Tag: pain

The hypnotherapy session explained

hypnosis-4041582_1920
      

One of the most frequent questions I get is, “What can I expect in a hypnotherapy session?”, “Will you make me dance like a chicken?” “Will I reveal secrets that I do not want to be revealed?” “Can you brainwash me?” “Will I lose control?”


I found that although people are open to the idea of what hypnotherapy can offer them, there are some concerns surrounding the process and how much control you have during the session. 

Unfortunately, stage hypnosis has created a stigma and has given people the impression that hypnotherapy is mind control and that you can be made to do things you do not want to do consciously.


I want to assure you firstly; hypnotherapy is not the same as stage hypnosis. Secondly, stage hypnosis is for entertainment purposes, it is not to receive healing. Lastly, my priority is with my client and their healing. When you come to me for a session, it is about you and your journey and your healing. I will never want to cause any harm to anyone that comes to me for hypnotherapy and so, it is important to me that each and every person interested in starting their healing journey with me, understand and feel comfortable with what they can expect in a session.


With that being said, let me give you a brief overview of what you can expect from a hypnotherapy session and should you have any further questions, feel free to contact me so that we can further discuss how you can heal with hypnotherapy. 


Initially, a client will contact me with an interest in hypnotherapy. I send them forms specific to what they want to resolve or release in the therapy session whether it is anxiety, confidence, weight loss, smoking cessation,  fears or phobia’s, pain management, stress management or whatever they want to change form the inside. I ask them to fill out the forms and return them to me before their session. I then use this information as part of my preparation for their session.


The first consultation includes me delving into this a little further and understanding it on a deeper level through active listening and motivational interviewing. 


The session


Each session starts with a mindfulness, bringing the client into the present moment, focusing on breathing and various body parts, helping them to focus away from their busy conscious mind. As they relax and get comfortable, I take them deeper into a hypnotic state. I use imagery to really go into a very deep and relaxed state. When you are in this deep relaxation, your subconscious mind becomes open and accepting to suggestions and then I go into the therapy side of the session. I focus on what you want to release in your session and construct a session for your best and highest benefit.

People get worried when I use the terminology hypnotic state or trance state. So, let me give you a quick breakdown on this. A trance or hypnotic state is just a very deep and relaxed state. You can compare it to that relaxed feeling you feel just before you fall asleep.


Not to bore you with too much scientific jargon but this is important for your understanding; In hypnotherapy we consider the following brainwaves:        

-           Beta: Our conscious mind, in this brainwave you are awake, thinking and alert.

-          Alpha: This brainwave you feel physically and mentally relaxed. 

-          Theta: Reduced consciousness, Insight and deep state of relaxation. 

-          Delta: This is sleep state, loss of bodily awareness.


In a hypnotherapy session we work between the Alpha and Theta brainwaves. Here your body and mind are relaxed and open to subconscious suggestion. If you have ever concentrated on something and suddenly you realize an hour or two has passed, or perhaps you have driven somewhere and suddenly realized you have arrived at your destination but cannot consciously recall the in between, or how you got there, you have experienced a trance state.  Your depth of trance can be affected by things like caffeine, your stress levels, the amount of sleep etc. However, you do not have to be in a very deep hypnotic state for the subconscious mind to accept the suggestions given and you will benefit from the session.  


Each person has a different experience. The beautiful thing about hypnotherapy is that you go so deep inside of yourself. Although I guide you,  your subconscious mind knows what needs healing. It takes you into this journey of knowing yourself from a depth that is not always possible to find from a conscious mind.


I want to assure you though, during the hypnotherapy session that you are always in control. You can open your eyes at anytime you feel out of control.  Furthermore, my priority is, and always will be with the well being of my client and facilitating healing within them.


If you want to know more about hypnotherapy, please feel free to contact me or click here to join our mailing list to receive a FREE 15 minute relaxation hypnosis for you to try in the comfort of your own home.I offer online and in-person sessions.


Sending you love, light and blessings


Ilana 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

True change starts on the inside


We all strive to be at peace with our lives, with who we are and to live a happy life. What does this mean? How do you get it? Is it material things?  Some people seek this in things, money, or people but as you will soon discover, you will seek this kind of happiness forever. Real happiness starts within you. In this article, I will share with you my journey on self-healing and becoming a hypnotherapist.


They say we create our own reality. It seems so complex and sometimes when things do not go the way you wanted; or how you thought it should be, you question this and say but why would I have created this situation for myself?  


There is actually quite a simple explanation for it all; it is all in our thoughts. Before I get into this, I would like to share with you a little about myself.

I remember having this conversation with my mom. I asked her why do people suffer so much? More specifically, I wanted to know why people suffer so much from their own thoughts. I have always known that our thoughts are so powerful. I knew this from a young age, although I didn’t understand it from the same perspective as I do now – I also accept that this understanding might grow as I grow. When I was 16, I discovered the book “The game of life and how to play it” by Florence Scovel Shinn. It was about manifestation and creating your own reality, it was eye opening and for a brief time in my teens, I lived this. Soon however, life took over and I got lost again in being human. I had a glimpse of what my thoughts could do and how sometimes it takes over, taking over control in your mind.  


Now you might get worked up and say that you have no control over your thoughts. In a way, that is true, but only if you believe this. More specifically if you allow these thoughts to take you away into whatever story you created in your mind. It is not so much to control your mind but allowing your mind to think without attaching to the thoughts it is thinking.  Now, we are all learning and growing and for many years, I too was this person where worry and stress were my middle name. My family was unfortunately the people who knew this part of me more than anyone else. My thoughts have since become something I try to observe and not to not attach meaning to these thoughts, to stop the thought train taking me away. But I am getting ahead of myself... let me tell you how I got to where I am now and how this has brought me to hypnotherapy.


It started a few years ago and it was a time where I had to look at myself. Really look at myself, all of my light and all of my shadow. Without my shadow I couldn’t understand my light and without my light, I could not understand my shadow. This journey took me deep into myself where I realised that all the anger, all the stress, all the unhappiness and all the fear, was my own creation. I realised that what I was feeling inside was being mirrored back to me in others’ behaviour toward me. I didn’t understand it. I felt victimized, I felt alone and felt that no one on this earth understood me. It took a lot of work from the inside but eventually I realised, it was not them not understanding me, it was me not understanding myself. As my thoughts started changing, so did my reality around me. It started becoming this beautiful place. A place I really enjoy being and living.


I still get to experience some challenging situations, my approach however to these situations has changed completely. When faced with something that may not be comfortable, or when I react in anger, frustration, or irritation, I ask myself, what is it that I need to learn from this situation? Why is this coming up for me.  You guessed it, I do more inner work and instead of resistance, I practice understanding and allowing. I also realise now more than ever, it is not others, it is not the situation, it is not my job or money or what car I drive. All those things on the outside is unimportant, all the power is within me and I can change it any time I want.


This brings me to why I started hypnotherapy. I have known for a very long time that hypnotherapy is a very powerful tool and realised that by helping people to reprogramme their subconscious mind, helping them to go deep within themselves, like I did, but with help and guidance and within a safe environment, I can help people live happier lives.


Your subconscious mind is where all your beliefs, your emotions, feelings, habits and addictions are but here too is where we can change. I assist people in exploring themselves from the inside out and help them break negative thinking cycles at the source. This is where everything you experience are! Hypnotherapy can help to change you from the inside out. If you are willing to change and to live this happier life you have always been looking for, it will help you. I am not the one doing the healing, I am only assisting you to heal yourself. Healing with hypnotherapy starts with you and ends with you and that is why it is so powerful.


Sending you love, light and blessings

Ilana