Whether you’re considering your first hypnotherapy session or you’ve experienced hypnotherapy before, there are many things you can do to make your sessions as rewarding as possible. Our hypnotists at the Morpheus Clinic have offered 7 simple tips about what you can do before and during your sessions to improve your experience and maximize results.
1. Do your Research
“The first thing I’d recommend is: dispel most of the doubts you have about hypnotherapy,” says UJ Ramdas, a senior associate. “A lot of people look at it and think that there’s something mystical or magical going on, and many people think it doesn’t work. It has nothing to do with any of what society tells you hypnosis is. A lot of what we do here is helping you change and identify your internal unconscious patterns. There’s plenty of spaces where you can get a really good sense of what hypnosis is and how it can help you. You can read on our website. You can read on the web. You can go to pubmed.com and get lots of peer-reviewed medical journals testifying to the power and effectiveness of hypnosis. This is not a magic pill. It’s not a wand that we wave and make your problems go away. It deals with the intricacies of your psychology — of who you are, your mind, your emotions – and it influences it in a certain way.
Kate Gardiner, another senior Morpheus associate, adds that hopefully clients “have done their research and figured out the right hypnotist or hypnotherapist to work with, so that they feel comfortable.”
2. Be Physically Comfortable
When trying to reach a deep level of relaxation, it’s important to make sure no physical discomfort or distraction hinders you. “I usually ask people to get a good night’s sleep so that they don’t fall asleep during their session,” Kate Gardiner says with a laugh. Luke Chao, Director and Founder of the Morpheus Clinic, adds: “If you’re too tired, you might actually fall asleep during the session, and that way you wouldn’t get what you need to get. Don’t wear tight clothing. Don’t wear something that’s too hot. Perhaps dress in layers. If you wear contacts, seriously consider wearing glasses that day because your eyes will be closed for up to an hour or even longer.”
3. Be Open and Specific with your Hypnotist
“We’re here to help you so there’s no reason to feel uncomfortable,” says Kate Spariaguina, a junior associate at the Morpheus Clinic. “You’ve come in for help and we’re here just for that. So the more information we receive from you, the less things you hide, the more we can deal with your issue.”
“You want to be completely open with your hypnotist about any fears or any concerns that you have,” says Luke Chao. “Don’t go into it just assuming that they can read your mind (laughs) or that they know exactly what’s going on with you because if you have anything that’s holding you back from relaxing completely or trusting your hypnotist, it will interfere with the session. It’s part of their job to make sure that you’re completely comfortable with proceeding.”
“Get really specific about what it is you’d like to work on,” says UJ Ramdas. “This is different from conventional forms of changework. Here we look at identifying one or two fundamental patterns and shifting them.”
4. Go With The Flow and Be Open to Surprises
“You want to just go with the flow,” says Luke Chao, “and let yourself be surprised by the thoughts that come to mind, by the feelings that come to you, by the memories that occur. What I like to say is that if you’re surprised then you’ve learned something that day. And if you’re not surprised by anything, then I’m not sure if you’ve really made that much progress. So definitely be open to being surprised, and that way unconscious information will come to light.”
5. Commit to the Process and Be Ready for Change
Kate Spariaguina says, “When you come in to hypnotherapy, the main thing for you to know is that you are coming in to change. So the main thing is to be ready to accept that change, to know that you are coming into a session in order to become a better self.”
“The final results you get out of a hypnosis session are going to depend on many things, but much of it is your commitment to the process and your commitment to change,” says Luke Chao. “If you’re not committed to changing, then we’re fighting an uphill battle here. It doesn’t matter how good your hypnotist is, we can’t overcome your unwillingness to change. You know, if you just love food, and you don’t want to give up potato chips or sodas, why do we want to take away something you love?”
6. If Necessary, Give your Conscious Mind a Job
“Some people find that their conscious mind interferes with the process,” says Luke Chao, “by analyzing or critically evaluating what the hypnotist says. If you find that this is the case, you want to give your conscious mind the following job: ask it to accept and affirm wholeheartedly every suggestion the hypnotist gives. So if your hypnotist says, ‘You’re getting very relaxed,’ rather than thinking, ‘Am I getting relaxed? Is this going to work? I don’t know if this is going to work,’ give your conscious mind the job to accept that suggestion. So ask it to say, ‘Yes. I am getting relaxed.’”
7. Have Fun!
“Most of all, have fun,” says UJ Ramdas. “It’s a wonderful experience of a deep connection with your unconscious. Most clients who experience it don’t want to leave because it’s a great space and state to be in.”
One of our Client Care Coordinators published this post.