What is Hypnotherapy? (And No, You Won’t Cluck Like a Chicken)
Hypnotherapy is simply the use of hypnosis within a therapeutic setting.
But what actually is hypnosis?
I know some of you are going to think I’ll be swinging a pocket watch in front of your eyes, worrying I'll have you dancing around the room like a chicken. If we were on a stage or a TV show, that might be the case, but in the therapy room, it certainly is not! Author Dianne Zimberoff describes hypnosis as simply “achieving a trance like state.” This trance like state is just a connection between the unconscious and conscious parts of the brain (Roet, 2002). In fact, we naturally drift in and out of this state frequently throughout our busy days; we just usually refer to it as daydreaming (Zimberoff, 2018).
When we look at this basic definition, it takes away the fear of the unknown and normalises the practice. How can we be fearful of a state that we already enter so frequently and naturally?
In ancient times, entering a trance state was one of the main forms of healing, actively encouraged through prayer and ceremony (Waxman, 1989). In today’s world, however, we are encouraged to constantly do more, see more, and achieve more. We now face a population that struggles to relax, let alone fully comprehend how to enter a trance like state!
Entering a hypnotic state is actually very similar to meditation. It is an altered state of awareness and consciousness, and you are very much in control. During hypnotic states we can reason with and re-programme the subconscious mind, but it also helps us shift out of survival mode (regulating the nervous system) and into a space where we can think more clearly and take easier action.
Sadhguru, the well-known yoga and meditation guru, describes hypnosis as an “awareness” with a “heightened state of suggestibility,” whereas meditation is just “awareness.” He explains that meditation is spiritual and hypnosis is psychological, but both achieve a deeply relaxing state. Because of this, more and more people are using hypnotherapy as an accessible alternative to meditation.
Having seen the benefits of meditation firsthand through my own practices, and having studied hypnotherapy in depth, I see incredible benefits in both methods. This is exactly why I weave both into my work. It is also why I pair hypnotherapy with coaching to align the conscious and subconscious minds. So, hypnotherapy is not something to be intimidated by, but something to be embraced. I promise I won’t be swinging a watch, and you won’t be dancing around the room like a chicken… unless, of course, that’s what floats your boat.
