Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes hypnosis to facilitate personal growth, healing, and positive change. It is the application of hypnotic techniques for addressing a wide range of psychological, emotional, and behavioral issues. Hypnotherapy harnesses the power of the subconscious mind to promote lasting transformations in thoughts, feelings, and actions.

At its core, hypnotherapy involves guiding an individual into a state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility, often referred to as a trance. In this relaxed state, the conscious mind becomes less active, allowing easier access to the subconscious. This enables the hypnotherapist to work directly with the deeper aspects of the mind, where many of our beliefs, habits, and automatic responses reside.

Key Aspects of Hypnotherapy:

1. Relaxation and Focus: The hypnotic state induces deep relaxation while maintaining mental alertness, creating an ideal environment for therapeutic work.

2. Increased Suggestibility: In this state, individuals become more receptive to positive suggestions aligned with their goals and desires.

3. Accessing the Subconscious: Hypnotherapy allows exploration of hidden thoughts, feelings, and memories that may be influencing current behaviors or issues.

4. Collaborative Process: The client remains in control throughout the session, working in partnership with the therapist to achieve desired outcomes.

5. Versatility: Hypnotherapy can be applied to a wide range of issues, including anxiety, stress, phobias, pain management, addiction, and behavioral changes.

Hypnotherapy is recognized by many medical and psychological associations as a valid complementary treatment. It can be used as a standalone therapy or in conjunction with other therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), or alternative, integrative psychotherapies like Somatic Therapy, Energy Psychology, etc..

The effectiveness of hypnotherapy has been demonstrated in numerous clinical studies. It has shown particular promise in areas such as pain management, stress reduction, and behavior modification. Many individuals report experiencing significant improvements in their symptoms and overall well-being after undergoing hypnotherapy sessions.

It’s important to note that hypnotherapy is conducted by trained professionals and is distinctly from stage hypnosis (entertainment). The goal of therapeutic hypnosis is always to empower and equip the individual with the ability to create for themselves positive changes in alignment with their personal goals and values.

In summary, hypnotherapy is a powerful tool for personal transformation that works by accessing the subconscious mind to promote healing, growth, and positive change. Its wide-ranging applications and evidence-based results make it an increasingly popular choice for those seeking effective, non-invasive solutions to various psychological and behavioral challenges, as well as those seeking performance optimization or other rapid personal growth enhancements.Item description

Hypnotherapy is a powerful therapeutic approach that taps into the mind’s natural ability to change and heal by updating the ‘command center’ of our deep minds. Hypnosis achieves this by accessing and influencing our subconscious mind, allowing us to embody more adaptive patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting.

The mind has two primary components: the conscious and the subconscious. The conscious mind handles everyday awareness and logical thinking, while the subconscious is a vast repository of memories, beliefs, and automatic behaviors that form our core blueprint.

Between these two levels lies the Critical Faculty - a mental filter that evaluates incoming information. While protective, it can hinder positive change by maintaining outdated beliefs. Hypnotherapy works by temporarily bypassing this Critical Faculty, allowing beneficial suggestions to reach the subconscious directly.

This bypassing is achieved through techniques that induce a state of relaxed focus. In this receptive state, carefully crafted therapeutic suggestions, including affirmations, visualizations, or metaphors, are introduced to reshape deep-seated patterns. The subconscious can integrate these changes more readily, often leading to lasting transformations.

By providing a unique pathway to update our internal ‘software’, hypnotherapy replaces harmful programming with beneficial patterns. This process leads to sustainable changes by addressing the root of our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors at a fundamental level.

In essence, hypnotherapy harnesses the power of our subconscious mind by bridging the conscious with the unconscious minds, bringing our whole psyche into alignment. When we enter into hypnotic trance, we bridge these two minds by bypassing the Critical Factor, or filtering faculty that maintains maladaptive patterns for our existing negative tendencies. This can be done by altering our state of consciousness, and ‘translating’ our desired outcomes into the language of the subconscious’ internal command system, which becomes an updated and optimal blueprint for our new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving in the world.

Research has shown hypnotherapy to be particularly effective for issues like anxiety, pain management, and habit change. It aligns deeper mental processes with conscious goals, enabling individuals to make positive changes more efficiently and effectively than through conscious effort alone. It also is often used for performance optimization, goal achievement, and actualizing on human potential, beyond its clinical, therapeutic applications.

In essence, hypnotherapy harnesses the power of the subconscious mind, offering a powerful tool for personal transformation and healing that can yield profound and lasting results.Item description

Hypnosis is a completely natural state of focused awareness that we all experience regularly in our daily lives. It’s a normal part of human consciousness, and we’re wired to move in and out of this state throughout the day (and night). Far from being an unusual or supernatural state, hypnosis is just a heightened form of inward-looking concentration combined with deep relaxation. This combination opens the mind up to using the imagination consciously to rewrite the subconscious ‘autopilot’ programming that controls our thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

Everyday Hypnotic Experiences:

You’ve likely experienced hypnosis-like states without even realizing it:

• Being absorbed in a book or movie, losing track of your surroundings

• Driving on autopilot, arriving at your destination with little memory of the trip

• Daydreaming while doing a routine task

• That moment just before falling asleep or upon waking

• Someone accidentally jolting us while we were deep in thought

These common experiences demonstrate how natural and familiar the hypnotic state is to all of us.

What Hypnosis Feels Like: Most people describe hypnosis as a very pleasant and relaxing experience. You might feel:

• Profound physical relaxation, like your body is sinking into the chair**

• A delicious state of calm, peace of mind, and tranquility

• A heightened awareness of your thoughts and sensations

• Vivid imaginative impressions used to create deep & lasting changes in the mind

• Time passing differently than usual

Importantly, during hypnosis, you remain fully aware and in control. In fact, many people report feeling more focused and aware than in their everyday state. You can’t be made to do anything against your will, and you can easily come out of hypnosis at any time you choose.

Hypnosis is a safe, natural, and enjoyable process that allows you to tap into the expanded power of your deep mind. It’s a state of heightened learning and focus, where you can more easily access your inner wisdom, unlock your deeper/expanded human potential, and make positive changes in your life. Notably, hypno-naps have been found to be 3-4 times as restful and restorative as regular naps.

Remember, everyone’s experience of hypnosis is unique, but it’s universally described as a pleasant and relaxing journey into a natural state of focused awareness - one that you’re already familiar with from your everyday life.

Absolutely not. The process is, in fact, designed to put you in charge of your own mind, using you own power rather than giving it away to the hypnotist. In hypnosis, you will either take on or dismiss any suggestions and imagery provided in a state of hypnosis.

In a state of hypnosis, even in moderately deep trance, most people find that they experience an expanded field of awareness rather than diminished.

Sometimes coming out of a deeper state of hypnosis the details will remain vague, similar to when you wake up from a dream. But usually, when reminded, the details are available to recall. In my sessions, I also use hypnotic suggestions to support session recall of the details.

Not at all. While the deepest trance is used for intensive procedures such as surgical anesthesia and is entirely safe, there is no reason to dip down into that level of trance for therapeutic work.

I will be monitoring your depth of trance throughout to ensure that you have the greatest benefit, and some of the best therapeutic work can be done even in a light state of hypnosis (akin to deliberate daydreaming).

For the consult, just show up!

I do request that you avoid intoxicants (recreational drugs, alcohol, and marijuana products) prior to our appointment.

It may seem like a strange request, but please come to the session hydrated, as it makes a difference if we decide to use EFT in the first session.

You will need a steady internet connection as I am, again, a fully virtual provider.

You will need a quiet, private, undisturbed place for the full duration of the call.

You will need a blanket and 1-2 pillows.

Many lie down on a carpeted floor, but a couch or comfortable chair where your head is supported is fine. You are strongly recommended not to use your bed.

We will discuss any further requirements at the time that we meet.

The number of sessions needed for hypnotherapy or EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) can vary depending on your specific needs and goals. However, based on research and clinical experience, here’s a general guideline:

For most issues:

• Roughly 5 Change Work sessions are usually sufficient for most issues

• 10-12 Change Work sessions may be needed for more complex or long-standing issues

It’s important to note that everyone’s journey is unique. Clients that are more highly motivated to implement changes and who are willing to actively participate in the process consistently see the best results. We’ll assess your progress regularly and adjust the number of sessions as needed. Most clients experience significant improvements within the first few sessions, while others may benefit from ongoing support. I am also available for longstanding support as a regular therapist.

Remember, healing is a process, and our goal is to provide you with the tools for lasting change in the shortest timeframe possible.

Fully virtual video sessions are available nationwide, and in-person sessions are available to those local to the San Francisco Bay Area.

I do not accept insurance at this time, so all costs are out of pocket. However, in most cases I am able to bill HSA/FSA.