What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is the therapeutic use of hypnosis. Today hypnotherapy is a widely accepted adjunct to conventional treatment for a range of problems, mental and physical, including IBS.
What is Gut-directed Hypnotherapy?
Gut-directed hypnotherapy is a type of hypnotherapy specifically targeted to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. It is entirely safe and has been shown to be incredibly efficacious. Sessions are conducted while patients are in hypnosis. Once in hypnosis suggestions for the control and normalisation of gastrointestinal function are made. Metaphors for bringing about change are also used. Gut-directed hypnotherapy can be used in both adults and children.
Comparison of the rate of response to gut-directed hypnotherapy in patients with IBS suggests that it is at least as good as some of the new and expensive pharmacological treatment options. It has also been shown to be superior to that of the low FODMAP diet. This taken together with the fact that there are no known side effects of hypnotherapy make gut-directed hypnotherapy teh prefererd option for many IBS sufferers.
What is HypnoSIS?
“Hypnosis is the oldest form of psychotherapy … it is a very powerful means of changing the way we use our minds to control our perception and our bodies” – Dr David Spiegel, professor and associate chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford. Source: Stanford University School of Medicine
Hypnosis is simply a communication process that involves the use of language to direct and absorb attention, lead cognition and seed ideas, for the purpose of enabling someone to utilise their personal resources so they experience a temporary, or permanent, altered subjective reality.
It’s a process. It’s something we do, that we actively engage in, rather than being something that is done to us. It’s a process you choose and are motivated and willing to engage in. If you don’t want to experience hypnosis you won’t. It’s as simple as that.
It’s a communication process. The hypnotist communicates with the hypnotee through words and body language. Since ancient times, there have always been people who have been aware of the effects of their words and ideas upon others. Some have realised that they can take this awareness and systematically apply it, to change the way people think, feel and behave. Not all of them have called themselves hypnotists. They may have been called leaders, healers, mystics or shamans, advertisers. Nowadays they might be called a politician, salesperson, thought leader, manager, therapist, coach or magician.
Direct and absorb attention – most researchers agree that hypnosis requires the subject to engage in intense focus or concentration on one or more specific ideas. This is also called selective attention or everyday trance – we select a single idea or thing on which to focus our conscious attention on. This focused attention leads to a heightened state of awareness of the idea, or thing being focused upon and, everyting we're not focusing on drops out of our conscious awareness. Selective attention is our natural learning state. In order to learn anything, we must focus our attention on it.
Lead cognition and seed ideas. Hypnosis has been called the art and science of suggestion. During the hypnosis session the hypnotist delivers goal directed suggestions that facilitate achievement of the outcome the hypnotee is seeking. In addition to suggestions, the hypnotist may use imagery, metaphor and stories.
Enabling someone to utilise their personal resources. We all have a set of innate resources that we can draw on in order to help us to create the changes we want to make. These resources include our beliefs, our values, and our imagination.
Experience a temporary, or permanent, altered subjective reality. An example of a temporary change in subjective reality would be where it’s suggested to a person that their hand is stuck to the table and that becomes their reality until the hypnotist tells the person their hand is no longer stuck, at which point the person’s reality returns to normal. Helping someone to permanently alleviate or eliminate the symptoms of IBS is an example of a permanently altering someone’s subjective reality.
Q&A
How can I best prepare for my session?
The best way to prepare is to adopt a hypnotic mindset. A 'hypnotic mind-set' simply means that you:
have an intent to experience hypnosis
are motivated to experience hypnosis
are confident in your ability to respond to the suggestions you receive
are optimistic about the outcome of hypnosis
expect to automatically experience the responses and changes being suggested or imagined.
What if I can’t be hypnotised?
If you adopt the hypnotic mindset you can experience hypnosis, because you are already an expert in the key omponents of hypnosis. You use them multiple times everyday. You can:
Communicate - speak and listen
Focus your attention
Use your imagination
Respond to suggestions
As I said above, if you don’t want to experience hypnosis you wont. It’s as simple as that. It’s a choice. You have to want to engage in the process. If you don’t then nothing is going to happen.
What is it like to EXPERIENCE hypnoSIS?
Everyone’s experience of hypnosis is different, because we are all unique individuals.
Hypnosis is a very focused and pleasurable experience. Most people describe it as very enjoyable. You are aware of everything that is going on around you. You are alert and focused on the hypnotist’s words. You hear everything that’s said but, like with any communication you’re unlikely to remember all that was said. Because you’re alert, and focused, you are in control. That means you can end the session anytime you wish. You can also reject suggestions id you want to.
Might I say or do something I don’t want to?
No. In hypnosis a professional hypnotist would not make you say or do anything you do not want to.
My session is over – why haven’t I noticed any change?
Change starts from the moment you decide to change and change can be happening even when we think it isn’t, so there’s no need to feel disappointed when, as occasionally happens, a hypnosis session doesn’t seem, at first, to have made any difference. Change can be instantaneous or it may take a few days, weeks, or months to achieve the result you desire. Each of is unique and we change at a rate and speed that is unique for us.
In the meantime, you can notice what you notice. Clues that you have moved, or are moving, toward the desired outcome will emerge, so be alert for even the smallest things that you’re doing differently.
Are there any physical side effects with hypnosis?
No.
Can I get ‘stuck’ in hypnosis?
No. Hypnosis creates a state of relaxation and focused attention. This can be light to very deep. It is literally impossible to become “stuck” in a state of relaxed, focused attention. Can you imagine getting “stuck” in reading an absorbing book or watching an enjoyable film? Should you need to, you can bring yourself out of hypnosis at any time.