Several hypnosis techniques usually have to be utilized to achieve the best results for the client.
When hypnotized, brainwaves slow down to the alpha (or theta) level, which occurs right before falling asleep. In this state, the mind is very suggestible. As a result, new ideas can be planted directly into the subconscious mind, facilitating change. Different hypnosis techniques are used to help people overcome unwanted thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Sometimes hypnotherapy is used to recover repressed memories so that a person can deal with associated emotional and physical issues.
Suggestion Therapy
This is the most common and basic of all hypnosis techniques. First, a hypnotherapist (or self-hypnosis recording) will guide a person to relax and get into a hypnotic trance. Once in that state of altered brainwaves and heightened awareness, people can receive suggestions directly into their subconscious mind.
A therapist makes suggestions that reinforce the desired changes and positive affirmations designed to support behaviors that will move the client in the right direction. Self-hypnosis recordings can do the same thing, although they are generic suggestions that would apply to everyone and are not tailored to a specific individual’s needs, as is the case with a private session.
However, this is one-way communication: from the hypnotherapist to the client.
Sometimes, these suggestions meet with only partial acceptance or even with total rejection for unconscious reasons. Moreover, a suggestion is unlikely to be accepted and executed if any underlying emotional conflict contrary to its acceptance persists.
This is why other hypnosis techniques, like analytical hypnotherapy or regression, are needed (see below).
Analytical Hypnotherapy
With analytical hypnotherapy, it is possible to locate any original decision inhibiting the individual and then encourage the subconscious mind to reject any self-limiting decision or belief.
This is a two-way communication: between the hypnotherapist and the client.
The hypnosis techniques of analytical hypnotherapy are designed to discover the reasons for rejecting an apparently beneficial suggestion. Often, a person wishes to improve their life in some way, but underlying conflicting emotions get in the way. With analytical hypnotherapy, such a conflict can be discovered and resolved before continuing with therapeutic suggestions. In addition, it will enable a person to gain access to previously blocked subconscious resources.
Regression
Hypnotic regression allows the client to remember, review, understand, and release ideas unavailable to the conscious mind.
Adverse life events are stored in the subconscious mind according to emotional intensity. Then, the pain of the event is deepened by repetition. Any time a similar event occurs, the mind associates with the initial event and replays the event at the subconscious level of awareness.
Regression is a technique often used to help a person locate the cause of an issue. Usually, an emotional response has a long-forgotten cause, which, once established, can be dealt with. Under hypnosis, a person is guided back in time to the cause of the issue.
Regression, with proper processing, changes the internal representations of the past. Regression causes the conscious mind to be aware of specific information held in the subconscious. When subconscious information is brought to conscious awareness, the person has power over it and is no longer controlled by subconscious programming.
Progression
On the other hand, age progression is used to take the client into the future, where they are guided to visualize the long-term consequences of reaching their goal. This can help give the necessary leverage for change and cement positive expectations.
Visualization/Guided Imagery
Once a person has been brought into a hypnotic state, the therapist can guide the person to visualize a scene and experience an event while hypnotized. A person might be led through grassland to a quiet stream, for example, where they meet someone offering a chalice of pure water. As they drink the water, they feel their body and mind being purified and their problems melting away.
There are as many scenarios as there are hypnotherapists and issues. However, appropriate guided Imagery in hypnosis can be very effective in bringing about the desired changes in a person.
Whichever hypnosis technique or combination of methods is chosen, hypnosis can change your life.
