Frequently Asked Questions
What is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a safe and drug-free therapeutic technique where you are guided into a natural state of relaxed focus and communicate with the subconscious mind to create positive change in your life. It is within this space of heightened awareness where insights into established patterns of behavior are realized and goal-oriented transformation and personal growth can occur.
Because of common misconceptions regarding hypnosis, I prefer to describe hypnotherapy as an interactive guided meditation. I find that people often have a better understanding of “meditation” than they do of “hypnosis." There really is no difference between the meditative and hypnotic states. The main distinction is that with hypnosis you are not just listening but also actively engaged in answering questions and responding to instructions allowing the session to evolve based on what you are experiencing. It is a customized approach that effectively targets your issue and allows you to do something about your problem.
How effective is hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a highly effective treatment option compared to traditional therapies. Based on the results of a comparative study, hypnotherapy has a 93% success rate after an average of 6 sessions whereas behavior modification has a 72% success rate after 22 sessions, and psychoanalysis has a 38% success rate after 600 sessions. Source: Barrios, A. A. (1970). Hypnotherapy: A reappraisal. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 7(1), 2–7.
What kinds of applications does hypnotherapy have?
Hypnotherapy has a broad range of applications. It can free you from limiting beliefs, fears, anxieties, pain, guilt, anger, sadness, and feelings of helplessness. It can help manage the symptoms of physical health problems, aid in self-healing, enhance immunity, improve sleep, assist with weight loss, and reduce stress. It can help process grief, heal from past traumas, release energy and emotions that have gotten stuck in the body, improve relationships, resolve childhood wounds, and address familial issues passed down from generation to generation. It can assist in breaking unwanted habits or behaviors, quitting smoking, enhancing motivation, improving performance, and reaching goals. It can lead to spiritual growth and connection, reveal your life's purpose, provide insights as to why you incarnated into the family and environment you were born into, heal trauma experienced in past lives, and free you from attachments or energy that is not authentically yours. The main purpose of hypnotherapy is to positively transform how you think, feel, and act and allow you to live more fully in the present moment.
Isn't hypnosis a form of mind control?
Hypnosis is not a form of mind control. You are always in control and able to return to full conscious awareness at any time. Myths about hypnosis perpetuated by fictional portrayals in movies and TV shows lead to all kinds of fears and misconceptions. You cannot be forced to do something you don’t want to do. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis and no hypnotist or hypnotherapist can make you do anything that is against your will, morals, or ethics. You hear everything the hypnotherapist is saying the entire time, remain completely aware of your body and surroundings, and can willfully get up whenever you want. It is no different from being in a calm and relaxed meditative state.
I've seen hypnotists force people to do silly things such as barking like a dog or dancing like a chicken. How do they make them do those things?
If you have ever seen a hypnotist show, you know that they call a bunch of volunteers on stage. Those volunteers recognize that they are going to be part of the entertainment and they are generally comfortable being the center of attention. In the initial stages of the show, the hypnotist will do a series of tests to gauge how susceptible these people are to the suggestions and sends several people back to the audience. The hypnotist carefully selects his/her subjects and chooses people he/she knows will participate in the act. The group of volunteers shrinks until the hypnotist settles on those who are most comfortable following his/her instructions. The hypnotic suggestions align with the desire of these volunteers to entertain the audience. They are not being forced to do anything they don't want to do. The hypnotic state just helps them to release any inhibititions they may have, allowing them to behave in an entertaining manner.
Similarly, a hypnotherapist cannot force you to do anything you do not want to do. Hypnotherapists are guided by your goals and desires and work to help you find and activate the resources within you that will help you become the person you want to be. You have to have the motivation and desire to change. Hypnotherapists help you to locate the tools you need to do it. You are the one driving the car and your hypnotherapist is just there to help you navigate.
What if I can't be hypnotized?
The fact that stage hypnotists send seemingly “unhypnotizable” people back to the audience gives the impression that not everyone can be hypnotized. This is another myth. Hypnosis is a natural state that everyone experiences on a daily basis including when you are waking up and falling asleep. It also happens much more often than that such as when you are doing a mundane task that you do all the time so you don't have to think about it. For example, you go into a state of hypnosis when you are driving the same route you take every day and your mind zones out. That is your subconscious taking charge. The reason why certain people are sent off stage is because they do not have the personality type that allows them to easily enter that trancelike state. It takes longer for certain people to fully relax.
There are basically two types of people – we call them physical suggestibles and emotional suggestibles. Physical suggestibles tend to be more literal and experience physical sensations first before their emotions are generated. They tend to be extroverts, loud-spoken, attention-seeking, and very social. They also tend to act first and think later. The induction for physicals doesn’t usually take very long and they can reach a deep state of hypnosis pretty quickly. As such, they are generally very easy to work with. Emotional suggestibles, on the other hand, tend to be more inferential and feel emotions before physical sensations. They tend to be introverts and are generally not comfortable being the center of attention. They require a longer induction and go into the trance state very slowly. They are not good candidates for hypnotist shows.
Hypnotherapists are trained to use different language and induction techniques based on where their clients fall on this physical/emotional spectrum so that the session is effective regardless of personality type.
Will I forget what happened while under hypnosis?
A lot of people believe that being hypnotized causes them to forget what happened. This is yet another myth. Hypnosis does not induce amnesia nor does it create a lack of awareness. Rather, hypnosis is a state of heightened awareness and focus in which you are fully awake and aware of your surroundings. The mind is active but the body is calm. There are different levels of hypnosis, and it is actually pretty rare for someone to be so far under that they forget what happened. Much more can be accomplished when you remember what happened under hypnosis. It is more effective when you hold onto the wisdom and understanding that you obtained during the session.
Are hypnotherapists required to be licensed?
There are no licensing requirements for hypnotherapists in the majority of the United States, including the State of California. I am a certified clinical hypnotherapist and received training that is approved and accredited by the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association (IMDHA), the International Association of Counselors and Therapists (IACT), the International Hypnosis Association (IHA), and the Earth Association for Regression Therapy (EARTh). Hypnotherapy is considered a nonmedical complementary and alternative healing service that does not pose a known risk to health and safety. If a licensed provider feels that hypnotherapy may benefit someone under their care, they may choose to refer them to me. However, being under the care of a licensed professional is not a prerequisite for seeking hypnotherapy services.
Prior to working with me you will be required to sign a standard agreement which includes the following disclosure that fulfills the requirements of California Senate Bill 577 passed in September of 2002 regarding all non-licensed helping professionals offering alternative health care.
1. I am not a licensed physician and my services are not intended to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any medical condition or mental/emotional disorder.
2. The use of Hypnotherapy and Transpersonal Regression practices are alternative and complimentary to healing arts services licensed by the State of California.
3. The services offered at Camille D’Ambrosio Hypnotherapy are not licensed by the State of California, but I have received training that has been approved and accredited by the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association (IMDHA), the International Association of Counselors and Therapists (IACT), the International Hypnosis Association (IHA), and the Earth Association for Regression Therapy (EARTh).
4. Services offered include Hypnotherapy and Transpersonal Regression Therapy for the purpose of personal growth, managing stress, anxiety, or other overwhelming emotions, overcoming bad habits and undesirable patterns of behavior, addressing fears or phobias, managing pain, promoting self-healing, setting goals, seeking spiritual guidance, exploring life purpose, processing traumas, healing past lives, addressing relationship issues, enhancing learning, improving performance, releasing stuck energy, and transforming limiting beliefs. None of these services are intended to be a substitute for medical or psychological care. Any issue beyond the scope of my training and practice will be referred to a licensed practitioner.
5. It is the goal of Camille D’Ambrosio Hypnotherapy to provide a safe and supportive environment where clients can gain insights into established patterns of behavior and work towards personal growth. My services are based on the theory that individuals are already equipped with the inner strength and resources needed to reach their goals. It is my job to help clients find and activate those resources to aid in their transformation and allow them to regain control over their own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. My clients are expected to be active participants in this process and must be motivated to achieve their desired results.
6. I have completed training in Integrated Clinical Hypnotherapy (EKAA Training Institute of Hypnotherapy/enso-nia Healing and Training Center) as well as Transpersonal Regression Therapy (Tasso Institute) and am a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist.
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