About Hypnosis.

Let me start with a confession; I don’t claim to be an expert on hypnosis. In all probability there is no such person anyway. However, I had studied hypnosis in depth, I do have a degree in Psychology from the University of London, I am an accredited former member of the Society for Medical and Dental Hypnosis and was also a Fellow in the Royal Society of Medicine’s Section on Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine. Neither of those societies grant accreditation or even membership to lay persons or stage hypnotists. In fact both of those societies condemn outright the use of hypnosis for theatrical effects or entertainment.

I used hypnosis for the elimination or alleviation of a variety of symptoms relating to fear, stress and phobias in my dental practice for a good many years. I do have practical experience with patients in a clinical environment. I know that hypnosis works in clinical practice, in the majority of cases with remarkable success, and it does not require an “expert” to use hypnosis the correct way.

There is no hocus-pocus or any real mystery about hypnosis or the hypnotic state; it is a naturally occurring phenomenon and happens readily when one falls asleep. Everyone experiences the “hypnotic state” at least once a day, even though the vast majority are unaware that they go through that state “on the way to sleep”. If you sit down to watch the telly and doze off, you are in the hypnotic state, or going through it if you fall into a deep slumber subsequently. The natural hypnotic state is that phase of altered state of consciousness between just about dozing off and deep sleep. In clinically induced hypnosis that phase is extended and the “subject” or rather the patient is kept in a level of alert and deep relaxation. In that phase there is an increased level of suggestibility, which by a good clinical hypnotist used effectively to feed helpful suggestions to reduce stress, eliminate phobias, improve physical or mental performance, facilitate healing, eliminate bad habits, etc.

Hypnosis can be used effectively in a great variety of conditions and circumstances and I will endeavour to post useful information here at intervals relating to hypnosis and its use for improving life. As hypnosis can be taught, it can be practiced at home safely without the supervision of a “live” hypnotherapist. I will be giving information and evaluation on a number of pre-recorded “sessions” for a variety of conditions and purposes.

© Dr P. J. Oszmann