Jeanette Perkins Hypnosis And Self-Hypnosis

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO DEEPER INTO A PROBLEM TO RELEASE IT

I often work with people who have had bad experiences in their past that still continue to plague them.  It may manifest in the form of sleep problems and nightmares, anxiety attacks, fears of one form or another, or in many other ways.  I'm not talking about repressed memory syndrome, but rather clearly remembered experiences that a person simply can't get passed.  Hypnosis can be helpful in allowing a person to deeply relax and accept suggestions about the ways in which their life is now very good, they deserve to enjoy their life (listing the aspects of their life that specifically mean the most to them) and helping the person put the past experiences in perspective so they can move on.  Coupled with a self-hypnosis program reinforcing these suggestions often will allow the person to move past these experiences and to enjoy their life more fully.  However, at times this is not enough and the person continues to suffer.  On these occasions it is useful to go more deeply into the experience.  By this time the client and I know each other pretty well and a bond of trust has been formed.  I will put the person into hypnosis, deepening it as much as possible, and then gently guide them through the painful experience.  If I see that their anxiety level increases, I will pause to relax and reassure them before continuing.  It can be painful and difficult for the client to go through this, but the benefits are well worth it.  Most of the time the client will feel a sense of relief or of letting go to a large extent following this hypnosis session and whatever symptoms they have been experiencing will begin to subside.  Further sessions to reinforce this progress will often eliminate the problem or reduce it to a tolerable level.  

This technique of going into and reliving an experience is suggested to help avoid post traumatic stress syndrome as well.  The closer the hypnotic reliving session is to the actual experience, the more effectively it reduces the person's likelihood of developing PTSD.  In either case, it is important for the hypnotist to know the client well enough to know that they are mentally stable enough to benefit from this technique.  If the person has a therapist, it is useful to be in touch with that therapist, with the client's approval, to discuss what your plans are before proceeding.  I have seen astonishing results with this technique and, used cautiously, can be an extremely useful tool in helping someone who has been suffering.