FAQs

Hypnosis feels different for everyone, but most people find it very pleasant and deeply relaxing. Some people feel tingling, heaviness, or lightness in their arms and legs. Some people don’t even realize they were in the hypnotic state until the hypnotherapist guides them back out and they realize how relaxed they truly were. Some people compare it to deep meditation. 

If you can ever remember a time in the morning when you have been neither fully asleep nor fully awake, but becoming close to waking up completely, hypnosis feels a little bit like that.

When the appointment begins, we will check in about how things have been going for you, discuss goals and achievements, and go over what we will be addressing during the session. You will then be guided into the hypnotic state to work through the issue you would like to work on. Hypnosis is deeply relaxing, and while you are in this deeply relaxed, focused state, you will receive instructions and answer questions about what you are experiencing and what is coming up for you.

Throughout all of this, you remain completely aware and in control. At the end of the session, I will guide you back out of the hypnotic state and we will discuss your experience.

Most people love hypnosis because when you come back out, it can feel like you just woke up from a wonderful nap or received a really great massage. I always recommend to have a glass of water nearby for when we’re done with the session, a blanket for during the session, and to schedule sessions at a time when you know you will not be disturbed.

No. During hypnosis you always remain in control and aware of what’s happening. Unlike what is portrayed by movies and T.V. shows, hypnosis is nothing more than a state of relaxed deep focus. A hypnotherapist can never make you do anything you do not want to do, and if at any point in the session you wish to stop, that is completely fine and within your control.

The number of sessions you may need is decided on a case-by-case basis. A lot depends on your overall lifestyle and your level of motivation.

The goal of hypnotherapy is not to get you to keep coming back, but rather to empower you to overcome the issue you are being seen for and help you “graduate” with new tools you can use in your daily life going forward. The more deeply rooted a problem is, the more unhealthy your lifestyle, or the more external stressors you have, the more sessions it may take.

Clients usually start seeing results between the first 1-3 sessions, but it may take between 5-15 sessions or more to achieve permanent results, depending on the aforementioned factors. Even with the number of sessions you’ll receive during hypnotherapy, it will be significantly fewer than traditional psychotherapy or personal fitness training, for example.

Absolutely. In today’s society we have so many external stressors, like being stuck in traffic, running late for meetings, constant stimulation from movies, T.V., the internet, that our body’s stress response is being activated much more than it was for our more primitive human ancestors.

The more you can put yourself into the relaxation/healing state, the healthier you’ll be mentally and emotionally, and, consequently, physically, and hypnosis is a great way to do that.

Often when people schedule their initial hypnotherapy session, they are unsure of what to expect, but have seen movies and live shows that portray hypnosis in a negative light. Stage hypnosis shows are one of the most controversial topics amongst hypnotherapy practitioners for this very reason.

The difference between a stage hypnotist and a hypnotherapist is that a hypnotherapist utilizes hypnosis in a therapeutic way, while a stage hypnotist utilizes hypnosis for entertainment.

At the beginning of each show, a stage hypnotist usually conducts tests to see which of their audience members are the most susceptible to suggestion, while also noticing the people who are most extroverted and willing to do silly and fun things to entertain the group. They make sure to choose the most outgoing, fun loving, highly suggestible people who will go along with what they instruct to make you believe that they have the power to force anyone to behave in any way they suggest. 

But this is not actually true. Stage hypnotists and hypnotherapists cannot make anyone do anything they do not want to do. That is why it is imperative that the stage hypnotist do that test in the beginning of the show to find the most susceptible, uninhibited people who will enjoy being on stage and doing silly things for fun.

Even though both hypnotherapists and stage hypnotists utilize hypnosis, the goals, methods, beliefs, and outcomes between the two are very different.