Types of Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is an artificially induced altered state of consciousness, characterized by heightened suggestibility and receptivity to direction. It is also known as ‘trance’ which means a state of half-consciousness. All of us experience hypnosis in our routine lives. Many of us are used to day dreaming while driving or watching television, this is an example of hypnosis. Hypnotherapy, on the other hand is a treatment of disease or symptom such as chronic pain or addiction through hypnosis.
In this article, we have discussed two major types of hypnotherapy, their benefits and drawbacks. The two types are as follows:
Suggestion Hypnotherapy
In suggestion hypnotherapy, the therapist uses the power of suggestion to treat the patient. Suggestion is of two types; a direct suggestion or an indirect suggestion. Let’s take the case of smoking, the therapist will tell you that you will stop smoking now, this is a direct suggestion. In an indirect suggestion the therapist will take help of metaphors and stories to cause effect.
Benefits
• It is very effective and powerful in treating unhealthy habits and addictions such as nail biting, drugs, smoking and weight.
• It produces quick results, doesn’t take more than two sessions to show results.
• It is very easy to practice or exercise.
Drawback
• The treatment may not end for long if the patient faces the same conditions again that actually caused the disease.
Analytical Hypnotherapy
In Analytical hypnotherapy, the therapist examines the causes of the patient’s disease or addiction. He also probes further to explore the original experiences that actually led to the development of that disease. Diseases such as chronic pain, eczema and hay fever are treated through different analytical techniques. Emotional issues are also addressed and relieved using an analytical approach.
Benefits
• Diseases or symptoms that are once relieved through analytical hypnotherapy do not return. It deals with the original cause.
• Sometimes, there are other issues or diseases connected to the disease that is being addressed. Analytical hypnotherapy may release those issues as well.
• It also uses the power of suggestion hypnotherapy as a part of total approach to cause better effect.
• The process of hypnotherapy often increases the patient’s power of self-understanding.
Drawback
• The only drawback of analytical hypnotherapy is that it takes more time to release an issue than the suggestion hypnotherapy does. The number of sessions it requires is usually eight.
Another type of hypnotherapy is regression hypnotherapy, which is mainly used to guide the patient back to his/her private history with the purpose of addressing the disturbing experience of past that caused the disease or addiction. All types of hypnotherapy use regression as a method to cure a disease or release an issue, except suggestion hypnotherapy which only uses the power of suggestion.
Whichever type of hypnotherapy is used, the purpose is the same which is to cure the disease by making necessary changes in the subconscious mind, the most powerful part of mind. Conscious mind is the weaker part of mind. All the instincts, behaviors, habits and urges that an individual demonstrates originate from the subconscious mind and this is where hypnotherapy is used as a powerful intervention to make necessary changes.
