In order to explain hypnosis it helps to understand how we process endless stream of information we are bombarded with everyday. Our conscious mind acts as gate keeper. It judges, critiques, accepts or denies information for storage in our long-term memory or subconscious mind. With repeated exposure or repetition to same information or experiences, our thoughts can evolve into actions.

The subconscious stores all of our habits, patterns, values and beliefs. It’s also home of our imagination as well as our body’s control center. It tells our heart when to beat, our lungs when to breath and controls every step we take every day of our life. It’s a very powerful place.

Once a subconscious pattern is established it’s pretty tough to break. Think of subconscious mind as hard drive of your computer. Once you down-load a program it automatically repeats every time you run it. The more often we repeat an action longer root of this pattern becomes. For example, by repeating an action 36,000 times it’s likely to become a consistent part of your life routine. This is number of times a ½ pack a day smoker reinforces their habit over a ten year period.

Gardening Techniques Think of subconscious mind as a greenhouse. Roses or poison ivy will both flourish in this fertile environment. Even though conscious mind’s job is to keep track of what gets stored, it’s only human and makes mistakes. Hypnosis offers unique opportunity to not only do weeding, but to also plant seeds of positive, healthy alternatives. The reason people have such difficulty attempting to make conscious level changes with long-term patterns is because they don’t reside in conscious mind. Long-term patterns reside in subconscious mind or long-term memory. It’s like weeding your garden by clipping them off at ground level. It looks great for a while but they always grow back. When changes are made on a subconscious level, patterns can be yanked out by root so they never grow back. Hypnosis 101

Hypnosis is simple process of accessing subconscious thought. The subconscious mind has many important functions; it is where all our values, beliefs, habits and patterns reside. It also is home of our body’s control center. It regulates our heart rate, breathing and coordinates every step we take.

Having key to such a powerful place enables us to initiate positive changes supporting how our body responds to situations like stress, fear, pain, depression or even trauma of surgery. Clients fortunate enough to be given option of receiving hypnosis prior to, and after surgical procedures, sing its praises. Also, scientific research supports these claims with reduced complications and medication needs; more timely recoveries and shorter hospital stays, which is good for everyone.

“An average savings of $1,200 per patient resulted from this simple 5-minute intervention.” (1)

Another study discovered that hypnosis group did better than 89% of those who did not receive hypnosis. “These data strongly support use of hypnosis with surgical patients.” (2)

Hypnosis isn’t magic, its nature. We all go in and out of hypnotic-like trance several times a day. We call it day dreaming or zoning out. Hypnosis is process of enabling this dream-like state to occur and then offering helpful direction, which support client’s specific goals.

Surgical hypnosis involves relaxation, improved immune response and circulation that minimizes infection and promotes rapid healing. By increasing endorphin production pain is minimized requiring less medication and unwanted side effects that usually result. And because imagination resides in subconscious thought, wonderful images show client relaxed, comfortable and successful further reinforcing this positive plan.

This healthy direction creates a blueprint, which becomes reality. Surgical Hypnosis disconnects patterns of fear and worry. It puts client in drivers seat when need they need it most. In life we all follow path of our most dominant thoughts and with hypnosis you get unique opportunity to create thoughts and images, which serve you best. What your mind conceives your body achieves.

In mid 1840’s when John Elliotson and James Esdaile began using hypnosis in surgical setting as an anesthetic with great success. Prior to their efforts mortality rate was 40%; with hypnosis it was 5%. In spite of their success hypnosis would soon take a backseat to either, nitrous oxide and chloroform by late 1840’s. (3)

The 3 important keys to success with hypnosis are how open a client is to this type of relaxation, how motivated they are to make positive changes and how prepared hypnotist is to offer suggestions and imagery supporting desired change. Hypnosis is a relationship of trust and co-operation. If a client believes hypnotist is working in their best interest they are likely to be more open minded and accepting, ensuring positive results.

It is impossible to predict outcome of any treatment option but when clients understand technique, benefits and are involved with process, results are consistently positive. Also, considering mountain of research supporting clinical hypnosis as an effective compliment to traditional medicine, time has come to open door to this and other holistic options.