Frequently Asked Questions
will I be asleep during the session...?
no - definitely not, you will be in a deeply relaxed state but you will be able to hear and respond. Even though the therapist will use the word sleep, you will not be asleep.
will I be unconscious during the session...?
again - no, the therapist needs you to be awake so that you can hear and respond as necessary. The hypnotherapist will maintain you at a balanced point where your critical faculty is suspended and you are more open to suggestions.
can I get stuck in a trance...?
No
some one told me that when hypnotised you can be taken advantage of by the hypnotist...is this true?
no one can be hypnotised against their will - despite what you see on the television and in films and books and even when hypnotised - it is you who is in complete control and you can reject any suggestions that you wish or that are not acceptable to you. Your unconscious mind has many protective strategies and will not allow you to accept suggestions that are contrary to your safety. You can open your eyes at any time and stop the session - a therapist who gave dangerous or unacceptable suggestions to a patient would be unethical and unscrupulous and should be reported. Remember, hypnotherapy is a state of agreed and consented purposeful cooperation between you and the therapist to help you change. If you were unhappy or thought you had been exploited or taken advantage of you would certainly not recommend the therapist to anyone else
can I be made to reveal personal details that I would rather keep secret?
again - no. If this were possible the police, MI5 the CIA etc would all be studying hypnosis and all hypnotherapists would be very rich!!
will the therapist touch me during the session...?
almost certainly not. Hypnotherapy is generally a no touch technique. However, there are one or two occasions when the therapist may want to touch your wrist or one of your fingers as a part of the therapy programme but this will be discussed with you prior to commencement and your consent would be required. The therapist would warn you if he was about to touch your finger or wrist if your eyes were shut.
how many sessions will I need...?
how long is a piece of string? the therapy plan and estimate for the number of sessions will be agreed with you at the first session. Most often people will require between 1 and 3 sessions - this number is an average however, some treatments may only require 1 session - smoking cessation for instance, some 2 or 3 sessions and some more.
