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Hypnosis information from The British Academy of Hypnosis

Self Hypnosis

Clinical Hypnotherapy

Stage Hypnosis

 

David Knight - Master Hypnotist

An Introduction to Hypnosis

Today we find that hypnosis tends to fit nicely into three main categories. Self hypnosis, clinical hypnotherapy and stage hypnosis. From this page my intention is to give you more information on each subject and how hypnosis can help us. You mind is a very powerful computer and follows programs in a very similar way. We tend to make future choices and decisions based on the learning's that we have from our past experiences. This is great, otherwise if we did not learn, simple everyday things would become a challenge. However, because we take the road we know we tend to create our future from our past and so if we do the things we have always done we will receive the things we have always got! Hypnosis allows us, or a practitioner, to reprogram the computer and allow positive changes to take place.  

In the mid eighteenth century Franz Anton Mesmer introduced the concepts and techniques of animal magnetism. Mesmerism became an influential school of esoteric therapy and important Mesmerists like James Esdaile and John Elliotson helped maintain its popularity in medicine until the end of the nineteenth century when it experienced a kind of resurgence in the work of Jean-Martin Charcot, the father of modern neurology.

However, in the 1840s, Scottish physician James Braid, had already pioneered the concept of hypnotism as an opposing tradition to Mesmerism, based upon basic psychological and physiological mechanisms rather than the occult theories of animal magnetism. Braid's work was of limited influence in the UK but in France his ideas were developed into a more sophisticated psychological treatment. Hippolyte Bernheim began as a sceptic but became converted to the importance of hypnotism by observing the work of the celebrated country doctor Ambroise-Auguste Liébeault who rejected the theory of Mesmer and followed Abbe Faria. Emile Coué, a former clinical assistant to Liébeault, proposed a more collaborative and educational alternative to hypnosis called "conscious autosuggestion" which became very popular as a form of self-help in the 1920s.

An important rivalry and debate developed between the Salpetriere school of Charcot, which focused on physiological phenomena induced by Mesmeric practices, and the Nancy School of Bernheim which placed more emphasis upon psychology and verbal suggestion, following the later writings of Braid. However, Charcot's ideas on hypnosis were almost entirely discredited and Bernheim's school effectively won the debate, becoming the most significant precursor of modern psychological hypnotism.

Sigmund Freud was originally a proponent of hypnotherapy. He traveled to France to study hypnosis with the two great teachers of his day, Charcot at the Sapetriere and Bernheim's Nancy School. Freud wrote several articles on hypnotherapy and translated two of Bernheim's books on the subject from French into German. He originally employed hypnotherapy with a small number of clients in the 1890s. By about 1905, he had largely abandoned the procedure in favor of his newly-developed free association technique. However, Freud's description of the basic rule of free association still bears a striking resemblance to certain modern methods of hypnotic induction. Struggling with the great expense of time required for psychoanalysis to be successful, Freud later suggested that it might be combined with hypnotic suggestion once more in an attempt to hasten the outcome of treatment, However, only a handful of Freud's followers were sufficiently qualified in hypnosis to attempt the synthesis, which resulted in a gradual resurgence in popularity of "hypno-analysis" or "hypnotic regression" methods of hypnotherapy.

Milton H. Erickson, M.D. is considered one of the most influential modern hypnotherapists. He has written many books, journals and articles on the subject, and his accomplishments are well-documented. During the 1960s, Erickson was responsible for popularizing an entirely new branch of hypnotherapy, which we now call Ericksonian hypnotherapy, characterized by, amongst other things, indirect suggestion, confusion techniques, and double binds.

The popularity of Erickson's techniques has since led to the development of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), which has in turn found use in modern-day sales, advertising, and corporate training. However, NLP has been criticized by many eminent hypnotists as a distortion of Erickson's work.

Below we will look at the 3 main areas of hypnosis and there is also a free newsletter for each area offering free downloads and more information on each subject.

You are welcome to join each newsletter.

 
Self Hypnosis

Self-Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state of mind which can be defined as a heightened state of focused concentration (trance), with the willingness to follow instructions (suggestibility). The technique of self hypnosis is quite easy but can take quite some time to master.

How to practice self hypnosis:

  1. Go to a comfortable, private place and sit in any comfortable chair or couch. Although some people prefer to lie down, you are more susceptible to sleep than when sitting up, which is not so good. Whether you sit or lie, ensure you do not cross your legs or any part of your body. You may be in this position for a while and this could end up being uncomfortable.
  2. Make sure you are not going to be disturbed for the amount of time that you would like to practice for, say 10 minutes or half an hour .
  3. Close your eyes and work to rid your mind of any feelings of fear, stress, or anxiety. When you begin, you might find it difficult not to think. You may find that thoughts keep intruding. When this happens, don't try to force the thoughts out. Observe them impartially, and then let them slip away.
  4. Recognize the tension in your body. Beginning with the tip of your head and as you count down backwards from 10 down to one allow yourself to relax each muscle working down your body until you reach your toes.
  5. Take slow, deep breaths. When you exhale, see the tension and negativity leaving in a dark cloud. As you inhale, see the air returning as a bright force filled with life and energy.
  6. Appreciate the fact that you are now extremely relaxed. Imagine you are at the top of a flight of 10 stairs. Picture every detail of this scene from the top to the bottom. Tell yourself that you are going to descend the stairs, counting each step down, starting at 10. Picture each number in your mind. Imagine that each number you count is further down and one step closer to the bottom. After each number, you will feel yourself drifting further and further into deep relaxation. As you take each step, imagine the feel of the step under your feet. Keep counting and stepping down until you reach the bottom. Once you reach the bottom imagine that you are happy and relaxed. Consider rolling your eyes gently back into your head. It can induce a trance rather well.
  7. At this point, you should begin to address the issue you're concerned about. Speak in the present tense. Your subconscious mind does not understand negatives in speech - avoid using statements with negative connotation such as "I don't want to be tired and irritable." Instead, say, "I am relaxed and full of energy." Examples of positive statements "I am strong and slender," "I am successful and positive."
  8. Repeat your statements to yourself as many times as you wish.
  9. When you are satisfied, say to yourself that you will now count upwards from 1 to 10, and when you reach the number 10, you will slowly rise back to normal consciousness and remain calm and relaxed. Proceed to count upwards, again picturing the numbers in detail.
  10. Once you have ascended, give yourself a few moments before opening your eyes, and take your time getting up.
  11. You will wake refreshed and feeling positive.

Here's a few tips to help you along the way.

  1. Have an idea of how you will present your suggestions to yourself before you lie down and are relaxed, otherwise it may interrupt your hypnotic state.
  2. Writing out your suggestions before induction can be very effective, as a visual list of what you choose to work on can sometimes be more easily remembered than even carefully assembled thoughts.
  3. Try different techniques to see what works best for you.
  4.  Another way to relax your muscles is to physically tense and hold for ten seconds before releasing; you should feel as well as imagine the tension leaving.
  5.  Some find that imagining yourself in a peaceful natural setting will relax your mind sufficiently before counting down. For instance, you may imagine yourself wandering through a forest, smelling the trees and hearing the wind. Alternatively, you could imagine yourself walking along the ocean shore and feel the sand beneath your feet, the cool water washing against your ankles and sounds of the surf.
  6. If you can't sleep, after you count down from ten (or go down your staircase), allow your mind to remain in this pleasantly relaxed state and keep your eyes closed while you are lying down and you will sleep much easier.
  7.  It is impossible to gauge your own depth of hypnosis. Hypnosis is naturally occurring and easy to achieve. Trust that you have reached a state of hypnosis; you probably have!
  8. Play relaxing music as you practice as it will help remove background sounds.
  9. It often helps to go to a professional, licensed Hypnotherapist for a session first, to see what it feels like.
  10.  Instead of visiting a Hypnotherapist you could follow a hypnosis CD. They are available from this web site. Click Here.
  11.  If you are struggling try visiting a Hypnotherapist or buying a recording in order to experience hypnosis. When you have experienced it once or twice you will better know the state of mind you are aiming to achieve.
  12. We have an amazing deal available on a self hypnosis product and it is well worth having a look at. Click Here.
  13. Self hypnosis may not be sufficient to address all issues. If you do not get the results you desire, it does not mean you weren't in hypnosis. It just might mean you need some extra help.
  14.  Be careful when rising if you've been lying down. Getting up too quickly could cause your blood pressure to plummet, and you could easily become dizzy or pass out. (This has nothing to do with hypnosis, per se, but with the mechanics of being horizontal for a while.)
  15.  As always, if you have a condition that requires medical attention, speak with your doctor or therapist before starting anything new. Self-hypnosis is not an alternative to your doctor's advice.
  16.  If you find that this therapy has helped you enough where you feel you no longer need medication, do not stop taking your medication without speaking to your doctor.
  17.  DO NOT try to uncover old memories using self-hypnosis. This is better left to a professional, as it can very easily cause further problems.
  18.  DO NOT use commands that remove pain, or if you do, add a disclaimer at the end, such as: "My back feels wonderful and all the pain will be temporarily gone until the condition is healed or the condition worsens." If you have pain somewhere, IT'S FOR A REASON and if you take the pain away, you may end up hurting yourself further or causing permanent damage without even knowing it!
  19. Join the free newsletter below and download a free self hypnosis .mp3 audio program.

 

 
Newsletter One and Free .MP3 Download.

If you have an interest in hypnosis products for personal development you can join our free product newsletter below and download a free hypnosis .mp3 file completely free of charge. We would like you to sample the quality of our audio programs, we will also contact you with other great hypnosis products many completely free and some at special discounted prices. Just enter your name and e-mail address below and you can begin by downloading a free attract success .mp3. The .mp3 is a full 30 minutes in length valued at £16. The .mp3 can be played on your PC or transferred to CD or any .mp3 player.

 


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Clinical Hypnotherapy

Clinical Hypnotherapy is guided hypnosis by a qualified practitioner.

Hypnotherapy is often applied in order to modify a subject's behavior, emotional content, and attitudes, as well as a wide range of conditions including dysfunctional habits, anxiety, stress-related illness, pain management, and personal development. A person who is hypnotized displays certain unusual characteristics and propensities, compared with a non-hypnotized subject.

Franz Anton Mesmer held that trance and healing were the result of the channelling of a mysterious "occult" force called "animal magnetism." In the mid-Eighteenth Century, this became the basis of a very large and popular school of thought termed Mesmerism. However, in 1843, James Braid proposed the theory of hypnotism as a radical alternative, in opposition to Mesmerism. Braid argued that the occult qualities of Mesmerism were illusory and that its effects were due to a combination of "nervous fatigue" and verbal suggestion. A bitter war of words developed between Braid and the leading exponents of Mesmerism.

In their original committee report on hypnotherapy, the British Medical Association (BMA), likewise, made a point of condemning the occult theories of Mesmerism and sharply distinguishing them from hypnotism. The Committee, having completed such investigation of hypnotism as time permitted, have to report that they have satisfied themselves of the genuineness of the hypnotic state. No phenomena which have come under their observation, however, lend support to the theory of ‘animal magnetism’. ('Report on Hypnotism', British Medical Journal, 1892).

Subsequent research on hypnotherapy has tended to highlight four main areas in which its efficacy as a treatment has been demonstrated,

  1. Anxiety.
  2. Insomnia.
  3. Pain management.
  4. Psycho-somatic disorder, i.e., stress-related illness.

Hypnotherapy. has many other applications but efficacy research has tended to focus upon these issues. More mixed results have been obtained for its efficacy in relation to the treatment of addictions, an area where high relapse is common with most treatments.

In 1955, the Psychological Medicine Group of the BMA commissioned a Subcommittee, led by Prof. T. Ferguson Rodger, to deliver a second, and more comprehensive, report on hypnosis. The Subcommittee consulted several experts on hypnosis from various fields, including the eminent neurologist Prof. W. Russell Brain, and the psychoanalyst Wilfred Bion. After two years of study and research, its final report was published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), under the title ‘Medical use of Hypnotism’. According to a statement of proceedings published elsewhere in the same edition of the BMJ, the report was officially ‘approved at last week’s Council meeting of the British Medical Association.’ (BMA Council Proceedings, BMJ, April 23, 1955:1019). In other words, it was approved as official BMA policy. This statement goes on to say that, for the past hundred years there has been an abundance of evidence that psychological and physiological changes could be produced by hypnotism which were worth study on their own account, and also that such changes might be of great service in the treatment of patients. (Loc. cit.)  Soon afterwards, in 1958, the American Medical Association (AMA) commissioned a similar (though more terse) report which endorses the 1955 BMA report and concludes, that the use of hypnosis has a recognized place in the medical armamentarium and is a useful technique in the treatment of certain illnesses when employed by qualified medical and dental personnel. ('Medical use of hypnosis', JAMA, 1958). Again, the AMA council approved this report rendering hypnotherapy an orthodox treatment,

In 1995, the National Institute for Health (NIH), in the US, established a Technology Assessment Conference that compiled an official statement entitled ‘Integration of Behavioral & Relaxation Approaches into the Treatment of Chronic Pain & Insomnia.’ This is an extensive report that includes a statement on the existing research in relation to hypnotherapy for chronic pain. It concludes that: The evidence supporting the effectiveness of hypnosis in alleviating chronic pain associated with cancer seems strong. In addition, the panel was presented with other data suggesting the effectiveness of hypnosis in other chronic pain conditions, which include irritable bowel syndrome, oral mucositis [pain and swelling of the mucus membrane], temporomandibular disorders [jaw pain], and tension headaches.

In 1999, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published a Clinical Review of current medical research on hypnotherapy and relaxation therapies, it concludes,

'There is good evidence from randomized controlled trials that both hypnosis and relaxation techniques can reduce anxiety, particularly that related to stressful situations such as receiving chemotherapy. 'They are also effective for panic disorders and insomnia, particularly when integrated into a package of cognitive therapy (including, for example, sleep hygiene). 'A systematic review has found that hypnosis enhances the effects of cognitive behavioural therapy for conditions such as phobia, obesity, and anxiety. 'Randomized controlled trials support the use of various relaxation techniques for treating both acute and chronic pain. 'Randomized trials have shown hypnosis to be of value in asthma and in irritable bowel syndrome. 'Relaxation and hypnosis are often used in cancer patients. There is strong evidence from randomized trials of the effectiveness of hypnosis and relaxation for cancer related anxiety, pain, nausea, and vomiting, particularly in children.'

In 2001, the Professional Affairs Board of the British Psychological Society (BPS) commissioned a working party of expert psychologists to publish a report entitled The Nature of Hypnosis. Its remit was 'to provide a considered statement about hypnosis and important issues concerning its application and practice in a range of contexts, notably for clinical purposes, forensic investigation, academic research, entertainment and training.' The report provides a concise (c. 20 pages) summary of the current scientific research on hypnosis.

Enough studies have now accumulated to suggest that the inclusion of hypnotic procedures may be beneficial in the management and treatment of a wide range of conditions and problems encountered in the practice of medicine, psychiatry and psychotherapy.

 

As the use and public understanding of hypnotherapy increases, more and more people are becoming attracted to the profession. Three main categories of hypnotist can be considered:
  1. Professional consultants of medical/psychological qualification who use hypnosis as a therapeutic approach, usually amongst other methods.
  2. Professional Hypnotherapists who specialise primarily in the use of hypnosis, if other techniques are used they are only to compliment the hypnotic approach.
  3.  Stage hypnotists who utilise hypnosis for the purpose of entertainment and may also offer limited therapuetic assistance, although not usually for more serious matters such as depression or chronic anxiety.

Having a career as a Hypnotherapist can be very rewarding and lucrative.

Being a Hypnotherapist generally requires good business skills as most Hypnotherapists are self-employed and are reliant on their own actions to generate new clients.

Professional organisations usually have their own set of guidelines and code of ethics to abide by, and require a number of hours of professional development every year to ensure the highest quality in treatment. Many Hypnotherapists undertake this kind of professional development and will continue to do it until they stop practicing.

 
Newsletter Two and Free Hypnosis Training E-books.

If you have an interest in learning hypnosis for fun, for a hobby or for an income, by joining our free hypnosis training newsletter we will send you some excellent information to point you in the right direction for training programs. When you join this free newsletter you can download a free hypnosis e-book right now. This fantastic e-book will share with you some of the great secrets of hypnotherapy and stage hypnosis! We will also e-mail to you a free e-book teaching you all the secrets of self hypnosis! This is also totally free! The e-book is over 150 pages of information. We will also e-mail you more information on how you can learn hypnotherapy and even stage hypnosis. With the information supplied by this free newsletter you will soon be mastering the art of hypnosis! Learn for fun or learn for a serious income!


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Stage Hypnosis

Stage hypnosis is hypnosis for entertainment. Stage hypnosis is an art that takes many years to practice and master. Stage hypnosis shows are not set up, the volunteers are truly hypnotized making stage hypnosis simply amazing to witness and very difficult to understand! The magical stage hypnotist makes the whole process seem so simple and yet mind blowing!  A typical script is below but this one comes with big warnings! Be careful what you ask for as you may just get it!

 
How to practice stage hypnosis:
  1. Find a comfortable position where you can sit in for a while. It's better that you sit, because if you lie down you will most likely fall asleep. Be sure that you are willing to be hypnotized. Do you understand the rules of hypnosis and what it is? If you don’t, this will explain it. Hypnosis is a relaxed state of mind in which you are open to suggestion. When you are in this state, you want to please your hypnotist remembering that you cannot be made to do anything you don’t want or normally wouldn’t do. Hypnosis is only good and helps the body and mind to focus. When you are hypnotized, remember that you cannot fall over, you will always be sitting down or standing upright by yourself.
  2. Speak to your subject in a low, well-modulated tone: Could you please stare at this spiral. Put all of your attention and focus into this spiral. As you stare at this spiral, you will notice that your eyes are getting heavy, heavy, heavy. Getting heavier and sorer, maybe a bit blurry. Getting heavier and heavier, as heavy as as you can imagine. You feel that you need to close your eyes but you don’t just yet. They’re heavy and sore. Just stare at that dot. The next time you blink, use that as a signal to close your eyes. When that happens, please imagine your eyelids melting down through your face right down to your toes. A flowing sensation of warmth and comfort.
  3. Repeat step 2: This time, ask them to open their eyes at the start and to leave them closed at the end.
  4. Continue addressing your subject, keeping your voice calm and neutral: Now could you take 5 deep breaths. Inhaling in through your nose, hold it for a few seconds then out through your mouth. Each time you exhale, you will become twice as relaxed. More and more relaxed, feeling comfortable and warm. Doing great.
  5. Continue by instructing your subject: Now to relax all of your body. Tense up the part of your body being worked on, then relax it, letting all your aches and pains, any strains from the day, just float away. Starting with your scalp, making your way through your body down to your toes. Start this now… Once you have finished, take a quick sweep through your body scanning for anymore pain or tightness you may have overlooked, and just let it all go.
  6. Moving on: Now could you please focus your attention on your right arm. Imagine it becoming heavy, it's becoming heavy, heavy and heavier. With every second, feel it sinking down. A part of you knows you could lift it if you really tried but you just don’t, it's just too much effort, it’s just too heavy.
  7. Continue: Now focus your attention on your left arm. Imagine it becoming heavy, it's becoming heavy, heavy and heavier. With every second, feel it sinking down. A part of you knows you could lift it if you really tried but you just don’t, it's just too much effort, it’s just too heavy.
  8. Move your focus now: Now focus your attention on your left leg. Imagine it becoming heavy, it's becoming heavy, heavy and heavier. With every second, feel it sinking down into the floor. A part of you knows you could lift it if you really tried but you just don’t, its just too much effort, it’s just too heavy. Now your right leg. Imagine it becoming heavy, it's becoming heavy, heavy and heavier. With every second, feel it sinking down into the floor. A part of you knows you could lift it if you really tried but you just don’t, it's just too much effort, it’s just too heavy. You feel as if your legs could not support your body if you tried to stand.
  9. Speak to your subject: Now please picture in your mind a spiral staircase. You are standing at the top of them. Start walking down them. With every step, you will get more and more relaxed. Deeper into a state of hypnosis. Deeper and deeper into relaxation with every step. Just keep walking down, more and more relaxed as you progress, down deeper into relaxation. When you reach the end, you will see a door but don’t open it yet. Just picture the door in your mind. Picture its texture, its colour, the doorknob and everything. When you touch the doorknob, use that as a signal to increase by ten times your relaxation. Feel the sensation run through your body.
  10. Continue: Now open the door and enter the room. When you are inside, could you to close the door and lock it to insure your hypnosis journey isn’t disturbed. Now turn and look into the room. Arrange the room however you like: whether it's full of pillows or candy floss, whatever takes your fancy, whatever floats your boat. Once you’ve done this process, take a seat anywhere in the room. Anywhere you feel comfortable. Feeling great, feeling warm.
  11. Continue: Now as the wrist of your arm is picked up it should be loose, as loose as you can get it. Good, excellent, well done and congratulations. Now when it comes back down and when it reaches the surface you will double your relaxation. The same to your other arm, doubling your relaxation once again
  12. Continue: Every time you feel a tap you on your back, your relaxation will double. Tap (wait a few seconds) tap.tap.tap.tap you're doing well, you're doing great, tap.tap.tap.tap.tap.
  13. Continue: Now counting to ten, every number you hear, you will become more and more relaxed. 1,2,3,4,5, your doing well, 6,7,8,9,10. (After you say ten, your patient should be in a deep state of hypnosis. A good way to deepen this state is to wake them up and put them back to sleep many times. To wake them up say the words in the next step)
  14. Waking up and rapidly putting the person back under: As you hear the number one to three to 3, when you hear three, you will be wide-awake 123 wide awake! (Putting them back to sleep is called a rapid induction. A common one used is the 11 fingers trick.) Please hold your hands open out in front of you. you and your hypnotist are now going to count your fingers, count , 1,2,3,4,5,(when you get to the 6th finger call it 7) 7,8,9,10, 11. 11 fingers, aye? Now give them a quick tug on their wrist and push them back a little. Say sleep really suddenly as you tug their wrist. They shouldn’t fall but catch them if they do. Every time they are put back to sleep, tell them that they have 10 fingers and having 11 fingers is absurd. Repeat the 11 fingers trick several times. (Now they are in a very deep state of hypnosis which you can have some fun with. There are many things you can do involving the patients taste, sight, hearing, touch and smell. Experiment; do as many as you please, but remember - you still want to be friends with your subject when finished, so don't get too crazy.)
  15. Waking to end the hypnotic state: This step is how to bring a person out of hypnosis when you're done. Make sure the patient is asleep and then begin: Now you are going to be brought out of a state of hypnosis. Now get up from where you are sitting. Walk over to the door, unlock the door and exit the room. Now start walking up the spiral staircase. The higher and higher you get with every step, you will become more awake, more alert of your body, your joints, the smells in the area, the sounds, more awake, more alert, coming out of hypnosis. When you reach the step before the top, stop. Now when you hear the instruction to take the last step, you will feel refreshed and wide wake completely conscious and out of hypnosis. Take the step NOW!

 

Here's a few tips to help you along the way.

  1. Never ask your patient if they have finished a step, just give them plenty of time.
  2. Choose someone that trusts you.
  3. Keep a gentle tone.
  4. Don't be nervous.
  5. Hypnotism is like being in a dream.
  6. People won't get superpowers when they are hypnotized!
  7. When you hypnotize someone take responsibility for your actions
  8. Remember this was made over time and should work every time if used word for word.
  9. Repeat words like "heavy" and "tired" a lot.
  10. To be totally honest with you. The best way to learn stage hypnosis is to do a professional stage hypnosis training course.
  11. Check out our professional course online. Click Here.
  12. Join the newsletter below for more exciting information on stage hypnosis.
  13. Find more stage hypnotists online at: www.StageHypnosisRegister.com

 

Newsletter Three and Free Stage Hypnosis Information.

The newsletter below is for those who have an interest in stage hypnosis. When you join you can download a free e-book on the secrets of stage hypnosis and learn the amazing secrets of the stage hypnotists! We will e-mail you information on stage hypnosis, free stage hypnosis downloads and details of David Knight, Stage Hypnotist shows.

 

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Last modified: 05/23/08 Part of The Knight Management Group

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