What is Hypnotherapy?

History
Since about 1840, hypnosis, at that time called mesmerism, has been used with visualisation and suggestion to maximise relaxation and minimise pain for people undergoing surgery or childbirth. This is now called medical hypnotism.

From about 1860, some people attempted to use hypnotism to suggest away symptoms of emotional problems and inculcate positive thinking. This suggestion-hypnotism remains the most widely used form of hypnotherapy. In 1881, Josef Breuer, discovered that people in hypnosis often remember, with associated feelings, incidents and feelings which they had repressed from consciousness, in some instances for many years. Some practitioners realised that these reactions, if properly understood and handled, could be very beneficial to patients.

In Britain, it was developed further from 1958 onward by members of the British Hypnotherapy Association.

What happens during a treatment or session?
Usually, an appointment takes 50 minutes. The first is a consultation, at which hypnosis is not attempted but the patient is encouraged to talk freely and to answer appropriate questions. Often, with a skilled consultation the patient gets therapeutic benefit, even sometimes full recovery, as a result of simply having this consultation.

No competent therapist rushes into trying hypnosis; it may prove not to be appropriate and other forms of psychotherapy may be more helpful. The therapist must be a good listener, know what questions to ask, and what approach is best during the therapy.

The patient usually lies down on a couch to minimise distractions. No undress is required, no physical contact, and no 'staring eyes'. The therapist should be concerned about the patient as a whole, not simply the presenting symptom, but also any underlying causes.

Who and what is it good for?
Properly conducted insight hypnotherapy is good for understanding and resolving emotional problems. These may show in a psychological form, such as poor relationships, phobia, shyness, anxiety, amnesia, lack of confidence, dithering, exam nerves, indecision, and inhibition. Or a physical form, e.g. eczema, psoriasis, migraine, blushing, menstrual disorders, over-eating, insomnia, vaginismus, alcoholism or impotence. Adults of any age can benefit.

Who is it not good for and what can the side-effects be?
There have been no reported adverse effects amongst patients of fully qualified insight hypnotherapists.

Tips on choosing a suitable practitioner
Check the hypnotherapist’s credentials by consulting the association s/he belongs to. Ensure that you get any therapist’s terms and conditions and a description of the therapy he or she provides, in print, and that you are satisfied with the information. Don't fall for claims of 'a 95% success rate' or for bogus 'guarantees'.

You can see an authentic BHA hypnotherapist who has had at least four years of training and twenty years of experience for £60.

How many sessions will you need?
The number of sessions required varies greatly from one person to another, depending on the nature of the problems, the co-operation of the patient, the skill of the therapist, and the objectives, integrity and determination of both.

This information has been provided by The British Hypnotherapy Association, www.hypnotherapy-association.org. The BHA, founded in 1958 to raise standards in hypnotherapy, requires not only the highest standards of training but also that practitioners on its register continue to maintain standards of competence and ethics in their work. BHA hypnotherapists train for four years including having thorough insight therapy themselves.