Hypnotherapy Myths
​Myth #1 – Hypnotherapy is mind control!
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Not at all. No one under hypnosis can be induced to do anything against his or her will. Whatever moral and ethical codes you hold in a normal waking state will still be in place under hypnosis. You can actually lie when in hypnosis.
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Your unconscious mind job is to protect and help you. Just like you cannot be made to do anything against your moral code, you will not say anything that is embarrassing and will not reveal more than you are comfortable doing. Usually, if a hypnotherapist`s suggestion conflicts with a client’s value system, the client simply brings him or herself up out of hypnosis; they just “wake up.” You are in complete control at all times.
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Hypnotherapy is a gentle, loving process and hypnotherapists are trained to not judge. You will heal and change in your own timing.
Myth #2 – You will not remember anything from the session!
Some people leave their first hypnotherapy session saying, "I wasn't hypnotized - I knew what was going on the whole time!" Well of course you did! Hypnosis is not a state of amnesia or of no awareness. Just the opposite true, in fact: hypnosis is a state of very heightened awareness and focus.
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There are many different depths of hypnosis a client can experience during a session. These varying levels are natural to the relaxation cycle. The hypnotherapist can monitor how deep a person goes into hypnosis and can bring them “up” if they need to be more aware in a session.
Myth #3 – Will I bark like a dog or cluck like a chicken?
Let me guess: you've seen a stage show where a hypnotist made people do all these crazy things. Or, perhaps you have ideas from Hollywood's movies and TV. The stage hypnotist carefully selects his subjects (watch how many volunteers he has sit down), and he chooses people he knows WILL bark like a dog. They will because somewhere inside them is a part that loves to entertain. And they will do it because, deep down inside, they don't believe there is anything wrong with barking like a dog.
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Hypnosis can not make you do something that is against your morals or ethics. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis, in truth, and no hypnotist can make you do something that you really don't want to do. That's why some people can be hypnotized to stop smoking and yet they still smoke. You have to want the change, agree with the change, and then hypnosis is an instrument for helping make that change better, faster, and permanent.
Myth #4 - Isn't Hypnosis dangerous?
There is no documented case of anyone being hurt with hypnosis. Hypnosis can only be used in a positive way. If anyone tries to give you suggestions against your morals, religious beliefs or anything you feel strongly about, you could instantly emerge from the state of relaxation on your own.
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You will want to choose a hypnotherapist that has been well trained and that is trustworthy. Select one that gives you confidence. Hypnosis is a safe and beneficial procedure when facilitated by an ethical and trained professional.
Myth #5 - What if I get stuck in a trance?
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Because you are always in control, if at any time you want to emerge from the state of hypnosis, for any reason, you will instantly, naturally open your eyes and become fully alert. No one can keep you in hypnosis against your will.
Myth #6 – I know someone that was hypnotized and it did not work for them so why would it work for me?
In order to change to a habit or a belief, there must be a want to change. Many people will say they are ready to make a change, but on some level they may not be ready. Hypnosis can help find out if the client is ready for change. A personalized session with a hypnotherapist, who can customize the approach, language and replacement suggestions to match your lifestyle and circumstances, will be much more effective than group hypnosis or listening to a generic CD.