
Clinical Hypnosis Explained
​
Hypnosis is a natural state of focused attention that enhances your ability to harness the mind's power for healing and change. Often misunderstood, clinical hypnosis is not mind control or unconsciousness but rather a deeply relaxed state of heightened awareness, similar to daydreaming.
​
Through techniques such as guided imagery and positive suggestions, hypnotherapy can help individuals address medical and emotional concerns, reframe limiting beliefs, and promote self-improvement. The subconscious mind, which governs most of our automatic behaviors and bodily functions, is accessed during hypnosis to encourage meaningful and lasting change.
​
Research supports hypnosis' ability to influence physiological and neurological functions, making it a powerful therapeutic tool for conditions like IBS, stress, and other functional disorders. During hypnosis, you remain in full control and cannot accept suggestions that conflict with your core beliefs or values.
​
For a detailed guide on how hypnosis engages the mind, body, and brain, download the full document.
By Phil Harford, LICSW
