Hypnosis is a state of extreme relaxation which can facilitate change in your subconscious mind by giving suggestions on new behaviours or new ways of dealing with situations. Hypnosis is a trance like state and everyone has the ability to enter into a trance. Everyday, people slip into a natural trance state when they become absorbed in watching television, or reading a book, using computers or even driving. With counselling hypnotherapy/psychotherapy you can discuss problem openly in the state of hypnosis where the logical part, the conscious mind, is not involved. The conscious mind can only handle 5 to 7 thoughts are any one time. The subconscious mind acts 30 seconds faster than the conscious mind – by the time you are consciously aware, your thoughts and your body have already responded whether it is blushing, angrily lashing out or whatever the problem may be. Counselling hypnotherapy enables you to deal with pattern breaking. Again, you are aware that logical plays no part in behaviours – they are learned responses and conditioned within the subconscious mind. But with NLP (neurolinguistic programming) and subsequent deepening with hypnotherapy and using cognitive behavioural techniques (CBT), you are able to choose the responses that are more beneficial to you.
Counselling hypnotherapy/psychotherapy you focus inwards in a relaxed state on the how you really want to be. You engage with me by answering questions and we build the image of your ideal self. For example, public speaking or panic attacks – how would the calmer, more relaxed you behave, what that would look like, how it would feel to be calmer and more in control. What your thoughts are focused are when calm and relaxed. While we cannot change the past, with counselling hypnotherapy/psychotherapy you breaking habits of life time and repeated practice of the new, more resourceful techniques condition these with practice.
The subconscious mind does not know the difference between what is real or imagined. That is why when you perceive fear/anticipate bad things happening, the body reacts as though it is actually happening.
Brain Waves At Play:
- Beta State: This is the conscious/alert state. Your conscious mind is like a security guard determining what gets in and what gets discarded. In this state, we monitor our responses as best we can. Not an ideal state for making positive, permanent changes.
- Alpha State: Day-dreaming/creative/eyes closed state. This is the ideal state for NLP and visualisation. In this state, I prompt you with questions (to keep you focused on the change you want to make) and from here the ideal behaviours/look/feelings are refined.
- Theta State: Dreaming/hypnotic state. You are right in the zone where the formula for change can be implemented and take root and are re-enforced in the deepest part of your mind. You still have awareness but are not bothered by any external stimuli.
- Delta State: Sleep state.
There are two types of hypnosis:
Suggestion Therapy: This is the hypnosis used in problems like smoking, nail biting, fear of flying – 1 to 3 sesssions is all that is required. We focused on what it is you want to achieve (solution focused) and how you imagine life to be without this problem.
Counselling Hypnotherapy: Hypno-psychotherapy (or hypno-analysis), a treatment for emotional problems which is psychotherapy using hypnosis to help people in a more effective and faster timeframe than traditional psychotherapy. It works by guiding the client into a state of relaxation that then gives access to the subconscious mind. Remember every problem was once a solution. It served a purpose and we address this issue.
NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming): NLP involves the way we think (neuro), how we express this (linguistic) and our behaviour pattern (programming). To make permanent changes, the change process must involve our thinking, feelings, visuals, smells, in fact, all our senses. In the alpha state (day-dreaming) we see what we want to be like, the behaviour we desire and for this to be so what our feelings, thoughts are to re-enforce this change. With new neural connections, the brain allows the modifications, the changes to be made and with conditioning this becomes the new way of being.
Solution focused hypnotherapy/psychotherapy aims to help you get to the root of your problem in as little as 2 to 3 months. 3 months of hypnotherapy equates to 3 years of psychotherapy. After an initial session, a plan is implemented. You will not be in therapy for any longer than 12 sessions. We find the cause and the effect of your issue so that you can move forward without repeating past patterns.
CASE STUDIES:
Stop Smoking & Hypnosis: Client male, aged 50. Long time heavy smoker. Tired of coughing up his lungs every morning. Wanted to experience life without being controlled by cigarettes. Stopped smoking in just one session. Focused and determined to make the change.
Stop Smoking & Hypnosis: Client female, early 30s. Only smoked with alchol. Successfully stopped in one session. Determined and focused on being stopped. Wanted to be a better example to her children.
Panic Attacks & Hypnotherapy: Client female, mid 30s. Nightly panic attack at 7 pm every night. Relationship issues suffered. Attacks had an attention seeking purpose. With hypnotherapy she became aware of the cause and we reduced its effect. Worry element of her panic attacks also reduced significantly as she took control over what she could worry about and allowed herself only a 20 minute time frame to worry every day – this significantly reduced as the sessions progressed.
Social Anxiety & Hypnotherapy: Client male, early 20s. Severe social anxiety and paranoia. Going to parties but sitting in the corner drinking what the alcohol he had brought. Joining in when only very drunk. Hypnotherapy (12 sessions). Big improvement, less “inside his head”, able to socialise. More confidence. Also reduced his dependency on alcohol. Using alcohol to self medicate.
Anger Management & Hypnotherapy: Client male, late 30s. On verge of suicide as he felt he could no longer continue hurting his family and himself with his temper. Within one week, marked reduction in irritability, better sleep. Uncovered issues dealing with self esteem. IBS improved. Carried his anger in the pit of his stomach. Huge improvement. More level-headed and developed his confidence. A new more positive life.
Fear of Flying & Hypnosis: Client female, 50s. Always drunk when flying but hang-overs on landing becoming intolerable. Masking vodka inside litre cola bottles (pre-restrictions on bottles being brought through airport.) One session – had a great flight without any alcohol or Valium. As soon as she got home booked another flight!
Infertility & Hypnotherapy: Client female early 30s. Lost her joy and sense of self as so focused on becoming pregnant. Within two sessions, told it was “good to have her back” by a family member. Felt her heaviness inside her chest. Demonstrated techniques and worked through issues. Became pregnant 18 months later.
Blushing and Hypnosis: Client female late 20s. Blushing excessively at work. Had been headhunted and did not want this problemt to follow her to new job. Had two sessions before starting new job. On first day had to present to senior management (had expected first few days to be easy). Management impressed with her ideas and how she could add value. Confidence soaring. Blushing a distant memory.
Psoriasis: Client female early 40s. Psoriasis triggered from stress. Within two sessions, had review appointment at hospital clinic and doctor was amazed that psoriasis was gone – doctor knew from prescribed medication that psoriasis had been severe. Patient delighted.
Consultations in Upper Baggot Street, Dublin 2 and Portlaoise, Co. Laois.
Tel: 086 1038892 or email zita@zitastanley.com
If you are unable to see me in person, please visit my colleagues at Hypnosis Downloads.
