HOW DOES HYPNOSIS WORK

Hypnosis has a strong scientific basis and was used by some of the most eminent doctors who have shaped our thinking on the mind at the beginning of the last century, such as Freud and Jung.

Hypnosis works on a number of levels. When we listen to someone speaking, our critical brain acts to censor what we hear. However the hypnotist is trained to use language that draws the listener into a special state. In this state the listeners’ brain cannot imagine the alternative to what the hypnotist is saying, so accepts this uncritically. This process is greatly facilitated if the subject has faith in the integrity of the hypnotist.

The mind has many functions some of which are logical, and some of which are emotional. We may accept things logically, but not accept them emotionally, so we are ‘stuck’ and unable to achieve our goals. Our emotional brain is not designed to tell us why we do the things we do and think the things we think. Under hypnosis we have better access to our emotional brain and can help it to help us with our goals. Sometimes this may involve remembering events from the past, although this only ever happens when the subject is ready for this.

On this website there are many articles and papers I have written on How and Why hypnosis works. Go to 'Articles' 'History of Hypnosis@ is relatively simple, 'How hypnosis works' has many Neuroscience references.