How does hypnotherapy work?
Hypnotherapy is usually considered an aid to psychotherapy, rather than a treatment in itself. It helps with psychotherapy because the hypnotic state allows a person to explore painful thoughts, feelings, and memories that may be hidden from the conscious mind. Hypnotherapy also enables a person to perceive some things differently, such as blocking an awareness of pain.
Hypnosis can be used in two ways:
- Suggestion therapy: The hypnotic state makes a person better able to respond to suggestions. Hypnosis can help a person change certain behaviors, such as stopping smoking or nail-biting. It can also help change perceptions and sensations, which can be particularly useful in treating pain.
- Analysis (hypnotherapy): This approach uses the relaxed state to find the root cause of a disorder or symptom, such as a traumatic past event that a person has hidden in his or her unconscious memory. Once the trauma is revealed, it can be addressed in psychotherapy.
