“What is hypnosis?” Describe the psychological and physical aspects of hypnosis and discuss the role of relaxation in hypnotherapy. For many people, hypnosis is seen as a strange or mystical practice. Many believe hypnosis is a way of controlling minds, that a hypnotist, by the power of suggestion, can impose his will on the subject and make them do something they have no control over themselves. These beliefs however are unfounded. In recent years though, by having a greater understanding of the therapy, we know that hypnosis is a highly effective, therapeutic tool in positive development.
Then I will look at the place of relaxation in hypnotherapy today and why it is important and discuss a vehicle to travel to this mental state, with progressive muscle relaxation. What is Hypnosis? People generally regard hypnosis as an altered state of awareness, from everyday waking and consciousness. They usually think of it involving a hypnotist who invokes a trance like state in which the subject is susceptible to suggestion, which can be used to help people or to entertain, as in stage hypnosis. However contrary to common belief, a hypnotic state is not a deep sleep like trance and the same state actually occurs regularly in everyday life.
When we are able to relax mentally and physically we can focus our awareness and reach an altered state of consciousness thus allowing us to circumvent the conscious mind in order to reach the subconscious mind. We can then communicate with the subconscious mind, which is responsible for the way individuals habitually feel, think and act. The subconscious is where everything ever learned and our past experiences and feelings are stored. By using hypnosis we can re-program our feelings and actions in an area of our life that we identified as being problematic. This type of therapy empowers individuals to reach their desired outcomes and their full potential to achieve or live as they choose.
The state of mind referred to can be brought about by a trained professional who may utilise the resultant state of mind to encourage beneficial change to occur. This process is referred to as ‘Hypnotherapy’. To understand the concept of Hypnotherapy, it is first necessary to explore the phenomenon of hypnosis. In particular, those aspects that contribute towards the relaxed state that is significant to the efficacy of such. Therefore, the primary focus of this essay is to describe hypnosis and both the psychological and physical components at work.
2248 words What Is Hypnosis? 1 This essay will attempt to explain what hypnosis is by discussing the technical processes used and some physical and psychological changes that occur to a subject when they are hypnotised. Some common myths and truths surrounding hypnosis will be explored as well as a brief history of hypnosis being told, including how it started and developed into a professional therapy that is used today. The potential for hypnotherapy to alleviate illness, change behaviour and work as a mind and body inclusive therapeutic treatment will be explored. Where hypnosis, as an alternative therapy stands with gaining acceptance from the medical model and it being offered as an NHS treatment will be discussed.
Word count 1,909 “What is Hypnosis?” Describe the psychological and physical aspects of hypnosis and discuss the role of relaxation in Hypnotherapy. The tern Hypnosis often stirs up quite strong images and feelings in people who have a variety of views on the subject. In this essay I will attempt to give a definition of the term and will aim to provide an explanation clarifying the psychological and physical aspects of hypnosis. I will also discuss the role of relaxation. Finally I will provide a conclusion.
Non-direct regression is where the client regresses to recall memories of events that they believe are significant. Esoteric regression, sometimes referred to as past life regression, is where a client regresses beyond the start of their current life to recall memories from previous existences; undertaking this type of regression can lead to clients recalling false memories. Spontaneous regression, as the term suggests, occurs when a client, of their own volition, recalls suppressed emotions/memories that are relevant to resolving their current problem. Direct, non-direct and spontaneous types of regression are the most appropriate in evaluating the role of regression in clinical hypnotherapy. The focus of this piece is to investigate the justification of the application of regression in hypnotherapy in the absence of extensive, credible scientific research.
(Waterfield, 2004) Franz Anton Mesmer 1734-1815 | Known as “the Grandfather of Hypnosis and gave us with the word “Mesmerism”Believed a cosmic fluid flowed through the body and used magnets to heal the body.Gained credibility till 1785. | Marquis De Puysegur | Rejected Mesmer’s theories on magnetic fluid and realised he was able to communicate with people in hypnosis asking questions and getting replies from his patients. | James Braid 1795 – 1860 | Defined the word hypnosis from the Greek “Hupnos” sleep + osisConducted scientific studies and rejected “Magnetism” and concluded results were attributable to a physiological state of the brain and suggestibility.His research concluded
What is hypnosis? Describe the psychological an physical aspects of hypnosis and discuss the role of relaxation in hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy used to create unconscious change in the patient in the form of new responses, thoughts, attitudes, behaviors or feelings. It is undertaken with a subject in hypnosis. Most people’s perception of hypnosis differ, however the practice of it that springs to mind is the swinging of a pendulum.
He was the first person to give mesmerism a scientific name. He thought when mesmerised, a patient was in a “nervous sleep”, he used the word “hypnosis” which was derived from the Greek word hypnos meaning sleep. This was the first time the word hypnosis was used. (Chrysalis 2011) Also around this time an English surgeon called John Elliotson (1791-1868) used hypnosis for