply pop out of hypnosis or remain in hypnosis but reject the suggestions (unless you want to be a bank robber!). Remember, motivation is a key factor in achieving success through hypnosis.

Stage hypnosis and the media have caused this misconception. Hypnosis has been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) as an appropriate therapeutic technique since 1958 and has many practical applications. To name a few, hypnosis can help with smoking cessation, sleep issues, weight loss, anxiety, fear, trauma, etc.

While everyone experiences hypnosis differently, the majority of people will feel awake during their session and will be able to recall what the hypnotist said after the session has ended. Many people report feeling incredibly relaxed during hypnosis and may experience various sensations in their body (tingling, numbness, increased need to swallow, eye fluttering beneath the eye lids to name a few).

For some people, hypnosis may ‘work’ after one session depending on the issue being addressed. However, for many people it can take a few sessions to make positive lasting change. Remember, hypnosis is changing long held subconscious beliefs that have been implanted for years in many cases. Repetition is key, so you may need multiple sessions to resolve your issue or you may need to supplement with self- hypnosis independently to reinforce suggestions that were made during your session.