Medicine of the imagination
Hypnosis is sometimes called “medicine of the imagination”. As humans, we have this amazing natural ability to shift our internal, subconscious state. In fact, our brain is wired to reward itself every time we learn something useful. To gain access to this internal state, we have to find a deep focus, also called a “trance”. We all have the innate ability to enter this state, simply by relaxing our bodies and focusing our attention on one thought. You probably find yourself in this sort of trance – or, entranced – all the time, whether scrolling through social media, getting lost in a TV show, or simply losing track of time while engrossed in an activity. When used in a healing format, accessing a trance allows us to guide our thoughts and surrender to the supportive forces within us and around us. This is what we do in hypnotherapy.
The power to change is in your hands.
Since so much of our brain activity can be characterized as “subconscious”, attempting to consciously work our way through a problem habit is often an ineffective response to a negative stimulus. This is how hypnosis differs from traditional psychotherapy: in the state of trance, we can access these deeper layers of our subconscious, allowing us to respond to the original stimulus – the response to which is “stuck” in our minds and bodies – in an updated, resourceful way.
Traumatic events often get “stuck” in our subconscious, and those memories then dictate responses in us that may have served a purpose at one time, but have steadily grown more and more counterproductive. For those who don’t feel they’ve experienced a traumatic event, even ordinary events that occur slowly and persistently over time can get recorded in a loop. This loop, also called a neural pathway, continues to replay in the background, whether or not you’re actively aware of it. Until the age of 25, our brains are designed to act like super-sponges, soaking up and learning from our experiences. We have evolved to experience, process, and overcome pain and hurt in our early life, in preparation for our mature years. Whether it was something we were specifically taught, a reaction to a person or situation, or just something we passively witnessed (even something we saw on TV) we have all picked up lessons! But as our surroundings change and our emotional needs evolve, it’s worth considering whether some of those lessons need to be updated.
Our aware, conscious mind --the daily thoughts you “hear” that tell you to go do this, or avoid that -- can only focus on seven bits of information at one time. Because our attention can only be fully held by a handful of thoughts at any given time, our brain is constantly prioritizing how we allocate our precious bits of conscious awareness. In session, we are ultimately looking to replace a counterproductive impulse with a resourceful response. Once you identify a more productive way of approaching your particular obstacle, the solution can be plucked out of the billions of pieces of information occupying your subconscious and brought to the conscious mind’s attention. By shifting what you pay attention to in your everyday life, you will start to notice all the things that will make that change more attainable. There is no magic, nothing mystical about this process – it’s how we’re programmed. Still, this change won’t happen unless you choose it and put in the work to keep choosing the change, in the conscious state of everyday experiences. By acting on what you yourself deem to be worthy of your attention, you can learn to trust yourself, and uncover a more empowered life experience.
While in trance, we will access a scene through all five of your senses, so you experience it not only in your mind, but in your entire body. You will be completely aware, and in control of everything that happens here. After your session, you will have the memory of the physical experience of feeling better, maybe of being a person you have always wanted to be ( that’s what happened to me ). You will still have to choose to behave like this person, selecting the most helpful, resourceful thoughts to ensure that the progress you make after our session is completely in your hands. The power to change is in your hands!
