Hypnosis FAQ
Hypnosis questions, answered straight
Most people come to their first call carrying the same handful of questions. Some come from a stage show they saw once. Some come from a movie. Here are the straight answers. If yours isn't here, ask me on the free discovery session.
The basics
What is hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a focused state where the critical, second-guessing part of your mind steps back, and the subconscious (the part that runs your habits and reactions) becomes easier to work with.
You've already been there. Ever driven home and realized you don't remember the last ten minutes of the road? That's a natural trance. Your conscious mind checked out and something else handled the drive.
Hypnosis uses that same state on purpose. Instead of letting old programs run on autopilot, we update them where they live. More on how it works.
Will I be asleep?
No. The word comes from Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep, and it's been confusing people ever since.
You'll be relaxed, but you'll hear me, hear the room, and could open your eyes any time you wanted. Some people drift and don't remember every word afterward. That's normal, and it doesn't make the session work any less.
Will I lose control? Can you make me do things?
No. That's the stage show, and it isn't what happens in a private session.
Stage hypnotists pick the most eager volunteers out of a crowd, people who already want to bark like a dog in front of their friends. In a private session you're aware the whole time. I can't make you do anything you don't want to do, and I can't make you tell me anything you don't want to share.
If anything, you walk out with more control than you came in with.
What if I can't be hypnotized?
If you can get absorbed in a movie or drive home on autopilot, you can do this.
The people who struggle are usually the ones who don't want the change, or who are there because someone else wants it for them. Hypnosis works when you want the change and just haven't been able to make it on your own.
What does it feel like?
Less dramatic than you'd expect. Most people expect to feel "under," and they're surprised that they feel like themselves, just heavier and quieter.
Your body relaxes and your mind slows down. Time gets strange, too, and forty minutes can feel like ten.
Is hypnosis safe?
Yes. It's a state your mind drops into on its own every day: falling asleep, waking up, getting lost in a good book. You stay aware and in charge the whole time.
Two caveats. Never listen to a hypnosis recording while driving or running machinery. And hypnosis isn't a substitute for medical care. If you're dealing with a diagnosed medical or psychiatric condition, keep your doctor in the loop.
Will it work for me?
Does hypnosis work for quitting smoking?
It's one of the things hypnosis is best known for, and there's real research behind it. In one small study of a three-session hypnosis program, 81% of participants were smoke-free right after the program, and 48% still were a year later (Elkins & Rajab, 2004).
That year-out number is the honest one to watch.
Since 2015, more than a thousand smokers have come to me to quit. Most of them are still non-smokers. Not all of them. The people who follow the program completely are the ones who quit.
Can hypnosis help with anxiety?
You can know there's nothing to worry about and still feel your chest tighten. That's because the signal isn't coming from the thinking part of your brain. It's coming from a nervous system stuck in threat-detection mode, which is why talking yourself out of it doesn't work.
That's not a thinking problem. It's a nervous system problem.
Hypnosis works at the level where that signal gets generated. Instead of getting better at managing the alarm, you change what keeps setting it off.
I've tried everything. Why would this be different?
Patches, gum, apps, willpower. Most people who call me have tried some mix of them.
It's not your fault they didn't stick. Those tools work on the conscious mind, and habits and anxiety run below that, on autopilot. Willpower is you holding a door shut. Hypnosis changes what's pushing on the other side.
What if it doesn't work for me?
I only take on people I'm confident I can help, which is exactly what the free call is for. If I don't think hypnosis is the right fit, I'll tell you.
Hypnosis also isn't a magic wand. It takes your participation, and that includes the days between sessions.
Do you help with anything besides smoking and anxiety?
Yes. Bring it to the discovery session and I'll tell you honestly whether hypnosis is a good fit for it.
Sessions and cost
How many sessions will I need?
Fewer than most people expect. My programs are short by design: a few focused sessions, plus self-hypnosis tools you keep using on your own.
One client had smoked for forty years and quit in two sessions. Not everyone moves that fast, and some issues have more layers than others. We'll map out what you need on the discovery session.
How long is a session?
Sessions are scheduled for 90 minutes. The hypnosis itself usually runs 30 to 45 minutes. The rest is talking through what's going on and setting up the work.
Time distorts in hypnosis, so a lot of people swear they were only under for a few minutes.
Do you do online sessions? Do they work as well?
Yes. I see clients in person at the Lancaster office (1821 Oregon Pike #208) and online over Zoom.
The eyes-closed part of an online session is nearly identical to being in the room. All you need is a quiet space where nobody will interrupt you for an hour and a half. Some clients do their sessions from a parked car, because it's the one place nobody knocks.
How much does it cost?
It depends on what you're working on and how many sessions it takes, so I don't quote a number before I understand the problem. That's part of what the free discovery session is for. You'll leave the call knowing what the program looks like and what it costs, with no pressure either way.
One more thing: a program to stop smoking can count as a deductible medical expense. Check with your tax advisor.
What happens on the free discovery session?
It's a 30-minute conversation, by phone, Zoom, or at the office. I'll ask what's going on, what you've tried, and what's been getting in the way. Then you ask me anything you want.
If it's a fit, I'll show you what the program looks like. If it isn't, I'll say that too.
Still have a question?
I've been a hypnotist since 2013, NGH and ICBCH certified, working out of Lancaster County. If you're tired of living this way and want to talk it through, I'd like to hear from you.
Book your free discovery session30 minutes, free, and no pressure to sign up for anything.