Hypnosis is a natural state of mind which is experienced with heightened awareness and increased suggestibility, often accompanied by deep relaxation. It is rather like a state of daydreaming with an internal focus. When you are in a state of hypnosis, or trance, the hypnotherapist can bypass the conscious mind's critical faculty and communicate with the power of the unconscious mind. The Conscious critical faculty is rather like a fire wall which checks incoming information from the senses to verify it from experiences and pattern matches.

People go in and out of trance or hypnosis from moment to moment every day. To be Hypnotised is a collaborative process and you cannot typically be forced into hypnosis. If you can pay attention and follow directions, you can be hypnotised. A common experience that people have is when you are absorbed in a really good book or film and you are so drawn into it that the real world is temporarily suspended, and you can be emotionally drawn into the story so that you feel happiness, sadness or fear. When a car driver cannot recall a part of their journey, they have probably gone into a state of trance while their unconscious mind was controlling the car while they were perhaps talking or thinking about something else.

So, we all have the ability to be hypnotised; and you’ve already been doing it easily and automatically every day. Now, you'll learn to use that ability and allow yourself to be guided for the purpose to help you achieve your goals.

Some think hypnosis is only for people who are weak-minded or gullible. This is certainly not true and strong-willed people often experience an enhanced feeling of a shift when it happens. Anyone who can pay attention and follow directions can be hypnotised. The Hypnotherapist has different techniques for different types of people.

You are completely in control of yourself during hypnosis, aware of your surroundings, and capable of making decisions. Your powerful unconscious mind is always there keeping you safe, and nobody can make you do anything that you don’t want to do. You remain selective: you take in suggestions that support your goals and reject suggestions that are not good for you. Hypnosis cannot make you do something against your principles or moral beliefs.

We use the terms subconscious and unconscious to refer to the part of the mind that is different to the conscious part of the mind, but being in hypnosis, you hear everything that's being said, and you are quite aware of what's going on around you.

Here is a short test; Right now, as you sit reading this, close your eyes for several seconds and then open them again. What did you experience? That is very much what hypnosis feels like. You should not expect to black out.

No, that does not happen. You may find hypnosis so pleasurable that you're reluctant for it to end. But you will return to your wide awake and alert state, feeling relaxed and refreshed.

If you are asleep or daydreaming and an alarm goes off, your unconscious mind is still listening all the time and will bring you back to being fully alert immediately that your conscious attention is needed.