Why the watch-swinging hypnotist knows a thing or two about the brain

Sleeeepy?

Look into my eyes….. you are feeling sleeeeeeepy…. very sleeeeepy….

I love the cartoon-ish image of the hypnotist who swings a fob watch and chain, and puts people into a trance against their will. It couldn’t be further from the truth of what authentic hypnotherapists do – in which every session is built on a completely trusting relationship between therapist and client.

However, there’s one interesting aspect of the the hypnotist’s image that does have a grain of truth – the swinging watch.

No, I don’t have a fob watch and chain, and if I did I wouldn’t swing it around in front of my clients’ face when I’m working with them. But that doesn’t mean it’s a completely unfounded manoeuvre.

Sometimes, when I’m working with a client on a phobia, say, or difficult emotions, we often touch on something from their past which produces a strong emotional reaction. An old hurt, trauma or bereavement can be triggered even decades later and they become distressed.

There’s a way of working with the brain to pacify turbulent feelings. It involves asking them to watch my hand (no swinging watches, as promised!), as I move it around in front of their face.

The connection between emotion and memory runs between the right and left hemisphere of the brain. Simply by moving the eyes from right to left, the connection is confused – leaving the client free to work on today’s issues, without being held back by the emotions of their childhood.

Sometimes I like to add a very small EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) to this, by following up with a few taps on the cheekbone, just under the outside corner of the eye. EFT is a vast practice, but I’ve found adding a few small elements, where needed, to a hypnotherapy session, to be very useful.

How to choose your hypnotherapist part 2

I meet a lot of people who have had a negative experience with hypnotherapy, and unfortunately this may put them off from receiving treatment from anyone. That’s a shame, because good hypnotherapy, properly administered, will guide you to work wonders in your life.

In this second of a two-part blog on finding the right hypnotherapist, I address how to make sure they are the person who is right for you.

4. Be clear about what you want

Before you go looking for a therapist, be clear on the problem you need help with. It may be that your therapy journey ultimately leads you into other related areas of your life, but that will come later. When finding your hypnotherapist, you need to know what you’re looking for, so you know when you have, or haven’t found it.

Give yourself the absolute freedom to choose the right therapist for you. Anxiety and doubts about the treatment itself is normal, and a good therapist will work through that with you. However, if you’re uneasy about the hypnotherapist, you owe it to yourself to say so before the treatment starts.

5. Establish rapport

What make a hypnotherapist right for you largely depends on you. However great or highly recommended the hypnotherapist, if you’re an analytical type you might not be comfortable being hypnotised by a hippie-ish character with bells on her toes. Alternatively, the sharp-suited young man may be better for some than others. Would you like your therapist to be older than you or younger? Do you prefer a man or a woman? Light or serious? It may be that you won’t know until you meet the right one, so don’t be afraid to call and talk to them first.

6. Get to know each other

When I meet a prospective client, the first thing I do is listen. Their problem, their personality and their background are all highly relevant to the therapy journey we’re going on. New clients also have every chance they need to ask as many questions as they like about the treatment.

If a therapist doesn’t take an appropriate amount of time finding out about you or giving you the chance to find out about them, this will limit their ability to help you.

If you need any more advice on this, feel free to drop me a line or add your comment below.

 

 

 

How to choose your hypnotherapist part 1

The relationship between a client and a hypnotherapist needs to be one of deep trust.

I hear stories every day of hypnotherapists abusing their powers, causing more problems than they fix and leaving people traumatised and deeply suspicious of hypnotherapy. There is a lot of concern nationally about unqualified and unregistered people who are out there practising hypnotherapy.

Standards of hypnotherapy are being raised all the time by qualifying bodies such as the National Hypnotherapy Society and the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council, who scrutinise the qualifications of their registered therapists.

The dodgy practitioner stories are a good reminder of making sure you choose a legitimate, qualified therapist. Here are my tips on how to do that:

 

1. Is the price right?

Bargain basement hypnosis is a very false economy. If the therapist is offering huge discounts on their fees, alarm bells should start ringing. A therapist who is discounting heavily is using a numbers game to earn their living.

That means they are working very, very hard. To stay on form, a good therapist needs to be well paced and properly rested. If your therapist is frantically busy, stay away.

 

2. Are they in it for the long haul?

Good hypnotherapy requires a good trusting relationship between client and therapist. If you’re approaching hypnosis for help with a deep-rooted issue that goes way back into your past, a gentle, long-term approach may be required.

Alternatively, a good therapist may feel you only need a couple of sessions. It takes a skilled, ethical therapist to know how long the treatment should go on for – and it varies for everyone.

However, if this doesn’t fit into a special deal or a fixed package your therapist is trying to sell, you may end up being left high and dry.

 

3. Read the writing on the wall

Check out your prospective therapists’ credentials. A qualified hypnotherapist will be happy to share their certificates with you – ideally they’ll be displayed on the wall of their treatment room.

At the very least, they must have a diploma in clinical hypnotherapy. They should also be recognised by the National Hypnotherapy Society or the National Hypnotherapists register.

Finally, a good hypnotherapist is one who can show they are engaging in continued professional development – keeping up to date with regular training courses and refreshers.

If your hypnotherapist has been practising for decades without refreshing their skills, or if they claim they’re doing hypnotherapy but their idea of delivering a treatment is playing a tape to you in the session, walk away.

 

If you need any more advice on this, feel free to drop me a line or add your comment below.

 

Sleep advice – DON’T take a notebook to bed

Last week I heard a discussion on the radio about the recent revelation that not enough is being done to help people with sleep problems.

Not enough, other than prescribing drugs, that is.

It’s a big problem – around a quarter of us experience some kind of disorder affecting their sleep. The most common I see is insomnia.

One classic tip is to keep a notepad and pen on your bedside table, so that you can write down your worries. This, the wisdom goes, means that you’ll then be ‘free’ of them.

I’d advise against this. It seems like a good idea – but actually, providing yourself with a place where you can write about your problems means you’re inadvertently helping your mind place more focus on those problems.

The result of that is your mind churns around trying to think of a solution – which can end up creating more problems. Another word for this would be: ‘worrying’.

Sleep CD from Sue

To give yourself a better chance of good sleep, and to find solutions to your problems in a more restful way, you actually need to clear your mind before bed. It’s not as difficult as it sounds – go for a walk, relax in the bath, do some breathing meditation, or listen to a hypnosis CD geared towards sleep.

The goal is to prevent your conscious mind from thinking about your problems. When you wake up refreshed and clear-headed, you may well find your subconscious has gone to work on your problems, and a positive, constructive way forward is now obvious.

Good luck with your sleeping – and do let me know how you get on with this by leaving a comment below.

Welcome to Sue Oddy’s hypnotherapy blog

I’m delighted to welcome you to my hypnotherapy blog.

I’ll be sharing information here about how to find peace and fulfilment, be happy and more confident by using the powerful tool of hypnotherapy.

You can find out more about hypnotherapy in West Yorkshire and the work I do by visiting my website.