Frequently Asked Questions:

Hypnosis Ask a question

Q: What is hetero-hypnosis?

A: Hetero-hypnosis is hypnosis performed on one person by another. Hetero is derived from the Greek meaning other. The person performing the hypnosis is generally called the operator and the person being hypnotized is called the subject.

Q: What is hypnosis?

A: Hypnosis is the by-pass of the Critical Factor of the Conscious Mind and the establishment of acceptable selective thinking.

Q: What causes hypnosis?

A: Hypnosis is created by an overload of message units, disorganizing our inhibitory process (Critical Mind), triggering our fight-flight mechanism and ultimately resulting in a hypersuggestible state, providing access to the subconscious mind. This is opposite to what happens in self-hypnosis. See self-hypnosis.

Q: What are message units?

A: A message unit is a bit, or unit, of information that is perceived and registered by the mind.

Q: What are some of the things hypnosis is good for?

A: When people think of hypnosis and hypnotherapy they generally think of weight loss and stop smoking. Some other things that hypnosis is helpful with are: insomnia, panic and anxiety, depression, fears and phobias, compulsions and obsessions, alcoholism and drug dependency, chronic pain, improving memory and study habits, increasing creativity, increasing sports achievement, building confidence, becoming a calm public speaker, improving sales performance, overcoming stage fright, pain of child birth, pain, fear and gagging brought on by dental procedures, visualization for health problems, learning self-hypnosis, fingernail biting, and attention deficit disorder.

Q: What is catalepsy?

A: A form of high suggestibility in which the subject can obtain rigidity of muscle groups through suggestion. "Arm rigid, cannot bend. Eyes stuck tightly, cannot open."

Q: What is fascination?

A: The method of hypnotizing by fixation of eyes on a small shining object held a little above the subject's eyes. Originally introduced by James Braid. It is now usually combined with verbal suggestion.

Q: Who is James Braid?

A: James Braid (1795-1860) was a Manchester, England physician and the author of Neurohypnology (1843), who discovered that the so-called "animal magnetics" had actually nothing to do with any magnetic influence and consequently gave the modern name to the science of hypnotism. Among other things, he availed himself of hypnosis to perform painless surgical operations.

Q: What is resistance?

A: Resistance is the unwillingness of a subject to accept the hypnotic process; usually due to an inhibition, fear of hypnosis or fear of another nature existing in the client.

Q: A school in my area is holding a weekend course and says I will be able to call myself a "Hypnotherapist" and know everything I need to open a professional practice. Is this true!

A: These types of trainings have been around for a long time. Again, common sense tells us that "If something sounds to good to be true, it usually is." These "trainings" are usually used as a hook to talk you into taking a $3-$5,000 or more mail order "Doctor or PhD course. NONE of these courses are recognized by ANY state. More and more states are calling these titles both misleading advertising and unfair trade practices. Don't let yourself fall into this financial and potential legal trap. Plus, think about it, do you really think you can become a skilled hypnosis professional in two days?

This Answer is provided by Gerald F. Kein of the Omni Hypnosis Training Center (thanks Jerry!).

Q: I see all sorts of letters after hypnotists names, what do they mean?

A: Good question. Lets see if I can give a short but thorough answer. Some of the titles being used are:

CH = Certified Hypnotist
CHT = Certified Hypnotherapist
CCH = Certified Clinical Hypnotist (or Hypnotherapist)
MH = Master Hypnotist
CMH = Certified Master Hypnotist
DCH = Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy (You'll potentially get in real legal trouble with this one)
And, the list goes on and on. Again, since our profession is not licensed or regulated, technically, anyone could use or invent any title they like as long as the title is not protected by state law. (Doctor, Psychologist, Mental Health Counselor etc.)

Now, the reality of these titles is, Recognized national professional hypnosis organizations are trying to get everyone to use the same titles based on the level of training achieved. In general, the following is the way most truly professional groups issue their certificates:

After completing a basic training the student would use the title "Hypnotist."
After completing advanced training the title would be generally "Certified Hypnotist or Hypnotherapist."
After completion of an advanced specialized "Clinical" training the title would be, "Certified Clinical Hypnotist or Hypnotherapist."
The terms "Master" is irrelevant and has no real meaning.
The term "Doctor or PHD (unless earned in another state licensed vocation) has no legal standing and represents no statement of approves, accredited education. You can buy these on the internet even if you never graduated grammar school. They, in fact, are a total embarrassment to our profession. The only thing these degrees will do for you is lighten your wallet.

This Answer is provided by Gerald F. Kein of the Omni Hypnosis Training Center (thanks Jerry!).

Hypnotherapy Ask a question

Q: Could there be any negative side effects of hypnotherapy?

A: With a healthy, psychologically balanced individual there are no negative side effects from hypnotherapy. Provided that the operator is trained and knowledgeable in hypnosis. The mind of a healthy individual is too protective to allow psychic harm.

Q: How can I get more information on hypnotherapy?

A: If you cannot find the answer to your questions on this web site or you need further elaboration on a question. Please write to me at Coue@sbcglobal.net or call (517) 663-2290 or toll free at 1-866-663-2290

Q: What is the cost of hypnotherapy for smoking cessation?

A: Stop smoking hypnotherapy is generally one session at $70 a session. The session runs for one and a half hours.

Q: What are some of the things hypnotherapy is good for?

A: When people think of hypnosis and hypnotherapy they generally think of weight loss and stop smoking. Some other things that hypnosis is helpful with are: insomnia, panic and anxiety, depression, fears and phobias, compulsions and obsessions, alcoholism and drug dependency, chronic pain, improving memory and study habits, increasing creativity, increasing sports achievement, building confidence, becoming a calm public speaker, improving sales performance, overcoming stage fright, pain of child birth, pain, fear and gagging brought on by dental procedures, visualization for health problems, learning self-hypnosis, fingernail biting, tinnitus, and attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Q: I am having a terrible time learning to type, will hypnotherapy help me to overcome my klutziness...I enjoy chat rooms, and want to develop proper touch-typing abilities.

A: Yes, hypnosis can be used to increase typing speed. It is also used to increase learning speed and retention, which is where your problem lies if I understand your question correctly. For the most part hypnosis removes emotional and mental blocks which impede learning and memorization.

Q: Is your weight loss hypnotherapy individually crafted for each person? Long story short; I have a problem with bingeing on food and I,literally,have a sugar addiction. Thanks for your time!

A: Yes, to some degree every hypnosis program is tailored for the individual client. Some of the factors involved in crafting of a weight loss program are: how much the client wishes to loss, what are some of the trigger foods and/or situations, gender, age, and history of the weight problem.

Self Hypnosis Ask a question

Q: What is self-hypnosis?

A: Self-hypnosis is hypnosis performed upon oneself. It is often called auto-hypnosis. The subject and the operate in this case is the same person.

Q: How is self-hypnosis brought about?

A: According to Dr. John Kappas self-hypnosis is an organization of the inhibitory process by overloading yourself with message units. This is differentiated from HETERO-HYPNOSIS in that hetero (From the Greek, meaning, "Other") is a disorganization of the inhibitory process.

It is a form of mono-ideaism: Taking a thought and honing it down. You are organizing your thoughts. You cannot be suggesting to yourself and be disorganizing your thoughts.

Services Offered Ask a question

Q: What are some of the services you offer?

A: We offer direct suggestion and regression hypnotherapy, teach self-hypnosis and offer at times group hypnosis sessions and classes. As well as a stage hypnosis show.

Stage Hypnosis Ask a question

Q: If I'm hypnotized on stage and I carry out the most inane suggestions and I'm given a posthypnotic suggestion to do something when I return to my seat. Will I perform it if I don't want to and my friends tell me the cue.

A: First of all you will NOT accept a suggestion unless you find the suggestion reasonable and pleasing. This is true whether you are in hypnosis or not. In order for a person to be hypnotized they must (1) consent to be hypnotized, (2) there must be communication between the operator (hypnotist) and the subject, and (3) the subject must be free from fear, or reluctance to trust the operator. If all of the above are true and the subject has an IQ above 70 they will hypnotize. Once hypnotized as stated earlier they have a choice as to whether or not they take the suggestion. As noted above if the subject finds the suggestion reasonable and pleasing they will perform that suggestion. These criteria may be met on a subconscious level or through a wish to please the operator. Your friends telling you about the post hypnotic cue would not alter anything. You are already aware of the suggestion. You simple choose to forget that it is given. However if you really did not what to accept the post hypnotic cue you would reject it. Also I might add that the stage hypnotist is very careful as to the subjects he picks and only chooses willing and suggestible subjects.

All subjects remember being hypnotized. They are not asleep and hear everything. They may choose to forget, if the operator suggests that and they again find that suggestion reasonable and pleasing. You must understand that some people choose to allow the operator to "control" them. However this is a choice and the consent can be withdraw at anytime. This is similar to a person who is shy and retiring and after getting a couple of drinks in them and acts out and blames the alcohol for their actions. Their inhibitions are lowered and they can do things they might not do if they felt they were totally responsible. This is why in a therapeutic setting it is necessary to inform the client they have a choice in how they accept the suggestions.

Q: I have seen a stage hypnotist hypnotize some of my friends. He made them think they were doing things such as he made one person think he was talking to Britney spears when in fact it was a broom stick. can people's minds be manipulated in this way into doing something against their values? for instance: a hypnotist suggests to a man that he is holding a large piece of Styrofoam (instead of the sword which he is really holding) and the hypnotist suggests the man strike another man with the Styrofoam as a joke. would this person do it? (assuming he wouldn't kill someone in a sane mind)

A: Hypnosis cannot be used to make a person do something against their values. In order for a subject to take the suggestion you suggest, the subject would have to want to do the act on some level. They may accept a silly suggestion to please the hypnotist, but not a dangerous or anti-social one.

Suggestibility Ask a question

Q: What is suggestibility?

A: Is a measure of a person's susceptibility to suggestion.

Q: What is a hypnotic personality?

A: It is our suggestibility type, i.e., how we learn. There are two types of hypnotic personality: emotional suggestible and physical suggestible.

Q: What is emotional suggestibility?

A: According to Dr. John Kappas it is a style of learning in which information which is communicated indirectly or inferentially or via innuendo is more readily processed and assimilated than direct, literal suggestions.

An emotional suggestible person is left brain dominant.

Q: What is physical suggestibility?

A: According to Dr. John Kappas it is a style of learning in which information which is communicated directly and literally is more readily processed and assimilated than indirect, inferential suggestions.

A physical suggestible person is right brain dominant.

Last revised 4/3/2008