ABOUT HYPNOSIS & PSYCHOTHERAPY
What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is often manifested as a natural state of deep relaxation and concentration with heightened awareness, although it does not have to be complete relaxation. You are not asleep nor is there any possibility you would lose control. It uses the subconscious to enhance the power of the mind to aid the improvement of both your physical and mental health.
Please see History of Hypnosis for more information about hypnosis throughout history.
What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is the application of therapy while in hypnosis, to change or modify behaviour patterns that we wish to change such as Smoking, Gambling, and Binge Eating, and help in the cure of phobias such as the fear of spiders/insects, fear of flying, fear of injections, etc. Hypnotherapy is very effective in helping with Stress, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Weight Loss, and a great many more of life's problems (Many of which are losted below).
We always do what our subconscious mind tells us even if it goes against reason and logic. Hypnotherapy therefore bypasses the conscious mind to allow the positive life affirming suggestions for change, of our own choosing, to be fed to our subconscious mind directly, for us to act upon. Hypnotherapy deals with Psychosomatic problems – that is, problems of the mind that are rooted in and controlled by the subconscious.
Brain Waves During Hypnosis
For many years hypnotherapists thought that it was alpha wave patterns that were characteristic of hypnotic states. It is generally now accepted that it is theta and to some extent delta waves and 40Hz gamma waves that play the major role. Other wave patterns do also occur, even active beta waves, but these are now thought due to the content of the suggestions and the images generated by them.
The sequence goes something like this.
Brain Waves Name Frequency Characteristics Lamda ~200Hz Self awareness, higher levels of insight and information. Tibetan monks that walk barely clothed for days through the snow have exhibited high levels of these. They are difficult to measure and little is known about them. They are carried on the very slow moving Epsilon Waves (<0.5Hz). Hyper Gamma ~100Hz Gamma 38 - 90Hz Important in harmonizing and unifying thoughts processed in different parts of the brain. Combines different perceptions. Suppressed totally by anaesthetic. Found in all parts of the brain. Self awareness and insight. 40Hz The core frequency. Important in cognition, especially coordinating simultaneous processing in all parts of the brain. Deficiencies exhibit learning difficulties. Produced during hypnotic states. Beta 12 - 38Hz Wide awake, alert, focused, analyses and assimilates new information rapidly, complex mental processing, peak physical and mental performance, cannot be sustained indefinitely otherwise exhaustion, anxiety, and tension result. 15Hz-18Hz Mid Range Beta Neuro-feedback training that produced alert behaviour, useful in depression cases. 12 - 15Hz Low Beta Also known as Sensory Motor Rhythm (SMR) - vigilance, reduced mobility, shallow breathing, less blinking, fixed attention and eye focus, enhancing through neuro-feedback reduces epileptic symptoms and has a calming effect (ADHD sufferers). Beta-Alpha 12Hz Hyper-efficient in processing single tasks as it can focus on the details as well as the overall task at the same time Alpha 7.5 - 12Hz Mental coordination and resourcefulness, relaxation, alert but not mentally processing anything, inward focus, calmness, at ease, deep breathing and closed eyes can amplify alpha production, peak around 10Hz. Alpha-Theta 7.48Hz Primary ionospheric resonance (Schumann) frequency. Stimulates retrieval of memories from the subconscious. Theta 4 - 7.5Hz Memory access, learning, deep meditation, sensations, emotions, the threshold of the subconscious, dreaming. 6.2 - 6.7Hz Frontal Midline Theta - Cognitive activity, maths problems, sustained attention, extrovert personality, low anxiety 4.5Hz Shamanic trances, Tibetan mantras, Buddhist chants all use this frequency to access altered states ~4Hz Object naming Theta-Delta ~3.5Hz Long term memory access Delta 0.5 - 4Hz Deep sleep, human growth hormone release, low blood pressure, low respiration, low body temperature. No muscle movement - Reticular Activating System (RAS) shuts this down. Epsilon <0.5Hz The state Yogi's go into when they achieve "suspended animation" where no heart beat, respiration or pulse are noticeable.
What is Psychotherapysychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a therapy that involves the examination of behaviour and it requires action or work to solve problems. Behaviour can be said to be anything we do. It can be any action, any thought or thought pattern, what you may say, a memory, a sensation or an emotion. Work is in fact anything we do that requires some degree of effort and this therapy requires the cooperation, desire and work of the client. This includes changing any behaviour, habits or usual actions causing problems, restrictions or distress in life.
Psychotherapy and Counselling have a great deal in common but counselling is not the same as psychotherapy. Counselling usually brings about a realization, or helps a person to reach a decision. A Psychotherapist helps or facilitates as you create changes in your personal environment that bring about changes you desire in your life.
Psychotherapeutic techniques and approaches make up the bulk of the 'therapy' used within the practice of Clinical Hypnotherapy.
Hypno-psychotherapy
Hypno-psychotherapy is both integrative (using a wide range of psychotherapeutic approaches and techniques) and eclectic (choosing the right mix of techniques and styles of therapy to resolve the issues/problems/conditions presented, thus offering the most balanced and effective therapy possible in each and every situation.
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