Susan Shirley

Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis can be used to assist in many conditions, particularly with things like reducing or stopping smoking, but also to assist in pain relief, other habits and anxiety. But what is a hypnotic state? It can best be described as being like daydreaming, a trance state. It's similar to the way we might become so absorbed with the book we are reading, that we miss our stop on the tube. It is not sleeping. The EEG patterbs of those tested whilst under hypnosis and whilst asleep are different. Quite often, people don't feel as though they have been hypnotised at all at the end of the session, but they usually see changes within a few days.

Hypnosis has got a bad press of late, in part because of stage hypnotists who appear to make people act in a stupid fashion, so let's get this one straight right away - NO-ONE CAN BE FORCED TO DO ANYTHING UNDER HYPNOSIS THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO DO. You will not be unconscious and you cannot be hypnotised if you don't want to be.

You cannot "get stuck in a trance." The individual can end the trance whenever they choose, although to be most effective, it is better to wait until the therapist does this.

During your first session, I will take a full medical history, to ensure that there is no reason why you should not undergo hypnotherapy and that it is the right treatment for you. The length of time it will take for treatment varies from one person to another - if I don't think there is any hope of success, I will tell you.