Hypnosis | Quays Clinic of Hypnotherapy

Franz Anton Mesmer

Franz Anton Mesmer May 23rd 1734-1815 who was a German physician who theorized that there was a natural energetic transference between, animated an inanimate objects which he called (animal magnetism) and other spiritual forces grouped together which he called (mesmerism). Mesmer treated both individuals and groups of people to overcome many different problems both physically and psychological. With his patients he used to create a focal point by staring in to the patient’s eyes (creating a trance like state which is in modern terms known as a hypnotic induction). He would then move his hands across the patient’s shoulders and down the arms and press his fingers on the hypochondrium of the patient, holding them in position for many hours which brought about the change that was desired.

When working with groups of patients Mesmer put a vessel called a “baquet” in the middle of the floor which had holes punctured in the top of it which would correspond to how many patients were in attendance. From the holes there were iron rods which were bent at right angles pointing outwards towards the part of the person’s body which needed healed. From the iron rod there was a rope which the patient would hold which was supposed to communicate with the vessel and then to the next person all the way around the vessel. This was a very early form of healing which was very quickly stopped by King Louis XVI who appointed four members of the Faculty of Medicine as commissioners to investigate animal magnetism as practiced by d’Eslon and Mesmer.

Where Did The Term Hypnosis Come From?

The word hypnosis was proposed by Dr. James Braid (1799-1860) around 1841 who was a Scottish surgeon who studied Mesmer’s work. The word hypnosis derives from a technique from mesmerism after Dr. Braid attended an event on mesmerism by Swiss magnetizer Charles Lafontaine in Manchester. Dr. Braid initially concluded that the phenomenon was a form of sleep so called it hypnosis after Hypnos the Greek god of sleep and master of dreams. The words “hypnosis and hypnotism” both came from the term neuro-hypnotism (nervous sleep). In 1847 Dr. Braid realized that the phenomenon of catalepsy, anesthesia and amnesia could be induced without sleep so he attempted to change the name to “monoideaism” (a state of prolonged absorption in a single idea) but it was too late. The term “hypnosis” was here to stay because it had already been adopted all over Europe.

The Future Of Hypnosis

Hypnosis has moved on a very long way since Dr. Braid and has become widely accepted in the medical profession as a very valuable natural alternative therapy, which has proven to be incredibly effective where modern medicine has been ineffective (especially for psychological disorders). In modern day times hypnosis can be used as a powerful tool by clinical hypnotherapists to access the subconscious part of the mind where they can use the skill of hypnotherapy for helping people with stopping smoking, losing weight or overcoming fear and social phobias.

What Is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a heightened state of mental awareness when focused attention takes place both in animals and humans naturally in everyday life. When this natural state of mind takes place we tend to be in a daydream like state where we are actually more aware of our surroundings (what we see, feel, touch, smell and taste) but are not in an analyzing, thinking or decision making mindset. We all know what it’s like when we are driving when we are daydreaming and miss our turnoff or arrive at a destination without remembering how we got there (but we did it without any problems). We all know what it’s like when we are totally absorbed when reading a book and we are asked a question by someone else and we didn’t initially hear or acknowledge them. Hypnosis is nothing to fear at all it’s a natural state of mind.

What Can Hypnosis Change?

Hypnosis (focused attention) is just a tool that a clinical hypnotherapist uses to bypass the analyzing part of the mind which then allows access to the subconscious mind. When the bypass of the conscious mind occurs hypnotherapy can then be used to create the necessary change that is desired by using a multitude of different hypnotic techniques. Hypnosis is commonly used for a wide range of emotional, psychological and emotional problems:

• Relationship problems
• Overcoming anxiety
• Stress management
• Building confidence
• Sexual problems
• Public speaking fear
• Weight control
• Stop smoking
• Losing weight

What Are Hypnotic Inductions?

The hypnotist helps the client to create total focused attention or concentration on either an external focal point or by using the client’s imagination to focus on internal mental imagery. Hypnotic inductions are just different ways of using focused attention or concentration to induce hypnosis.

Progressive Relaxation Induction

A progressive relaxation technique is where the hypnotist or hypnotherapist gives suggestions to a client to slowly relax muscle groups that lead from one to the next from the head down through the body to the feet to create physical relaxation (this technique can be used for people who find it difficult to relax who don’t like to rush things). When mental relaxation follows this is where hypnosis is achieved. This induction can take a long time and can reduce the time clinical hypnotherapists or hypnotists have to spend on the most important part of the hypnotherapy session which is the actual therapy.

Rapid Induction

In my opinion the “Rapid Induction” tends to be not only the best overall induction but is the most effective way to quickly produce the somnambulistic state of hypnosis in less than four minutes (Dave Elman’s induction is one of my favorites).

Instant or Shock Inductions

This kind of induction is superb for obtaining an instant bypass of the conscious critical analyzing mind by instantly interrupting the logical thinking of the mind with something that is either mentally or physically unexpected. Interrupting a pattern of behavior of the conscious part of the mind causes an immediate handover of control to the subconscious survival instinct which instantly reacts to respond to the situation because the conscious mind is not quick enough to do so.

Confusional Inductions

A confusional induction can be used to overload the conscious analyzing mind with information where the conscious mind has no comprehension or understanding of the information it is receiving. If the analyzing mind can’t make sense of the information its receiving it becomes bored and switches off which gives access to the subconscious mind.

Ian Smith (Distinction) D.Hyp  T.F.T  M.U.F.H  M.A.A.H  U.K.C.H.O  N.R.H  C.I.S.H
Quays Clinic of Hypnotherapy in North Shields
Telephone: 0774 3353367.