To understand how hypnosis works, it's important to recognize the "mind/body connection".  We all have a body and a mind, and these are functionally inseparable, they work together and you cannot have one without the other.

The mind and body communicate together in many ways, and on many levels to ensure our health and well-being.  Examples of this communication include; the impulses of the nervous system, chemical messengers influenced by our emotions, thoughts, ideas, images in mind, and many more unique processes of information sharing that occur within and between every cell and organ of our body.  The mind comprises of two components, the conscious and the sub-conscious. These also constantly communicate with each other; for example, memory and learnt behaviour are functions of the unconscious, yet we access these whenever we need to, and we do so quite automatically. 

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is the collective of a variety of methods that allow us to enhance the communication and sharing of information between and within the mind/body and the conscious and unconscious.  We can do this entirely by ourselves, or with the help of others, and also by using  books, videos, and audio tapes or CD's.  Whether someone helps us (such as a trained therapist) or we do it by ourselves, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.  A skilled therapist will help us to achieve trance, but this is already something we know how to do, and do many times during the day. Day-dreaming is a self-hypnotic or trance activity.

What is a trance state?

A hypnotic trance is a state of consciousness when an individual’s focus of awareness allows them to become greatly absorbed in the experience and sensations of their ideas. As noted,  day-dream is a good example of trance. Listening to music or watching television can also produce a trance state. When day-dreaming, you are aware of where you are and what you are doing, but at the same time you are very absorbed in the experience and sensations of your thoughts, ideas, and images of the day-dream. In other words, hypnotic trance and a day-dream are similar processes. Many day-dreams begin when we are bored or have little to actively think about or get involved in. Trance is a state of consciousness that we deliberately set into being. Hypnosis includes many different methods to set that daydream-like state of mind or trance into being. These include what various induction techniques such as imagery, focusing concentration, and forms of passive relaxation and meditation. If you think of a daydream as a trance, then you have experienced trance-state throughout your life every day in many ways. Learning to use trance to enhance mind/body communication for healing, better performance, and relaxation is easy and very beneficial. Hypnosis and trance are like many other activities, the more we practice, then better we get at it. Once you discover how to use trance effectively, it is a skill that you will use to enhance many areas of living. What kinds of abilities might one learn this way? Overcoming anxiety on an airplane, relaxing and dealing with stressful situations, relieving pain, improving sleep patterns, changing habits, improving concentration skills, to mention only a few.  

What trance is not:
Trance is not any form of “going under”. At all times, the individual in trance is aware of where they are and what they are doing. The individual in trance is in control at all times. At any time the trance may be discontinued, just as we do with a day dream. Stage hypnosis, for purposes of entertainment, has promoted a very distorted idea of hypnosis and trance.  

How does hypnosis differ from meditation or relaxation?

Hypnosis or trance are not identical to meditation and relaxation. In meditation and relaxation, often the goal is to experience a relaxed or meditative state. This is of great benefit to the mind and body.  What makes hypnosis and trance different is that getting into that meditative or relaxed state of mind is only the first part. The second or important part of the hypnotic process is in “using” that state of consciousness to more effectively transmit and deliver the messages you desire throughout your body or mind/body. Hypnosis is similar to meditation as a process to achieve a creative and peaceful state of mind. The difference is that in mediation that state of mind is the goal, and in hypnosis the emphasis is on actively using that state of mind to achieve what is being suggested by our words, thoughts, and ideas.

How can hypnosis help me?

Hypnosis can help you achieve a greater capacity to be in control of your self; mind and body. By learning hypnosis you are practicing skills that let you use and have greater access to abilities that are already within you. The range of possibilities is vast. You can influence your body for healing and well-being, such as lessening or removing pain, or stimulating immune response. You can overcome anxieties and fears, you can change habitual behaviour,  you can improve and enhance performance, achieve greater focus and concentration of mind and emotions. In short, hypnosis can help you tap in to the resources within you to achieve greater control and discover more of your potential for health and well-being.  

I've seen hypnosis on TV, will I be out of control?

Much of what is presented in stage hypnosis is distorted and misleading. A common misconception is that the hypnotic subject is under someone else’s control. That is far from the truth. While using hypnosis or trance, you are in control. That’s the whole purpose of it; to achieve greater personal control. 

What is "mind-body" medicine?

That is a term now used to refer to all the many approaches in helping individuals use their mind to influence their bodies for healing and improving well-being. These approaches include: hypnotherapy, NLP, visualization, guided imagery, autogenics, relaxation exercises, cognitive-behavioural therapy, to name a few.

What makes these audio programs work for me?

The audio tapes are prepared to provide you with the best instruction we can offer in helping you learn how to experience your abilities with hypnosis. By listening to the CD or audiotape you gather phrases, thoughts and ideas that you may find useful in first experiencing “trance” and secondly, to “utilize” the trance-state to influence the mind/body. Like trying on new clothes, you’ll select what fits and feels good to you and your beliefs, desires, and expectations. You’ll practice and try out your own ideas and images and discover what you want to practice into a greater skill. Think of the tape as a set of training wheels that allow you to quickly get upon and use your bicycle to get where you want to go and to learn the skill of bicycling at the same time.