Hypnotherapy

What is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a natural, yet altered state where both the conscious and subconscious mind is present and the person is relaxed.

What is Hypnotherapy?

In a state of hypnosis, the Hypnotherapist uses tools to help the client change or dissolve limiting or negative belief systems.

Myths and Misconceptions

Myth # 1- The Hypnotist has control over the client and can be made to do something against their will.
Truth- The client is always in control and can reject the Hypnotherapist’s suggestions at any time. The client will never go against their own ethics and morals no matter what suggestion is given in hypnosis.

Myth # 2- If someone is hypnotized, there is a chance they will never wake up.
Truth- If the client falls asleep in a state of hypnosis, they will wake up the same way as if they were taking a nap.

Myth # 3- In hypnosis, the client can be forced to tell the truth because the hypnotic state is like a truth serum.
Truth- The client chooses what they want to share and what they want to hold back.

Myth # 4- Hypnosis is magic and against religious doctrines.
Truth- Hypnosis is a practical tool that helps the client in dissolving negative beliefs. Hypnosis has nothing to do with religion.

Myth # 5- One can lose their memory and forget who they are or details of their life when in hypnosis.
Truth- The amnesiac state is possible in hypnosis, however rarely practiced in hypnotherapy settings. Even if the hypnotist gave a suggestion to the client in the amnesiac state to forget something, the client would remember that detail within minutes of being brought out of trance. Hypnosis actually helps improve the memory, not lose it.

The Conscious and Subconscious Mind

Do you ever wonder why you consciously want a good partner, more money, better self esteem, but have trouble bringing those desires into reality? If we have a subconscious beliefs that are incompatible with our conscious desires, then we might struggle in limiting patterns while asking ourselves, “why does this always happen to me?”

As referenced in Bruce Lipton’s “Biology of Belief”, the subconscious mind is about a million times more powerful than the conscious mind. If our conscious mind was powerful enough to create our reality for us, we’d all be rich, skinny, and live happily ever after with our soul mate (or something like that). We would all have what we want, when we want it without too much effort.

In the womb until about age 7, children only have a subconscious mind. The conscious mind develops between ages 7 to 14, but in the mean time, children absorb both positive and negative belief systems like sponges. When the conscious mind is finally developed, it acts as a lid to protect the subconscious mind and to discern information coming into the mind. By the time the ‘lid’ is there, it is too late.

Events have happened, children make up beliefs about themselves and the world around them and then those beliefs become emotionally trigged throughout time, causing the person to feel chronic sadness, anger, fear or guilt. Finally, sometimes decades later, a symptom (chronic pain, sinus issues, fatigue, insomnia, etc) or a behavior (anxious or depressed feelings, phobias, over eating, smoking, etc) waves itself like a red flag, communicating that there is a problem or error in the mind.


Hypnotherapy is similar to guided meditation. The client relaxes and disengages from the conscious mind or the part of the mind that concentrates. In this state of relaxation, the client follows the suggestions of the hypnotherapist and shifts into their creative, emotional subconscious mind.

It’s kind of like Driver’s Ed; the client is the one controlling the wheel and the hypnotherapist is the one holding the clipboard telling them where to go. The hypnotherapist guides the client deeper into their mind, while the brain wave states drop from beta to alpha to sometimes theta and delta. In this state, the conscious mind is still present, but not as active as before. The hypnotherapist gives suggestions which the client chooses to receive or take in (or not) and changes the belief systems on the subconscious level where the root of their problem exists.

The hypnotherapist acts as a healing facilitator and may use a wide variety of tools to help the client transform such as forgiveness or compassion formulas, assertiveness empowerment, modified gestalt therapies, part therapies, core transformation (allowing the client to move from pain to peace), and showing the client what their negative belief systems are so the client can choose more positive or liberating beliefs.

Hypnotherapy is simple and anyone can be hypnotized as long as they understand what it is. It is side-effect free and can help with everything on the list below and more.

Hypnosis Helps

• Reduce Stress
• Anxious or Depressed Feelings
• Raise Self-Esteem
• Lose Weight
• Lifestyle Changes
• Stop Smoking
• Phobias
• Sleep Problems
• Test Performance
• Increasing Memory
• Overcoming Procrastination
• Grief with Loss
• Work Productivity
• Assertiveness Training
• And More!

Hypnotherapists- Lacey Nagy, John Byrne