There are many different definitions of hypnosis and hypnotherapy.

Hypnosis is a method of inducing a trance or a dream-like state in order to treat disorders of mainly psychological or emotional origin. It is used to help change behaviour patterns and may be used to treat a wide range of problems as well as to enhance natural abilities.

It has been practised in various forms for thousands of years by many cultures including African, American Indian, Celtic, Egyptian, Australian Aboriginal and Ancient Greek. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, hypnosis, or ‘mesmerism’, was seen more as a sideshow curiosity than a valid medical treatment. Today, it is recognised by many in the scientific and medical communities as an effective healing tool. Hypnosis is used as a part of medical, psychological and dental treatments.

Contrary to popular belief, hypnosis is not a state of deep sleep. It does involve the induction of a trance-like condition, but when in it, the client is actually in an enhanced state of awareness, concentrating entirely on the hypnotist's voice. In this state, the conscious mind is suppressed and the subconscious mind is revealed. The therapist is able to suggest ideas, concepts and lifestyle adaptations to the client, the seeds of which become firmly planted.

The practice of promoting healing or positive development whilst the client is in an hypnotic state is known as hypnotherapy. As such, hypnotherapy is a kind of psychotherapy...hypnotherapy aims to re-programme patterns of behaviour within the mind, enabling irrational fears, phobias, negative thoughts and suppressed emotions to be overcome. As the body is released from conscious control during the relaxed trance-like state of hypnosis, breathing becomes slower and deeper, the pulse rate drops and the metabolic rate falls. Similar changes along nervous pathways and hormonal channels enable the sensation of pain to become less acute, and the awareness of unpleasant symptoms, such as nausea or indigestion, to be alleviated.

Hypnosis is thought to work by altering our state of consciousness in such a way that the analytical left-hand side of the brain is turned off, while the non-analytical right-hand side is made more alert. The conscious control of the mind is inhibited, and the subconscious mind awoken.

Since the subconscious mind is a deeper-seated, more instinctive force than the conscious mind, this is the part which has to change for the client's behaviour and physical state to alter.

For example, a client who consciously wants to overcome their fear of spiders may try everything they consciously can to do it, but will still fail as long as their subconscious mind retains this terror and prevents the client from succeeding.

Progress can only be made be reprogramming the subconscious so that deep-seated instincts and beliefs are abolished or altered.

Hypnotherapy, or self-hypnosis once you've learnt to use the tools for yourself, can be a very effective tool for making changes to a clients life.

Many people claim that they have never been hypnotised, but they do admit to having drifted off whilst thinking about something, forgetting large chunks of a car journey, or daydreaming while reading a book. These are all examples of natural trance states. One of the great things about hypnosis is that in the hands of a reputable practitioner it is harmless and produces no damaging side effects, whilst providing positive therapeutic benefits.

Hypnosis is designed to induce a relaxed and suggestible state of mind.
Around 95 per cent of the general population can be hypnotised to varying degrees. Contrary to popular belief, you are always in control and cannot be made to do anything while hypnotised against your will.

Hypnotherapy is a two way process between the therapist and the client, a professional partnership. A person cannot be hypnotised unless he or she agrees and co-operates - this cannot be stressed enough. And while you are hypnotised nobody can make you do anything which you do not want to do. It must be emphasised here that what hypnotherapists do is therapeutic.

A Hypnotherapist's Job is to Help People

The first stage of a hypnotherapy consultation will generally some questions from the therapist to ascertain the nature of the issue and the necessary route to overcoming or dealing with it. The next stage is hypnosis.

You are led, by means of the hypnotherapist's gently guiding voice, into a state where your body and mind are relaxed and nearly asleep. To an onlooker it might seem as if you were totally asleep but in fact, though you will normally feel very relaxed, you will remain awake enough to be aware. Also awake will be those parts of your mind which the therapist is working with to induce beneficial changes. This may mean that you will be picturing, as in a daydream, the things which are being spoken of and that you may experience the associated pleasant feelings.

If at any time you feel uncomfortable and want to terminate the session, then you will be perfectly capable of doing so.

The session will conclude with a discussion between you and the Therapist about any experiences you may have had while hypnotized.

The hypnotherapist merely helps you to use the incredible powe of your own mind to achieve those changes in your life such as stopping smoking, losing weight, cutting down on stress, gaining in confidence and happiness, increasing study and recall abilities, increasing speed of recovery from injury, even excelling at your natural abilities including sport, music art, etc, which you desire.

Hypnosis is:

• A State of relaxation.
• An altered state of awareness.
• Concentrated awareness and focus.
• Body may feel heavy, light, floating, detached.

Everybody experiences hypnosis at least twice a day - before sleep and upon awakening. In the relaxed, dreamy state just before sleep, and the relaxed state after awakening from sleep, just before you open your eyes, you are in a state of light hypnosis.

Most people have all driven some distances and then been unable to consciously recall some part of the journey.

Or perhaps you have sat through a (usually boring) lecture or talk, maybe a sermon while in church, and realized you were “away with the fairies”.

You were experiencing a state of hypnosis.

Further examples of trance are: daydreaming, imagining, and visualising.
Young children live in trance i.e. make-believe friends, talking to their toys etc.

In hypnosis, the conscious mind relaxes but is still very aware. The subconscious mind becomes more prominent, and more readily accessible to suggestion.

What happens in trance? What is hypnotherapy? Positive words or suggestions are spoken to you to help you achieve your goals and to help you become the way you want to be or directed in a way that allows your inner mind to solve your problems or change your life to be the way you want to be.

In hypnosis, the subconscious more readily accepts positive suggestions and acts upon them, becoming the new you - your new behaviour - your new feelings etc.
Eg. non-smoker: relaxed: in full control: strong: confident: in control of your eating habits: calm: accepting: loving: peaceful: etc

You are always in control. As your Therapist I am here merely to help you achieve your goal. And working together like a strong partnership anything is possible.

Subjectively while you are in a state of hypnosis your brain wave pattern will simulate a relaxed lower level of activity such as can be seen from the following explanation of The Levels of Mind.

Note: whilst it is usual for most authorities to stipulate to four main levels (within which there are many more sub-levels) I have deliberately sub-divided the Theta level as it corresponds to particular experience, importantly in relation to Theta Workshops (See page on Workshops at the following link):-
www.totalhealththerapies.com.au/workshops

BETA: The fastest level of brain activity is utilised by adult man and woman more than any other. At this level the mind focuses on the five physical senses, i.e. - sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. It is the rational conscious state of objective reality, of analysing the physical outer conscious levels and interpreting the physical world. 14 to 35 + cycles per second

ALPHA: The next slower range is where the mind is focused on the subjective levels of power and awareness, where intuition, inspiration and creativity spring forth, the spiritual world of inner or super consciousness. In this state of relaxation, light meditation and creativity, we have access to problem solving, fantasy, imagery and daydreams. The average adult operates in this range in moments of strong emotion or deep thought. In this level there is no time or space, as we perceive if normally. 7 to 14 cycles per second

UPPER THETA: The next slower range of frequency is the level of light sleep, meditation and medium depth of hypnotic trance. It is the level of mind most receptive to subliminal messages. At this level there is very little awareness of physical sensations, but it is in this state the control of heartbeat, digestion, breathing and bleeding occur. It is also in this state and the next lower level that unusual inspiration occurs. These are the levels of the subconscious and emotion. 5 to 7 cycles per second

LOWER THETA: The next slower range is that of deep sleep during which REM (Rapid Eye Movement) occurs. It is also the level of deep meditation, profound prayerfulness, spiritual experiences, intense pain and pleasure. While in both upper and lower levels of Theta, instantaneous healing can be performed. 3.5 to 5 cycles per second

DELTA: The slowest frequency yet identified is the level of deepest sleep, of coma and anaesthesia, where we are in a supposedly unconscious state. 0.0001 (?) to 3.5 cycles per second

This diagram shows an actual typical brain wave tracing of an Electro-Encephalo-Graph measured in electrical cycles per second of brain wave activity.