Hypnosis Helps Out

Hypnotherapist Andrew Stratton explains the ins and outs of hypnotherapy and how it can help to maximise your life and rid you of old unwanted behaviours...

What is trance? It's something you experience all the time and is a totally natural state. Typical examples are when you're absorbed in a film or when you get that sense of flow while doing something active or creative.

How does hynotherapy work? Often, if we're directly told to change in a certain way, it can seem like a big challenge. By putting someone into trance, they will be more likely to accept helpful suggestions at a subconcious level and so easily adopt more helpful patterns of behaviour.

What problems can it solve? Just about anything. If you think you beed a psychological shift in perspective, then hypnosis can help. Most commonly, people use it to stop smoking, but it's popular to use it to overcome phobias and reduce anxiety. It's even possible to change things deep in the subconcious mind and cure eczema or lower blood pressure.

Will I be made to cluck like a chicken? Only if you want to! You're completely in control when being hypnotised and if something happens you don't agree with, alarm bells will sound and your concious mind will be alerted.

Top tips for Self-hypnosis

Scan your body

It can be quite nice to spend a few moments noticing the sensations from your feet on the floor right up to the top of your head. You can imagine stepping into a warm bath or simply having each muscle gently soothed. Another fun thing to do is move your awareness up your back, around your head and face, back down the front of your body, around the soles of your feet and then keep circling around like this.

Special place

With each out breath you take, imagine going down some steps or a lift towards a relaxing place. Many people choose a beach, but it can be anywhere that makes you feel really calm. Use all your senses to build up a complete impression of this safe place. Once you're able to calm down to a comfortable level, you might like to visualise a healing object floating towards you, feeling its powers all the more asd it gets closer. Finally, take hold of this object and allow your body to feel invigorated and alive.

For more information and free downloads, visit Andrew's website: Change in Mind