Clinical Hypnosis
Clinical Hypnosis is defined by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis as a "state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness characterized by an enhanced capacity for response to suggestion." This shift in consciousness enables us to tap into many of our natural abilities and allows us to make change more quickly.
How Does Clinical Hypnosis Work?
Licensed professionals use clinical hypnosis to help clients bring about both psychological and physiological change in three main ways. First, we may use mental imagery or one’s imagination. The mind is capable of using imagery, even if it is only symbolic, to assist us in bringing about the changes we are working toward.
A second basic hypnotic method is to present ideas or suggestions to the patient. In a state of concentrated attention, ideas and suggestions that are compatible with what the patient wants have a more powerful impact on the mind.
Finally, hypnosis may be used for unconscious exploration, to better understand underlying motivations or identify whether past events or experiences are associated with causing a problem. The effectiveness of hypnosis appears to lie in the way in which it bypasses the critical observation and interference of the conscious mind, allowing the client's intentions for change to take effect.