Overcoming Fears And Phobias
Hypnosis has been shown to be an effective treatment for many individuals with phobias. A significant percentage of the population suffers from a phobia of one type or another. For some individuals it can be mildly distressing but manageable. For others it can be seriously debilitating. A phobia is an irrational fear of a particular stimulus. This stimulus can be a situation, a thing, or an activity. People with phobias will either go to great lengths to avoid whatever it is they fear, or they will tolerate it with considerable anxiety. For some people, a phobia can trigger panic attacks. In severe cases the phobia can end up literally controlling a person’s life.
Hypnosis works by accessing the underlying cause of the phobia and eliminating the person’s conditioned response to the stimulus. When hypnosis is used to treat a phobia, the initial goal of the hypnosis is to discover the initial event from which the phobia developed. The cause is often a traumatic event which occurred at an earlier time in the person’s life. Often the phobic individual does not remember this event. It may be a memory which has been repressed for many years. Repression is a protective mechanism our mind utilizes by keeping memory of the trauma out of our conscious mind until we are ready and able to deal with it.
In order to access this memory, the individual will first need to be in an extremely relaxed state. The hypnosist will use techniques in order to help the person become very relaxed and focused. This state of heightened relaxation and focus is referred to as the hypnotic trance. It is during this state that the subconscious can be accessed. While in this trance state a person is very receptive to postive suggestion, which is what opens the door to bringing about the desired change.
When working with the client i also teach the client some E.F.T ( Emotional Freedom Techniques) to assist with the Phobia Elimination Process.