NLP Hypnosis Manchester - Why hypnosis works

"Hypnosis is powerful tool for change." You'll read this time and time again. However, rarely do hypnotherapists explain how or why this is true. We'd like to explain how it all works.

According to some research, up to 80% of the things we do are done without conscious thought or control. This is really important to understand because, no matter what the problem (be it with confidence, anxiety, an eating disorder, a habit, jealousy, etc) these negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours are being created by you unconsciously, in a way that goes beyond conscious will and understanding...

It's not as if you consciously choose to do these things you'd like to change; rather, it's as if these thoughts, feelings or behaviours take over and you find yourself struggling; it's as if you're being hijacked from within.

So, when a person is in a state of hypnosis, you express yourself more fully from that part of you which is doing these things. What this means is, the therapy you experience when in hypnosis sinks in deeply, powerfully, profoundly.

This is important because a therapy like counselling or CBT can take many, many sessions for the lesson to sink in. Using hypnosis, a person’s understanding can be accelerated greatly, because when a person is in a state of hypnosis, naturally that person is more receptive to any lessons learnt at that time.

(Receptive, by the way, doesn’t mean gullible – if I were to tell a person in a state of hypnosis “And now you’ll get up and jump out of the window” OF COURSE that person would actually get up and give me a piece of their mind for giving them such a ridiculous suggestion!)

So when trying to understand how hypnosis helps, realise that it’s the therapy delivered in hypnosis that helps; hypnosis is just the vehicle by which it is delivered. The benefit of using hypnosis is that therapeutic lessons are learned more quickly, more deeply, because you’re listening with a deeper part of you, that part of you which is causing the behaviours you want to change.

Here are Lasting Change Hypnotherapy and NLP, we understand this completely - it is the paradigm through which we offer an expert service. Some hypnotherapists will just use standard scripts; here there is nothing standard about our approach, our practitioners, and our work.

If you can understand this, then you can see why it makes sense to get in touch with us first - click here and find out more...

The real reason that our clients find the change they are looking for is our level of experience and training; our ability to understand why people have the problems they do, and what can be done to help a person change. Hypnosis is a special tool that allows us to deliver that expertise.

Here you'll find honest answers to your questions (more honest than some websites out there). Have a read through and if you have any further questions or comments, you can always get in touch.

Is hypnosis Dangerous?

Hypnosis causes a gentle relaxation of physiological functions, coupled with an inner, psychological absorption. Such responses are inherently healthy, reducing stress and discomfort, and can relieve hypertension, anxiety and pain. Hypnosis also helps to foster feelings of self-control, increased self-confidence, enhanced emotional well-being, and a freedom from past traumas. Far from being dangerous, hypnosis is an incredible tool for bringing about psychological or physical change.

With that in mind, it is important to get a good therapist, not just somebody who has learned how to hypnotise people, but somebody who is interested in the art & science of therapy, psychology, and health.

Hypnosis in itself just isn’t dangerous, it is beneficial for the body & mind. It is important that you visit a skilled therapist; consider how long they have been in practice, what approaches they take in therapy, whether they are flexible and knowledgeable enough to help YOU.

Hypnotherapy has been recognised by the British Medical Association since 1955. All of our practitioners are experiences, insured, and qualified to practice.

In hypnosis, are you are asleep or unconscious (i.e. “Put under”)?

Most researchers agree that hypnosis is a result of normal psychological function, coupled with certain sociological forces. However, it has nothing to do with being unconscious. Realise that physical or mental relaxation need not be present in order for hypnosis to occur – you can be very alert and yet still hypnotised.

Whilst experiencing hypnosis in a clinical setting, it will always involve relaxation, and you will always retains your conscious awareness...

Are there people who cannot be hypnotised?

There is defnitely a spectrum of responsiveness to hypnosis. This spectrum depends on a whole array of factors. These factors could be intrapersonal, such as a fear of hypnosis, ability to relax, a belief that it can't be done, etc. Similarly, these factors can also be situational, such as the room in which the hypnosis is being carried out, or the time of day the session is being carried out. Finally, these factors can also be intrapersonal, e.g. personal rapport between the hypnotist and the client.

According to some research (Gfeller, 1993; Wagstaff, 1996), “low” hypnotisables can become more responsive to hypnotic techniques with simple exercises and practice.

In truth, everyone can be hypnotised if they want to be, and most want to be - even if they are a little nervous to begin. All it takes is feeling comfortable with the idea of going into it. To give you an idea – one of our practitioners here has hypnotised thousands of people in his time (so far) and he can count 3 people who wouldn't be hypnotised (and one of those kept pinching herself! Perhaps she really didn’t want to stop smoking after all…)

Some people find it easier than others to begin with, but with practice it just gets easier and easier.

Isn't it only the weak-minded or weak-willed that can be hypnotised?

There has been a lot of scientific research into whether specific personality traits correlate with being “more hypnotisable”. According to research the ability to be hypnotised does not correlate with any specific personality trait (Kirsch & Council, 1992), including a person’s capacity for 'a strong will' (Kirsh, Lynn, & Rhue, 1993; 1996).

This is one of those things said by people who believe that hypnosis is some form of mind control. There is simply no connection between being ’strong willed’ or ‘weak willed’ and hypnosis.

Can I be hypnotised to do or say something against my will?

This is an interesting one. Virtually all hypnotherapists will tell you that you can’t be made to do anything you don’t want to do, and that is essentiall true.

The conditions necessary to brainwash a person are just not found in a hypnotherapy session (Yapko, 2003). Hypnosis doesn’t make you gullible, stupid, or blind. We are a team of professional therapists first and foremost, and you will always be treated with the utmost respect throughout any therapy session:

• All of the team here are full members of the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR).
• We are fully bound by their code of ethics.
• We are fully insured to practice hypnotherapy and NLP.

Nobody will try and make you say or do something against your will in our practice. Ever.

Will I tell you all of my secrets?

Hypnosis is not a truth serum! It is a process that is dependent on personal choice. A hypnotised person can still decide what they do or do not want to say.

(Much research has been carried out into this, particularly by “Millitary Intelligence” types. It was quickly established that hypnosis doesn't force people to tell the truth).

When experiencing hypnosis, you still have free will. You don’t have to do, or say, anything that you do not want to.

Can I get “stuck” in hypnosis?

Let's be clear - hypnosis is an experience of focused attention, which is controlled by you, the client. It is literally impossible to become “stuck”.

Think about this one for a moment, it might be difficult to tear yourself away from a good book or from the TV, but you can't get 'stuck' there. The idea that hypnosis could last for days, or months, or years, just doesn't make sense.

In hypnosis - you, the client, are always in control.

I don't believe in hypnosis, it's just simple relaxation / acting / meditation, etc...

Is hypnosis simply relaxation? Definitely not. Let's be clear - no one would simply complete a relaxation exercise (even a deeply relaxing one) and then expect to undergo surgery painlessly. If you would like to see more hypno-anesthesia (and you’re not squeamish) then click here. There is more to hypnosis than simple relax-o-therapy.

Expectation and social factors do play a part in hypnosis. However, whether hypnosis is a special state, a transactional outcome, a socio-cognitive experience, or all of the above and more, one thing is for certain: it is not just mere relaxation.

Hypnosis is a powerful tool for change because it makes therapy more effective. Here at Lasting Change, we understand this better than most....

Will hypnosis make me remember bad things from my past?

One thing hypnosis can do is help a person recover repressed memories from the past. This in itself can be massively healing, because once the emotions are removed, the memory is no longer having a distorting effect on our emotions, our thoughts, and our behaviours.

However - some people naturally fear what memories might “come up” when delving into the past. People fear the worst (Trauma with a capital “T” – abuse and the like) but in all of our combined years of practicing we have never, ever seen this. Where that kind of Trauma exists, people know – even if the actual event has been repressed.

Our memories of the past have an effect on who we are in the present. Using hypnosis the past can be cleared up. Don’t expect hypnosis to help you accurately recall every little detail in your past, but don’t fear using hypnosis to look at the past through different eyes, either. The best thing about the past is that it’s over. It only exists as events encoded into the neurons in your brain. As such those memories are your posessions, and you are free to do with them what you will.

What is NLP?

NLP, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, began as a study of how some great therapists managed to achieve consistently impressive results. This means that NLP a form of psychotherapy. From there it grew into a study of how and why we behave in the way we do, and as such can be considered a branch of experimental psychology.

From this, NLP has now grown to accepted by a wide range of fields, such as sports science, sales and marketing, business communication, healing and health, and education. So now NLP is a systematic approach to changing the way we think, behave and communicate in order to improve our experience of life. It is a broad field, concerned with matters such as:

Language. Our use of language is important. For example, if you say “I will try to stop smoking” – you are not likely to succeed. It is the same as saying “I tried to open the door…” which means that you failed to open the door. NLP is concerned with language because it is so important to our experience of life.

Perception. We experience the world through our five senses (six if you’re a woman ;-) Our perceptions of ourselves, others, and the world at large depend on the relationship we have with our senses. Understanding this subjective perception means it can be harnessed for powerful, positive change.

Relationships, including the relationship with have with ourselves. Understanding relationships, how to build rapport, how to see from another person’s point of view, how to communicate effectively… all will improve a person’s experience in life.

Strategies. We have strategies for everything we do: motivating ourselves, learning, remembering (or not!), decision making. Understanding our strategies (and then improving them) again will always improve a person’s experience of life.

The Mind. Not so much the scientific study of its function, but instead a model of functioning based around presuppositions such as “All actions have a purpose” (although we might not understand what that purpose is); “Every behaviour has a positive intention” – to achieve something that we value and benefits us; “The unconscious mind balances the conscious; it is not malicious”; “The mind and body form a system” - meaning that it is not possible to make a change in one without the other being affected to some degree. There is more, but you get the gist...

State. By state I mean the physical, psychological and emotional difference between say “Shy” and “Confident”, “Motivated” and “Lazy”, “Happy” and “Sad”, etc, etc. Knowing what your state is and how it can be changed is vital to being able to rise to any challenge in life.

Hypnosis. Because NLP was born, in part, from a study of the great hypnotherapist Milton Erickson, a lot of NLP can take place in a trance-like state. Hypnosis and NLP are closely related.

Change. The point of NLP. All of the ideas, studies, techniques, etc are there to help a person change. NLP is a study of how other people change, so you can change.

Okay, so it is safe and professional. What can I expect on the day?

To learn more about what to expect, review our prices, and then get in touch, read more here.

Why not send us a quick enquiry?

We know deciding to make changes can be a daunting step, but you've done the hard part in looking at this website. Whilst you're here, why not just send us a message - there is no obligation and we'll get back to you straight away.

Alternatively you can send us a quick email. We'll be really happy to hear from you.

Do you offer any guarantees?

Therapy is a process, not a quick fix - we know some "therapists" do it, but in reality it's not ethical to offer a guaranteed solution to all of your problems. However, we are very thourough in our work,offering a top-quality expert service that really sets us apart. We will always place your best interests first.

Remember - you do not have to suffer with these problems indefinitely. You can change and modern day NLP hypnosis Manchester can help. You can either call or send us a message via our website. We'd be really happy to hear from you.