Hypnotherapy with Dr. Y...Applications │Hypnosis │FAQ's │Regression Therapy What is Hypnotherapy?Hypnotherapy combines hypnosis with other psychological treatment modalities. Dr. Yardley combines hypnosis with neural linguistic programming, Ericksonian techniques, cognitive-behavioral therapy, transactional analysis, and other standard psychotherapies. Why hypnotherapy?It is fast, effective, and powerful. Unlike "talk" therapy in which the patient and therapist sit there and talk to each other, hypnotherapy cuts through the talk and many defense mechanisms that often get in the way of talk therapy, and can quickly get to the underlying causes that are driving the unwanted behavior. Hypnotherapy facilitates the subconscious and conscious mind to work together to solve and resolve problems. It is an experiential process rather than a "think-about" process. HypnosisHypnosis takes advantage of our natural ability to enter into an altered state of consciousness. It is very similar to the state of mind you are in just as your dozing off or waking up--not quite awake, yet not asleep either. It is a state that is very focused thanks to a part of your brain called the reticular activating system. In this state you have access to subconscious processes involved with healing, creativity, and memories that are not easily accessible in your everyday waking state. Consequently, hypnosis is a natural process that can be utilized to facilitate, enhance, and accelerate therapy. For more on hypnosis, see the FAQ's below. Applications: with what problems is hypnotherapy useful?
Regression TherapyIn regression therapy, a type of hypnotherapy, patients are guided back in time to the source of their problem. Often this source is an event or events that occurred earlier in their life or during childhood. And so regression therapy takes them back to these earlier times or childhood. The memories of these events are often forgotten or, in the case of traumas, repressed. Hidden memories use a lot of energy to keep hidden and continually interfere with patients' lives in the form of unwanted behaviors and other problems. They can even manifest themselves at the physical level, e.g. many female patients with gynecological medical problems were sexually abused as children. By uncovering these hidden memories and re-experiencing the traumatic events in a therapeutic environment, a process called abreaction, healing can be accomplished. Sometimes when patients are regressed, they will go back in time to what is experienced as a past life. Whether or not these experiences actually are past lives, they can be very therapeutic. There is an entire branch of therapy called "past-life therapy" that takes advantage of the therapeutic value of these experiences. FAQ (frequently asked questions about hypnotherapy and hypnosis):1. Is hypnosis really "natural"? Yes. Hypnosis is a very focused state of consciousness that takes advantage of the the body's natural biorhythms. Biorhythms are the natural cycles we go through. For example, we have a 24-hour daily wake-sleep cycle, an annual spring-summer-fall-winter cycle, a lunar (or moon) cycle (e.g., the menstrual cycle in women), etc. Hypnosis takes advantage of a type of biorhythm called ultradian or rest-activity cycles that our bodies go through several times a day, even when we are asleep. Each cycle spans from 90-120 minutes (usually). During the activity phase of the cycle, which lasts about 90 minutes, we operate in a left-brain (left cerebral hemisphere) dominant mode (for right handed people). This is the part of the cycle we normally think of as our waking consciousness. But then the body needs to rest and it wants to enter a right-brain resting phase of the cycle, which lasts about 20 minutes. Hypnosis takes advantage of this natural resting phase. 2. Can everyone be hypnotized? Well, yes, but some better than others. Since it is a normal state that everyone passes through, everyone can be hypnotized. However, having said this, hypnosis can be resisted. An individual is not hypnotized by someone if they do not want to be. You have to let yourself be hypnotized. More technically correct, you hypnotize yourself (focus your mind and relax) with the aid of a therapist. Hypnosis is really "self-hypnosis." Also, some people are more talented at being hypnotized because of their genes. About 5-10% of people are highly hypnotizable. The vast majority of individuals have varying degrees of hypnotizability, with some being very hypnotizable ranging down to those that have low hypnotizability. Remember, if you do not want to be hypnotized, you cannot be. 3. Who should do hypnotherapy? Only a professional hypnotherapist. It takes special, professional training to be a hypnotherapist--both in techniques of hypnosis and counseling. In my case, not only have I had the required training in counseling to be a licensed professional counselor and a basic 60-hours of hypnotherapy training, but I have several hundred hours of additional training in hypnotherapy and related techniques. 4. Can it be dangerous? Intense, yes; dangerous, no--not in the hands of a professional. Under hypnosis, you are much more suggestible than in your normal waking state of mind. Foolish or insensitive suggestions given by non-professionals can create anxiety, but in general, if you do not want to follow a suggestion, then you won't. 5. I don't like someone else being in control of me. Is the hypnotherapist controlling me? Under hypnosis you are always "in control", not the hypnotherapist. You always know what is going on. Part of your mind (mainly your left brain) is always in attendance, watching over what is going on. Again, if you don't want to follow a suggestion, you won't do it. And, during the process, if you want to wake up (come out of the hypnotic state), you can just tell yourself to wake up. 6. What does it feel like to be hypnotized? You always know what is going on. Keep that in mind. Hypnosis can be very relaxing, but you are not asleep or unconscious. Your mind is active, aware, and in control. You will find that under hypnotherapy that I use, you don't have to go "deep" into hypnosis to get its benefits. There is a continuum of hypnotic depth from light hypnosis (hypnoidal) to a state called somnambulant. Usually, with hypnotherapy you will be closer to the light end of the continuum. In fact, going too deep is a detriment in hypnotherapy. 7. How can I facilitate the hypnotherapeutic process? Share with your therapist your reactions to treatments and hypnotherapy. Many of the benefits from hypnotherapy are derived after you leave the session. Keep a journal. Especially pay attention to and record your dreams. Note where you resistance comes up and let your therapist know. Dreams, resistances, and reactions to hypnotherapy, can provide important clues to your problems. Serving upstate South Carolina and surrounding areas (Clemson, Seneca, Central, Anderson, Easley, Greenville, Pickens). Contact Top Therapeutic Approaches Index
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