FAQs
What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a naturally-occurring focused state of awareness that we experience everyday in varying depths. In Hypnosis, an individual’s body and conscious mind are in a relaxed state while the unconscious mind is alert and receptive to positive suggestions.
We all naturally go in and out of hypnosis throughout our day. Some examples include:
Daydreaming while someone is talking
Being absorbed in a good book or movie while everything around us seems to disappear
Missing the freeway exit because we were on “autopilot”
Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic states: transitional states of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep, and sleep and wakefulness.
How does Hypnotherapy work?
Under Hypnosis, an individual’s conscious mind is relaxed. This allows the hypnotherapist to help the client facilitate change. The unconscious houses our autonomic bodily functions and “programming,” or conditioning, influencing much of what we do. In hypnotherapy, we work with how an undesired behavior or emotional response can be unlearned and replaced with a more adaptive behavior or response.
Thanks to Hypnosis, we are able to bypass the critical analysis of the conscious mind so what was worked on in session can be accepted by the mind and integrated into a new “automatic” behavior.
Does Hypnotherapy really work?
Yes! Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy have become accepted medical treatment to address a wide variety of issues and conditions. Stanford, Harvard, and Penn State are among several institutions that have conducted clinical studies in Hypnosis and found that Hypnosis does in fact alter the brain and can be utilized for a myriad of conditions. In conjunction with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), research has shown significant improvement when treating serious mental health conditions such as Depression and Anxiety.
Will I lose control?
Absolutely not. Someone under hypnosis will actually have more control and awareness. Someone cannot be hypnotized unwillingly and they cannot be prompted to reveal something they don’t want to. A person who is hypnotized cannot and will not do something outside of their moral code.
Can I get stuck in Hypnosis?
No, a hypnotized individual is in a state of deep relaxation and can come out of Hypnosis at any time. All states of Hypnosis end either formally, by the hypnotherapist, or naturally, by the individual. If a person were to—somehow—get “stuck” in Hypnosis, they would simply return to their normal awareness or fall asleep and wake up later.
Can I get hypnotized?
Anyone can get hypnotized! Hypnosis is a normal process that we all experience for a few moments everyday before we fall asleep. It all depends on if the individual wants to be hypnotized. Anyone who is willing to relax and follow directions can be hypnotized. Interestingly enough, Hypnosis often comes most easily for creatives and academics, so some might experience a deeper level than others.
Are there any negative side effects?
There are no negative side effects. Most people usually find the experience of Hypnosis to be extremely beneficial and empowering. Hypnosis is generally considered safe. Furthermore, at Sayá Hypnotherapy, we always ensure that our clients end each session in a positive, grounded, and motivated state.