Joanna Malinowska
Professional Hypnotherapist
Sydney Hypnotherapy & Self Hypnosis Centre
Self Hypnosis - The Most Effective and Empowering Self Help Method
Self hypnosis is a perfect tool to achieve full body and mind relaxation, not comparable with any other self-help techniques. This state can be used for meditation, healing, balancing the body. You can also access the limitless resources of your mind to reach your goals.
Real, active self hypnosis is the most effective and empowering natural self help method. This is when you enter the hypnotic state by yourself to use that altered state of consciousness to achieve your goals. It is completely different from listening to “self hypnosis” audios; this is you using your own natural power. I can teach you the Instant Self-hypnosis Method in just one session.
Self hypnosis is self-help. It is when you put yourself into a hypnotic trance and then go deeper and deeper into that altered state of consciousness, when you become extremely receptive to suggestions. You give the suggestions to yourself, or perform some other, more advanced technique.
When you listen to a hypnosis CD, you just relax and let somebody's voice lead you. In most cases you just listen to somebody's suggestions, and yes, you learn to relax, and perhaps it helps you to deal with the particular issue it says it helps, but this is all. CDs or books very rarely teach you to instantly access the hypnotic state, and if they do, it takes a long time to learn.
In hypnotherapy, you can do it in one session. When I teach self hypnosis, it is not only to access a nice, relaxed state, but to be able to put yourself instantly into the hypnotic trance and, what is most important, to use this hypnotic state in any situation you need it. You learn how to do it yourself, how to access your resources and utilise them. So, for example, you can use the hypnotic state when playing golf, and later on, if you want to become an amateur actor, you may adapt it for performing on stage, and if you ever twist your ankle it will be for pain relief (but you still need to see a doctor to cure it). You will be able to apply it to most cases in the future, when life challenges you. And you will keep growing.
Self hypnosis may be very useful in many situations. It is very useful to learn it, because:
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You may use it as the reinforcement of the hypnotherapy session. This way you will need less sessions to achieve your goal
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You may need to relax in a stressful situation
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You may want to improve your focus and other study skills
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You may use it to boost your motivation
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You may want to increase your concentration during important work or at study
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You can have a boost of self-confidence any time you need it
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You can use it for self-healing
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You can induce a good night sleep
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... and so on, and so on
Everybody is born with a talent for self hypnosis. However, like every talent, this talent needs to be developed by exercise. The best way to learn self hypnosis is from the hypnotic state. When you are in the hypnotic state, you are given suggestions how to do it yourself. Then you do it under the guidance of the therapist, to make sure you understand every step.
At each hypnotherapy session you learn more. Firstly you just learn to relax, then you learn to induce the deep hypnotic state just by yourself, using one word. Later you learn how to give yourself simple suggestions, and you are given instructions needed for your particular situation.
The most important part of learning self hypnosis is to practice every day, four times a day, for 10 to 15 minutes. It may seem a lot, but it is needed only at the beginning, when you learn. You will benefit from it through your entire life.
Depending on the level you want to learn, it may take 2 to 6 sessions to learn advanced self hypnosis techniques.
I usually teach some self hypnosis in almost every session. This is an essential part of any hypnotherapy process that takes longer than two sessions.
I will always teach self hypnosis for chronic pain treatment, insomnias, weight control, quit smoking and stress management treatments. This way my treatment becomes more effective and more affordable, the client needs less sessions. It also makes clients independent in future, similar situations.
Limitations of self-hypnosis
Self hypnosis is very powerful, and, as you know yourself best, you can create the powerful suggestions because you will use your own words, or you can even skip the words and just use your imagination; you can feel the suggestions instead of saying them.
However, there are some limitations: -
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Sometimes the problem is too complex to be solved in self mode. It needs outside professional help which combines counselling with personalised therapy. It may just need another perspective and it is difficult to get this perspective when you are depressed, in trauma, or crisis, or in the power of a destructive habit, just to mention a few situations. The rule is, if the problem affects you on a high level and causes strong personal distress, it is better to seek professional help. I would usually advise to have a few personal hypnotherapy sessions to solve the problem before learning self-hypnosis.
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Removal of pain before seeking correct medical advice can be very dangerous. The pain can be a signal that something needs urgent treatment. It must be checked by your doctor.
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Healing of medical conditions is very effective with self-hypnosis, but only under medical supervision; keep your doctor informed about any symptoms that have been removed.