Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a natural state involving deep relaxation, heightened state of awareness and an enhanced capacity for response to suggestion.
Hypnosis works by bypassing the critical faculty of the conscious mind in order to establish selective thinking within the subconscious mind. Our mind is powered by our thoughts, emotions, and feelings, consciously and subconsciously. Hypnosis allows you to engage in narrowing your focus to find and remove or change blockages, triggers, and other negative stimuli.
The use of hypnosis can be found as far back as records have been kept. Forms of hypnosis have been practiced by tribal medicine men, doctors and religious leaders throughout history. In the 1700’s these practices were recognized as hypnosis and its use has grown substantially since. In 1958 hypnosis was formally recognized by the American Medical Association and recommended to its members.
What is Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is the art of utilizing a hypnotic state to illicit positive change and improvement in behaviors and physical conditions. Hypnotherapy has proven to be very effective in helping people remove negative blocks that have been holding them from achieving their goals, be it personal or business.
A certified hypnotherapist can guide the client into a comfortable level of relaxation that leads to heightened focus and awareness in order to release and clear those old negative patterns that have been inhibiting them in some way.
The subconscious mind can be compared to a computer. It stores everything that an individual experiences, both negative and positive. When guided to do so, the subconscious computer as we call it, can be directed to do a “file search” and can bring up those files associated with the presenting issue that needs to be resolved. Through this process the origin of established behaviors can be seen from a better perspective, allowing the opportunity to reframe old negative situations into positive perceptions.
When an experience occurs, the memory, along with the associated emotions and mood, is stored in the subconscious mind. Some of these memories are so wrapped up in emotion that they become frozen in time and are triggered later in life for no apparent conscious reason. Even though the conscious mind cannot find a reason, the subconscious mind is fully aware of the reason or cause of the behavior. Since hypnosis addresses, the subconscious part of the mind the negative reaction is reframed into something positive through the techniques employed during hypnotherapy. For example, if a person was extremely frightened by something as a small child, their negative emotional response could have been buried without the benefit of logic or reason. The experience is frozen in time, along with the negative response, and the person continues to respond to present situations as he/she did at the time that the negative experience was created. While in a hypnotic state, painful past experiences can be modified and reduced in intensity releasing the recurring emotions when associated events are recognized. Logic and reason are then employed in order to remove negative reactions and restore harmony and control within the person. The negative response is then released and cleared so that a favorable resolution replaces the negative perception. Since the subconscious mind sees and understands by way of pictures and symbols, it can then accept the new scenario as true and can react accordingly.
In this way, hypnotherapy can effectively remove negative blocks that have been holding you from achieving your goals, be it personal or business. Releasing and resolving limitations of the past can guide you to leading a better, brighter more balanced life.
What is it like to be hypnotized?
Being hypnotized is similar to falling asleep but not losing your awareness. It is a parallel awareness between the conscious and unconscious. You are able to hear, speak and sense things around you, but at the same time are extremely focused on internal realities, sensations, and memories. Some people describe it as an almost euphoric state of peace.
You have likely experienced some form of hypnotic trance in your life, when you were absorbed in thought, completely zoned out. Perhaps driving your car and you reach your destination without really remembering how you got there. That’s the same feeling.
It has been said 15 minutes of hypnosis is equivalent to a 3-hour nap. You will awake refreshed and comfortable after your session.
Who can be hypnotized?
Almost everyone can be hypnotized if they choose to. There are only four groups of people who cannot be hypnotized.
1.Very young children.
2. If you are under the influence of alcohol.
3. People who are severally mentally challenged.
4. Those who don’t want to be.
How will hypnotherapy benefit me?
Any specific goal that has a psychological aspect can be helped through hypnotherapy.
Hypnotherapy can help change negatives into positives improving attitudes, habits and self-defeating thoughts. In addition, you can better your life by relieving stress, develop your creativity, improve in sports, overcome fears and phobias, improve study habits, ego strengthening, improve public speaking and alleviate anxiety.
How many sessions will I need?
The number of sessions will vary depending on the issue being addressed. Each case is evaluated individually and a plan is devised outlining the course of the sessions.
Do I have to give up control to be in hypnosis?
No. You are in control and cannot be made to do anything against your will.
Does health insurance cover Hypnosis?
Beyond Better Hypnotherapy does not process insurance claims because each insurance company has different policies regarding hypnosis and the terms under which it is covered change frequently. However, many insurance companies do provide insurance coverage for issues such as anxiety, smoking cessation and weight loss with a medical doctor’s referral and prescription. We will provide you with a receipt for services, which you may submit directly to your insurance company. Request that any payment is sent directly to you for reimbursement of covered claims.
Many health insurance savings plans (HSA) allow you to use pre-tax dollars for smoking cessation and some other areas of use. Check with your Human Resources representative to see what coverage is available to you. Oftentimes, if you tell them you are coming for hypnosis, you can get your sessions pre-approved for HSA tax dollar use.
Can I get an IRS Tax Credit for Hypnosis?
Yes, you can receive an IRS tax credit for weight management and smoking cessation programs. Tax laws passed in 2003 onwards mean you can get a 100% tax credit for out-of-pocket expenses for tobacco cessation (cigarettes, pipe, cigar and chewing tobacco). You can also receive 100% tax credit for out-of-pocket expenses for weight loss programs if you were advised by a physician to lose weight.
This is a tax credit – not a tax deduction, so that means that 100% credit for your out-of-pocket expenses! Talk to your tax representative to see how you can claim this tax credit.
Further information can be found in IRS Publication 502. The relevant portions show below for quick reference:
Stop-Smoking Programs: You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay for a program to stop smoking. However, you can’t include in medical expenses amounts you pay for drugs that don’t require a prescription, such as nicotine gum or patches, that are designed to help stop smoking.
Weight-Loss Programs: You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay to lose weight if it is a treatment for a specific disease diagnosed by a physician (such as obesity, hypertension, or heart disease). This includes fees you pay for membership in a weight reduction group as well as fees for attendance at periodic meetings. You can’t include membership dues in a gym, health club, or spa as medical expenses, but you can include separate fees charged there for weight loss activities.
You can’t include the cost of diet food or beverages in medical expenses because the diet food and beverages substitute for what is normally consumed to satisfy nutritional needs. You can include the cost of special food in medical expenses only if: 1) The food doesn’t satisfy normal nutritional needs, 2) The food alleviates or treats an illness, and 3) The need for the food is substantiated by a physician. The amount you can include in medical expenses is limited to the amount by which the cost of the special food exceeds the cost of a normal diet. See also Weight-Loss Program under What Expenses Aren’t Includible, later.
What we will not do.
Beyond Better Hypnotherapy will not see clients with psychiatric illnesses or drug and alcohol addictions. There are many specialists in that field that are better equipped to manage those types of issues. We can, however, refer you to a specialist if one is required.