Doctors say they have witnessed an increasing number of people opting for the therapy to control pre-surgery stress.

Pic for representational purpose Patients in the city are increasingly turning to hypnotherapy to help them control pre-surgery stress and fear. The technique is being used by psychologists and psychiatrists to bring down stress levels in patients prior to surgery and in some cases, to help with reducing labour pains as well. Hypnotherapy is not just used for major surgeries like kidney transplantation, but even for simple dental procedures.

Dr Prashant Bhimani, a psychologist, who has used hypnotherapy to help several transplant patients manage their pre-surgery stress at the Institute of Kidney Disease and Research Centre (IKDRC), said, that it also aids in better and faster recovery of patients.

“Many patients undergo severe stress before surgery. And this need not be a major surgery. We use hypnotherapy on patients to calm them as well,” said Dr Bhimani. He further said that the length of the therapy sessions is different for each case.

 “At times, patients come to us on their own, while in some cases, the doctors recommend them to undergo such sessions to manage their stress levels,” said Dr Bhimani.

Dr Mrugesh Vaishnav, a psychiatrist, who too has been practising hypnotherapy, said that he gets patients who make use of the therapy for minor dental procedures as well.

“Patients do come for such therapy before major and minor surgeries. But I have had patients, who make use of the therapy to manage their stress levels before undergoing minor dental procedures,” said Vaishnav.

He said that it is also increasingly sought by pregnant women to help them manage their labour pain.

However, Dr Hemang Desai, another psychiatrist, believes that mind relaxation techniques like hypnotherapy have been around for many years.

“It is just that now people are getting aware about it. Earlier, patients were a bit hesitant about the use of drug-less therapies. However, now, its acceptance has gone up and this could be the reason for more patients opting for it. Although, there has not been a drastic rise in number of patients opting for such therapies,” said Dr Desai.

Dr JM Jadeja, head of the physiology department at Civil Hospital, said that similar therapies are being offered to patients at the hospital too.

 “It started almost a month ago and we have seen patients benefit from it,” said Dr Jadeja.

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Putting patients into a hypnotic trance can be a boon to treating phobias, depression, stuttering, anxiety and many other conditions.

Hypnotism has been practiced for thousands of years, and for most of that time it was associated with magic, witchcraft, meditation, charlatans and entertainment.

Only in the past century have the medical and psychological benefits of hypnotherapy been documented, scientifically proven and significantly utilized to treat a gamut of problems from stuttering, bruxism (teeth grinding) and phobias to painful childbirth, anxieties and psychiatric diseases.

But the layman retains many misunderstandings and myths about hypnotism, and large numbers of people who could benefit have no access because the treatment is not included in the basket of health services.

There are 250 active members in the Israel Society of Hypnosis, chaired by clinical psychologist Dr. Udi Bonstein. Nearly 50 percent of licensed hypnotherapists are clinical psychologists like him, about 30% psychoanalysts/psychiatrists and the rest dentists. All of them have to take and pass a special hypnotism course to be licensed.

The society would like to see other professionals, such as nurses, clinical social workers, midwives and physiotherapists join, but the law would have to be changed – a very complex process.

Dr. Shaul Livnay , a Swiss-born, France-raised and American- and Israeli-trained senior clinical psychologist, licensed supervisor and trainer of hypnosis who has integrated hypnotherapy into his practice for the past 30 years, recalled its background and explained its uses.

In an interview last week with The Jerusalem Post, he said: “I have used it on many hundreds of patients for matters of parental guidance, treatment of children and adolescents, help for adults in their 20s through 50s and through retirement.”

IT CAN be used for hypnotic preparation toward birth; emotional adjustment and behavioral problems in the young; bed wetting; training children with serious illness to hypnotize themselves to reduce pain and anxiety; lack of concentration on studies; conflicts with parents; trichotillomania [hair pulling], fear of heights, flying and other phobias; difficulties with military service; relationships; stress; coping as grandparents; adjustment to aging and much more. However, Livnay admits that there are limitations: getting people to kick the smoking habit using hypnosis, for example, is “very complicated and can easily not succeed,” he says.

Hypnosis, derived from hypnos, the Greek word for sleep, is defined as a “special psychological state with certain physiological attributes, resembling sleep only superficially and marked by a functioning of the individual at a level of awareness other than the ordinary conscious state.” A leading founder was Franz Anton Mesmer, an 18th-century German doctor who suggested that there was a “natural energetic transference” that occurred between all animated and inanimate objects that he called “animal magnetism.” His theory was later called “mesmerism,” and “mesmerized” has long been accepted in the English language.

“He believed in ‘magnetic fluid’ that people had to balance against their illness,” said Livnay. “Mesmer made a special bathtub with rods immersed in it to treat mass hysteria.

He was thrown out of Vienna and went to France, where five investigative committees were set up, one of them headed by the American statesman and inventor Benjamin Franklin. But none of them found the device made any difference. They realized that hypnotism was connected to imagination and the power of suggestion.”

Performers claiming to hypnotize subjects, often “stooges,” gave hypnotism “a bad name” for centuries.

The great psychiatrist Sigmund Freud went to study hypnosis in France, said Livnay. “He was very rigid and saw that after hysterical blindness was ‘cured’ in a patient, the condition returned. He didn’t know what to do after the trance ended. Freud had a flirtation with hypnosis, and turned it eventually into free association, but sometimes disliked it because he thought he was not good at it. He also felt uncomfortable when patients stared at him, so he always sat behind the patient, whom he put on a couch. He always preferred that arrangement when dealing with patients.”

ONE OF the most veteran licensed hypnotherapists in Israel, Livnay attended his first hypnosis conference in Jerusalem in 1988. “I felt freed, much more open to patients when I learned it. I began to use it with other techniques, and today I am an integrative therapist.” Asked whether all patients can be “inducted” (urged) into a trance, Livnay said about 10% are not susceptible to it at all, 10% are “always in a trance,” while the rest have to be inducted. “We conduct tests and use scales to determine who can do it. There is no correlation to age, sex, culture, religiosity or other factors.”

Hypnosis, which is a kind of psychotherapy, was in 1892 recognized by a committee of the British Medical Association, the body of experts evaluated the nature and effects of hypnotherapy and decided that it is “frequently effective in relieving pain, procuring sleep, and alleviating many functional ailments.”

Only in 1955 did the BMA officially approve hypnotherapy, and stated that in the previous century that it could be “of great service in the treatment of patients.” The American Medical Association followed with a commission in 1958 that decided “hypnosis has a recognized place in the medical armamentarium and is a useful technique in the treatment of certain illnesses when employed by qualified medical and dental personnel.”

There is no such thing, said Livnay, as doing only hypnosis. “It is a tool to use within your specific specialty.

For example, it can be used on pregnant women to affect the fetus. Babies emerge very calm. Most courses for childbirth include hypnosis without saying so.

“Even though hypnosis has a strong influence on many patients, it doesn’t mean that I use it on everyone.

Some come only for hypnosis, for anxiety or psychosomatic problems, for example. It then takes six to 12 sessions. I tell them it’s part of therapy, even a major part, but never the whole treatment.”

But many people have “more complex problems.

Hypnosis for these conditions usually shortens the number of psychotherapy sessions they need,” he says.

However, he continued, if a person is very unstable “and an untrained therapist opens him up with hypnosis, he could go into psychosis. Untrained people have been sued for harming patients. There was a famous case a few years ago of a Florida high-school principal who tried to help pupils suffering from test anxiety, and a suicide was the result.”

The left brain hemisphere, he explained, controls reasoning and language. The right brain deals with imagery and imagination. “Inducing a hypnotic trance means that the patient leaves the generalized reality orientation and begins to drift, using free associations. He closes his eyes, concentrates and uses his imagination.”

Hypnotists used to use crystals as a pendulum to wave in front of the patient’s face. “We may use it to test the person’s ability to go under or do some investigative work. But today we often use individual colorful marbles; patients choose one and smile, because they have a warm feeling as they associate it with their childhood. When they touch it, it’s so relaxing. Induction can also be verbal. It can take a few seconds to a few hours to get there.”

There are several myths about hypnosis. “One,” says Livnay, “is that the therapist is in control. In fact, the patient is always in control. He might decide to give up conscious control of his left brain and open up the right hemisphere, but the therapist cannot control him like a puppet. A trance can not be used to force a patient to abandon his morals and principles.”

Another myth is that if a patient is inducted, there is a danger that he won’t be able to wake up. Most people close their eyes and become immobile, so they look asleep. But they are still conscious. Some patients fear they will lose their memory, said Livnay, “but they always remember what happened and remain in control during the induction, hearing the therapist and being de-hypnotized.

“If a stage is skipped, and the therapist claps his hands but all stages have not been performed, the patient may go out a bit mixed up and return to reality by themselves. Yet they may be frightened. The hypnotist must make sure to test the patient to ensure that he has ‘come back’ properly. Unless I’m working on a person suffering from insomnia, in which case I put them on a couch or they sit on a lounge chair with their feet up, I have people sit on a regular chair in front of me.”

Although he is not observant himself, he has ultra- Orthodox patients, who he says learn about his service by word of mouth. “I recently treated some yeshiva students who had all kinds of problems caused by their intensive study. I used hypnosis to get them to relax.

Teenagers are complicated, but I got a whole slew of problems yeshiva students who came to get relaxed.”

Phobias are very common. “People are afraid of small or large places [claustrophobia and agoraphobia] or of getting into a plane. There are some people, mostly women, who drive perfectly well in the city and never had an accident but are petrified by the idea of driving on intercity roads.”

Hypnotherapy is very useful for pure medical purposes, including preparing and calming patients before surgery so they are more cooperative with their doctors, Livnay said. For this purpose, many surgeons have learned to do hypnosis themselves.

Some hospitals are strong advocates of hypnosis; Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem, for example, has a hypnosis unit headed by Dr.

Eitan Abramovich.

“With hypnosis, recovery takes less time,” said Abramovich, “and there is less bleeding and less need for anesthesia and pain killers. There was a Scottish surgeon back in the 19th century who performed over 5,000 operations using hypnosis; 500 of them involved major surgery, all without anesthesia. But this use was largely replaced by modern anesthesia.

“I have a colleague in Turkey who performed a hysterectomy on a highly motivated woman. He put her into a trance, and a curtain was placed in front of her.

Fully conscious but with no pain, she talked to the surgeons about a recipe she had made.”

Hypnotherapy can help patients with skin conditions; psoriasis has a major psychosomatic element. So does irritable bowel syndrome; hypnosis is almost the treatment of choice. It can give cancer patients getting chemotherapy some relief from nausea. For pain, hypnosis can help no less and probably more than medical marijuana, Livnay said. “But the technique cannot be used on psychotic or other severely disturbed patients.”

Stroke patients, people with tinnitus (chronic ringing in the ears), hypertension, or those with kidney failure who are on dialysis also can benefit from hypnotherapy.

Many dentists use it to pull teeth, make fillings, treat bruxism and a gag reflex in their patients – or a complete dental phobia. One health fund, he concludes, “has had a hypnosis unit in its dental service for many years.”

DR. UDI Bonstein, a physician who studied hypnotherapy at Tel Aviv University Medical School and has practiced it for 15 years, said he would like to have a day at the Israel Society of Hypnosis national conference next May opened to physicians and other professionals who are interested. But some doctors are “still leery, especially as the therapy is not provided by the health funds free, so they don’t want to take the risk and establish a hypnosis institute. If it were included in the basket of health services, many more would do it. And it should be taught to medical students in their final years of studies.”

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The absence of any accreditation in the country for hypnotherapy is making it vulnerable to fake practitioners, said President of the Hypnotique Circle of Madras, Muthiah Ramanathan. He was speaking on the sidelines of a seminar held on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the organisation on Sunday.

“The Indian government does not recognise hypnotherapy while the American Medical Academy and that in Britain has recognised it as a medical tool since the 1950s. Owing to this situation people without any expertise in the field are able to practice here,” he said.

Speaking about the various applications of hypnosis and hypnotherapy, he said the acceptance of the field is growing in the city. “Nowadays there are an increasing number of patients who seek hypnosis and hypnotherapy. The problems can range anywhere between fear of learning to drive to marital problems,”  he said.

Muthiah pointed out that in about 50 per cent of the cases, it is young couples who seek treatment. “Compatibility issues after marriage is the most frequent problems. This is true for both love and arranged marriages.

In about 60 per cent of the cases, it is possible to bring some sort of amicable understanding between the parties,” he said. Experts also pointed out that while young couples were the most frequent seekers of help, there was also a growing number of couples who had been living together for years and have divorce issues now. “More and more couples are coming up with issues of divorce after more than 15 years of living together. The common argument is that they have been waiting for all those years to let their children settle down and that it was now time to move on,” says V V Narayanan, secretary of the association.

Another bunch of people who commonly used this therapy are students, especially school students who are on the road to writing competitive examinations, said the experts.

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"The gentleman I'm touching right now," the hypnotist says as he places his hand on the shoulder of a chubby young man wearing a Springbok rugby shirt. "You are the minister of health, wellness and [pause for effect] hand-washing!" he booms from the stage. 

"During interval, hover around the bathroom doors and check that each and every person has washed their hands," he instructs.

The owner of the voice is Andre the Hilarious Hypnotist performing at Montecasino in Johannesburg in March. "If you find any person who has not washed their hands, send them straight back in and do not let them out until they can prove? otherwise," he says as riotous laughter erupts from the audience. 

"When I snap my fingers, you are wide awake," he says to the man in the rugby shirt and the other people on stage with heads lolling on their shoulders, seemingly fast asleep. He snaps his fingers and they all immediately sit up – some with dazed and confused expressions on their faces.

"Have a lovely interval everybody!" Andre waves as he walks off the stage.

The word "hypnosis" conjures up images of people pretending to be washing machines, sprinklers, seagulls and any number of inanimate or bizarre things. One thinks of the master puppeteer on stage with the power to make one forget one's name or that the number four? exists. I must add, it is undeniably funny to see a fully grown and educated adult deal with this situation: "One, two, three [confused expression] … five." 

To satisfy my curiosity, I went to a private hypnotherapy session in Johannesburg. With eyes closed and hugging a large pillow, I spoke about my problems prompted by questions from a very pleasant hypnosis practitioner. While talking, I waited for the moment when everything would go dark and I would wake up suddenly to the sound of clicking fingers – minus an hour of my memory. That moment never came. I remember it simply as a very relaxed and introspective conversation – like a more tranquil version of a routine visit to a therapist, with the added scent of lemon-grass incense and the soft sound of wind instruments. 

In my search to find the answer to what ?hypnosis is, how it works and whether it's even real, I found the truth to be quite an anticlimax. It's a simple and straightforward phenomenon backed by logic – not the mystical and powerfully magical art I assumed it to be. 

How it works
"Hypnosis is all about the direction of attention," explains Dr Richard Oxtoby, a psychologist and retired lecturer at the University of Cape Town's psychology department. 

Unlike most of his peers, Oxtoby devoted some of his time in academia to exploring hypnosis. He also uses hypnotherapy in his private practice.

"Our normal waking state is one of constantly fluctuating attention – something may grab your interest and, for a time, you focus on it. But before too long you hear a sound and your attention shifts," he says. "Under hypnosis one's attention, instead of naturally wandering, is focused in a very narrow band."

Hypnosis as a therepeutic tool 
Oxtoby uses the therapeutic benefits of hypnosis in a technique he terms the "rewriting of personal history". He says past traumas can have a particularly debilitating effect on a person's life. 

"People take away from traumas a belief about themselves, especially if they were very young. A belief that they're bad, that they brought this upon themselves in some way. And it's those attitudes of self-blame and lack of self-worth which can be very successfully altered under hypnosis," he says.

Under hypnosis, Oxtoby takes his patients back to traumatic periods in their lives by using their imagination. "I get them to identify that feeling then to ask them to imagine they are now this little boy or little girl – and then imagine that their? adult self comes up to this child, sees them and comforts them."

The trauma is relived and reimagined in the mind of the patient. Oxtoby says the adult self is able to explain to the traumatised child that "whatever they might've done and shouldn't have done – it was a totally inappropriate and cruel response on the part of whoever punished them in that way".

Johannesburg-based hypnosis practitioner Yvonne Munshi? uses the same technique to help her clients: "I think what we all want more than anything else in the world – whether we're six months old or 70 years old – is to feel good about ourselves. Using hypnosis, we can change the feelings we have about ourselves. We can create new memories and feelings of kindness and understanding instead of only remembering punishment."

Oxtoby says another important clinical benefit of hypnosis is stress reduction: "Most relaxation techniques [like yoga for example] have a hypnotic component to them. The benefits of relaxation and the release of stress can be enhanced by the appropriate use of hypnosis – it's a largely untapped resource."

Oxtoby believes that "more people, especially in the health professions, could be inspired to explore this powerful technique". He says the principles of hypnosis can be used by any healthcare professional to relax patients, potentially making treatment easier and more pleasant for both patients and doctors.

Changing notions of hypnosis
Unknown to most, according to Oxtoby, hypnosis is a part of our everyday lives. "One can enter that hypnotic trance state just by being captivated by a beautiful sunset or a magnificent work of art."

This is very different from conventional notions of hypnosis. "There are two very different approaches to hypnosis," explains Oxtoby. "The one is the traditional approach, a very authoritarian one, which one sees with stage hypnotists: ‘I'm going to put you in a trance and make you do whatever I want to make you do'."

He says that was the understanding of hypnosis until the middle of the previous century, when American psychiatrist Milton Erickson developed a completely different approach – what he called "a permissive approach". 

"So instead of exploiting a power relation with the client, he would more or less seduce the client. More like: ‘If you would like to, you would probably find you're experiencing so and so,'" Oxtoby says. 

"I think professional people with very few exceptions use the permissive approach."

Professor Mark Solms, head of the University of Cape Town's psychology department, agrees with Oxtoby about the misconceptions created by stage hypnotists. 

"Doubts about hypnosis and its scientific credibility arise mainly from wild claims made about its mechanism at the turn of the last century, and unprofessional and theatrical applications of the speciality," says Solms. 

Although hypnosis doesn't really feature in university curricula? in South Africa?, Solms says? it is a very real phenomenon.

"Understanding the mechanisms of hypnosis reveals important facts about attention, self-awareness, volition and free will," he explains. "Furthermore, the brain images of people in hypnotic states demonstrate unequivocally that the brain is in an altered state under hypnosis."

Stage hypnotist Andre Grove (Andre the Hilarious Hypnotist), says: "In my shows it's not hypnosis that plays the overwhelming role."

He says that the far more specialised and demanding part of his shows is the performance side. 

"I can teach you how to do hypnosis in an hour, but you can't be taught how to be a performer," he says. "It took me a lifetime to become the overnight success I am now."

Selection process
But that doesn't explain how he makes people do such outlandish things on stage. 

"There's a selection process," explains Oxtoby. "Actually the secret of the hypnotist's power doesn't lie so much in what he does with the subjects who are up there on the stage, but more in how he selects from the whole group who are present."

Andre's selection process began with calling anyone who wanted to volunteer on to the stage. I threw caution to the wind and volunteered myself. Among other things, he asked us in a low, steady voice to close our eyes, breathe deeply, relax and interlock our hands.

"You will now try to pull your hands apart," he continues in a soft monotone, "and you will find you can't – they are stuck together." 

I tried to pull my hands apart. And I did. 

The less suggestible people, including myself, leave the stage as Andre skilfully selects volunteers. 

I walked back to my seat still asking what hypnosis was really about. During interval, I went to the toilet. As soon as I walked out, I remembered that the new "health minister" would be hanging around. 

The "minister" holds up his hands and, with a stern look on his face, says: "Stop. I'm inspecting hands. It's a new government regulation. What's this black stuff?" he raises his voice and looks accusingly at me.

Unfortunately, I didn't thoroughly wash off all the ink residue left from my note-taking during the show.

He points to the bathroom and shifts his posture to make sure I know I will not get past him without a fight. 

My face reddens as I turn around and walk straight back into the bathroom. I feel like a naughty child. After scrubbing for a good few minutes I cautiously walk out again.

He grabs my hands and pulls them to his face again. Almost begrudgingly, he says: "OK, you can pass." 



Unclear law leaves practitioners inthe dark "Since 1997, every few months some panic surfaces in the hypnosis community regarding the law," says Leo Gopal, a research psychologist and founder of the South African Hypnosis Network – a nonprofit network for all hypnotists in the country.

Gopal is referring to the Health Professions Act, which, in 1997, was amended to include "hypnosis and hypnotherapy" as actions to be solely performed by a licensed psychologist or mental health practitioner – making the practice illegal without this professional status. 

There are countless "hypnotherapists" practising in South Africa, and many schools that train them, but who are not trained and registered psychologists. The Act also made stage hypnotism an illegal practice, but was amended in 2007 to allow them to continue performing.

"This amendment allowed us to breathe a sigh of relief," says Gopal, "It allowed some leeway in our profession."

The act of hypnosis was no longer illegal for hypnosis practitioners but they were not allowed to describe themselves as hypnotherapists. 

"It's a grey area under much debate," says Gopal. 

Hypnosis practitioner Yvonne Munshi, says the wording of the Act is a problem of semantics. She is redesigning her website to replace the word "hypnotherapist" with "hypnosis practitioner".

"But people don't know this. They look for hypnotherapists and not hypnotists. If people ask me if I'm a psychologist, of course I say no, but not being able to use the word therapist negatively impacts on my business. It's a catch-22 situation."

Gertie Pretorius, vice-chairperson for the professional board of psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa, says the council is "concerned" about the number of unregistered and unqualified people practicing hypnotherapy.

"There are huge risks involved because only a registered psychologist would be able to recognise the worrying signs [exhibited by a distressed patient in therapy]," she says. 

___________________________________________________________________________________

Exploding 'supernova' captured in my fist "Very often people come in here and they think I'm going to whack them over the head with a rolling pin and they're going to walk out of here a nonsmoker and not remember anything that's happened," says hypnosis practitioner Yvonne Munshi as she prepares me for a hypnotherapy session at her Bryanston office. 

"Hypnosis is a state of altered awareness," she says. "It is not sleep, not unconsciousness. It is, in fact, a state of heightened awareness during which the logical mind is bypassed and dialogue is held with the subconscious mind."

Munshi sits opposite me and places a large pillow on my lap. "Lean back and relax," she says. 

She stares at the forms she has filled in with my answers to some basic questions: "How old are you? What is your relationship with your family like? Any history of depression, drug or alcohol abuse, and phobias or general problems?"

She looks up again and smiles reassuringly at me. "Let's put some music on." 

I concentrate to hear the almost inaudible sound of flutes over the rumble of Johannesburg traffic outside the window. 

"Since you are generally quite stressed and you put a lot of pressure on yourself, how about the first thing we do is give you a little tool so you can experience a bit of what a trance is like."

I nod.

"This is your stress ladder," she says while sketching a ladder on a piece of paper. "With deadlines and stress and constant demands on us, we tend to go up that ladder. To bring ourselves down we can use our imagination because it is an incredibly powerful tool."

She asks me to imagine three images: a "happy heart", a "peaceful mind" and "playfulness of spirit".

"For example, my peaceful mind image is of Knysna at midnight beside the lagoon," Munshi says in a hushed voice. "The moon is shining on the water – it's just beautiful."

She gently directs my hands to lie flat on top of the pillow on my lap. Following her instructions, I take a deep breath, close my eyes and lay my head back on the couch. "There you go. Much better," she says soothingly. 

After I pick each image, she asks me to "sink into the feeling" – to think about it alone and to let it overwhelm me. "Take a deep breath and sink more into the feeling," she commands softly. 

"What symbol can you give these three images?" she asks. 

In the moment, all I can imagine is a supernova exploding in a sea of light. 

"Wonderful! Now make a fist with your right hand and hold on to that star. Imagine you can hold on to the feeling of that exploding star.

"Every time you want to be in this place – how you are feeling now; happy, peaceful, playful, excited, free – all you need to do is take a deep breath and make a fist with your right hand because it is anchored here," she says, touching my clenched fist.

She counts from five to one and asks me to open my eyes. I feel good, like a warm wave has washed over me. 

___________________________________________________________________________________

Hypnosis can help in a range of treatments Dementia
A 2008 study by the University of Liverpool showed that hypnosis can help patients suffering from dementia. Hypnosis was compared with a number of other treatments, including group therapy over a period of nine months. 

Patients receiving hypnosis treatment showed improvements in memory, concentration and socialisation, but the patients in group therapy showed little to no improvement. 

The author of the study, forensic psychiatrist Dr Simon Duff, said: "Participants who are aware of the onset of dementia may become depressed and anxious at their gradual loss of cognitive ability and so hypnosis can really help the mind concentrate on positive activity like socialisation." 

Breast Cancer
Using hypnosis before breast cancer surgery can reduce post-operative pain, nausea and lower treatment costs, according to a study published in the Journal ?of the National Cancer Institute ?in 2007. 

Half of the sample of 200 women received a 15-minute session of hypnosis from a psychologist before surgery, and the other half spent the same time talking to the therapist. Patients in the hypnosis group required less anaesthetic and spent an average of 11 minutes less in theatre, resulting in cost savings of $773 a patient.

Hot flushes – menopause
Hot flushes caused by menopause were reduced by up to 80% by weekly sessions of hypnosis conducted by clinically trained therapists, according to a study undertaken last year by Baylor University's Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory. 

Over five weeks, 187 women participated in "hypnotic relaxation therapy" and, on average, flushes reduced in frequency as well as intensity. The authors of the study said this intervention may appeal to women because of the low cost compared with medication. 

Source: Professor Mark Solms, psychology department, University of Cape Town



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STUDENTS at Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University are set to benefit from the use of modern hypnosis techniques to help reduce examination stress and improve their grades.
• Visiting Professor Ursula James is introducing the use of clinical hypnosis at RGU
• James recently accepted the position of Visiting Professor in Clinical Hypnosis at the university

The use of clinical hypnosis is being introduced at the university by new Visiting Professor Ursula James who is an internationally renowned expert in the field and the presenter of the Channel 5 show “Sex, Lies and Hypnosis.”

Professor James recently accepted the position of Visiting Professor in Clinical Hypnosis at RGU, the first appointment of its kind in the UK.

A university spokesman explained that Prof James, who is also a visiting teaching fellow at Oxford University Medical School, had been been approached by university authorities to take on her new role after delivering a workshop on self hypnosis for childbirth at the university’s Faculty of Health and Social Care in November last year.

He said: “Staff at RGU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery will work with Professor James to develop new support strategies for students, including hypnotherapy, to alleviate the stress of exams and course work which will also be incorporated into the induction process.

“Whilst at RGU, Professor James will continue her research into the effect of altered states on cognition and the bio-medical markers of stress.”

‘Exciting projects’

Prof James said: “I am honoured to accept the position of Visiting Professor at Robert Gordon University and look forward to working with students and staff on a number of exciting projects designed to reduce stress, improve personal abilities and enhance skills.”

She continued: “There is a fantastic ‘can-do’ attitude at RGU and as part of my appointment I aim to improve the professional standards in hypnosis and develop further research in this field. RGU is the perfect place to do this.”

Experts at the university will also be working with Professor James to develop an MSc in Clinical Hypnosis which will include specific modules on smoking cessation, weight loss and child birth. The course, which will be developed over the next year, will be taught both full-time and part-time, utilising a blended learning approach.

‘Great addition’

Professor Ian Murray, RGU’s Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery, welcomed Professor James’ appointment which he described as a “great addition to the school’s depth of talent and expertise.”

He said: “Clinical Hypnosis is an exciting area of medical practice and we are delighted Professor James has joined our team. We look forward to working with her to develop new courses for the university as well as innovative ways of alleviating stress and improving student performance.”

Professor James currently heads a team which teaches clinical hypnosis at eleven medical schools in Britain, including Oxford and Cambridge. She also had her own TV series on Channel 5 called “Sex, Lies and Hypnosis” which used hypnotherapy for relationships

She is also the Patron of Anxiety UK and the National Centre for Domestic Violence and is actively engaged in research into the applications of altered states of awareness for enhancing performance and reducing anxiety.

If you would like to find more about how Birmingham Hypnotherapy Clinic can help you for problems such as anxiety, confidence, low self esteem, hypnobirth, gastric band hypnosis, sports performance hypnosis, weight loss hypnosis, sexual problems contact Birmingham Hypnotherapy Clinic.

With so many movies perpetuating misconceptions about hypnosis, it is time to put the record straight.



CLINICAL hypnosis is a state of relaxed inner concentration that can offer some very powerful benefits to health and well-being.

Recently, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, made headlines when she visited a clinical hypnotherapist to help with her morning sickness, sending a strong message that clinical hypnotherapy is safe for mother and child.

So, perhaps it is time to check out this form of healthcare, which is also available in Malaysia.

What does a clinical hypnotherapist do?

Scientific research shows that clinical hypnosis can help with a wide variety of conditions, from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and dental phobia to pain management, and even recovery from surgery.

A recent study from Harvard University, US, shows that self-hypnosis stimulates the relaxation response, and this can even switch off genetic markers that trigger harmful illnesses.

Clinical hypnotherapy is safe and can help improve sleep, reduce chronic pain, alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, and even build up confidence and motivation.

And far from being scary, clinical hypnosis is a state that most people enter naturally several times a day. In fact, if you have ever found your mind drifting away whilst you are driving, or experienced an enjoyable daydream, then you have experienced a natural form of hypnosis.

This experience is called dissociation, and the human mind does it all the time!

A clinical hypnotherapist can structure your natural experience into a powerful form of therapy that can help with medical conditions, psychological problems, and even help you prepare and recover from surgery.

How does it work?

A clinical hypnotherapy session goes on for about one to one-and-a-half hours. You start by talking about your problem; then the hypnotherapist invites you to close your eyes and allow your body and mind to relax. This is a powerful form of relaxation that also allows your mind to dissociate from troubled thoughts and focus on finding solutions.

Learning is very quick when you use clinical hypnosis, and one of the advantages of clinical hypnosis is that it allows you to safely access your inner mind to release your true potential.

Many people experience a sense of “floating down” into their inner selves. This is the beginning of a dissociative state. In this state, we are reconnected to the optimism and sense of wonder that we all experienced as children but often forget as we get older.

The mind becomes more supple, and with the help of an experienced clinical hypnotherapist, we are able to identify problem mindsets, build motivation, revisit faulty thinking and create new solutions.

Clinical hypnosis also provides an efficient method of “metabolising” unnecessary stress, and research also indicates that it could even strengthen immune system function. This means you almost always wake up with a sense of profound relaxation and wellness.

Time passes very interestingly when you experience hypnosis. For some people, it can slow down and you see everything very clearly. For others, time can pass very quickly, almost in a dream-like state.

But the most important thing to remember is that you remain in control throughout the whole experience. You could in fact get up at any time and walk out of the therapy. And this is when you realise that all the scary stories about hypnosis are just urban myths.

Myriad benefits

There has been increasing interest in clinical hypnosis over the last 20 years. In the UK, clinical hypnotherapy is a recommended treatment for IBS. And in the US, many studies show that patients benefit significantly during and after their operations if they were first prepared using clinical hypnosis.

Closer to home, University Malaya and the London College of Clinical Hypnosis have just completed research on the role of hypnosis in pain management.

One of the advantages of using clinical hypnosis is that the effects can be immediate. Of course, some things take time, but smoking cessation therapy can be carried out in one session, and many anxieties and phobias respond well after a few sessions.

Anyone who can daydream can experience hypnosis. But it is important to remember that clinical hypnosis is not a panacea for all conditions and illnesses.

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According to Medi Placement, regular fulfilling sleep can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in the same way exercise, healthy diet and quitting smoking can. A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that people who enjoy a relaxing night’s sleep can significantly reduce their chances of being affected by cardiovascular disease (CVD). If this is combined with a healthy lifestyle, result showed that people have a 57 per cent lower risk of CVD both fatal and non fatal and are 67 per cent less likely to die from the illness.

Lead Researcher added: “If all participants adhered to all five healthy lifestyle factors, 57 per cent of fatal CVD could theoretically be prevented or postponed.”

In response to the latest findings the National Council for Hypnotherapy has taken the decision to highlight the effectiveness of hypnotherapy to help those suffering with sleep disorders. The Council, which is made up of qualified and professional hypnotists, can teach clients techniques to help them relax and fall to sleep more easily. A representative from the organisation explained:

“The findings are indicative of how important sleep is and the effect it can have on our health. Hypnotherapy can help someone who may be suffering from an inability to fall asleep or irregular sleep patterns, teaching them to relax and feel less stressed about going to sleep.”

The National Council for Hypnotherapy continues to follow health related news and highlight the effectiveness of hypnotherapy.

NCH represents over 1800 hypnotherapy professionals within the UK and is committed to ensuring the highest possible professional standards amongst our members. Those looking for help with smoking, weight, anxiety, panic attacks, habits and phobias may be helped by local NCH accredited therapists, look for the NCH seal of approval on their websites. As one of the largest registers of independent Hypnotherapists, the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) is actively involved with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) and strives to develop standards for the benefit of the profession, now and into the future.

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According to new research stated in an article published on BootsWebMD, a lack of sleep can increase the chance of gaining weight. The study took 225 healthy, non obese people ranging in age from 22 to 50 years old. Participants slept in a sleep laboratory for 12 to 18 days and were randomly selected to suffer restricted sleep or unrestricted sleep. Some had 4 hours sleep; others could sleep freely from 10 pm to 8am.

Participants with restricted sleep ate more calories than those with unrestricted sleep. The extra calories, on average 550, were consumed between 10pm and 4 am, a time when the participants were kept awake. The overeating caused a weight gain of just over 2 pounds compared to just one tenth of a kilogram for those who had unrestricted sleep.

The results show the profound affects lack of sleep can have on the body and the influence it has on our meal decisions. One way to help with sleeping issues as well as with controlling eating habits is to use hypnotherapy. The National Council for Hypnotherapy is an online directory of hypnotists based in the UK. The organisation links hypnotists with clients looking for hypnotherapy sessions in their local area. Responding to the new research a spokesperson said:

“It is fascinating to see the effect that sleep can have on the body. Hypnotherapy can be used to treat a variety of problems including sleep disorders and weight problems, making it the perfect therapy to recommend in light of the study findings.”

The National Council for Hypnotherapy continues to follow health news.

If you would like to find more about how Birmingham Hypnotherapy Clinic can help you for problems such as anxiety, confidence, low self esteem, hypnobirth, gastric band hypnosis, sports performance hypnosis, weight loss hypnosis, sexual problems contact Birmingham Hypnotherapy Clinic.

According to The British Psychological Society in a document published on the 28th June 2013, a lack of sleep could be a significant contributor to excessive worrying. The study revealed that feeling tired and edgy can add to anticipatory anxiety, something that is experienced by those with anxiety disorders. Sleep deprivation is linked to the brain’s insular cortex which is associated with emotional processing and a lack of sleep can stimulate this area.

The findings come as no surprise to the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) who often deals with anxious patients suffering with sleeping disorders. The NCH is made up of professional and qualified hypnotists throughout the United Kingdom who can help with a range of issues including sleep and anxiety disorders. Responding to the findings a spokesperson added:

“Sleep deprivation as a result of a sleep disorder can be a hugely damaging ailment and should be addressed in the best possible way. Hypnotherapy can help find the root of the problem as well as help the client with relaxing and de-stressing techniques to help them slip off to sleep. It can work in an effective and simple way and is a great way of avoiding risky medication such as sleeping pills.”

The National Council for Hypnotherapy continues to raise awareness of the benefits of hypnotherapy.

NCH represents over 1800 hypnotherapy professionals within the UK and is committed to ensuring the highest possible professional standards amongst our members. Those looking for help with smoking, weight, anxiety, panic attacks, habits and phobias may be helped by local NCH accredited therapists, look for the NCH seal of approval on their websites. As one of the largest registers of independentHypnotherapists, the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) is actively involved with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) and strives to develop standards for the benefit of the profession, now and into the future.


Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1340731#ixzz2YS8yfreh

If you would like to find more about how Birmingham Hypnotherapy Clinic can help you for problems such as anxiety, confidence, low self esteem, hypnobirth, gastric band hypnosis, sports performance hypnosis, weight loss hypnosis, sexual problems contact Birmingham Hypnotherapy Clinic.

Imagine a slimmer, healthier you that kicks unhealthy food cravings to the curb and fights her way past all the bad carbohydrates, starches, and trans fats. Wishful shrinking? Or a diet fad? Hypnosis weight loss programs can help a person lose weight when they are under hypnosis — a state of inner absorption and concentration — where a person is highly focused and more responsive to ideas about behavioral changes, in their eating habits for instance, says Mayo Clinic. With more than one-third of adults in the United States classified as obese, this diet fad provides a natural and quick-and-easy way for many weight loss hopefuls to shed the pounds.

Approximately $33 billion is spent on weight loss products in the U.S. by 45 million Americans who diet each year, reports Boston Medical Center (BMC). The fight for a fit, trimmer body is never-ending as Americans go on the alkaline diet, the baby food diet, the French woman diet, or even the Clean Program to lose the weight for good. What makes the hypnosis weight loss diet different from any other diet? Most importantly, is it effective and how can you think your way thin without the pills, diuretics, and cleansers?

Nancy B. Irwin, PsyD, C.Ht., speaker and author, uses hypnosis to help people become aware, first and foremost, of why they overeat. "My premise is that there is positive intent behind every bit of human behavior," she said to Medical Daily. "No one ever does anything to deliberately be bad or wrong, or even evil...similarly, no one chooses to be obese." Based on Irwin's clinical experiences, she believes the positive intent behind overeating is:

1) Numbing emotional pain

2) Thwarting unwanted sexual advances

3) To literally stand out/be seen.

Hypnosis weight loss programs are seen as a means to provide a healthy way to address these needs without damaging the body. In a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, researchers from the University of Connecticut (UConn) did a meta-analysis of the effect of adding hypnosis to cognitive-behavioral treatments for weight reduction. Additional data was obtained from two studies previously done where UConn researchers corrected the data for computational inaccuracies. The average weight loss of post treatment and follow-up assessment periods from all the studies was 6 lbs. without hypnosis and approximately 12 lbs. with hypnosis — double the weight loss. This study shows that hypnosis in addition to behavioral programs is effective in reinforcing a person's weight loss. This diet fad can be a psychological reinforcement for dieters to adapt positive eating habits and patterns for long-term results.

Dieters who participate in a hypnosis weight loss program are "reprogrammed" by hypnotherapists to follow proper nutritional habits so they can commit to an "appropriate exercise regime, and most importantly to manage their thoughts, which are self-hypnotic suggestions 24/7," said Irwin. Healthy eating and an exercise plan is supported by hypnosis — no magic pill included. The combination of hypnosis with coaching increases the effective of the diet fad, said fitness trainer and author of Mind Your Own Fitness Bob Choat to Medical Daily. "What I've discovered regarding weight loss is that simply using hypnosis alone is not enough."

"Immediate action after a hypnosis session is important. Also, special suggestions, such as eating healthy veggies or increasing walking is part of the solution," he added.

Bottom line — does a hypnosis weight loss diet work? Yes, with proper diet and exercise.

Hypnosis Weight Loss Program
In order for hypnosis to work effectively, a weekly consultation with a hypnotist for eight weeks or more is required, in addition to self-hypnosis, says Vanderbilt University Department of Psychology in Nashville, Tenn. It is a time intensive program that will require a considerable amount of effort and should be tailored to each individual.

The average cost of hypnosis per session is between $110 to $150 but the cost often varies between hypnotherapists, says Hypochix.net.

At-Home Self-Hypnosis Tips
If you want to try this diet fad without breaking the bank, you can with these at-home self-hypnosis tips to help you think thin. Self-hypnosis, similar to regular hypnosis, involves the use of books, videos, or audio recordings and the use of your own voice to form a close connection between your body and mind for a specific reason. Below you will find some helpful tips from Your Holistic Healthcare and Medical Daily to help you reach your goal.

1. Find a quiet place to practice self-hypnosis to minimize the amount of distractions for a minimum of five to 30 minutes.

2. Relaxation is essential in order to achieve an effective self-hypnosis.

3. If the body is tense, try to imagine the tension escaping your body starting with the head, the shoulders, arms, legs, and feet.

4. Inhale and exhale deeply to release any negative energy in the body and mind.

5. Picture what the intended goal is and imagine overcoming it slowly as your voice will be your guide.

6. Repeat the statement to reaffirm your confidence in accomplishing your goal.

7. Self-affirmation will allow you to get to the mountain top of your goal.

8. Slowly locate your body and mind back to reality and open your eyes.



Read more at http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/16718/20130620/hypnosis-weight-loss-self-hypnosis-weight-loss-strategies-obesity.htm#yCglKkgvrbTypuor.99 

If you would like to find more about how Birmingham Hypnotherapy Clinic can help you for problems such as anxiety, confidence, low self esteem, hypnobirth, gastric band hypnosis, sports performance hypnosis, weight loss hypnosis, sexual problems contact Birmingham Hypnotherapy Clinic.