Certified Hypnotherapist | Intuitive Guide | Mind Align Management Specialist | Empowerment Coach
Frequently Asked Questions
There are so many different misconceptions in the world, lets clear up a few.
Below are the most common questions and concerns from people who have never experienced
Hypnotherapy (nm) or Hypnosis before.
What to expect from a Hypno Session?
We What to expect from a hypnosis therapy session? Always attend each session with an open mind and it may be in your best interest to LISTEN and CO-OPERATE with the facilitator to automatically receive the most benefit naturally from each session. Full disclosure is the only way to ensure the therapy actually helps you, so be clear and honest about what you want to address. Each hypnosis session experience is subjective to an individual, and their ability to allow themselves to relax and connect with their subconscious (imagination and feelings). All hypnosis is self-hypnosis . You are always in control and it will only benefit you to follow the hypnotherapist’s directions. KEEP IN MIND like anything in life, the outcome is always dependent on the client. NB: It is advisable to take the day off. DON’T spend time after a session on any stressful activities, or rushing to another appointment. You will need time to digest and integrate the lessons you’ve learned, so clear the diary.
What is a Hypno Consult?
A Hypno Consultation offers you the opportunity to explore whether hypnotherapy is the right approach for you, and whether Diane Pullen, CHT (nm), is the right hypnotherapist(nm) to support your journey. This session provides the chance to connect personally, allowing you to assess if this modality resonates with your needs and goals.
This first session typically lasts 3 hours, though it may run longer depending on the depth of the work. For this reason, it’s recommended to keep your schedule clear for the day. During this time, you and Diane will focus on building trust and rapport, while also gaining clarity on your main challenge, goal, or objective. Together, you’ll identify the most pressing issue and begin addressing it through a personalized, client-centered approach. This initial session sets the foundation for future work, whether continuing to explore the current issue or shifting focus to other areas of your personal development.
The subconscious mind plays a key role in uncovering the layers of the issue. Much like peeling an onion, each session will address one layer at a time, with the pace guided by both your subconscious and your conscious willingness to embrace change. Self-reflection following the session is encouraged, as it allows you to process the experience more deeply.
How does it feel to be hypnotised?
How much will I remember in Hypnosis? It totally depends, if you want to, you will remember everything that is said, however if you are used to the experience or find yourself drifting off into other thoughts you can allow your focus and attention to wander off and may consciously remember very little. Even through the conscious mind may feel safe to drift off, know that the subconscious mind is always listening and taking in everything.
How deep will I go?
Depth of the hypnotic state is an idea that used to be a focal point, but lately the hypnosis community and hypnosis professionals have realized that depth (or not) has little bearing. The clients goes as deep (or remains as light) as they need to and what is appropriate for them, and we still get good results. It is a fact that the more hypnosis one undergoes, the greater and easier one drops down into the altered state. It is a skill and like all skills – improves with practice.
Can I “get stuck” in a Hypnotic Trance?
No. Again, hypnosis is a very natural and normal state and cannot hold anyone against his or her will. If a client were to go so deep as to enter a truly unconscious state (a very rare occurrence), they would simply go into natural sleep and awaken when they were rested. It is impossible for anyone to be `left or lost` in hypnosis. After hypnosis, a person awakens naturally, just as they do after sleep! If the hypnosis practitioner were to leave before counting them awake, the subject would eventually realize that the session had ended and would naturally awaken on their own.
Can hypnosis hurt me?
In over two hundred years of recorded hypnosis history, there is no documented case of anyone being hurt with hypnosis. If anyone tries to give you suggestions against your morals, religious beliefs or anything you feel strongly about, you could instantly emerge from the state of relaxation on your own.
Synonyms and examples of the hypnotic state / Other terms used for the state of hypnosis:
Day Dreaming, Deep state of prayer, relaxing meditation, watching a captivating movie, engaging and feeling as if it is you are in the movie, and then there is the scientific term which is the alpha or theta brain wave state. It’s a state when you engage with your subconscious thoughts, and change can only take place until you make the subconscious, conscious.
Does Hypnosis therapy conflict with my beliefs?
Religious fear may also stop some people from experiencing hypnosis therapy. Hypnosis is a natural state and, a good client centered therapist/practitioner works aligned with their clients belief system, not their own. A hypnosis practitioner / hypnotherapist acts as their client's guide, helping them to change their unwanted misperceptions and limiting beliefs, which are aligned with their beliefs and desires, and not those of the therapist.
Should I be afraid of Hypnosis?
No. It is an important part of who we are as humans, it's a natural state of mind and very safe. Often, Hypnosis is criticised out of ignorance and fear. Hypnosis is completely natural and we enter in and out of the hypnotic state automatically every day when our brain waves slow down and when we enter the alpha/theta daydreaming state.
Can You be hypnotised?
It may surprise you to know that we all enter this state at least twice a day. These are the times just before you drift off into sleep at night and just before you re-awaken in the morning. As hypnosis is a natural and normal state of mind and confirming that All Hypnosis, IS, Self Hypnosis! Therefore: Achieving a hypnotic state is in the control of the individual wishing to be hypnotised! YES, everyone has the talent for being hypnotised
How does it feel to be hypnotised?
We are all unique individuals and everyone experiences hypnotherapy differently and because relaxation is a subjective experience (some people relax at the beach, for others it is chopping wood), so too is what each person feels when in a hypnotic trance. As Hypnosis is a natural and normal state many have stated it feels similar to that feeling you have just before you fall asleep. Some say they feel as if they are relaxing in a very comfortable space with their eyes close and can hear everything from my voice to all the natural and normal sounds in and around them and their environment. During a session a client once stated “Even though I was completely aware of what was happening and going on around me, It didn’t bother me as I was far more comfortable listening to your voice as I relaxed”
Is hypnosis “Mind Control”?
Not at all. No one under hypnosis can be induced to do anything against his or her will. Whatever moral and ethical codes you hold in a normal waking state will still be in place under hypnosis. Just like you cannot be made to do anything against your moral code, you will not say anything that is embarrassing and will not reveal more than you are comfortable doing. Usually, if a Hypnosis Practitioner’s suggestion conflicts with a client’s value system, the client simply brings him or herself up out of hypnosis; they just “wake up.” You are in complete control at all times. Hypnosis therapy is a gentle, loving process and a Hypnosis Practitioner is trained to not judge. You will heal and change in your own timing.
What about those stage hypnotists that make people do strange and silly things?
A Stage hypnotist will carefully select people from the audience to find the ones who best respond to Hypnosis. The “control factor” is still zero, the person on the stage allows the experience to be their main focus and find they are easily able to go along with the suggestions. They stay with it and follow the hypnotist’s instructions, even when they’re not sure if it’s working. You cannot simultaneously BE the show and SEE the show! You have to pick one and stick with it! Does anyone really think that if they volunteer to go on stage that the hypnotist will suggest they do something BRILLIANT? Anyone who volunteers is agreeing to play the part, whether they consciously admit it or not. Unfortunately these ideas can remain and are linked with Hypnosis therapy which leads people to avoid utilising it. The intention of hypnosis therapy is to help someone heal, whilst stage hypnosis has the intention to entertain. Hypnosis therapy is used to gain understanding of ones issues, why they are there, why we do the things we do, what keeps us imprisoned in our own fears, guilt, sadness and pain. It was once explained to me by one of my facilitators ..."psychology is like a torch that shines over the issues, hypnosis is like a laser beam that cuts through all the rubbish to get straight to the source..”
Will I lose control of myself?
No, as mentioned before, ALL HYPNOSIS IS SELF HYPNOSIS. Therefore it is untrue that the therapist has some mystical power over you. You are always in control, any suggestions can be evaluated and then accepted or rejected by you. A Hypnosis Practitioner cannot make you do anything against your will. During therapy there is usually an ongoing dialogue between therapist and the client. You will be able to converse with your therapist easily and remember everything that transpires in the session, and is beneficial should you choose that to be so.
How long will these session be? The first session is normally the longest, and depends on the person, it can take anything from 45min to 3 hours. This is a process which is not to be rushed. Most Follow up sessions are generally shorter than the first. Sessions start promptly at the appointed times, not before or later.
How fast does Hypnosis therapy work?
A How fast does Hypnosis therapy work? It is good to remember that Hypnosis is not a quick fix to the issues in your life. It may work quicker than other modalities, however it is not a onetime quick fix. ONE issue may take up to 8 sessions. Sometimes the subconscious is not ready to release at the first session, and thus it might take a little longer. Often it is possible to find solutions in as little as three to six sessions. The subconscious decides how fast or quickly you work through an issue. Each client is unique and thus so is every session. In client centred hypnosis therapy the therapy moves at a pace that suits the client, and in the time that the client is ready for. Thereafter the client may decide to come for yearly reinforcement session's or perhaps begin another hypnotherapy journey to address a different issue.
What about hypnosis session for Stress Management?
Sessions can be scheduled as and when the client feel they need them, especially high performance individuals who work in stressful environments. However it is recommended that if a client is experiencing burn-out or anxiety that they commit to working through the issue to address the root cause, and thus they will need to commit to a series of sessions.
Can I just come for one session, to see if hypnosis therapy is right for me? Yes, often new client’s first want to experience the modality before committing themselves. Also, it is important to choose the right hypnosis therapist— not everyone will be the right fit for each other, and that is ok. In order to get the best results choose a hypnosis therapist that you resonate and feel safe with.