Some 20 percent of the population may go into trance very easily, while an equal percentage show great resistance. Gurgevich is to have you close your eyes while sitting upright in a chair, pressing your thumb and forefinger together, holding your breath for a count of five, then releasing your breath and fingers while letting your mind drift, developing pictures and images to accompany the words you hear him speaking. When that’s done, you’ll be taught some type of “induction technique.” This is the use of a focal point, either internal or external, to concentrate your attention (Hollywood’s version is the swinging pendant). A good therapist will ask you questions to get some insight into what motivates you and what your beliefs and expectations might be. Typically, your first session will begin with a great deal of talking. What should one expect on a visit to a practitioner of hypnotherapy? The American Society for Clinical Hypnosis also recommends hypnosis for burn therapy (to reduce inflammation and promote healing in addition to pain control), pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting, childbirth, allergies and asthma, high blood pressure and Raynaud’s disease. Hypnotherapy can also be used to improve performance, as a form of analgesia or sedation for medical and dental procedures, and even to help stop bleeding in accident victims. Weil has recommended hypnotherapy to help ease chronic pain, lessen the side effects of chemotherapy, alleviate symptoms of autoimmune disease, and counteract anxiety and sleep disorders. Suggestions offered to your subconscious mind during a hypnotic trance can remove psychological obstacles and strengthen the ego, as well as encourage changes in body image, metabolism and the body-mass set point (the weight at which a person tends to remain). They can also help people change their behavior and attitudes about eating, physical activity, shopping for food and restaurant dining. He has seen hypnotherapy be effective in dealing with weight loss, as mind-body techniques can often help reinforce motivation, self-discipline and willpower. Weil’s colleague, Steven Gurgevich, Ph.D., a psychologist affiliated with the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine who specializes in clinical hypnosis, says he’s seen the most dramatic results with dermatological and gastrointestinal problems, as the skin and gut are areas of the body where stress is commonly expressed. Hypnotherapy can be used effectively to treat a remarkable range of health conditions. What conditions is hypnotherapy used for?

Hypnosis therapy