Hypnotherapy is a brief therapy often known as solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT). Studies have shown the model’s effectiveness in working with clients with depression, antisocial adolescents, anxiety and self-confidence. Its proponents say that, with less time spent on history taking and diagnoses, the SFBT approach is well suited to the new realities of limited insurance benefits and the increasing need for community mental health outreach.

The simplest way to describe hypnosis is as a state of both deep relaxation and focused attention, where your mind is more receptive to making subtle changes in feelings and behaviors.

The intense concentration and focus of hypnosis may sound foreign, but it’s not unlike being absorbed in a good book or movie, getting lost on the internet or scrolling on your phone. You are absorbed, less aware of your physical or sensory surroundings and at ease.

Formal therapeutic hypnosis has a few more steps. First, a hypnotist will try to induce a hypnotic state by getting you to relax and focus on their words. Once you are induced, they will talk you through suggestions based on your goals for the session.

The patient should become so focused on the hypnotist’s words that everything else falls away, The aim is for the suggestions you hear in that trance-like state to shift your perspective, feelings and eventually behaviors by retraining the subconscious mind.

How does Hypnotherapy work?

Since the conscious mind constitutes merely about 10-12% of our total mental capacity, making changes at this level can prove to be quite challenging. In contrast, the subconscious mind represents the remaining 88-90% and contains our deep-seated life scripts or "programming" that dictates almost all of our actions. Often, we are unaware of the limiting beliefs, obstacles, fears, and various other negative programs residing in our subconscious. These usually don't align with our conscious intentions, and when they conflict, the subconscious typically prevails.

Hypnotherapy focuses on replacing undesired beliefs or behaviors with preferred ones by reprogramming the subconscious to align with conscious desires. This process aids in establishing new, automatic behaviors that resonate with your aspirations and goals. Essentially, we assist in transforming your subconscious into an efficient ally, working in your favor to foster positive and enduring transformations in your life.