Frequently Asked Questions
Q: In what areas is hypnotherapy helpful?
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A: Hypnotherapy is helpful in a variety of areas including weight loss, smoking cessation, stress reduction, eliminating insomnia, removing past blockages, resolving sexual issues, achieving sales success, releasing anger, improving self-confidence, creating healthy relationships, enhancing athletic performance, increasing learning ability, pain management, motivation, phobia release, settling inner conflict, improving health, and much, much more.
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Q: How does the subconscious accept hypnotic suggestions?
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A: Hypnotic suggestions bypass the conscious, analytical mind and directly connect with the subconscious mind. When given a new suggestion that is within the bounds of a person’s moral and spiritual beliefs, the subconscious mind accepts the positive suggestions literally as a new reality.
Q: How does hypnosis help people?
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A: Everyone has the ability to reprogram their emotional attitudes and limiting beliefs. Hypnosis is the most functional and reasonable way to retrain negative attitudes, rather than suffer a lifetime of emotional suffering and self-sabotage.
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Q: Can any person be hypnotized?
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A: People of average intelligence (unless there is some form of brain damage) can be hypnotized if they are willing and do not resist. The depth of hypnosis varies with a person’s ability to respond. Even if you are not a naturally responsive subject, with practice you can improve your receptivity to hypnosis and create positive results.
Q: How can children benefit from hypnosis?
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A: Children do incredibly well in hypnosis, since they already live in a trance-like state of imagination! We use a variety of techniques specifically designed for youngsters from five years old to teenagers. Regardless of the issues children face – from bed-wetting to learning difficulties to self esteem – hypnosis is a wonderful tool to help them release past blockages and create new healthy habits for living.
Q: My child can’t seem to focus on anything, so how can they be hypnotized?
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A: Great question! We have discovered that nearly all children have the ability to focus on what interests them. The key is to make their hypnosis sessions both fun and transformational. Using guided imagery and their own imagination, children move into hypnosis without resistance or distraction. We then are able to guide their subconscious minds in the release of negative behaviors and embrace a healthier outlook on life.
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Q: My teenager resists authority figures, so I’m wondering if you can still work with them?
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A: Yes, we can. One of the most important things that teens quickly realize during is that we are on their side when it comes to healing past wounds. We are allies in helping them achieve their goals. Often simply having someone other than parents or friends to talk with helps them to open up and express what it is they are really worried about, giving us the opportunity to create a program that specifically fits their needs.
Q: Can Hypnosis relieve my physical pain?
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A: In most cases it can. When you direct your subconscious mind under Hypnosis to release the pain, you instruct your brain to ignore the pain signals coming from the affected nerves. As long as you are dealing with chronic pain – defined here as pain which no longer serves any useful purpose – Hypnotists will help you release the pain and teach you self-hypnosis for future occurrences.
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Q: Can Hypnosis really help resolve sexual issues?
A: Absolutely. Most sexual issues are the result of destructive beliefs that result in unwanted behaviors. Hypnosis improves your self esteem and helps you release the old habit patterns. You draw to you what you feel like you deserve, and you will discover that sexual issues dissolve when you honestly believe that you deserve to lead a fulfilling life. Hypnosis creates positive beliefs that improve your self-confidence so that you can enjoy all aspects of your life.
Q: How can Hypnosis release physical pain?
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A: Hypnosis can be defined as a trance-like state of focused imagination. When you focus that imagination on allowing the pain to diminish or disappear, you actually direct your brain to begin to ignore the signals coming from the affected nerves. As long as you are dealing with chronic pain – defined here as that pain which no longer serves any useful purpose – Hypnotists will help you release the pain and learn powerful techniques of self-hypnosis to deal with what might arise.
Q: Can Hypnosis really help resolve sexual issues?
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A: Absolutely. Most sexual issues are the result of destructive beliefs that create unwanted behaviors. Hypnosis helps you to improve your self esteem and focus upon what you do want, forgetting about the old behaviors that focused upon what you don’t want. You draw to you what you feel like you deserve, and the way to release sexual issues is to believe that you deserve to be happy, fulfilled and empowered. Hypnosis allows you to improve your self-confidence so that you enjoy all aspects of your life.
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Q: Can’t I just buy Hypnosis CDs to help me lose weight and stop smoking?
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A: Personalized Hypnotherapy sessions that address your unique needs are by far the most effective way to achieve your goals, while Hypnosis CDs are best used for reinforcing those sessions. Our old habits and behaviors are almost always too strong to overcome alone. Individual sessions with a supportive Hypnotherapist gives you the personal contact necessary to encourage and support you in creating a healthy lifestyle. Look, we also sell Hypnosis CDs on our website, but they are designed to augment our clients’ programs or for those that can’t come in for personal sessions.
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Q: I’d like to come see you, but I’ve been to the Hypnosis shows at county fairs where they make people do all kinds of funny things. How can I be sure you won’t make me do something embarrassing?
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A: It is perfectly natural to feel wary of letting someone “control” you in that way. Rest assured, Hypnotists can’t make you do anything that you don’t want to do. Everyone on that stage has to agree to be hypnotized for fun in order for the suggestions to work. Remember that Hypnosis is a common, trance-like state of focused imagination that you experience every day whenever you watch television, read a book or lose track of time while driving. Hypnotherapists simply use this natural state of mind to help client’s achieve their goals by accepting positive suggestions.
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Q: Why does your center employ both male and female Hypnotherapists?
A: If a client wants to resolve an issue that is both painful and embarrassing, they might feel more comfortable with either a male or female Hypnotherapist. Sexual issues fall within this scope, with women feeling more comfortable with a female Hypnotherapist, and men trusting more that a man can help them resolve their difficultly. Weight loss, smoking cessation and creating self-confidence are all issues that we address at Greenwood Hypnotherapy using both male and female Hypnotherapists.
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Q: What can I expect from my first session?
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A: The first session lasts about two hours and we cover a lot of ground. First, we want to make sure that you are very comfortable with being hypnotized, so we eliminate any misconceptions and fears. Second, we listen and learn about what it is you want to accomplish, personalizing your session for maximum benefit. Finally, we help you experience a level of hypnosis that is right for you – one that helps you achieve your goals. In addition, we create a CD of your session for at-home reinforcement, further personalizing your hypnosis program at Greenwood Hypnotherapy.
Q: How can hypnosis help me to stop smoking and lose weight?
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A: It’s important to realize that negative habits such as smoking or overeating have their roots in your subconscious mind. Hypnosis works because it allows direct access to that part of you stuck in the old patterns of behavior. By using a variety of safe yet powerful techniques, we retrain your unwanted habits and subconscious beliefs so that you naturally achieve your goals. You just forget that you ever smoked and your desire intensifies to eat the right foods and drinks at the right time and in the right amounts. Most importantly, you begin to feel healthier, happier and confident that you are now in control.
Q: How can hypnosis help me to stop smoking and lose weight?
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A: It’s important to realize that negative habits such as smoking or overeating have their roots in your subconscious mind. Hypnosis works because it allows direct access to that part of you stuck in the old patterns of behavior. By using a variety of safe yet powerful techniques, we retrain your unwanted habits and subconscious beliefs so that you naturally achieve your goals. You just forget that you ever smoked and your desire intensifies to eat the right foods and drinks at the right time and in the right amounts. Most importantly, you begin to feel healthier, happier and confident that you are now in control.
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Q: How can Hypnosis release physical pain?
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A: Hypnosis can be defined as a trance-like state of focused imagination. When you focus that imagination on allowing the pain to diminish or disappear, you actually direct your brain to begin to ignore the signals coming from the affected nerves. As long as you are dealing with chronic pain – defined here as that pain which no longer serves any useful purpose – Hypnosis will help you release the pain and learn powerful techniques to deal with any future pain that might arise.
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Q: Can Hypnosis really help resolve sexual issues?
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A: Absolutely. Most sexual issues are the result of destructive beliefs that create unwanted behaviors. Hypnosis helps you to improve your self esteem and focus upon what you do want, releasing the old behaviors that focused you upon what you don’t want. You then begin to draw to you what you feel like you deserve, and the key to releasing sexual issues is to believe that you deserve to be happy, fulfilled and empowered. Hypnosis allows you to improve your self-confidence so that you enjoy all aspects of your life.
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Q: I feel constantly stressed with work, my kids and even my spouse. Can hypnosis help me relax and regain control of my life?
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A: One of the most important benefits of Hypnosis is that you learn how to relax and feel more in control. Hypnosis gives you the ability to naturally move beyond the limitations of your overloaded conscious mind and connect with that calm, knowing part of you that confidently handles life’s difficulties. Hypnosis even helps you to sleep better, allowing you to react to stress in healthier ways. You become calm, centered and focused even around the most difficult people, even in the most stressful situations.
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Q: Does someone saying out loud daily affirmations ever truly help the unconscious mind in order to create (hopefully) new behaviors?
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A. There’s nothing wrong with saying affirmations (they can be comforting, like prayer or meditation) but no, they don’t “help” the nonconscious mind create new behaviors.
Q. From what I gathered you emphasized “months of training” instead of twenty one days in creating a behavior habit(s), am I correct?
A. Not correct. Creating a new behavior takes 5-7 repetitions.
In other words, if I want to learn to ride a bicycle, five to seven days of practice and riding and falling should do the trick. But that doesn’t mean that creating these new behaviors means you will actually perform the new behaviors. That requires the old behaviors which continue to be wired in the brain… atrophying. That takes months.
So in simple terms: creating new behaviors is easy and takes about 5 practice sessions for the brain to wire it up. To REPLACE behaviors is far more complex and requires much more time.
Q. Do we really get what we speak? Meaning if someone was to state an affirmation ten times daily such as I am overcoming fears of success more and more everyday, would that truly be the case or experience in one’s life?
A. Do we get what we speak? Try it sometime. Generally no. You are on a boat. You say, “go to the other side of the lake.” It doesn’t work. You have to put gas in the tank, turn the motor on, and steer…and dodge obstacles until you get there…. Stating affirmations 10 times (or 100 times) daily is largely a waste of time if you really want to create behavioral change. Use that time to take the action you are affirming and THEN see what happens!
Q. In your book, “The Science of Influence.” On pages 10 – 13 you say there are three ways to change, but I only see one: change the environment. Can you tell me what the other two are?
A. Get people to act and continue acting whether they want to or not. Get people into a new environment. Get people to see and FEEL huge leverage (generally pain for lack of taking actions to change).
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Q: How can Hypnosis help me release my stress?
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A: Hypnosis is a wonderful tool to reduce stress. Stress is released through a variety of techniques including relaxation, positive suggestions and future visioning. As you become more calm, centered and confident, your mind and body return to a healthy, balanced state from which you begin to naturally live your life.
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Q: Can Hypnosis help me overcome my phobia?
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A: We have many clients that come to us to release their phobias. Whether it is fear of flying, driving, enclosed spaces, or anything else, hypnosis helps you to transform the phobia by draining the energy from the fear. Hypnosis also gives you the confidence to move past those fears in order to overcome the self-sabotage that often keeps you from achieving your dreams.
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Q: Can you help children with their self-confidence?
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A: Few things are more rewarding than helping a child regain their sense of pride and confidence in themselves. Using guided imagery and their own vivid imagination, Hypnosis transforms their fears and anxieties. Children once again become the open, loving, adventurous beings they were meant to be.
Q: Can I be successful with Hypnosis even though I am not a visual person?
A: That’s a great question. Many people believe that you have to be able to inwardly “see” or “visualize” what’s being said in a session in order to be successful. In fact, many of our clients are kinesthetic or auditory learners who simply can’t close their eyes and picture much of anything. We use the words, “feel” or “hear” instead of “see” with those clients, adapting their own unique attributes so that they can be successful at achieving their goals.
Q: Is hypnosis medically approved?
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A: Yes. The American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association have approved hypnotherapy for use by professionally responsible individuals. The British Medical Association also adopted hypnosis as a viable therapeutic tool in 1958 (the same year as the AMA.)
Q: Is hypnosis dangerous?
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A: No. The induction of hypnosis is never dangerous to the subject, although many have preconceived notions that cause them to be fearful. Our job is to educate and inform clients so that they see hypnosis for what it is: a powerful tool for creating personal transformation.
Q: Are the results of hypnosis permanent?
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A: Suggestions stay with some individuals indefinitely, others need reinforcement. The effects of hypnosis are cumulative: The more the techniques are practiced and post-hypnotic suggestions are brought into play, the more permanent the results become. Self-hypnosis training and reinforcement tapes for home use also provide additional help.
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Q: How powerful is a hypnotist?
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A: Hypnosis is a consent situation in which 10 percent of the effort is the hypnotherapist’s and the remaining 90 percent is the responsibility of the client. Think of the hypnotherapist as your inner coach who helps you achieve your goals.
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Q: How can parents use Hypnosis to help raise children?
A: We’re not suggesting that you try and hypnotize your children, but it is essential to realize that children live in a hypnotic state all the time. Isn’t it useful to understand the proper language of this state so you can motivate them and overcome negative behaviors? For example, it is always better to tell your children what you do want to see take place rather than what you do not want to happen (“walk” instead of “don’t run”, “eat slowly” instead of “don’t gobble your food”). This simple technique will work wonders. Try it!
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Q: Do children’s minds really ignore the “nots”?
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A: Absolutely. And they aren’t the only ones! The subconscious mind is the realm of imagination, which usually wins out against your conscious will power. Children simply spend most of their day living in a state of imagination. When you tell them to not do something, their subconscious mind simply dismisses the “not” and focuses upon imagining the statement. For example, if you say, “Don’t even think about going to the party,” you create in their minds something to think about. A more appropriate choice of words would be, “Focus on finishing your homework.” This works on self-talk as well, and it is a powerful tool to teach your children how to focus upon what they want, and avoid thinking about what they don’t want.
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Q: I’ve seen movies where people get stuck in hypnosis. Can this really happen?
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A: While it makes for an interesting plot (the movie Office Space comes to mind), no one has ever gotten stuck in a hypnotist’s trance. Occasionally someone becomes so relaxed that they are reluctant to return to their hectic life – so we give them a few extra minutes to experience this amazing but absolutely natural state of mind. What we do strive for is to have the positive suggestions anchor in our clients’ subconscious mind, giving them healthy alternatives to old, unwanted behaviors.