Debbie Waller, Yorkshire Hypnotherapy

Will I Cluck Like a Chicken?
(Or ... The Mind Control Question)

Hypnotherapy is not ‘mind control’. In fact, the idea behind hypnotherapy is to give you back the control that you have lost, and which is causing your problem or symptoms.

 

People  sometimes worry that therapy sessions might turn out to be something like a hypnosis stage show. But if you are hypnotised on stage, what follows is designed to provide entertainment for the people watching.

 

Hypnotherapy is not entertainment. It is intended to work for your benefit, to help you deal with your problems.

 

A Hypnotherapist should never ask you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or ridiculous, or that is against your moral, ethical or religious values.

 

Keeping Safe

Hypnosis is a very safe procedure if properly and responsibly used.

 

Like many other things in life (including cars, fire, the Internet and medicinal drugs) if used inappropriately it may cause problems. A few basic safeguards will help you avoid this.

• Do not undergo hypnosis when you are under the influence of alcohol or "recreational drugs".

• If you take medication, or have any on-going health problems, make sure your Hypnotherapist knows about them.

• Always see a member of a recognised hypnotherapy association. They should be trained not only in the techniques of hypnosis, but also in the practical and ethical implications of its use in therapy.

• Check that your therapist's certificates and insurance documents are up to date.

• Most hypnotherapists are not doctors or psychologists. Make sure your therapist would be willing to refer you on to someone more appropriate if the occasion arises.

• Hypnosis can be an excellent way to reduce pain and control other long-term symptoms without side effects. However, as pain is the body's warning system, it is very important to have the underlying problem properly diagnosed.
  You should have your doctor's permission before starting hypnotherapy for pain relief or other medical problems, and you should continue with medication unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

• Make sure your therapist abides by a clearly stated code of ethics, and that there is a complaints procedure you can use if you feel the code has been breached.

• As a member of the General Hypnotherapy Register, I am fully insured and follow the code of conduct set out on their website.
  You can read it by following this link.