Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnosis

What is Hypnosis?
Fortunately, the US government has given us a definition that is very useful.  According to the US government, hypnosis is the bypass of the critical factor of the mind (that part that compares new information with old information already stored in the subconscious mind) and acceptance of acceptable selective thinking.  Hypnosis allows us to bypass this comparing mechanism so that information can go right into the subconscious mind and affect our limiting beliefs and our habits so we can make powerful change right away. 

Do you go to sleep when you are in Hypnosis?
Hypnosis isn’t sleep, but your hypnotist may use the word sleep.  It’s just a fast way of saying go deeply relaxed quickly.  Please note: Even if your hypnotists says the word sleep, don’t go to sleep or she will have to wake you up and start the session again. 

Do you black out or pass out or become unconscious when hypnotized?
No.  You will hear everything the hypnotist says and you’ll remember everything.  We want you to remember because your changes will come from insight you get during the sessions.

For Hypnosis Sessions with Celeste Hackett, visit Family First Hypnosis

What does hypnosis feel like?
Hypnosis actually doesn’t feel like anything.  It is a state of mind.  Here is one example: Have you ever known something, but then suddenly you got a deeper understanding than ever before?  Most people call that an “aha moment”.  That’s how it is when you are in hypnosis.  You can have access to information that you didn’t know you knew and becoming aware of that helps you to make positive change.  Other than that you will probably feel relaxed since we will often also be focusing on relaxing as a way to bypass the critical factor.

Can you get stuck in Hypnosis?  Gosh if that ever happened don’t you think THAT would have made the news by now?  Heaven’s no!  No one has ever been stuck in hypnosis.  Hypnotists want to get paid so they are very motivated to emerge you after the work is done :o).

Is hypnosis safe?  Hypnosis is naturally occurring in all human beings.  Make sure you watch the video on this page to learn about the fun examples of when you have been in hypnosis!  You won’t believe how many times you or your friends or family have been in hypnosis and didn’t know it.  After watching this video you’ll be able to spot the state in yourself and others right away.  It can be pretty funny sometimes.  Here’s just ONE example; A friend of mine was so hypnotized when looking for ketchup in his refrigerator that he was looking right at the bottle and couldn’t see it.  His wife got a big kick out of it! 

Also, once again, if hypnosis were not safe you would hear news stories about the terrible things that hypnosis does or is doing to people.  No one has ever been harmed by going into the hypnotic state.

In addition, hypnosis has been accepted by the American Medical Association since 1958 and is used for all sorts of issues such as helping children control epileptic seizures, overcoming infertility, IBS, controlling or eliminating pain and skin ailments, finding the cause of depression, anxiety and bad habits and the list goes on and on.

If this is so why don’t more doctors tell patients about hypnosis?  Most doctors just don’t think about it because their training is not in this area, but more and more are embracing the idea and we get referrals from doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, dentists and therapists all the time. 

How do you go into hypnosis? Two ways.  1) Automatically and naturally: Human beings are changing all the time in many ways on many levels be it mood, relative health and even level of consciousness.  So, you just naturally and automatically go into hypnosis from time to time.  It is natural for human beings to go in and out of light, medium and deep hypnosis.  Just like when you have been in a great mood and you don’t know where that happiness came from (mood), or you feel tired for no reason then later energetic (health).  Hypnosis, too, just seems to happen spontaneously (consciousness).  2) A hypnotist guides you there:  Hypnotists have a number of ways to do hypnotic inductions to help you achieve the deepest levels with ease.  A good hypnotist can get you into the hypnotic state in 4 seconds to 4 minutes. 

Can anyone be hypnotized? I have never had a client who didn’t go into hypnosis in my office.  It used to be believed that only 20% of the population could be hypnotized.  We have since discovered that those numbers are due to lack of technique, understanding and training of the hypnotist.  All you have to do is follow very easy instructions and be of normal intelligence and you’ll go right into a level of hypnosis to do all the processes of the work necessary to get the changes you want.

Can the hypnotist make me do something I don’t want to do?  No.  You are always in control.  If a hypnotist ever gave you a suggestion that you were morally or ethically apposed to you would emerge from hypnosis immediately.  And if a hypnotist gives you a suggestion that just isn’t one you want, it just won’t have any affect on you.