Have you ever wondered why hypnosis works for some but not for others?
Maybe you’ve tried it and felt… nothing. Perhaps you’ve been curious but sceptical. You’re unsure if it’s real or just another gimmick.
This article reveals what truly goes on behind the scenes of a hypnotherapy session: what makes it click, why it sometimes doesn’t work, and what you can do about it.
What hypnosis can do for you
Hypnosis can be useful in numerous ways: quitting smoking, managing pain, calming anxiety, and changing bad habits. When the conditions are right, it creates space for more conscious control over behaviours that are subconscious and thereby automatic.
In a clinical setting, it’s often paired with therapeutic techniques (e.g. inner child therapy) to address the presenting problem with the aim of shifting emotional responses.
Can everyone be hypnotised?
The official stance is that not everyone can be hypnotised. I beg to differ.
Everyone experiences pockets of hypnosis throughout the day. Almost every day, people do things subconsciously and later on wonder why they did it, or worse still, regret how they reacted. This can be described as the hypnoidal state.
Milton Erickson is a famous psychologist who used hypnotic suggestions to influence his clients while they’re wide-awake. His successful therapy sessions indicate that everyone can be hypnotised. What matters is the technique used for different people.
Most people experience a light trance, which they’re sometimes unable to feel, although it’s observable. A smaller percentage of people naturally go deep into hypnosis. It doesn’t mean the rest are untreatable. It’s just that the effect might be more subtle, or they require a different approach.
It’s worth pointing out that the idea that hypnosis only works if you’re weak-minded is untrue. I find that strong visual imagination and the ability to feel go hand-in-hand with hypnotic ability.
Will hypnosis work on me?
That depends. If you’re doing it because you want to change, and not because someone’s pressuring you, your chances are better. The vast majority of the sessions that don’t go well are with clients who were forced to come for therapy by their partners or parents.
The therapeutic relationship itself matters. As I was taught in class, there needs to be the “square of trust” between the therapist and the client. If the client feels unsafe with the therapist, she won’t want to talk about her issues.
At times, working on a peripheral issue first, like self-esteem, actually dissolves the need for the habit you’re trying to change. If smoking, for example, is a coping mechanism for the feeling of “not good enough”, healing that root makes quitting much easier.
Why hypnosis doesn’t work on me?
Don’t be too quick to assume that hypnosis has failed if it doesn’t yield results. There are many reasons why it fails in a session.
Repressed trauma can create unconscious resistance. The mind protects itself, and sometimes that means refusing to open the door, even when we think we want it open.
Other obstacles include:
- Feeling ashamed about some things you did (e.g. watching porn) such that you block out certain details
- Substance abuse or taking certain psychiatric medication can prevent you from entering a deep hypnotic state
- Being physically unwell
- Being forced to come for therapy
- Analysing one’s thoughts and feelings instead of discussing the spontaneous impressions
- Expecting a certain feeling or result during hypnosis
One or more of the above can cause the session to fail. Therefore, it will help to deal with the underlying obstacles before tackling the client’s problem.
Many people are also quick to label hypnosis as ineffective after trying it just once. A fair bit of exploration is needed to identify the root cause of the presenting issue. Sometimes it takes up to 3 sessions to do so.
What if I can’t be hypnotised?
Before concluding that you can’t be hypnotised, at least try 3 sessions first.
If you find hypnosis difficult after 3 sessions, or if it yields no results, you can consider other forms of therapy or techniques such as:
- EFT Tapping: Helps you release trapped emotions from past events
- Meditation: Rewires your mind to stay in the present, and not vacillating between past regrets and future worries
- Nutrition Therapy: Problems such as OCD and ADHD may have their roots in the body, not the mind. If you suffer from multiple chronic conditions, it’s worth exploring food as medicine.
- Reiki Healing: Reiki is an energy healing method similar to Qigong that solves your problem from a different angle. It is known to help with mental and emotional issues.
- Sound Healing: Similar to reiki healing, it uses sound frequency to dissolve the mental and emotional issues that underlie your problem.
How do I allow myself to be hypnotised?
If you’re thinking of trying hypnotherapy, start by letting go of the baggage. Many people come in carrying myths, fears, or warped ideas they’ve picked up from stage acts or YouTube videos. That kind of mental clutter gets in the way.
Reading about other people’s experiences can help you understand how hypnosis works, but it can also give you the wrong impression. The majority of hypnosis sessions are vastly different from what you read. If you walk in expecting a certain experience, it may cost you your session. Let go of those expectations.
The critical mind loves to analyse, question and critique the session. That’s useful when making decisions, but a nuisance in therapy. If you stay stuck in your head, you can’t go deep into hypnosis, and you’ll block the suggestions. Your aim is to relax and allow your inner world to surface. The analysis comes afterwards.
Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Being open and honest makes a huge difference. Your therapist can’t read your mind, and he needs real information to work with. If you hold back out of embarrassment or fear of judgement, it limits what can be done in the session. Vulnerability is part of the process.
Lastly, follow the pre-session guidelines from your therapist. Some basic ones are:
- Rest well because tiredness impacts focus
- Eat something to avoid feeling hungry
- Avoid alcohol for 24h as it numbs your senses
- Drink less water to avoid trips to the toilet
The fewer distractions, the better.
Photo credits: Andrea Piacquadio
