Self-hypnosis vs. Hypnotherapy

The latest craze is purchasing all types of self-help materials. With the advancements in scientific study confirming the existence and many benefits of the hypnosis phenomenon, selling self-hypnosis techniques is no exception. There are numerous self-hypnosis Books, Cd's, DVDs, I-pod and computer downloads and 900 numbers on the market today, which cover treatments for negative habits, phobias, pain, disorders, and syndromes. Unfortunately, there is a wide gap between the ability to perform self-hypnosis technique and acquiring the knowledge necessary for hypnotherapy.

Scholars have argued for some time that the term Autosuggestion takes into account the placebo effect, which occurs when a patients symptoms are altered in some way due to the individual expecting or believing that it will work. As this relates to hypnosis, self-hypnosis is a state reached by the individual, leading to the generality that Autosuggestion correlates the statement “all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.” However, the difference between, relaxation, meditation, or the auto-suggestive self-hypnosis state may be indiscernible to the lay person that has never experienced hypnosis making it often difficult to realize changes or how to proceed to correct problems.

Self-hypnosis propaganda convinces the purchaser they will be able to treat their problem, as they listen and learn the self-hypnosis procedure, through the provided self-hypnosis materials. This would be analogous to teaching yourself Basic English grammar with the aid of a CD, and then automatically feeling you had the skills to formulate a novel. Put another way, you could learn from Internet sources how to remove a skin mole, however without proper training you would not be able to determine what, if any, anesthesia would be sufficient, you removed the entire mole, whether further treatment would be required, or the mole was benign or cancerous.
Self-help materials are therefore worthless without proper, educational guidance and structure.

By contrast, hypnotherapy is therapy performed by a hypnotist while a person is in a state of hypnosis (hypnotized). The procedure includes preparation (a fact-finding screening process to determine the mode of treatment and to establish rapport and confidence with your therapist), the induction (placing the patient into the hypnotic state), deepening (taking the patient to the desired depth or level necessary for treatment to begin), therapy (the use of words and sounds to change, alter, redirect, or eliminate a past negative events, conditioned habitual responses, manage or block pain, redirect energy patterns, create new reality, eliminating or altering formed non-reality, and develop posthypnotic suggestions to help the patient cope and stay on-track until the problem can be controlled or conquered). Conclusion (bringing the patient back into a conscious alert state of well being), and Follow-up session(s) (reinforcing the initial session and post-hypnotic suggestions, and establishing new positive events).

I recommend, before purchasing self-hypnosis materials, visiting a qualified hypnotherapist to help understand and achieve the hypnotic state, and recognize how to use self-help materials wisely. I also recommend using self help materials offered through your hypnotherapist, whom you have established rapport, can design a personalized program, and understands your particular problem. For further information please contact me @ carmelhypnosis@aol.com