When coping with physical or emotional problems, people
sometimes turn to outside sources, such as medication or therapy,
for a solution.
A combination of therapy and hypnosis is a healing technique now
practiced at some offices in Fort Collins.
“Every individual has a different belief of what is best for
healing. I can see why hypnotherapy might be a good choice for some
people, ” said Hannah Chang, a freshman interior design major.
Deborah Lindemann, a certified clinical hypnotherapist at The
Center for Extraordinary Explorations, said hypnotherapy treats
conditions like smoking, obesity, fears, phobias and test
anxiety.
“Hypnosis is simply concentrated attention and relaxation in an
altered state of awareness,” Lindemann said. “It is a matter of
getting the conscious mind relaxed so the subconscious mind is more
open to suggestions.”
Lindemann said hypnotherapy could also be used to reduce
physical pain.
“Hypnosis works very well in conjunction with medical treatment.
If someone has a medical issue, they should first check with a
doctor to make sure he agrees with adding hypnotherapy to their
treatment,” Lindemann said.
Reaching a hypnotic trance can be achieved through a variety of
processes.
Terry Croskrey, a certified hypnotist at Positive Changes
Hypnosis, said there are about 1,000 different techniques used to
create a hypnotic trance.
“At the conscious level, we interview the client to learn about
the problem and to see what they know about the condition,”
Croskrey said.
After the initial interview, Croskrey may use techniques like
progressive relaxation or the eye-roll method to put the client in
a trance.
With progressive relaxation, the hypnotist guides the client to
tense then relax each muscle group, beginning at the feet and
moving up to the head, Croskrey said.
The eye-roll method is another technique hypnotists commonly
use. In this case, the clients enter a trance after they close
their eyes and focus on an imaginary spot, Croskrey said.
All hypnosis is self-induced, and hypnotherapists just act as
guides to get the client to a certain state, Lindemann said.
Equipment can also be used to create a hypnotic trance.
Croskrey said that when using equipment, the client puts on
glasses that flash colored lights at different speeds. The client
will also wear headphones with reoccurring tones that slow down at
a set pace.
“Equipment makes it easier for the hypnotist,” Croskrey
said.
Hypnotherapy has an 80 percent success rate, said both Lindemann
and Croskrey. Despite the success, hypnotherapy is not the answer
to every problem.
Steve Ross, a clinical psychologist at the CSU Counseling
Center, said hypnotherapy is not the treatment of choice for most
psychiatric disorders, alcoholism or depression.
“This practice has very limited uses in therapy, and not all
therapists would use it in their sessions,” Ross said.
Another disadvantage to hypnotherapy can be that some people do
not have enough information on the practice.
“I think it sounds like a good solution, and I would consider
trying it if I knew more about where to go or how long it takes,”
said Jennifer McFarlane, a junior wildlife biology major.
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