Did you know that hypnosis can be used for substance addiction?
Hypnotherapy is a type of alternative medicine that targets cognitive function and abilities. It has been successfully used to help people cope with stress, recover from addictions and illness, and break habits.
A lot of people are skeptical about hypnosis. They claim that hypnotherapy sessions or consultations aren’t as effective as medical procedures.
However, understanding how hypnotherapy works may lead you to believe otherwise.
In this post, we’ll discuss how hypnosis performed by people like hypnotist Richard Barker actually works. Read on for insight!
What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is performed by trained hypnotists. It is a healing modality designed to help clients travel inward and explore their own psyches.
The principle is quite basic.
A clinical hypnotherapist guides a client into hypnosis, a trance-like state. Once in this state, a client is able to examine underlying issues, problems, and desires in a focused and attentive manner.
This trance-like state is much like a state of subconscious immersion. Think about the times that a daydream or a good book has consumed your thoughts.
Hypnosis is very similar. In essence, this state enables a person’s subconscious to take over.
When the subconscious takes over, the client has the power to make changes in behaviors, thoughts, and views.
So what can hypnosis help with?
Hypnotherapy is an alternative healing modality that often supplements other therapy work.
However, it helps clients manage anxiety disorders and stress, addiction, fears and phobias, and negative behavioral patterns.
Other people have appreciated hypnotherapy for its ability to treat issues with sleep, personal relationships, diet, and compulsive behaviors.
Hypnotherapists even work with new mothers following a pregnancy. Elderly individuals facing death and cancer patients also benefit. Hypnotist Richard Barker even claims that hypnosis can improve people’s sex lives!
How Does it Work?
So how does hypnotism work?
Because hypnotherapy is an alternative form of medicine, many people assume that it can’t work. Others believe that it’s “all in the patient’s head.”
Well, it is, to some extent. Hypnotherapy work involves a person’s subconscious and conscious awareness.
However, it is so much more than that.
Hypnotherapy Is a Procedure
Hypnotherapy sessions are clinical procedures, much like any other medical or healing practice. Clinical hypnotists guide their clients through a coherent process when implementing therapy.
A hypnotherapy procedure requires that a client is in a trance-like state. Most procedures will begin with the hypnotist guiding patients into this particular state.
Most hypnotists will use different techniques to guide clients into this trance.
It’s important to note that people within hypnosis are not out of control of their bodies or minds, contrary to popular belief. Nor are they asleep or unconscious.
They enter a trance through guided relaxation, high levels of focus, and hyper-awareness. Once in this state, the real work can happen.
These procedures can last as long as the hypnotherapist sees fit. Some people get hypnotherapy as a supplemental procedure to psychotherapy or talk therapy.
Some procedures will have an aim in mind. Others are more organic and exploratory, depending on the client’s needs.
It Can Use the Power of Suggestion
Once in a trance, patients are more likely to be responsive to suggestions. This suggestive state is important for clients who are wanting to change certain behaviors thought patterns, or beliefs.
For example, a hypnotherapist may help an alcoholic change her thought patterns about alcohol. Using the power of suggestion, the therapist may offer ideas about changing dependencies or viewing alcohol in a different light.
Learn more about how hypnotherapy can help people stop smoking here.
The power of suggestion can be particularly healing for people suffering from physical pain. In this suggestive trance-like state, patients can control how they respond and experience pain at the moment.
Hypnotherapy Encourages Analysis
Much like regular talk therapy, hypnotherapy can help clients examine and analyze painful, traumatic, or troublesome thoughts and issues.
This type of hypnotherapy can be valuable for people who have suffered any kind of trauma. Clients who have experienced sexual abuse or assault, domestic violence, or a traumatic loss can use hypnotherapy to explore these issues.
Under hypnosis, clients can also identify the root causes of certain disorders or behaviors. People with an addiction or compulsive behavior can explore these actions under the care of a hypnotherapist.
In this sense, hypnotherapy functions much like other healing modalities, like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). EMDR can help individuals neurologically process traumatic incidents.
After an analytical hypnotherapy session, a client can use talk therapy or other treatments to flesh out discoveries further.
Next Steps With Hypnotist Richard Barker
If you are curious about what hypnotherapy can do for you, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, hypnotherapy is not designed to be a comprehensive, sole source of treatment for some people. It often supplements other procedures, depending on clinical recommendations.
Hypnotherapy can also be painful in its own way. This is especially true for patients dealing with traumatic experiences or troubling thoughts.
Often, hypnosis requires a client to explore and examine these thoughts, experiences, and memories.
While this is therapeutic, it can be difficult for some people. Hypnosis may also be scary for some people.
However, hypnotherapy is not a “last resort” medical procedure. It’s possible to begin work on any kind of issue with hypnotism itself.
It’s important to find the right hypnotherapist if you are ready to experience this modality. If you consult a psychologist, ask him or her for recommendations.
Otherwise, we recommend locating an accredited hypnotherapist via the AHA Hypnotherapist Directory.
If you’re still on the fence, you can always sign up for a private hypnosis session with hypnotist Richard Barker. These ninety-minute sessions deliver quick, personalized results for all individuals.
You can always ask Richard himself. Start a conversation now to learn more!
