Frequently Asked Questions
Here you'll find the answers to many of the questions that people have about hypnosis and hypnotherapy.
However, if you have a query that is not covered please send it through and Steve will reply as soon as he can.
Click on any of the headings shown below to reveal the full content for that section.
Q. What is hypnosis?
This is the part of our mind that drives habitual behaviour and generates emotions. It’s also home to our creativity and imagination, and the place in which we store our experiences from the past.
Often people who have experienced hypnosis say they felt that both their mind and body were very relaxed, and that whatever reservations they had about hypnosis were quickly dispelled.
Daydreaming, going on ‘auto-pilot’, being ‘in the zone’ are all entirely natural states of mind that have some similarities with the experience of being in hypnosis.
Q. What is hypnotherapy?
Q. Is hypnotherapy anything like ‘stage hypnosis’?
Stage hypnosis is for entertainment and makes use of group dynamics, whilst hypnotherapy is for the individual and uses hypnosis in a private and confidential setting purely for therapeutic aims.
Q. Can I be hypnotised?
Assuming there are no temporary or permanent factors that would suggest hypnosis and hypnotherapy are not going to be beneficial for you, it really comes down to whether you want to be hypnotised and how relaxed you are about your choice of hypnotherapist.
In one sense all hypnosis is ‘self-hypnosis’, and so we can be hypnotised when we are comfortable ‘letting it happen’. This is regardless of whether we choose to benefit from a human guide (hypnotherapist), use an audio recording, or act as our own guide.
Q. Will I lose control when I'm in a state of hypnosis?
Many people who choose to use hypnotherapy will have a personal, emotional or habit-related problem and these issues will often stem from a difference between how the person’s conscious mind would like things to be and how their subconscious is behaving.
In order to be able to achieve the result that a client wants it may be necessary for them to express certain negative emotions and to explore historical events and experiences in a new way.
Undertaking this process can feel profoundly ‘freeing’ and may also be experienced as a healthy ‘letting go’ of some fear-based control. The very thinking and behaviour that has kept them ‘stuck’ prior to benefiting from hypnotherapy.
Q. Will I fall asleep or lose consciousness when I am hypnotised?
During a hypnosis session you are most likely to find that you have a heightened sense of awareness, especially of your inner world and your hypnotherapist’s voice.
Q. Will I remember everything that happened in my hypnotherapy session?
Given this, what you will immediately recall from a hypnotherapy session may not be absolutely everything that occurred. However, when prompted you are likely to remember additional details and if you spend enough time doing so, you may well be able to piece together practically everything that was said.
In some cases you may wish to forget material covered whilst you are in a state of hypnosis. Clearly, if you are given suggestions to this effect, this may also impact on your ability to recall specific details from your hypnotherapy session.
Q. Will online or face-to-face hypnotherapy sessions work best for me?
When convenience, cost and wider health (i.e. coronavirus/COVID-19) considerations are factored in, then for many clients online hypnotherapy is by far the most appealing.