What is trance?
Trance is a completely natural state, a bit like daydreaming. We go into trance every day; when we watch TV, when we are so absorbed in a task we are unaware of time passing, when we drive and get to our destination and bits of the journey are a blur. In fact our brains naturally switch to an altered consciousness every 90-120 minutes so trance is a perfectly natural way of being.
In trance you have an inwardly focused attention that can allow you to make changes to your thoughts and feelings by accessing your unconscious processing.
Trance is not the same as sleep. You are aware of what is happening at all times and you are always in control.
Why does hypnosis work?
Often the issue behind our problems is running at an unconscious level. Our unconscious has our best interests at heart but sometimes what started as a useful way of dealing with a situation becomes bad for us.
For example, you were anxious in a social situation so you had a couple of alcoholic drinks and felt relaxed and happy. Your unconscious then decided social situations were better with alcohol. Now you find it hard to stop drinking even though it has become harmful to your health and consciously you know it’s a bad idea.
So in order to deal with the pattern we need to address it at the level it is running, the unconscious. In hypnotic trance, your logical thinking can be bypassed and suggestions for change can be made to your unconscious.
What happens in a session?
In the first part of your session, we will discuss the issue that has brought you to hypnotherapy. Work can begin here as strategic questioning can help you start to see the behaviour patterns that are running.
Then after discussing how hypnosis works and answering any questions you may have we move to trance induction. Here suggestions to relax and become more internally focused help you attain a trance state. Once in trance, hypnotic suggestions for new ways of thinking and being are given. These can take the form of metaphors or stories and not necessarily direct suggestions. This is where the change work starts.
At the close of the session, you will be invited to slowly come back from the trance state. Once back to full consciousness we can check in on how you’re feeling and answer any questions.
How many sessions will I need?
One of the beauties of hypnotherapy is how quickly change can be accomplished. In as little as 3 to 6 sessions a new way of being is achieved. In contrast many other therapies (CBT and psychoanalysis) take months and years of appointments. Generally, a minimum of 4 sessions are required and we offer discounts if you opt for a 4 session package.