- WHAT IS HYPNOSIS ?

Hypnosis is a relaxing, pleasant experience where your attention is focused inwards. Infact we go into hypnosis many times a day, so much so that it is a common occurance & feeling. The most common definition used by most hypnotists (incidently is also the U.S Governments too) is that hypnosis is 'the bypass of the critical factor and establishment of selective thinking'. The Critical Factor is simply the protective part of our mind that critisizes and judges everything before that enters our subconcious - this allows us to filter out any bad suggestions from affecting us. In hypnotherapy this part of our mind is relaxed out of the way so that therapeutic suggestions can be allowed to take effect for benificial means.

- WHAT IS THE SUBCONCIOUS?

What we are aware of right now is known as conciousness. Everything else going on 'behind the scenes' in our mind is called the subconcious or unconcious part. This part stores all our memories, emotions and beliefs and generates feelings in our bodies. The subconcious looks after and regulates what goes on the body - the mind and body work together as a team. Using hypnosis we can get access to this subconcious part to effect what goes on within us.

- IS HYPNOSIS MEDICALLY RECOGNISED?

Hypnotism is legally acknowledged and defined by the Hypnotism Act 1952 in the UK Book of Statutes. In their 1892 Hypnotism Report, the British Medical Association (BMA) officially recognise the hypnotic trance:

The Committee, having completed such investigation of hypnotism as time permitted, have to report that they have satisfied themselves of the genuineness of the hypnotic state.' The Committee also acknowledged that ? as a therapeutic agent hypnotism is frequently effective in relieving pain, procuring sleep, and alleviating many functional ailments ' (BMA, 1892).

In 1955 a follow-up report was commissioned which endorsed the findings of the original 1892 Committee, and added the conclusions that:

'hypnotism is of value and may be the treatment of choice in some cases of so-called psycho-somatic disorder and psychoneurosis. It may also be of value for revealing unrecognised motives and conflicts in such conditions. As a treatment, in the opinion of the Subcommittee it has proved its ability to remove symptoms and to alter morbid habits of thought and behaviour. [?] In addition to the treatment of psychiatric disabilities, there is a place for hypnotism in the production of anaesthesia or analgesia for surgical and dental operations, and in suitable subjects it is an effective method of relieving pain in childbirth without altering the normal course of labour.' (BMA, 1955)

In 2002, Skills for Health, an organisation licensed by the UK Government to act as the Skills Sector Council for the health sector, published a set of National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Hypnotherapy, developed in collaboration with lead bodies in the hypnotherapy field . (taken from - http://www.ukhypnosis.com/).

- CAN I BE MADE TO DO SOMETHING AGAINST MY WILL?

Although the critical part of our mind is relaxed, you are not asleep or unconcious. The critical part can still 'jump' in to block suggestions that are not of benefit to us at that time. In hypnosis you are still concious (only one filter is bypassed) and able to hear everything going on, you can still selectively choose which suggestions you want to take.

- CAN ANYBODY BE HYPNOTISED?

Hypnosis is a consent state - in that you do it to yourself. If you refuse to do it then you cannot be hypnotised. All it takes is the ability to think and focus your mind. However not having met everyone it's hard to say. It's generally considered to revolve around whether or not the hypnotist has the skill rather than the client not being able.

- HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS HYPNOTISED?

You will be very happy and relaxed for a start, which feels vaguely familiar but just different, feelings of time passing quicker than usual are quite common. The hypnotist will also use what is known as a 'convincer'. This is to utilise hypnotic phenomena that isn't readily available to the concious state of mind.

- HOW EFFECTIVE IS HYPNOTHERAPY?

A noted psychologist's comparative study of effectiveness reports in psychology and psychotherapy literature revealed that of the major therapeutic approaches, hypnosis is one of the most effective (see Alfred A. Barrios, PhD, in Psychotherapy Magazine , v7n1, and in Theory, Research, and Practice , Spring 1970):

* Psychoanalysis: 38% recovery after 600 sessions.

* Behavior Therapy: 72% recovery after 22 sessions.

* Hypnotherapy: 93% recovery after 6 sessions.

As you can see, there's a very good reason why hypnosis is one of the leading processes chosen by the folks at the forefront of the brief therapy movement.