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Hughes Hypnosis and Idaho School of Professional Hypnotherapy

Board Certified Clinical & Consulting Hypnotist
Robert Hughes MPA, BCH, CHt, CHtA

Frequently Asked Questions

 


 

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a deeply peaceful and harmonious state of mind that everyone can enter and use. The simplest definition of Hypnosis is that your mind is focused and you are thinking very deeply. Hypnosis is very like meditation, prayer and other forms of deep thinking. Hypnosis is one of the easiest ways to learn relaxation. If you are interested in self-hypnosis, you can visit a hypnotherapist for one session to discover this peaceful and calm state of mind for yourself. The hypnotherapist then gives you a mental key that allows you to enter this wonderful state of mind whenever you need to relax, reduce stress or touch into the deep well of creativity inside you. Give yourself access to all the benefits of regular relaxation or meditation in one session.


How does hypnosis work?     [top]

Hypnosis is a simple set of relaxation and imagination techniques that focus your mind and give you access to your deepest thinking. When you have access to the contents of your subconscious mind, your hypnotherapist can help you reeducate your mind through questions and suggestion so that you swiftly and easily change the symptoms or conditions that brought you to therapy.


Will I lose control?     [top]

Contrary to what you see in the movies and stage shows, hypnosis is a consensual state. You are always in complete control the entire time and you will not do or say anything that violates your basic moral or ethical principles. You are free to disregard or refuse any suggestion made by your hypnotherapist at any time. Very simply, you are the boss. In fact, the deeper you relax, the more you are in control of your own deepest thoughts, feelings and behaviors.


Will I remember what happens?     [top]

Hollywood likes the image of a sinister hypnotist turning people into unconscious zombies. Nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that in hypnosis, even in the most relaxed states, the client is more aware of everything that happens and every word said. You will be amazed that you can remember every detail of your sessions clearly. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis, and you always maintain your memory. The only time you would ever be unconscious is if you get so relaxed that you fall asleep. In that case, the hypnotherapist's job is to wake you up so that your session is effective.


I've been told I'm a poor subject and can't be hypnotized. Will this work for me?     [top]

This is the most common misapprehension that people bring into the office. But the truth is that with a little practice, virtually anyone can relax and achieve a state of hypnosis. Hypnosis is a natural state that people go in and out of spontaneously all the time. Every time you watch a movie or read a novel, and find yourself emotionally involved in the plot or characters, you are in hypnosis. Any time you rehearse some task you have to do in your own mind, you are in a light hypnotic state. Everyone has the capacity to go into natural hypnosis. Sometimes nervousness about what might happen makes it a little harder for some people to enter a guided hypnotic state, but with a little practice, anyone can achieve a perfectly adequate level of relaxation for hypnotherapy.


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What is hypnotherapy?     [top]

In the hands of a skilled and highly trained professional, the same calm state of mind encountered in self-hypnosis or meditation becomes your gateway to change habits, improve performance, heal your mind and body, or contact your own dreams and inner reality. Hypnotherapy can help you rapidly and permanently heal the scars of childhood, stop smoking, improve your athletic or academic performance or relieve chronic physical or emotional pain. It generally takes just a few sessions to make enormous changes in your life. For those with spiritual inclinations, hypnotherapy can deepen your meditation and give you access to past lifetimes or higher realms of reality.


How does hypnotherapy work?     [top]

Hypnotherapists believe that every behavior and every symptom has a cause. Often that cause is a subconscious conflict between different parts of the person: for example, between a child-like part of the person and a part which is more like a parent. Or a symptom can arise from a negative subconscious idea: such as the client who has subconsciously learned that smoking is a way to escape pain. In hypnosis, you and your therapist gently explore the subconscious to discover the causes of symptoms and then educate the mind so that the internal conflicts are resolved and the self-destructive beliefs and behaviors are transformed.


Will it take a long time?     [top]

Because hypnotherapy lets you actually reach into the subconscious mind to correct misinformation, change habits or resolve inner conflict, it is frequently the fastest means to make changes in your life. For example, many people can become non-smokers in only one session. Some especially traumatic experiences may be buried so deeply in the subconscious mind that it would take years of talk therapy to find them. Hypnosis makes the process much, much faster. People who have suffered severe abuse, trauma or abandonment will require more than just a session or two, but the intent of hypnotherapy is to connect the person to his or her own healing resources and accomplish profound change in the shortest period of time possible. You can experience profound change in an astonishingly short time.


How much does hypnotherapy cost?     [top]

Please see the “Prices for Hypnotherapy Services” information in the Programs and Classes page.


Can you use hypnotherapy to stop smoking?     [top]

Yes, hypnotherapy is very effective for smoking cessation, and Robert specializes in helping people stop smoking. It takes just one three hour long session and you can be free of tobacco forever. See the Programs section of this website to learn more about the Smoking Cessation program, cost of the program, etc.


What are some other things hypnosis can be used for?     [top]

Hypnosis has many, many other therapeutic applications such as:

  • Chronic Pain
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Passing Professional Examinations
  • Preparation for Surgery or Dentistry
  • Motivation and Performance
  • Enhancing Sales
  • Drug Free, Painless Childbirth
  • Relaxation and Stress Control
  • Better Athletic Performance
  • Grief and Emotional Pain
  • Alcohol and Drug Problems
  • Math and Test Anxiety
  • Impotence & Premature Ejaculation
  • Nail Biting and Bad Habits
  • Panic, Anxiety and Phobia
  • Improved School Work
  • Self Esteem and Confidence
  • Memory and Work Skills
  • Healing Childhood Trauma
  • Inner Discovery and Awareness
  • Bed Wetting
  • Weight Loss
  • Breast Enlargement or Reduction

In general, if a problem or symptom involves the mind in any way whatsoever, then hypnosis can help you make positive changes. And since the mind and body are connected, if any physical problem has a connection to stress, hypnosis can help you improve the problem.


Hypnosis Myths - Does the hypnotherapist "wave a magic wand" and make it all better?     [top]

Hypnotherapy is a very powerful way to help people heal and grow, but it is not magic. You can think of your hypnotherapist as a guide in the mountains. The guide can tell you where the right trail is, and how to find the best spot to camp. But the guide can't force you to go. The guide can accompany you every step of the way, but you will have to walk the trail on your own if you are going to get there. When you combine your energy and determination to heal with your hypnotherapist's guidance and skill, the resulting changes in your life can be dramatic and powerful. Sometimes, a single session and direct suggestion to the subconscious mind can have a dramatic effect that seems like magic. Other times, it may take several sessions of intense exploration just to find the cause of the problem, and additional work getting all the parts of the mind to work together in harmony. In either case, the critical success factor is your willingness to explore your mind and make changes.


What are Robert's qualifications?     [top]

Robert Hughes, MPA, BH, CHt is board certified as a Consulting Hypnotist by the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH), a certification that places him in the elite ranks of the best consulting hypnotists in the world. He is also Board Certified by the National Board for Hypnotherapy and Hypnotic Anesthesia (NBHA) as a clinical hypnotherapist, hypno-anesthesia therapist and hypnotherapy instructor. After a very successful career as a hospital manager and planner, Robert established a full time private hypnotherapy practice in 1994. He specializes in performance enhancement, smoking cessation, healing emotional wounds, transforming physical pain, treating anxiety and phobia, drug free, painless child birth, and positive adult behavior change. Robert is also a Reiki Master, and an ordained interfaith minister. For more information, see the About Robert section of this website.


Thanks for visiting.Robert Hughes





Robert Hughes MPA, BCH, CHt, CHtA
hugheshyp@wwdb.org



Photos and Text Copyright © Robert Hughes, 2003-2013


Revised October 29, 2014