<B>"Will I Cluck Like a Chicken?"</B>

Myths and Misconceptions About Clinical and Stage Hypnosis

Many times at a social gathering, I am asked what I do for a living. The answer, "I'm a hypnotist." This is often received with a tense smile and an "oh, geez, I better not look into your eyes." I usually respond with "Well, then I won't take off my dark glasses." When people learn that I specialize in hypnosis, they seem to experience a genuine curiosity, but I suspect, a belief that I am, in some way, strange.

I have actually experienced people who appear to avoid any "eye" contact, speak about my work and have hinted they believe that hypnosis "opens a door to the devil." While I am otherwise loved, liked and respected by these people, they seem to fear that I am involved in something unnatural or,... well,... evil.

When asked about this, I respond by explaining the first trance state is in the Bible. In Genesis. It goes something like-"... and God placed Adam into a deep sleep to create "woman." This is the first recorded trance or hypnotic state ever recorded.
So, if God can use hypnosis then it's good enough for me!

Myths about hypnosis — that it is deep sleep, a form of mind control, or is simply a hoax — have endured despite a long history of clinical use and a growing acceptance by medical and scientific communities. Besides... I am pretty sure I am not evil.

An Ancient History

Actually hypnosis and trance-like phenomena have been observed and documented for hundreds of years. It is believed that the ancient Celts and Druids practiced hypnosis and that the ancient Egyptians utilized "sleep temples" for curing mysterious maladies. In 1646, the German mathematician Kircher believed "animal magnetism" to be the cause of various diseases and used "magneto therapeutics" as their cure. By the late 1700's, Franz Mesmer was exciting French audiences with his own demonstrations of "animal magnetism," claiming that such a universal force could heal patients as he passed his hands over them. French King Louis XVI was skeptical and decided to appoint an international commission, including Benjamin Franklin, to investigate Mesmer's work. They concluded that such a hypothesized magnetic field could not exist and discredited his powerful and mystical techniques. Popular and scientific interest in "mesmerism" faded quickly and Mesmer died in relative obscurity. While he is still considered to be the father of modem hypnosis, perhaps his greatest legacy is an appreciation for the powers of suggestion and their potential therapeutic benefits.

By the mid 1800's, interest in these phenomena resurfaced. James Braid, a Scottish scientist, was first to use the term, "hypnosis," from the Greek god of sleep, Hypnosis. Although he later realized that trance was not actually sleep, the term gained popular usage. Later in the 19th century, France again became the center of investigation into hypnotic phenomena as Jean Martin Charcot, Josef Breuer and others debated the nature of hypnosis. Sigmund Freud studied under both Charcot and Breuer and began practicing hypnosis in 1887.
Though he later essentially abandoned its use, it was Freud's work in hypnosis that contributed to his belief that the unconscious is a powerful force in human behavior.

Later this century, Milton Erickson legitimized and popularized hypnosis and his methods are widely studied by modern clinicians. Those who were fortunate enough to experience his charismatic genius have themselves become teachers of "Ericksonian Hypnosis."

Yet, hypnosis remains an enigma to the general public, evoking fear and apprehension at the thought of being "in trance." Undoubtedly, misconceptions have been perpetuated on television and in movies by dramatic portrayals of helpless people acting strangely and involuntarily, sometimes regressing to past lives or blurting out frightening secrets.

Stage hypnosis might lead you to think that a person(volunteer)is capable of doing practically anything while in a trance state. Comedy clubs feature "R-rated Hypnotists" who put volunteers into "hypnosis" and "make" them act out uninhibited behaviors for entertainment of a perplexed and unbelievable audience. I have actually been asked by apprehensive clients if I will make them "cluck like a chicken." I answer, "only if you really want to!"

Clinical Benefits

In truth clinical hypnosis has wide, beneficial applications for health, healing and happiness. It is finally gaining greater acceptance in the medical and psychological professions for the treatment of pain, disease, trauma and emotional disorders. The study and use of clinical hypnosis has been somewhat legitimized by the formation of national and international organizations which now offer certification to qualified dental, medical and healthcare practitioners. Today, hypnosis Research and practice is global in usage.

You will not experience, feel or speak anything you consciously do not want to while in trance. Rather than doing something to you, the hypnotherapist actually assists you to enter a trance and then makes the suggestions that contribute to your goals. The hypnotherapist is the conductor but you are always the musician.

Historically, there has been some disagreement as to exactly what hypnosis truly is. What many people don't understand is that trance is a naturally occurring state. If you have ever driven someplace and upon reaching your destination realized you hadn't paid much attention to getting there, you have been in a trance. Your conscious mind was thinking about something else, but your unconscious mind was safely making all the turns and stops. Another good example is when you have become so engrossed in a book or a movie that you have lost track of the time or not noticed that you are hungry.

There are many instances of how people go in and out of trance states without noticing or caring. It is for this reason that it is said, "all hypnosis is self-hypnosis." This is why some experts believe that trance is an altered state of mind, as the conscious and unconscious "dissociate" or split. The conscious mind is occupied and absorbed in one thing, while the unconscious mind is off doing something else. I recently treated a young man for migraine headaches. Using hypnosis, I suggested to his conscious mind to remember a relaxing game of "perfect" golf, while making suggestions to his unconscious mind to soothe and reduce his symptoms. He has since learned to do this himself, thus "interrupting" the progress of migraine symptoms.

Others believe that trance is more a state of heightened suggestibility created by the hypnotic relationship; one person is trusting, expecting and willing to be influenced by the suggestions of another. The therapist and client enter into a contractual experience where they utilize the client's clear expectations and willingness to explore new, healthy ideas to facilitate healing or conflict resolution.

I believe hypnosis to be both: an altered state of consciousness(Awareness) that is a process rather than an outcome. I help my clients to achieve a trance state where their expectations are to be influenced (and helped) by their very own therapeutic suggestions gathered during the pre-talk. For example, I once worked with a woman who happened to enjoy trance states and regularly practiced self-hypnosis at home. However, while working through early life trauma and powerful, repressed emotions, she began to fear that she would become overwhelmed while in trance. Yet, she agreed to resume hypnosis, successfully reaching her desired "safe place" without difficulty. When asked why she decided to do so, she stated, "because I trust you." In this way, clinical hypnosis becomes a person's state of mind and a process between clinician and client.

So, you ask, "Can I be helped with hypnosis?" You might add, "Can I even be hypnotized?"

First of all, it is believed that most of us are "hypnotizable" to various degrees. Children, ages 8-12, are the most hypnotizable, still able to absorb themselves in fantasy, not yet "fully exposed" to adult fears and cynicism. There are some adults who are truly "hypnotically gifted," able to go into a very deep trance, create elaborate fantasies and reach deep layers of unconscious process. I have witnessed a patient having invasive abdominal surgery with no anesthesia, just hypnosis to distract her mind from perceiving the pain.

While this can be important for some medical and clinical work, such as age regression and other hypnotic phenomena, I believe nearly everyone can experience a hypnotic depth that will be beneficial to treatment. We must remember that deep relaxation itself is helpful for many stress-related symptoms including anxiety, headache, sleep, habits and performance problems. Tension and relaxation are essentially opposites; you just can't be two places at one time. As the body lets go of tension, it works better. Beyond the benefits of relaxation, much of what you achieve in hypnosis will be a function of what you expect to achieve. The unconscious mind has been compared to an "innocent child" — willing and able to believe and perpetuate what it has learned. If you have learned that a certain childhood incident should carry shame, you might continue to unconsciously associate shame with that memory and future, similar situations. If you have learned that smoking is a solution for stress, you will seek to perpetuate the habit by experiencing cravings for a cigarette. If you have learned that performance might risk humiliation or rejection, you will possibly create feelings of anxiety as a "warning" and likely affect that performance in a negative way.

Hypnosis often provides a way of re-educating the unconscious to feel, to think, to solve problems in healthier ways. The part of your brain that effortlessly and routinely mobilizes your immune system, that heals physical or emotional wounds and allows the body to move with spontaneity and fluidity, wants to heal. When reminded of its great potential and power, the unconscious can usually make the adjustments to help the conscious mind do what it strives to do.

How can you be helped with hypnosis?
The following is a list of many of the practical applications currently utilized by clinical hypnotherapists, but the possibilities are endless.

I will remind you that trance is a naturally occurring state that does not involve any loss of control. Hypnosis, at the very least, provides an opportunity to experience deep, safe and comfortable relaxation and a means of managing some very bothersome symptoms. My philosophy is not why use hypnosis, but why not. It is then up to my clients to decide whether to use this powerful, healing tool in their pursuit of greater life contentment.

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