ABOUT HYPNOSIS/ HYPNOTHERAPY

WHAT IS HYPNOSIS?

The specialists encounter difficulties in reaching a consensus regarding the definition of hypnosis. Hypnosis is not fully understood because consciousness, with its levels of awareness, is not understood. Hypnosis is a function of consciousness. The entry into the hypnotic state is a natural, innate property of consciousness.
The British Medical Association has defined hypnosis as a “transient state of altered attention.” Some define it as an altered state of consciousness (Chertok, 1979), while others describe it as a constructed psychological state. Psychology professor Ernest Hilgard (1904-2001), one of the founders of the hypnosis department at Stanford University, described hypnosis in terms of dissociation, in which a part of the mind operates independently from the rest of the consciousness. Most specialists agree that hypnosis involves avoiding the critical factor of the conscious mind, focus of attention and the acceptance of suggestions.
A more modern perception of hypnosis suggests that hypnosis is a natural state in which people enter automatically throughout the day, a safe state with great potential for healing. It is a state of deep relaxation and focused attention (though relaxation is not necessary to induce hypnosis). It is a soothing and pleasant experience that has the potential to induce very deep relaxation of the body and mind. The deep state of hypnosis is referred to as “trance.”
Hypnosis is an excellent method by which people can access their inner potential and achieve positive transformation in their lives. Each of us utilizes various depths of hypnosis daily, when we daydream, meditate or relax, before we fall asleep or when we wake up, prior to becoming fully alert. We do it easily, automatically, without thinking about the process or realizing we are experiencing hypnosis.
In hypnosis, the subconscious mind is receptive to suggestions, the conscious mind is in a quiet state, and the physical body is relaxed. It is not mandatory for the physical body to be relaxed to enter hypnosis. Hypnosis bypasses the conscious mind, allowing direct interaction with the subconscious. It is not necessary for a person to believe in hypnosis to be hypnotized. Even though hypnosis is a natural state that we all experience every day, people who use it for personal development, in and after a hypnotic state appear to have ability to achieve remarkable things.
Although hypnosis has been used for thousands of years, the term “hypnosis” was coined in 1841 by the Scottish physician Dr. James Braid using the Greek word “hupnos” which means “sleep.” This term is not quite an accurate description of hypnosis because in hypnosis the subject is not asleep. On the other hand, many hypnosis clients have proven that even if they fall asleep during the hypnosis/ hypnotherapy session their subconscious mind is fully present, receives and acts upon suggestions.
The state of hypnosis can be achieved either by oneself –self-hypnosis– or with the help of a person trained in the art of hypnosis (a hypnotherapist or a hypnotist).
Research has shown electrical changes in the brain during hypnosis. The brain waves become slower than the ones in the waking state. During hypnosis the brain reaches the Alpha, Theta, Delta and REM states.
There are varying degrees of hypnosis depth. Some people go very deep in hypnosis while others go lightly. Most people experience a state somewhere in the middle.  During hypnosis, one maintains control and awareness.

WHAT IS HYPNOTHERAPY?

Hypnotherapy is a safe and drug free therapeutic approach that addresses the subconscious mind, and, indirectly the conscious level of thinking. It is the use of positive suggestions and other techniques in hypnosis for implementing positive changes in the way a person thinks, feels, behaves or to help in the healing process of various health conditions.
Hypnotherapy is the use in hypnosis of alternative techniques such as:
-Visualization techniques
-Guided Imagery and Interactive Guided Imagery
-Progressive Relaxation Technique
-Positive Suggestions Therapy
-Neuro-Linguistic Programming Techniques (NLP)
-Age Regression
-Age Progression
-Parts Therapy
-Time Line Therapy
-Emotional Freedom Technique
In addition, in Spiritual Hypnotherapy the following therapies and techniques are used:
-Past Life Regression Therapy and Analysis
-Life Beyond Life/ Life between Incarnations/ Interlife Exploration Hypnosis/ Beyond Life Exploration Hypnosis
-Channeling the superconscious level of thinking and/or the universal mind
-Future Life Progression
Medical Hypnotherapy (in addition to the above techniques):
-Guided Imagery and Interactive Guided Imagery for Healing
-Suggestion Therapy for Healing
-Superconscious Healing:
-cleansing and rebuilding the energy field of the body technique
-achieving unity in consciousness technique
-emotional healing technique
Hypnotherapy is very efficient because it’s the approach that has access to the subconscious mind with its suppressed memories and unsolved negatively-oriented beliefs that lead to negative emotions.

IS THE USE OF HYPNOSIS AND HYPNOTHERAPY OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED?

Hypnosis has been officially recognized by the British Medical Association (BMA) since 1955 and the American Medical Association since 1958 as a legitimate and safe approach to medical and psychological problems. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the American National Institute of Health have also recognized hypnosis as a viable therapeutic approach to medical and psychological conditions.
The use of hypnosis is recognized, as complementary, within the medical field as a useful therapeutic tool in the treatment of medical conditions and psychological problems. According to William Ray, a professor of psychology and Penn State hypnosis-researcher, more than 12,000 articles on the benefits of hypnosis have been published in medical and psychological journals since the 1950s.

IS HYPNOTHERAPY EFFECTIVE?

A survey of psychotherapy literature by psychologist Alfred A. Barrios, Ph.D. revealed the following recovery rates:
Psychoanalysis: 38% recovery after 600 sessions.
Behavior Therapy: 72% recovery after 22 sessions.
Hypnotherapy: 93% recovery after 6 sessions.
Source: American Health Magazine
At Harvard University, a study was conducted on eight hypnotized subjects  by a research team that has included Stephen Kosslyn, a professor of psychology at Harvard University and doctor David Spiegel from the faculty of medicine from Stanford University. Using PET scanners, this experiment has produced evidence that, when a subject was hypnotized, the right hemisphere showed changes in its activity. They also observed changes in the activity of the left hemisphere. In contrast, when the experiment subjects were not hypnotized, changes in activity occurred only in the left hemisphere of their brain.
Scientific studies have shown that almost 80% of physical and psychological problems are stress related. “Hypnosis is the most powerful relaxing non-pharmacological agent known to science.” Dr. G.V. Sunnen, M.D.

WHO CAN PRACTICE HYPNOSIS / HYPNOTHERAPY?

  • Hypno-psychotherapy and hypno-psychoanalysis (psychotherapy and psychoanalysis conducted in the state of hypnosis) are practiced by clinical psychologists.
  • Hypnotherapy is the prerogative of hypnotherapists who use it either for personal growth, spiritual growth or for holistic healing. Thus, in the world, this kind of hypnotherapy can be practiced by any person without medical or psychology training, who is a graduate of certification courses in hypnotherapy. Also, there are many doctors and psychologists who choose to obtain certifications in various areas of hypnotherapy because scientific studies show its effectiveness.

WHAT TYPE OF HEALTH CONDITIONS AND LIFE ISSUES CAN HYPNOTHERAPY BE USED FOR?

 Hypnotherapy can be used for:
  • weight management (obesity, anorexia, bulimia). Read more…
  • smoking cessation. Read more…
  • stress management (reduce or eliminate stress). Read more…
  • pain management. Read more…
  • increasing immune system’s ability to fight disease
  • normalize blood pressure
  • overcoming allergies. Read more…
  • ease or overcome the symptoms of asthma
  • overcoming certain cases of infertility. Read more…
  • cancer treatment support. Read more…
  • overcoming insomnia, nightmares, sleep paralysis and improving the quality of sleep.
    Read more…
  • overcoming fatigue
  • overcoming depression. Read more…
  • overcoming anxiety and panic attacks. Read more…
  • reduce the intensity or overcoming headaches and migraines.
    Read more…
  • overcoming Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
  • overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • preparation for surgery. Read more…
  • postsurgical recovery for accelerating healing. Read more…
  • hypnosis for healing
  • manage symptoms associated with HIV
  • relieve symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Read more…
  • chronic fatigue syndrome
  • overcoming addictions (alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc). Read more…
  • fasten the healing of skin diseases (including warts, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (according to Mayo Clinic)
  • overcoming bed wetting. Read more…
  • overcoming nail biting. Read more…
  • overcoming thumb sucking. Read more…
  • for birthing with hypnosis (reduce or eliminate pain during childbirth and reduce labor time). Read more…
  • hypnosis as anesthesia for surgical procedures. Read more…
  • control pain during dental procedures. Read more…
Hypnotherapy can also be used for self-improvement or personal and spiritual development:
  • overcoming negative, compulsive thinking. Read more…
  • improving confidence, self-esteem, self-image, self-love. Read more…
  • overcoming fears and phobias (fear of flying, heights, water, spiders, public speaking, insects, crowds, examination, etc). Read more…
  • overcoming stage fright. Read more…
  • overcoming self-sabotage
  • overcoming clutter
  • overcoming procrastination
  • improving learning, concentration, memory. Read more…
  • improving creativity
  • improving study habits
  • improving work habits
  • improving job performance
  • improving relationships ( personal and professional). Read more…
  • to attract and create a wonderful romantic relationship with a great match
  • time management
  • attaining goals
  • improving sports performance. Read more…
  • improving artistic performance. Read more…
  • improving sales performance
  • for spiritual growth
            -for Self discovery/ discovery of the multidimensional facets of the higher self and healing past traumas. Read more…
            -for aligning with the higher levels of consciousness. Read more…
            -for reconnecting with The Source for emotional healing. Read more…
According to the Mayo Clinic:
 “Hypnotherapy has the potential to help relieve the symptoms of a wide variety of diseases and conditions. It can be used independently or along with other treatments. For example, it’s one of several relaxation methods for treating chronic pain that has been approved by an independent panel convened by the National Institutes of Health.”

WHAT DO PEOPLE EXPERIENCE AND FEEL IN HYPNOSIS?

People in hypnosis may experience the following:
  • a state of deep relaxation, tranquility and peacefulness, sensation of well-being and inner peace. (The entry into the state of hypnosis does not necessarily imply relaxation. The hypnosis patient/client can enter hypnosis even when involved in an activity, such as exercising on the exercise bike.)
  • Fluttering of eyes/rapid eye movement under the eyelids (eye movement indicates that the patient/client is in the REM state)
  • the client’s face becomes very relaxed
  • Focused state of concentration and heightened sensitivity
  • Stillness of the body
  • Sometimes discreet twitching of limbs
  • Lightness or heaviness of limbs or of the entire body
  • Elongation or expansion sensation
  • Sensations of levitation, sinking, falling, floating or flying
  • Usually sensations of warmth, sometimes of coolness
  • Tingling sensation or sensation of pleasant energy flowing through the body
  • Sensation of extension from the body, reduce or loss of body awareness
  • Tears usually of joy, of rediscovery of the Self
  • Sensation of being in two places at the same time
  • Visions of light of different colors
  • Seeing/perceiving the way one sees in lucid dreams
  • Some clients during hypnosis cannot move their body, unless the hypnotherapist gives them the suggestion to move it.
  • Levitation of arms without the client being conscious of it.

WHO CAN BE HYPNOTIZED?

As long as a person is able to fall asleep at night, it is able to enter the state of hypnosis or to be guided in hypnosis. It is safe to say that everyone could be hypnotized. We all experience the state of hypnosis multiple times during the day and at night. We could say that since newborns and babies don’t have a fully formed conscious mind, are most of the time in a state of hypnosis.
Resisting hypnosis is not the same as not being able to be hypnotized. Anyone can resist hypnosis. People achieve different levels of hypnosis either by themselves or guided by others. The most common form of hypnosis and hypnosis programming (in general, unfortunately, not a very positive programming) is achieved through watching television.
            Everyone knows how to get in hypnosis, we do it automatically, without realizing that we go into or through hypnosis. However, in a hypnosis session, the person has to be willing to be hypnotized. The consent for a hypnosis session is mandatory. Also, the client’s cooperation during hypnosis sessions is required. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis, according to Dave Elman, one of the prominent figures in the field of hypnosis.
Not everyone enters hypnosis at the same speed. In fact, there are some people  who will enter hypnosis in a few seconds, while others may require much longer. Some people go very deeply in hypnosis, while others go lightly, but all of them experience beneficial effects. Usually, even if people feel that they were not hypnotized, they experience the desired outcome. Basically, everyone can experience the benefits of hypnosis.
Hypnotherapists help clients activate their inner potential, their inner mechanisms of healing and become self-motivated to achieve their goals. Hypnotherapists who are not licensed as physicians, clinical psychologists or psychotherapists should not work on patients with psychiatric diagnoses, such as schizophrenia, dissociative identity personality, etc.

WHAT IS SUBCONSCIOUS MIND THERAPY?

Subconscious mind therapy is a complementary approach to healing that includes hypnotherapy and all the techniques and therapies that address the subconscious mind.
Many of the major issues that challenge us such as depression, anxiety, fears, addiction, weight problems, emotional imbalance and some cases of infertility are deeply rooted in the subconscious mind. Subconscious mind therapy is a complementary, alternative approach that addresses three aspects of the human mind. First, there is the conscious mind or the logic center. It is the aspect of the mind that we use when we are awake. We are not born having a conscious mind. It begins forming very early in childhood and serves as our analytical, logical, critical, skeptical, egoic mind. It is usually inactive during sleep. The second aspect is the subconscious mind itself. It coordinates activities related to the normal functioning of the physical body and is our emotional, imaginative and creative part of the mind. It is constantly present throughout the day and night, through our entire life, even when the conscious mind is inactive or reduces its activity. The third aspect of the mind is called the superconscious mind, the higher self. It is that higher state of consciousness that can be accessed in very deep states of meditation or hypnosis. The cooperation of these three aspects of the mind ensures the normal functioning of the human being. Read more…
During subconscious mind therapy the client enters the subconscious and often even the superconscious state of awareness. The exploration of the subconscious mind is vital in understanding diseases and the mechanisms of healing, and it is crucial for understanding the mind in all of its complexity.

 VISUALIZATION AND RELAXATION

Visualization and Relaxation activate Healing!   “Visualization can be used as a powerful healing technique to augment the body’s immune system, accelerate natural homeopathic and healing mechanisms, and eliminate any types of illness.” -Dr. Brian Weiss, M.D.
Studies have shown that almost 80% of physical and psychological problems are stress related. “Hypnosis is the most potent non-pharmacological relaxing agent known to science.” G.V. Sunnen, M.D.
“Relaxation, Visualization, Imagery and Regression are used in order to eliminate stress, tension, fears and phobias in a holistic way; the health ramifications are endless. It has been my experience, and that of many doctors as well , that regression therapy and hypnotic visualization can transform the mind to reach these healing states. These methods can be used in conjunction with traditional medical approaches and medicine.” Dr. Brian Weiss, M.D., (Through Time into Healing) former Chairman of Psychiatry at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami
 When we do visualization… we put the patient, the client, into a very relaxed state… When somebody’s so relaxed, what happens is a lot of chemicals, hormones, are produced in our body… endorphins… serotonin. When that happens, the body’s own innate capacity to heal is activated. -Aurora Ocampo, MA, RN, CS – Center for Health and Healing, Beth Israel Medical Center, June , 2006, Fox News Channel
“The body has ways of communicating. Certain systems communicate with other systems. The cells communicate with each other in the body. They do this using certain chemicals, or what we would call mediators... For example, the immune system… will respond to certain chemical signals. You can use the visualization or the imagery to step up the body’s production of those signals to soup up the immune system to go and do what it needs to do.”-Ben Kligler, M.D. – Albert Einstein College of Medicine, June, 2006, Fox News Channel

WHAT IS GUIDED IMAGERY?

Guided Imagery is a very useful complementary therapy.  It induces relaxation, promotes stress reduction, and helps the mind effect positive, powerful changes in the body.  It is a visualization technique in which the focus is on positive mental pictures that stimulate the brain in a way that affects the endocrine and nervous systems, which can lead to improvements in immune system functioning. There is evidence that Guided Imagery can balance the production of hormones, lower blood pressure and stimulate the activity of the immune system. At least two major medical centers in New York and San Francisco are now teaching patients Guided Imagery and visualization techniques for pre-operative preparation and post-operative recovery.

WHAT IS NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING -NLP?

Neuro-linguistic programming is an interpersonal communication and approach to psychotherapy. It was created by hypnotherapist Richard Bandler and linguist John Grinder in the 1970s. NLP is the science of effective communication that addresses the mind, body and spirit. The human mind and brain have a limitless capacity to learn and relearn, in other words to reprogram itself.
Results have proven that NLP techniques reinforced by Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy techniques are the best processes for creating fast and long-lasting change in a person’s life.  These techniques can be used for improving medical conditions, for personal growth such as in communication, business and creative arts performances, for eliminating addictions, fears, anxiety and panic attacks.

WHAT IS PAST LIFE REGRESSION THERAPY AND ANALYSIS?

“Hypnosis is an excellent tool to help a patient remember long forgotten incidents…  It is just a state of focused concentration.  Under the instruction of a trained hypnotist, the patient’s body relaxes, causing the memory to sharpen.  I have hypnotized hundreds of patients, and had found it helpful in reducing anxiety, eliminating phobias, changing bad habits, and aiding in the recall of repressed material.” -Dr. Brian Weiss, M.D., Many Lives, Many Masters
Past Life Regression Therapy and Analysis is a very efficient complementary technique that Dr. Gabor, one of the pioneers in the field of past life regression therapy and life between lives regression has successfully used to help thousands of her clients overcome major issues such anxiety, insomnia, sadness, fears, phobias, chronic pain, infertility, addictions, various diseases, improve confidence and self-esteem, lose weight and for personal growth.
Some of the most fascinating cases of recovery from such major challenges and the discoveries made during the hypnotherapy, subconscious mind therapy and spiritual hypnotherapy sessions are presented in dr. Gabor’s book “Home at the Tree of Life”. These discoveries shed light on the nature of reality, how diseases are formed and how healing occurs. Read more…

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For more information, to schedule a private session or register for the certification program please call dr. Elena Gabor at 310-614-9919 or email her at drelenagabor@yahoo.com. Read more about services…

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