Hypnosis.
What it is not. What it is. How it works. How it is used.

The following is a very short overview of a very large and interesting subject. Hypnosis has been loved and hated through the history of mankind. There is a lot of misinformation from old wives tails to modern movies about hypnosis. The following is an attempt to dispel some of those misconceptions.

What it is not

When a thing is new to us or too much a part of us, it is sometimes easier to begin to understand it by looking at what it is not. Much like an artist who must take what is not wanted away from the block of granite to expose the wanted statue underneath. Hypnosis is not sleep, it is not unconsciousness, and it is not a surrendering of the will power and its control. Hypnosis is not magic or voodoo. And you do not have to have your eyes closed or look like you are hypnotized to be hypnotized.

Hypnosis is a part of the human condition. Because hypnosis is so much a part of the human condition we no longer notice its affect on our lives. Much like thinking the earth is solid and stationary and not noticing our earth is moving through space at great speed and shafting under our feet every second. However, the advertising industry has long known the power and how to use hypnosis as a fundamental human condition. They have used it to get us to change our minds and do things differently - like buying their products.

What it is

When a person is awake, the brain waves operate around 21 hertz (cycles per second). During a hypnotic state or trance the brain waves begin to move lower to Beta level at 14 hertz, Alpha level at 7 hertz, Theta at 3 hertz and can move almost to zone - called coma or Esdaile's state. Most formal hypnosis is done in the alpha range in a state called somnambulism and medical use at the Theta range. As the brain waves move lower we become more suggestible. Note, however, we are suggestible at any level just more so as brain waves lower. At a certain point the conscious and the subconscious become open to receive the same information without any filtering or distortions. This point is called "critical factor bypass" and lies between conscious and subconscious. The critical factor protects the mind's current beliefs of reality. New information or data that does not fit our current picture or believes in what we hold as reality is criticized and distorted until it does fit our beliefs or it is disregarded. As we reach critical factor bypass and selective and acceptable thinking is established, we move into the state of hypnosis.

How might this happen in everyday life? Have you ever been stopped at a red light and as you sit there looking at the red light you suddenly hear a horn blowing behind you and the light you were fixed on is now green? What happened to you? From a hypnosis viewpoint you established a fixation point, lower brain wave activity, bypassed the critical factor, established selective and acceptable thinking and you moved into a trance state of hypnosis. Were you eyes closed? Probably not. Were you asleep? No. But, you were someplace. Where were you? You were in an altered state of mind called hypnosis. You did it all my yourself and you did it to yourself.

Where else might this happen? Have you ever been at the movies and been so deep into the action of the film that you completely lost track of time and space? You are, for that instant, in another place and time. There is no theater, no screen up in front of you. You are there. You are living the adventure, feeling and experiencing what is happening. That is what moviemakers want the movie to be for you. Are you asleep? No. Are your eyes open? Yes - unless you are eight years old and it is a scary movie. However, in consciousness you are no longer aware of sitting in the theater, you sense no one around you - you are in an altered state, you are in "awaking hypnosis." You again have established a fixation point (note: a fixation point can be through any of the senses, not just the eyes), you lowered your brain wave activity, bypassed the critical factor, and established selective and acceptable thinking. You have moved into the trance state of hypnosis and as far as your body and consciousness are concerned you are there inside the movie. We do this all the time during the day.

Throughout the day we are consistently moving in and out of this altered state. It is part of being human. We do it so much and it is so natural that consciously we do not even notice the change in our mental state. This happens when we watch TV, listen to the radio, driving our car, concentrating at work, cooking dinner, are fishing, or are doing any activity where we are "in the groove" or "zoned out." When we establish a fixation point, lower your brain wave activity, bypass the critical factor, established selective and acceptable thinking, there we are in an altered state, a trance state called hypnosis.

Always, in all cases, the only person that can hypnotize you is you. You always hypnotize yourself. You can and do come out of your altered state when you want to and you go into it when you want to. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. In the movies, the movie director guides you into the action. However, it is you who must willingly go. You can just as willingly not go. You are always in control. Since you are always in control, you will not do anything that will violate your moral code or belief system.

How Does It Work

The following are the rules of engagement in formal hypnosis. 1. The person to be hypnotized (client) and the operator or guide (the hypnotist) need to have an agreement of mutual trust. 2. After there is agreement, the client needs to do what the hypnotist asks so the hypnotist can help the client move into the hypnotic state. Since this is a natural state, anyone with normal intelligence can reach this altered state, if they want to. The only thing that will prevent a normal intelligent person from going into hypnosis is fear. The fear may be anything from fear of disclosure, fear of hypnosis, or fear of losing a comfortable, though dysfunctional, relationship or lifestyle. Whatever the reason, if the agreement of mutual trust is not really in place, there will be no hypnosis or only a very light state.

There is an assumption in working in the field of hypnosis that the subconscious mind holds a record of everything that we have experienced, exactly as it was experienced. Every sight, sound, taste, smell, thought, emotion, everything is faithfully recorded. Only a very small amount of this information is available to the conscious mind. This is the iceberg principle - the greater part is underneath and unknown by the conscious mind. Some of the reasons why all the information is not available to the conscious mind are: there is too much unimportant data to be bothered with consciously, things too disturbing or painful are kept out of conscious awareness, old resolved issues are closed and do not need to be in the conscious mind, old and new unresolved issues are hidden away or distorted in ways to protect the ego-self. Ego defense mechanism, other emotional defense mechanisms, old traumas, and old survival skills operate out of slight of conscious awareness to protect the ego-self and the self-image from being overwhelmed.

Since we use our whole being to live and make decisions, both the conscious and subconscious are called into action when making decisions. It may be because the subconscious holds the majority of all the information and data for making decisions that it is the subconscious mind that makes most of our decisions. In most cases the conscious mind just rationalizes why the decision was made. Regardless, decisions are always made based on old information and all of that information is in the subconscious. If you have a problem day, it is the subconscious that holds the information and data as to why you have it and it maybe have the knowledge of how the problem can be resolved. Most therapies seek to make known and understand the hidden and unknown in the subconscious, so change can take place.

Therefore, since most therapies seek to move into the subconscious, making the hidden known, hypnosis offers a way of doing that very quickly. Hypnosis can enhance any therapy and is used in many medical and non-medical settings in a variety of ways to support healing and change.

Can hypnosis be abused? Any tool can be abused. Since this is such a natural part of being human, every salesman, con man, doctor, therapist, teacher, boss, worker, homemaker, parent, preacher, and director of anything has used hypnosis ether knowingly or unknowingly. The concept is easy. Have any of them abused it? It is the integrity of the person using the tool that determines if it will be abused.

The following is a list of some of the areas where hypnosis has been proven effective: Stress Management - Fears and Phobias - Insomnia - Nail biting - Stuttering - Sports Improvement - Visualization - Memory Improvement - Pain Management - Weight Control - Smoking Cessation - Tension and Migraine Headaches - Bed wetting - Habit Control - Public Speaking - Motivation - Self Confidence - Improved Concentration - Medical/Dental Procedures - Attention Deficit Disorder and more.

Using It

With some understanding of what hypnosis is not and what it is, how then can it be used in the therapeutic setting? There are two assumptions made in using hypnosis therapeutically: 1) the client has the answer to his/her condition or problem in the subconscious, and 2) the subconscious mind holds a perfect record of everything that the client has ever experienced. Every experience is faithfully recorded within the subconscious mind. It is within the inside arena of the subconscious that the hypnotherapist guides the client to understand his problem, seek resolutions, and remove symptoms and problem conditions.

There are two ways hypnosis is used: 1) through "direct suggestion" and/or 2) through different forms of "regression." Direct suggestion is used on habits that are the result of lifestyle patterns - a little overweight by ten to twenty pounds, poor study habits, etc. When the condition is the result of a deeper issue, i.e. sixty pounds over weight, engrained phobias, etc, "regress to cause" is the process that is used.

Like in many therapies, to get over an issue or a problem, you sometimes have to go through it. If the hypnotherapist determines that regression is the needed modality, the client is regressed to the "Initial Sensitizing Event." This event is rarely, if ever, known to the conscious mind. The Initial Sensitizing Event does not have to be traumatic. It can be a very insignificant event as viewed now from the current adult viewpoint. However, at the point of experience to a small child, it is a most important event with great emotional impact to the child. The event is now lost to the adult consciousness. The inner child is still using his childhood survival tools stored in the subconscious; his pattern of engrained reaction, to deal with similar issues. The adult conscious mind becomes frustrated in trying to figure why it keeps falling back into the maladapted behavior.

What is sometimes remembered, but not often consciously, is the "System Producing Event." The System Producing Event is the second most powerful event linked to the Initial Sensitizing Event. A system of response to a given set of events is beginning to develop within the psyche of the individual. Ways of responding and surviving are coming together as a system of protection for the ego-self.

What is always remembered is the "System Intensifying Event." When the System Intensifying Event is reinforced by other life events, a pattern of behavior and/or survival is set in place. From the viewpoint of the conscious mind, the individual thinks he knows exactly what their problem is. He is sure it is the System Intensifying Events because that is what he is consciously aware of. With that belief he works faithfully on his System Intensifying Events through different treatments, programs and therapies, and does not understand why he keeps falling back to the old patterns of maladaptive behaviors. He has not reached the Initial Sensitizing Event. The foundation and the system of response for the old behaviors are still in place. When life events and/or increased stress match the old system of survival that is still in place, there is a high possibility that old behaviors will re-establish themselves as a survival mechanism to protect the ego-self.

Reframing the Initial Sensitizing Event through regression hypnotherapy will change the underlying foundation that supports the maladaptive behaviors. With the shifting in the foundation, the symptoms of the problem change and in many cases disappear as the subconscious readjusts to a new perception of reality. Continued treatment and therapy will enhance this readjustment.

Reframing in Regression Hypnotherapy

Through hypnosis techniques and the partnership between the hypnotist and the client, the client is brought to the Initial Sensitizing Event. This is the source of the emotional event or trauma that set in place the foundation for the patterns of maladaptive behaviors. The client is guided through the event in a manner to re-experience all the emotions, pain, trauma, feelings, sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and thoughts. The event is lived again in all its reality.

The first guided journey through the event offers little detail but emotions may be strong. Then the client is guided back through the event and the details and emotions are more clear. With each journey through the event more and more detail is gained. The client may be guided through the event five or six times. Each time more physical details are added. However, the emotions peak, then begin to lessen in intensity with each journey back through the event. Through repetition, a point is reached that the client can live through the event with no emotional charge or reaction. The event is now emotionally neutral. The therapist can at this point reframe the event in a larger frame with respect to the client's current life situation. Understanding how the event is related to the client's current problems will bring up deeply embedded emotional response patterns that can now be addressed.

Since the Initial Sensitizing Event has been emotionally neutralized, there is no resulting System Producing Event. Without a System Producing Event, the System Intensifying Events and the development of the maladaptive behaviors have no foundation to support it. The chain of cause and effect has been broken. The client is now ready to engage in therapy that will support his new reality.

After emotionally neutralizing the Initial Sensitizing Event, it may take weeks or months for the client to process and reframe all the subconscious events affected. Since it is the subconscious mind redefining its reality and belief system, the conscious mind may not even notice that changes are being made. During this period continued therapy may be needed. Clearly the physical events have not changed. However, the perception of the events has changed and since "perception is reality" a more positive reality is being formed.

Missing the Mark

When the regression work is done, there is always a concern that the right Initial Sensitizing Event for the presenting problem may not have been found at first. This will become evident through ongoing therapy. While the process has been presented here in a straightforward manner, it does not always go that way. Sometimes the subconscious is slow to give up its secrets. More regression and direct suggestion hypnotherapy as will as other modalities of therapy may be required.

Medical Approval

The American Medical Association (AMA), The American Psychiatric Association (APA), and the British Medical Association (BMA have all recognized hypnosis as a viable therapeutic tool.

Areas Where Hypnosis has had Little Success

Regression hypnotherapy and hypnosis in general appears to be less successful for:

• Clients whose symptoms indicate clearly psychotic or borderline personality disorders
• Clients who reveal themselves as incapable of integrating the traumatic or symbolic material that may arise
• Clients who are not willing to assume responsibility for their attitudes and behaviors
• Clients who expect a magic cure-all to absolve them of accountability

Mike Faff currently divides his time between inpatient and outpatient therapy at Insight Recovery Center in Clarkston, Michigan. Mike holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering, Associate in Applied Science Degree in Mental Health/Social Work, Master of Arts Degree in Humanistic and Clinical Psychology, licensed by the State of Michigan Board of Psychology as a Limited License Psychologist, Certified Addictions Counselor, a graduate of Infinity Institute International, Inc - School of Hypnotherapy, Certified Hypnotherapist, and member of the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association™.

Mike Faff, C.Ht 475
Washington Blvd.
While Lake, MI 483286
Email: mmfaff@cs.com