Mind

Over

Matters

Hypnotherapy & NLP

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses hypnosis to treat medical and psychological problems.

The purpose of hypnotherapy is to restructure patterns of behaviour within the mind, replacing negative thoughts and beliefs with ways of thinking that are positive, healthy and beneficial.

This enables you to overcome fears and phobias, eliminate negative thoughts and suppressed emotions, and to achieve goals you never thought possible.

What is NLP?

NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming.

NLP uses techniques that examine our model of the world by looking at the relationships between

• how we think (neuro),
• how we communicate (linguistic)
• and our patterns of behaviour and emotion (programmes). 

NLP can transform the way we think and act, improving our relationships and performance at work, home and play.

Is Hypnosis dangerous?

Since a hypnotic trance is actually a very natural state that almost everyone goes into several times per day, the simple answer is “No, it’s not dangerous”.

In 1955 the British Medical Association set up an inquiry which favourably reported hypnosis as a therapeutic tool. It even recommended that it should be taught at medical schools. Hypnosis was also approved by the Council of Mental Health of the American Medical Association in September of 1958 as a safe practice with no harmful side effects. Since then there has been acceleration in the establishment of hypnosis societies for doctors, dentists, and psychologists.

Can I be made to do things against my will?

You could never be made to do anything against your will or contrary to your value system. If this was actually possible, there would be criminals learning hypnotherapy in order to hypnotise their bank managers to opening the vaults and handing over a large sum of cash.

In a trance, you would not unknowingly reveal your deepest secrets. You can even lie when in a trance, which is one reason why testimony in hypnosis is not permissible evidence in a court of law.  A person will only act upon suggestions that serve them in some way or reinforce an expected behaviour, anything else their subconscious will just ignore.

Most people develop these misconceptions from seeing or hearing about a Stage Hypnosis show. However they largely achieve their results through showmanship and the selection of the more extrovert people who want to be the centre of the show, not to mention a little peer pressure. After all they would not want to appear a fool, for not acting the fool.

Do I need to put in any effort?

Yes. Hypnotherapy and NLP are very powerful and can help you achieve lasting results, but they are not magic and change is all about choice. You need to be open and honest, and you need to complete any homework that is given to you.

What’s involved?

An initial session lasts approximately 90 minutes.

This involves us discussing your reasons for seeking therapy and identifying any specific objectives or goals you have.

You will then experience hypnosis as I talk you into a deep state of relaxation.

Each hypnosis session is tailored to your personal needs, and involves making carefully chosen positive suggestions to your subconscious mind as you relax.

The session concludes as I count you slowly back to full alertness.

We will then reflect on your experience, plan any further treatment sessions required and discuss possible homework to make the treatment as effective as possible.

Can you guarantee a cure?

If any therapist could guarantee this it would suppose that we could somehow reprogramme people as if they were computers. In fact people are more complicated and more creative than this. But in most cases if you are motivated to change we can help you achieve your goals.

We do this by:

• Listening to you, treating your ideas and issues seriously and treating you with dignity and respect.
• Building up a relationship of trust with you. We promise that everything you say will remain in the strictest confidence.
• Working with you to achieve the best possible results in the shortest possible time, we promise not to take money from you by treating you for longer than you need.
• Teaching you how to help yourself. Our aim is to make you independent of us, so we will give you tools and techniques to help you change yourself and you will leave therapy with the resources to help you in your future life
• Taking your feedback seriously – we aim to base all our treatments on evidence, so if something is not working for you we will change it

Are you registered with a professional organisation?

Yes, The National Council For Hypnotherapy (NCH), which is the largest and longest established not for profit hypnotherapy organisation in the UK. As such I am  bound by it’s Codes of Practice and Ethics. Click on the NCH logo on any of the pages for more information about them.

   Telephone: 01332 865917       Mobile: 07973 629743         Email: bryan@mindover.co.uk

What is Hypnosis?

Have you ever…

..walked into a room and not been able to remember why you were there?

..found your mind wandering while watching TV, reading a book or listening to someone speak?

..driven somewhere and not been able to remember the journey?

..felt that warm fuzzy feeling as you drop off to sleep, where you start to dream, even though you know you are still awake?

If you have had any of those experiences – and most of us have - then you have already experienced being in a state of trance.

Hypnosis involves the therapist working with you to induce a state of deep focused relaxation we call trance.

While you are in this relaxed state, the therapist suggests ideas, concepts and lifestyle adaptations that are designed to meet goals agreed with you.

These suggestions are a little like seeds which become firmly planted in the subconscious mind, and then grow to enable you to make life-enhancing changes.