Hypnotherapy is the clinical use of hypnosis often in conjunction with cognitive behavior therapy to help clients achieve their goals. Hypnosis is a science-based practice that has been thoroughly researched and proven within 95-99 percentile as effective. It is used for mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and other mental health issues.  

WHAT IS HYPNOSIS?

Hypnosis is a natural state of the consciousness-unconsciouses spectrum of brain function. Occurrences can happen spontaneously or deliberately induced either with the assistance of a professional or by one’s own volition and skill. It can include a change in brainwave states, breathing pattern, awareness of present moment, pain relief in the form of hypnotic analgesia, and amnesia for a specific hypnotherapy experience. Hypnosis is used by trained professionals as a treatment method to aid the patient approximating or achieving a stated goal between patient and therapist. Outcomes are determined by patient’s self-attestations or by behavioral outcomes. 

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The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH), established in1957 by Milton Erickson, has an elegant definition of what hypnosis is, “A state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness characterized by an enhanced capacity for response to suggestion.” 

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Hypnosis is a natural state of trance. Everyone at some time or another experiences trance. It might be during an extended period of television watching, video game playing or emersion into an important project, where it seems that hours pass by as if they were minutes. Trance is simply an intensely focused state. In hypnosis clients use their personal talent to achieve this state facilitated by their therapist. The goal is to reduce the everyday stimuli and become more intensely aware of and in-tune with your internal state of thought and emotion. This is always done with a goal in mind, that is, the client and therapist together create an environment that facilitates the client’s stated goal.

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To quote the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis: “The majority of people remember everything that occurs in hypnosis. This is beneficial, because the most of what we want to accomplish in hypnosis may be done in a medium depth trance, where people tend to remember everything.”

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DOES IT MATTER WHERE A HYPNOTIST IS TRAINED?

Yes. Here's why: 

ASCH Certification in Clinical Hypnosis is distinct from other “certification” programs in that it ensures that the certified individual is a bona fide health care professional who is licensed in his or her state or province to provide medical, dental, or psychotherapeutic services. 

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All certified professionals are at a master’s level of education or greater. All have successfully completed two levels of training, at least 20 hours each, and worked with a ASCH designated consultant for another 20 hours prior to certification. ASCH believes that persons trained only in hypnosis lack the diagnostic and therapeutic skills as well as the licensure required to safely and responsibly treat medical, psychological, or dental problems with hypnosis. ASCH Certification distinguishes the professional hypnosis practitioner from the lay hypnotist.

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HOW LONG HAS YOUR THERAPIST PRACTICED HYPNOSIS?

Debra Crown, LPC-S, LCDC has successfully practiced hypnotherapy since 2011. She was licensed in the state of Texas with a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology.

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FACTS ABOUT HYPNOSIS:

• All hypnosis is really self-hypnosis. 

• Some people are initially more talented at achieving trance state than others. All people can achieve a hypnotic state.

• Self-hypnosis can be learned. 

• Most people are able to hear what is said during hypnosis. You are in control while you are in trance state.

• Hypnotherapy is not a one time event. Like any skill it takes successive experiences to achieve and reinforce the effects you want. Though you may be personally talented at achieving hypnosis from the outset, like learning it takes multiple experiences to achieve the long term learning or the long term goal you desire.

• Some people fear that they will have total amnesia for the hypnotic event. This is seldom true. Recall that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.​