I initially had two other ideas for this current blog when I was deciding what topic to write about. However, something happened the other day that changed my mind.
I was talking with a colleague about hypnosis, and he had very little knowledge about what it was and what it wasn’t. I’m used to explaining this to my patients who are interested in experiencing hypnosis. I realized that in 2024, although hypnosis has been utilized effectively for a wide range of psychological and physical problems for numerous years, it is not well understood, even by many healthcare professionals. I looked through our blogs at the Morris Psychological Group and saw that I last wrote about this topic five years ago, so it was time to revisit this subject.
I honestly believe that many of the myths and misconceptions about hypnosis come from two primary sources: the media and the stage hypnotist. We’ve all seen numerous movies and television shows where an evil hypnotist can use hypnosis to force a person who appears to be in a state of sleep to do something against their will. Many of us have watched stage shows where the hypnotist performs powerful “mind control” to make people do silly things without their awareness. Unfortunately, making people quack like a duck or bark like a dog might discourage people from seeking hypnosis to help them with their problems. Thus, despite there being a tremendous amount of research studies on the effectiveness of hypnosis for a variety of psychological and health-related issues, it is still very misunderstood.
Let’s begin by clearing up these misguided beliefs.
- Hypnosis is not a state of sleep. It is a state of relaxed concentration.
- There is no loss of consciousness or amnesia. Most people are aware of everything that occurs in trance, except for a small percentage of patients who are capable of a very deep trance.
- There is no weakening of the will. The patient is not under the control of the hypnotist. You cannot be made to do or say anything without your consent.
- You will not reveal your deepest secrets without awareness or permission. The hypnotist is a facilitator to help guide the experience.
- You will not stay stuck in trance.
The American Psychological Association (APA) has defined hypnosis as “a state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness characterized by an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion.” It is a state of inner absorption and focused attention. In that state we are much more capable of using our minds more powerfully.
Trance is actually a very natural state that we regularly experience in our daily lives. We may experience that while driving down a highway and our mind is focused on something else or when we are really absorbed in something we are doing and can block out everything else around us.
I have been utilizing hypnosis in my practice with both children and adults for over forty years for a variety of issues. It’s highly effective in treating:
- Anxiety
- Phobias
- Pain
- Habit disorders
- Performance enhancement
- Psycho-physiological disorders
- PTSD
- Behavioral problems
- Memory/concentration
- Self-esteem
- Depression
Most people come to therapy because they are stuck in some way and have been unable to change on their own or through some other method of treatment. What I truly love about hypnosis is helping people discover that they have these amazing resources within themselves that they can now utilize to help them get unstuck and accomplish their goals. I love teaching people how to go into trance, and almost everyone who has experienced it has found it to be quite an enjoyable state of mind.
Dr. Richard Dauber is a founding partner of the Morris Psychological Group, P.A., and Director of Child and Adolescent Services. Dr. Dauber is a clinical psychologist with over 40 years of experience. His practice includes cognitive-behavioral therapy of children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Dauber also specializes in clinical hypnosis. He is an Approved Consultant in Clinical Hypnosis from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. He is the Vice-President and faculty member of the Clinical Hypnosis Society of New Jersey.
