It is the therapy – hypnotherapy - which is carried out within the altered state that is significant.
It adopts two altogether different forms in its clinical approach.

Suggestion Therapy
This clinical form of treatment is ideal for helping to cope with such things as self-development, particular fears, doubts, nerves, smoking, certain habits, some weight-control problems, stress, hypno-healing (working with the body’s immune and healing systems) and so forth.

Analytical Therapy
This is used for the more fundamental or deep-seated problems or issues. This approach aims to find and eliminate the underlying root cause(s) of such things as irrational fears, emotional problems, relationship difficulties, psycho-sexual problems, lack of confidence, personality problems, sleeping difficulties, stuttering/stammering, anxiety, inferiority complex, unhappiness, phobias, etc. and most other problems and issues where there is a psychological factor at work.

How does it feel to be hypnotised?
It feels great! Hypnosis is a natural state that feels similar to that feeling you get right before you fall asleep at night.
When you awaken, you feel refreshed and revitalised.

You just feel as if you are relaxing in a very comfortable space with your eyes closed. You can hear everything - the therapists voice, the sounds outside the building, a car going down the street outside, whatever.

Think about it - your unconscious mind uses the same set of ears that your conscious mind hears with! How effective would it be if, once you entered the trance state, you suddenly lost all ability to hear the words of the hypnotherapist?

You're mindful the entire time, aware of everything going on around you as well as what your unconscious is revealing to you.
We liken it to watching TV in one room while a radio plays in another; you can shift your awareness back and forth between the two, concentrating on one but still aware of the other.

How do you put people into hypnosis?
Using words, a soothing tone, some background music, mental imagery and various exercises and techniques (such as deep breathing) to induce a pleasant, lethargic state to begin with.

Is hypnosis "mind control?"
Not at all. No one under hypnosis can be induced to do anything against his or her will. Whatever moral and ethical codes you hold in a normal waking state will still be in place under hypnosis. You can actually lie when in hypnosis.

Your unconscious mind was fully formed by about the age of five. Its job is to protect and help you. Just like you cannot be made to do anything against your moral code, you will not say anything that is embarrassing and will not reveal more than you are comfortable doing.

 

Usually, if a hypnotherapists suggestion conflicts with a client's value system, the client simply brings him or herself up out of hypnosis; they just "wake up." You are in complete control at all times.

Hypnotherapy is a gentle, loving process and hypnotherapists are trained to not judge.
You will heal and change in your own timing.

 

What about those stage hypnotists that make people do strange and silly things?
The "control factor" is still zero. Think about it: we've all seen or heard about those stage shows - we all have expectations about what happens in them. If you have never been formally hypnotised before, you may be expecting "fireworks."

When that doesn't happen, you think, "Oh, it's not working on me," and STOP TRYING, open your eyes and sit there waiting to be let off the stage. The people who will do well as volunteers are the people who do not expect to be transported to another realm. They understand that they will still “know what's going on” and still “hear everything the hypnotist says.”

They stay with it and follow the hypnotist's instructions, even when they're not sure if it's working.

You cannot simultaneously BE the show and SEE the show! You have to pick one and stick with it!

Does anyone really think that if they volunteer to go on stage that the hypnotist will suggest they do something BRILLIANT? Anyone who volunteers is agreeing to play the part, whether they consciously admit it or not.

For some, hypnosis (like alcohol) is a convenient "excuse" to act out and not take responsibility for their behaviour.

How much will I remember?
You'll remember everything - everything that is said and everything you experience or everything you need to remember.

However, because most clients receive a great deal of information it may take days, weeks or months to really process.

We often encourage you to write your experience down as soon as possible. As with any experience, it's not unusual to lose the subtler details with the passage of time, and some of the patterns you uncover may not “click” into place until much later.

We do RECORD all the therapy sessions and give you a COPY TO TAKE AWAY. Repeated playing of the cd will enhance the effects of the session.

 

How deep will I go into hypnosis?
Depth of the hypnotic state is an idea that used to be a focal point, but lately the hypnosis community and hypnosis professionals have realised that depth (or not) has little bearing. Our view on this is that FREETHINK clients go as deep (or stay as light) as they need to and what is appropriate for them, and we still get good results.

It is a fact that the more hypnosis one undergoes, the greater and easier one drops down into the altered state.
It is a skill and like all skills – improves with practice.

How do I know if I can be hypnotised?
Everyone can be hypnotised but one has to be willing to do it. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis, which means if you want to do it, you will. The very small minority of people who have difficulty in a session are usually those who
a) don't really want to be hypnotised (perhaps to debunk the idea); or
b) can't relax and let go enough (perhaps fearing loss of control, which we know is a myth, or fearing the unknown) to go with the experience. Some things you can do to increase your ability to go under hypnosis easier and faster are practising meditation, visualisation, yoga or relaxation techniques.

What does hypnosis feel like ... or ... How can I tell if I'm hypnotised?
Many of us experience a "trance-like" state while being given a good sermon at church, listening to some good music on the radio, reading a gripping novel, or even while watching TV! Here are some typical feelings one may experience when in a hypnotic state:
1.  Physical relaxation (Body muscles feel relaxed).
2.  Fluttering of eyelids when entering and coming out of hypnosis.
3.  Mental relaxation.
4.  General feeling of drowsiness as if ready to doze.
5.  Eyelids heavy (extreme effort to raise them).
6.  Eyes smarting and/or tearing. Remove contacts; they create dryness.
7.  Eyelids locked together, unable to open.
8.  Jaw muscles relaxed.
9.  Teeth unclenched.
10. Tongue loose and natural. When tense, the tongue goes higher.
11. Dryness in mouth.
12. Desire to swallow.
13. Moisture at corners of mouth.
14. Desire to scratch an itch, but not sure of doing it.
15. Twitching or jerking in any part of the body.
16. Euphoria (state of well-being).
17. Tingling or numbness in any portion of body.
18. Heavy feeling in any portion or entire body.
19. Desire to laugh, smile, giggle, or cry.
20. Lack of desire to open eyes (relaxation feels too good).
21. Body warmth or chill.
22. Feel personal freedom, carefree or uninhibited.
23. Sexual/sensual stimulation or awareness.
24. Time distortion (minutes seems like hours and vice versa).
25. Voice sounds fading in and out.
26. Letting go as if falling asleep.
27. Occasional involuntary sigh.
28. Feeling of lightness.
29. Feeling of floating.
30. Partial body detachment as if part of the body is not there.

 

Can I "get stuck"?
No. Again, hypnosis is a very natural and normal state and cannot hold anyone against his or her will. If a client were to go so deep as to enter a truly unconscious state (a very rare occurrence), they would simply go into natural sleep and awaken when they were rested. It is impossible for anyone to be ‘left’ or ‘lost’ in hypnosis.
After hypnosis, a person awakens naturally, just as they do after sleep! If the hypnotherapist were to leave before counting them awake, the subject would eventually realise that the session had ended and would awaken on their own.

During the session, if there were an emergency, or the subject no longer wished to participate, they could easily awaken themselves at any time and simply stop.

 

Can hypnosis hurt me?
In over two hundred years of recorded hypnosis history, there is no documented case of anyone being hurt with hypnosis. Hypnosis can only be used in a positive way. If anyone tries to give you suggestions against your morals, religious beliefs or anything you feel strongly about, you could instantly emerge from the state of relaxation on your own.

Is hypnosis a 100% consent state?
If at any time you want to emerge from the state of hypnosis, for any reason, you will instantly, naturally open your eyes and become fully alert. No one can keep you in hypnosis against your will.

 

What if I'm under a doctor's care or taking medication?
If you have any questions about whether or not hypnosis will help or conflict with a present medical condition, ask you GP.

The interesting reaction of hypnosis on medication is that, over long periods of time, it tends to "potentiate" medication, which means if you're currently taking medication, after a series of hypnosis sessions you may find that you need less amounts of it, or a lesser strength of the drug. Hypnosis can often complement traditional medical care and better or more informed doctors favour it. It can act as an adjunct to medical treatment.

The FREETHINK therapists all have NHS provider numbers and can deliver hypnotherapy solutions as prescribed by a doctor

Can hypnosis help me?
"Helping me get past my fear of public speaking?" "Improving my golf game?" "Helping me relax during exams?" "Curing my insomnia?" etc. Let's put it this way: think for a moment about any issue in your life that you'd like to improve and ask yourself, "Does my mind interact with this issue/activity in any way? Do my thoughts/beliefs affect my performance? Do my feelings contribute to my experiences in this area? Have I had past experiences that are reinforcing my beliefs/thoughts/emotions in a negative way? Is it my expectation that I will NOT get the results I desire?"

Are you getting the picture? The mind, body and emotions are all connected. Therefore, I'm not aware of ANY issue that cannot be at least significantly improved/relieved through the regular use of hypnosis.

Generally, there is a positive effect from hypnotherapy. When pain and trauma is released from the unconscious mind and the physical body's stored stress is also released from your cells. You can experience calmness. peace. and a feeling of joy from resolving an old issue, changing your behaviours and old patterns, leaning new information connecting with your inner wisdom, changes in how you perceive yourself and others. You can actually learn to let go of old hurts and angers, so they no longer affect you physically and emotionally. Your unconscious mind holds our keys to health, happiness and self-empowerment!

You will actually have to do some WORK along the way, such as attending your hypnotherapy sessions or listening to your self-hypnosis tape on a daily basis. If you are expecting to be "put to sleep" and awaken "never wanting to eat chocolate again," you're probably destined for disappointment. It just doesn't happen that way. On the other hand, it is possible to quit smoking after only one therapy session, if the client is  HIGHLY MOTIVATED and has COMMITMENT.

Have you?

Many people expect to be rich by not doing anything to make it happen! 

Can Hypnosis be Spiritual? I Don't Believe in Religion!
There is a huge difference between religion and spirituality. Religion sometimes comes with rules, regulations, "shoulds" and "should nots." Spiritual awareness is an individual, inner process based in the belief that the Source of all life is everywhere and in everything. Therefore, there can be no separation from your Source of life, however we choose to call It.

The FREETHINK work and methods honour all expressions of Spirit, and seeks to help you release your judgements, particularly about yourself. We help you learn to consciously manifest when you want to experience, rather than responding to events in your life that you don't want. We extend to you the concept that you are totally loved, accepted, powerful and creative, and that you cannot NOT be these things.

Elevated Therapy when working within these realms creates an open, accepting (sacred) space for you to learn more about yourself and expand into who you want to be and who you really are. This occurs as you learn the skills of working with the unconscious and superconscious minds and experience your own healing as you expand and grow.

 

How can I learn more about hypnosis?
Depends. What exactly do you want to learn? If you're just curious about hypnosis, try reading a book on the subject. Plenty are available via Amazon and Northwich library holds over a dozen
You can buy self-hypnosis tapes and cd’s that will guide you through the hypnotic process.

We are also happy to recommend Hypnosis training courses for those that develop a fascination for the subject. We run a Diploma course ourselves. This course has been fully accredited by the British Institute of Hypnotherapy