What is Hypnosis?
By Michael Sancho
Hypnosis is an exciting progressive form of alternative medicine, self-improvement, and psychotherapy quickly becoming one of the fastest, easiest and most reliable ways to make positive and lasting change in your life. Hypnosis uses the unlimited power of your mind to develop higher awareness, recognize and break negative self- limiting patterns, and utilizes positive programming for growth, improvement and the change you desire. It assists you in taking control of your body your mind your energy and your life.

Can anyone be hypnotized?
Yes absolutely! Being in hypnotic trance is a very common state of mind, one that most people enter several times a day without even being aware of it. Have you ever been so involved in a movie or a good book that you become unaware of your surroundings? Have you ever driven from home to a place you knew well, or perhaps taken a long drive and it seemed as though you were driving automatically not really paying attention to how you got there? When you answer yes to either of these questions then you have already experienced a hypnotic state.
Another way I like to describe it is that your brain operates at 4 speeds. The 1st speed is your normal waking alertness, how you are most of the day. Your brain goes very fast and you're thinking about work, money, family, the future, the past, etc. The 4th speed is when you're sleeping and your brain goes very slow. You body continues essential functions but you can't have a conversation with someone. The 2nd speed is the daydreaming state I described that you may experience while reading a book, watching a movie or driving for example. You're not fully alert and you shouldn't drive a vehicle but you could. The 3rd speed is the deeply hypnotized state where it's more than a daydream but you're not asleep. In this state you're so relaxed you're generally not thinking about anything other than how good you feel unless directed to. You couldn't drive a vehicle but you could effortlessly answer in a normal voice any question asked of you by the Hypnotist.

Will I lose control or be made to do something I don't want to do like bark like a dog?
With hypnosis, you never lose control and can't be made to do anything against your morals, values or religion. While hypnotized, if the hypnotist asked you to give the password to your bank account, for example, you would say no just like as you would while fully alert.
The 2 popular places people hypnosis is used is in helping change bad habits people have developed and in entertainment. In the therapy application, the whole focus of the session is to solve the problem the client wants solved. The Hypnotist might suggest that when the client does a common thing like open a door that it will serve as a reminder to eat nutritiously. A good Hypnotist will offer many of these suggestions to assist the client in achieving their goals.
In the entertainment application, the person has volunteered to participate in the show. They want to be hypnotized and enjoy the experience. The audience members are thinking about what other people would think. The participants aren't even aware the audience as they're only focused on maintaining their own relaxed, deeply satisfied feeling. So when the Hypnotist makes a suggestion that when a particular word is mentioned during the show they will all bark like a dog, you may see 10 people on stage bark like a dog at the exact same time. Really they were just having fun in a carefree manner based on suggestions. These types of suggestions all disappear by the end of the show. These volunteers are often the same people that get up on stage and sing karaoke in front of others. The non-karaoke person is concerned with looking foolish while the karaoke singer just wants to relax and have fun. With stage hypnosis the participants have the most fun!

How does a hypnosis session feel?
Hypnosis feels different for everyone. Typically during a hypnosis session you will feel very relaxed and peaceful, sometimes experiencing a heightened state of awareness. Some people may experience euphoria, may drift off into a daydream or dreamlike state, or even feel as though they were asleep during a session. There are times when clients describe a sense of timelessness, a sense of floating out of their body, or a feeling of deep spiritual connectedness. It does vary from individual to individual and the level of hypnosis.

What happens during a hypnosis session?
A Hypnotist usually spends 15 minutes or more developing rapport with the client and clarifying what it is they would like to achieve. Once this is done the hypnotist will explain in detail what is going to happen during the actual hypnosis session and how it works. When an agreement has been made the client is asked to get comfortable and the Hypnotist begins to induce them into a very relaxed state. This is done in several different ways using a variety of techniques. After the client completely relaxes and shows signs of entering a trancelike state, the hypnotist will use positive suggestion, visualization, and different self-awareness techniques to help the client facilitate lasting change.
It is very common after a session to experience an extra burst of energy, feel lighter and happier, and even more confident, focused and in charge of your life.

Can Anyone Use Hypnosis?
If you have the desire to improve specific areas of your life and rid yourself of negative habits, thought patterns or actions that may be keeping you from being healthy, realizing your true potential, or achieving success and happiness then hypnosis is a great way to get a handle on these things. Very common uses for hypnosis are smoking cessation, weight loss, improvement of self-confidence and self-esteem, focus and goal-achievement, and athletic and academic enhancement. Hypnosis can also be used to reduce stress and deal with emotional or traumatic issues one might have.
Hypnosis does work both on children and adults and is very safe and effective. A typical session lasts an hour to two hours and is completely confidential. It is as equally important in this situation as in any other to make sure you are working with a practitioner who is knowledgeable and certified in this field. You should always feel safe and comfortable with the person who is making suggestions that will strongly affect your life.

Michael Sancho is a Certified Hypnotist in Laurel Maryland. He can be reached at 301-806-0055.