What is Hypnotherapy

By James Anthony

Psychological therapy and counseling (sometimes referred to as the "talking cure") is the treatment of emotional and psychological problems, unwanted habits and undesirable feelings, using psychological techniques alone. The aim of all such therapy is to assist people (usually known as clients) in discovering meaningful alternatives to their current poor ways of thinking, behaving or feeling. Therapy can also tend to help the clients become much more accepting, of themselves and others, and can be extremely helpful in promoting own development and unlocking that inner potential.

There are various types of therapy out there, but hypnotherapy is certainly unique as it addresses the subconscious mind of the client. In usual practice the hypnotherapist often (but not always) will want the client to be as relaxed as possible and in a good state of mind, and often uses the power of the clients own mind and imagination, using a wide range of the hypnotic techniques he has learned. From story telling, to metaphors or symbolism (which must be of interest and a part of the client) to employing direct suggestions which go straight to the clients subconscious mind to initiate a change. These techniques are often analytical and are often used in various attempts to reveal problems within the client thought to lie in say the clients past ("there and then" or the therapy may go more deep into the current life of a client and their problems that are present to them ("The Here and Now") Is us often considered an advantage if the client is motivated themselves for the change to be as effective as possible (rather than relying on just the hypnotherapist) and a strong belief of substantial and beneficial change is often a great place to start.

Often the most valuable area is that the client expects to feel comfortable and in a safe environment with the desired therapist. This is very very important in hypnotherapy, and the value of hypnotherapy is greatly improved when there is a strong belief in the hypnotherapist themselves. For this exact reason it comes highly recommended that you only book on a 1 session at a time basis, leaving the client to choose whether they want to continue with more sessions in the future.

Unlike other psychological aids, Hypnotherapy is generally thought of to be a generally more short-term approach with great beneficial change, if it is to happen, should become obvious within just a few sessions.

N.B. In concrete practice, the majority of Hypnotherapists will bring together hypnotic methods with other suitable counseling and remedial techniques. If there is to be any doubt about the skills utilized in specific cases, the therapist ought to be asked frankly for a more in-depth explanation of their preferred line of attack. - 30453

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