By: Nadia Abdulahi
When we think of hypnosis, we think of someone putting another into a trance and making them quack like a duck. For some people, the word “hynopsis” can have a negative connotation. Some might say it is a psychological taboo.
This negative viewpoint is thanks to Hollywood and other exaggerated stories about hypnosis. There is a difference between “stage hypnosis” and hypnotherapy however. Stage hypnosis is the hypnosis that is shown in movies and Vegas shows.
On the other hand, hypnotherapy is more about altering negative thoughts.
“I am not interested in stage hypnosis,” said Carmen George, owner of Therapeutic Hypnosis. “It could be fun for some but I am only interested in altering people’s negative thoughts and negative behaviors so they can lead happy, healthy, productive lives.”
Many misinterpret hypnotherapy as mind control. The stage hypnosis mentioned earlier is an example of mind control. During hypnotherapy, people do not lose control of themselves physically or mentally. During a session, a client is fully aware of what they say and do. Even afterwards, the client can remember everything that was said and done during the session.
Furthermore, hypnotherapy is more about the power of suggestion. A hypnotherapist is able to suggest positive thoughts and situations in order to help their clients.
“I help my clients release these negative thoughts,” George said. “Hypnotherapy is for their benefit and working with the issues that they want me to work with.”
According to George, there are several medical schools today that are coming to the conclusion that hypnotherapy can be a legitimate therapeutic modality to address habitual behavior such as smoking, stress, insomnia, lack of energy, under or overeating, etc. Even the National Institutes of Health (NIH) now has a department for natural medicine with hypnotherapy listed as a valid form of therapy.
Instead of relying on pills for attention deficiency disorders, anxiety, depression, and other ailments, many are turning to hypnotherapy as a more natural alternative. Hypnotherapists like Carmen George are able to work with clients to make them more focused, less anxious and depressed, or work with them on whatever issues they are dealing with.
Fortunately, it seems Kennesaw State University students are more open to hypnotherapy, despite the misperceptions of it and how it is often confused with stage hypnosis.
“If I was going through a hard time or I had a really bad experience with a fear, then yes, I totally would try it,” freshman nursing major Isabelle Morin said. “I believe that pills and things that doctors give people to help with problems do not work.”
In fact, the American Cancer Society supports the use of hypnotherapy to help patients. Hypnotherapy helps alleviate patients’ chronic pain and helps them cope with chemotherapy.
In a follow-up article, join me as I meet with Carmen George and try hypnotherapy for the first time. To find out more about Therapeutic Hypnosis, please contact Carmen at 404-246-2140 and allnaturalconcepts@yahoo.com. More info about the American Cancer Society’s use of hypnotherapy can be found at http://www.cancer.org/treatment/index.
