FAQ

Say yes…to being curious


  • What is Hypnosis?

    Hypnosis is a natural relaxing state of inward focus in which you become highly responsive to suggestions that are specifically tailored to suit your needs. It is sometimes referred to as a trance state. Hypnosis alters your state of consciousness in a way that relaxes the conscious part of your mind while simultaneously stimulating the unconscious part. That means that your awareness is withdrawn from your normal state of alertness and it goes inward. If you are profoundly responsive, you see, hear, feel, smell and taste in accordance with these suggestions therefore influencing your thoughts, feelings and behavior in a positive way.

    You slip in and out of trance states throughout the day. For example, this occurs when you are driving on a highway and all of a sudden realize you have missed a couple of exits, or when you are watching TV and are unaware of someone entering the room.


  • What is Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)?

    NLP is a tool to understand how the language of your mind creates and runs the patterns you have in life. You have patterns for how you learn new things, fall asleep, get motivated, fall in love, eat, exercise, get frustrated, and how to be happy. If you are capable of learning a new skill, you can succeed with NLP. If you can tie your shoes, you can learn a new skill. I will look at your attitude, language, your use of it, your understanding of relationships, how you build a rapport and the physical and emotional states that are best suited to you to accomplish a task.

    The ability to change the process by which you experience reality is often more valuable than changing the content of your experience of reality. Experience is received and processed by your nervous system through your five senses – what you see, hear, feel, taste and smell. All your behavior stems from these neurological processes. NLP explores the relationship between language, behavior and excellence. You use language to order your thoughts and behavior and you use language to communicate with others.


  • What is Hypnotherapy?

    Hypnotherapy is skilled verbal communication using a blend of hypnosis and NLP. It is used in the treatment of stress, confidence, phobias, anxiety, and habit disorders. Your body responds physically to thoughts. For example, when you think of something that frightens you, you may experience an increased heart rate, shortness of breath, sweating, your muscles become tight, and you may even feel butterflies in your stomach. Similarly when you think of a pleasant thought, your heart rate lowers, you breathe becomes deeper, and your muscles relax. These are functions of the autonomic nervous system that are involuntary and can be used to promote health rather than the reverse. The hypnotherapist and client will decide together on the changes or goals that are desired.


  • Who may benefit from Hypnotherapy?

    Anyone one who wants to make changes in their life can benefit. Hypnotherapy can be used to access your inner potential to achieve beneficial change. Hypnotherapy is able to tap into and stimulate your natural healing resources to effect positive transformations. Everything that is experienced, from birth up to the present, is recorded in the unconscious mind and usually we are unaware of this information. Physical behavior comes from the unconscious. With hypnotherapy you can release negative thoughts and emotions that hold you back and replace them with ones that support you on your journey to fulfillment. The great thing is that each time you go into hypnosis you will go into it more easily, you will go deeper than before and you will find the experience increasingly pleasurable.


  • What is involved in a hypnotherapy session?

    We will begin by discussing your goal; your intention for the session. You will experience hypnosis; a very comfortable trance state. With the assistance of your unconscious mind you will remove blocks that are holding you back. You will learn self-hypnosis to reinforce your goal on a daily basis.


  • How many sessions of hypnotherapy will I need?

    You may find that you get what you need in one appointment as you will take away techniques and strategies that will help you to relax and move through your day with greater ease. Many people find that they enjoy the process so much that they want to come back a number of times. You will be able to achieve your goal more quickly if you do self-hypnosis between visits. Smoking Cessation and Becoming Slimmer are done in 4-session programs. You must be fully committed to the process and keep an open mind.


  • How long is a hypnosis session?

    Typically the first session is about 2.5 hours and a follow-up session is 1 to 2 hours.


  • What does it feel like to be hypnotized?

    Going into hypnosis is similar to falling asleep except that you don’t lose conscious awareness. What this means is that you can hear and sense things around you, but your eyes are closed and you are just resting comfortably. Your breath slows down and all your muscles relax. There is a sense of distance from where you are and the passage of time gets distorted. Some people report that it is a euphoric state of peace.


  • What happens if I fall asleep?

    You will be aware of everything that is happening and being said throughout the session even though you may find yourself drifting into different levels of awareness. The beautiful thing about hypnosis is that even if you fall asleep your unconscious mind is always listening. You will benefit from the deep rest and also from the positive suggestions you choose to accept that have been planted in your unconscious mind.


  • Am I in control?

    Yes, always. Not only are you in control but you are capable of making decisions at all times. You can emerge from hypnosis whenever you wish.


  • Will I reveal any secrets or do silly things?

    The intention of our session will be therapeutic, not entertainment. Hypnosis is not a “truth” serum. You will not say or do anything that you would not say or do in your normal waking state. You are in charge; your own mind determines how much or how little to you wish to contribute to the session. Your conscious mind communicates with your unconscious mind to protect you.


  • Might I get stuck in hypnosis?

    No, although you might wish that you could remain longer because you’re enjoying it so much. At the end of the session I’ll count from 1 to 5 and at the count of 5 you will be fully awake, refreshed, and feeling wonderful in every way.


  • Will I remember everything?

    Generally speaking, most of my clients remember either everything or certain parts of the experience. You will find that the beneficial suggestions I gave you will resurface in your conscious mind at a later time and these will be the thoughts that will lead to a change in your behavior or way of thinking and feeling.


  • Do hypnotherapists have a governing body?

    The National Guild of Hypnotists is a not-for-profit educational corporation in the State of New Hampshire. Initially founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1950, the Guild is a professional organization composed of dedicated individuals committed to advancing the field of hypnotism. Their certification is taught in a dozen or more languages and they currently have over 7500 members in 45 countries. We have a local chapter here in Halifax.

    The National Guild of Hypnotists requires its members to conform to very strict code of ethics. All members are held accountable for their actions and any deviation from these ethical principles may result in revocation of their membership. Continuing education is also required and must be taken from certified instructors.


  • What is the difference between hypnosis and meditation?

    Hypnosis and meditation differ in that they are used for different purposes. Hypnosis requires focused inward attention to actively engage in thoughts, feeling and actions that will help a person overcome stress, depression, destructive habits and phobias. Meditation is all about not latching on to anything specific and letting thoughts enter your mind, acknowledging them and letting them go. There is no specific goal in meditation aside from staying present.

    Both offer the by-product of making us feel calmer, more connected. Hypnosis helps people make lasting changes in their life in a very short period of time because the work is being done with their unconscious mind where many of their issues reside.


  • How can I become a hypnotist?

    YR Mind Insite offers excellent training for both Hypnosis and Neural Linguistic Programming. Mike Lalonde is an experienced hypnotist and a very dynamic instructor. He is dedicated to delivering quality training. He goes above and beyond to make sure his students have a positive learning experience.

    To find out when the next course is being offered in Halifax check out YR Mind Insite website:
    www.yrmindinsite.ca


  • Is hypnosis covered by health benefit plans?

    Some health benefit plans cover hypnotherapy now. Check your plan to find out.