by Lisa Oliver

Created on: October 05, 2008   Last Updated: October 11, 2008

Hypnotherapy has been used by medical professionals and alternative health care workers for centuries but it only gained scientific recognition from the 1950s onwards. Basically defined hypnotherapy is a therapeutic process that requires the patient to be induced into a trance-like state. While in that state the patient is more agreeable to accepting ideas and suggestions from the therapist that will enable the patient to overcome problems that are affecting their ability to live life to the full.

One of the reasons why hypnotherapy has enjoyed some notoriety in the past is because of the lack of consistent hypnotherapy training available to practitioners. Many hypnotherapists are trained as counselors or psychotherapists and they use hypnotherapy in conjunction with other more scientific therapy methods. However with the growth of hypnotherapy schools and increased research on the methodology behind hypnotherapy more therapists are using the process instead of traditional counselling methods.

Hypnotherapy can be used to treat a number of common lifestyle problems and minor health problems. Because the method is based on changing behavioural patterns it is often used to combat negative thought processes, phobias and some forms of depression. While under hypnosis a patient's left-brain is literally turned off, allowing the non-analytical right brain to receive the suggestions necessary to overcome their problems. The idea behind this is that the right hand side of the brain is more closely tapped into the subconscious mind, which is where changes in behaviour and thought patterns can be made successfully. If a person is only processing life changing information with the left side of their brain, then unknowingly they are actually fighting their own true behaviour; that which is governed by the subconscious.

In more recent years hypnotherapy has also developed a positive track record for treating people who are addicted to smoking, or who have a weight problem. Hypnotherapy to stop smoking for example is a process where, once in a trance-like state the patient receives lifestyle change suggestions that reduce the patient's need to use nicotine and the smoking ritual to combat stress or similar problems. Likewise in weight-loss hypnotherapy the suggestions planted in the subconscious would be those designed to target the root cause of the weight gain; whether this be from using food as an emotional reward, using food to fill an emotional void or addressing issues arising from past abuse and lack of self worth.

Hypnotherapy is far removed from the entertainment field, where people are made to act in a ridiculous fashion for the benefit of an audience. It is backed by solid research as to its effectiveness and use, and is something that should be considered by any person seeking to change negative behaviour patterns.

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