Hypnotherapy Misconceptions Pt2
For those of you who are regular readers of my musings, you will know that I wrote yesterday about some common misconceptions about hypnotherapy. Today, I want to add two more misconceptions to look at and overcome.
Misconception four: Hypnotherapy involves sleep. This is a misconception from the very beginning of the history of hypnosis. In my office there is a picture of the Greek God, Hypnos placing Jupiter and Juno to sleep. When James Braid came up with the term Neuro Hypnosis, he could not have foreseen his error and how that would impact public perception some 160 year or so later. Hypnotherapy does not have to involve relaxation, but it often does. However, it should be noted that relaxation is not a prerequisite for trance.
Misconception five: Hypnotherapy “cures” people instantly. Firstly, hypnotherapists never ever use the word cure. We are not healers in that regard. Clients, will use the space provided in hypnotherapy to come up with their own answers to the big questions in their lives. The therapist provides the space and techniques to help in that regard. We do not advise, and we do not heal. Also, if it takes years to develop a problem, it is not reasonable to expect that in a matter of minutes that this issue will be resolved. Hypnotherapy is a brief therapy, but it is not a quick or instant fix. Work must be undertaken by both client and therapist to succeed.
