REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL HYPNOTHERAPY

    In my last blog post, I discussed how important it is for a prospective client to WANT to make the changes they are seeking.  There are several other issues that can limit successful hypnosis.

    A client must feel comfortable with the hypnotherapist.  If the person is thinking "I don't like the hypnotherapist" or "I don't trust this person".  it is likely they will not accept suggestions.  For this reason, some hypnotherapists offer a time over the phone to answer questions.  I offer a half-hour free consultation in my officewhere prospective clients can actually sit downwith me and get questions answered and have a little time to make sure if it "feels okay".

   There are some physiological problems that cause hypnotherapy limitations.  If a person has limited hearing, hypnosis can be challenging.  The prospective client also needs to be able to understand the language spoken by the hypnotherapist.

     If the client has physical disabilities that make it difficult to sit comfortably, hypnosis may have to be very brief and not as successful.  If the client suffers from neurological impairment, a loss of abstract reasoning abilities or a loss of verbal skills, hypnosis may not be useful.

    Although hypnotherapy can be used with clients of below-average intelligence or vocabulary,. the techniques and procedures used with them need to be direct and concrete.  Many hypnotherapy techniques require at least average vocabulary and intelligence.

   Psychotics and people with borderline personality disorders are not good candidates for hypnotherapy.  The use of trance with individuals who are already having difficulty with their conscious experiences can create anxiety and paranoia.  I ask in my client in-take form about all medical personnel and therapists that the clients have worked with and any diagnoses that they may have received.  If the client is currently working with a therapist, I ask  for a referral and often have a phone conference with the therapist or physician before making a decision about whether hypnotherapy is appropriate.

     A great majority of people who visit my office for hypnotherapy will not have any of these issues.  For them, hypnotherapy can be a great tool to facility the changes they want in their lives.