What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic tool that uses Hypnosis as a way to bypass the conscious mind and access the unconscious directly.
We use our conscious mind to assess our situation, environment, experience and effectively, make our judgements based on those.
Much of what supports our conscious 'thinking' is based on the beliefs and experiences (learning) we have accumulated since birth (and before if you study Epigenetics).
We can have a conscious desire, wish, dream or goal and our unconscious can disagree with that in some way, in just one element - and it will override all actions that would move us towards what we want.
Using Hypnosis as a therapeutic tool, allows us to bypass those defence mechanisms and access the root cause of the saboteur/resistance.
Hypnosis is a Natural State
When Leah's first Hypnotherapy practice opened, Hypnosis was still debated and in some cases considered a phenomena that only 'some' people can access. There were once many strange myths about this advanced method of therapy.
Things people will say include;
- you can't hypnotise me, my mind is too strong
- I don't know if can relax enough to go into trance
- I don't think I'm a good subject
- my willpower is too strong
- I'm afraid I'll lose control
- I'm afraid you can access my mind
In fact - the many suggest the stronger your will, the more easily you can achieve trance.
The more you desire the changes, the quicker you'll allow trance.
The more willpower you have, the easier it is for you to choose your 'state'.
You don't 'lose' control - you actually GAIN control!
In the therapeutic setting, individuals cannot be 'hypnotised' if they choose not to be and if any suggestions were made by the Practitioner, that did not fit with their moral and ethical code - they'd exit out of hypnosis or reject the suggestion.
What you witness on TV or Film, (eg Manchurian Candidate) is possible only with significant psychological manipulations over a very long time. In the case of mind manipulators like Derren Brown, the people engaging in the show are already in compliant agreement therefore readily accept hypnotic suggestions.
There is a large discussion about the concept of 'mass formation' which is where a population can be stressed into a psychological state of acceptance of things they would normally not accept, this does not apply to the therapy world but is a very important and interesting discussion to stay breast of.
Trance State accessed by choice...
Trance state is what is usually referred to as the state a Hypnotherapist will help their client enter using relaxation techniques or other strategies (sometimes confusion and sometimes just the suggestion of 'going inwards'.
Trance state, a natural state that we enter every day, many times.
When you fully focus and concentrate on just one thing - you are entering trance.
When you are driving on the same route you've driven many times before, your unconscious activates your 'auto pilot' so you can then use the energy in your brain to 'think' internally, rather than pay attention to the journey.
Have you ever found yourself almost going the wrong way on a familiar route?
Or suddenly realised you lost track of time?
The Benefits of Hypnotherapy
The benefits of Hypnotherapy are immense. Here's some worth mentioning:
- By allowing the conscious mind to take a back seat, you enable access to the deeper mind, the unconscious and in doing so you bypass the critical function.
- Hypnosis allows for more exploration without relying on our conscious enquiry.
- Hypnotic Suggestions are now proven to impact directly on the deep mind and help to reprogram unconscious beliefs and memories.
- Hypnosis with scripts is something that only novice therapists will do - otherwise your Practitioner will use everything you've spoken about and tailor your session to you and the outcomes your desire.
- By revisiting historical memories (in the right way) it's possible to literally 'edit' the content and create memories that serve you in a positive way in your future.
- There are many strategies (techniques) used within the Hypnosis model. The more training and experience your Practitioner has, the better your therapy sessions will be.
- Hypnotherapy can allow for removal of old traumas and dissolve limiting beliefs.
- Advanced Hypnotherapy is a training level that follows the basic training and not all therapist have continued their studies. At Enhanced Life, Leah is a Senior Hypnotherapist with Advanced Hypnotherapy Training & qualifications.
- Trance is a natural state but it is not sleep. You will remain aware during the session and in complete control.
At Enhanced Life your lead practitioner is a clinically trained experienced Hypnotherapist with many years of experience behind her. Read more about Leah here.
What Previous Clients Say
Allowing brain wizard Leah Butler-Smith into my head.
I won’t go into all the ins and outs of the process – the neuroscience she explained that is behind it is mesmeric - but after more than an hour into our session we were both in my head looking at the grey, miserable f__k who was preventing me from writing; stopping me becoming a published author. He was slumped across the table, his head on his arms. The twat.
Then we went back through my timeline to look for a memory in which the pose was replicated. Ping! There I saw teenage me slumped on my mother’s lap, my head on my arms, moments after she had told me she had lung cancer. My feelings at that time were of vulnerability, doubt and being ‘lost’. And they were rearing their heads again every time I tried to write.
Leah took me and young me to a few other places in my mind and, long story short, we both now feel more positive, safe and reassured - and inspired to achieve our dreams. In the last two weeks I have been more productive with my writing that in the last two decades.
I will have my first book – a compilation of my short stories from over the years – out very soon. And then I will set to work again on my first novel.
But the point of this post wasn’t really to wallow in my own progress. It was to say to anyone who feels the fear or anxiety surface when they try to do the work that letting a professional in to have a look under the hood is the wisest of choices.
Thanks to those who have helped me, and thank you for reading.
PS. Neuroplasticity. Bonkers.
The doctor said I needed six weeks off my feet to recover. Â The pain was constant but my goal of running the marathon lead to me Leah. Â One session embedded the pain control in my mind & I ran my best time!Â
*Enhanced Life Practitioners do not recommend overriding pain messaging without prior consent from your Medical Advisor/Doctor
I tried every diet there was but never really believed I could lose weight. Â People said I was 'just like...' my mother and as she struggled with her weight every day of her life, I figured that was me. Â Then I met you and we worked on how I was thinking and built some amazing powerful beliefs into my mind and now I KNOW like I KNOW - I am exactly who I believe I am!
My IBS had gotten so bad I couldn't eat and if I did, my body just rejected the food immediately! I'd lost weight, looked awful and my family were desperately worried about me.{...} My life has completely changed. I can go anywhere I please, I am calm and comfortable in my own skin again. I can eat food and have put on the weight I lost. I feel amazing and so confident now thanks to Leah. Who is one of the nicest ladies I've ever met!
I would never have looked for a 'therapist' before but I read an article Leah had written in the Essex Chronicle and it was as if she was talking about me!  I was sick of feeling anxious, had called am ambulance the week before and now - thank goodness - I feel I can live life normally again! I listen to my meditations every night & everyone comments on how much more relaxed and happy I am.
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You Can Book Your Hypnotherapy Sessions Today
At the Enhanced Life Practice, we adopt a mindset of doing what is right for you, which is a mix of Hypnotherapy, NLP and other advanced proven techniques.
You will enjoy many benefits when you arrange your initial consultation, which is totally free and includes the benefit of a free relaxing guided recording to download today.
Meet Leah now and get to know how she works, what her experiences are and how she can help you to begin enhancing your life - today!