As a hypnotist I do work with a lot of people, who never had contact to hypnosis before. Yet images, ideas and impressions of hypnosis don't really differ. Often the same questions emerge.

Therefore I would like to reply to some of those questions beforehand:

All of us have already experienced natural trance, without being necessarily conscious about it.

Every book, that fascinates us, every movie we watch, while we are diving deep into the story, induces a state of natural trance. Even during work or a hobby, that we love to pursue, we are able to forget the surroundings and everything that happens around us. Our focus and emotions are completely captivated by the situation we are in.

Those are only a few examples of experiencing a natural hypnosis. All we do with love and the focus of our attention, is able to produce a trance-like condition.

We are not registering this state through our thoughts, yet we are feeling it fully on an subconscious level.

In coaching and therapy a state of trance is purposely induced and facilitates access to the subconscious mind and our emotions. Therefore it is feasible to bypass our conscious thoughts and possible resistances, and supported by suggestions, to open up new ways of thinking and behavior.

Those suggestions may be accepted, as long as we are perceiving them as helpful and reasonable for our lives. In hypnosis you never lose the will of your own.

At no point in time we lose our own free will or feel at the mercy of the hypnotist during hypnosis. We always keep the control. Yet, as long as we are trustful and our attitude towards the hypnosis is a positive one, we are opening up opportunities for ourselves to change things, that are burdening us or circles of thoughts, we feel trapped in.

All of our focus and attention is on the experience and we are much easier able to open our mind to new and constructive processes.

Thus we are not losing any control of our thoughts or feelings, yet gaining even more of it in the long run.

It is not the goal of the hypnotist to force you to say or do things, you don't want to say or do, even if it appears like that in shows, on stage. A hypnosis-show is about entertaining people, and the chosen subjects know this on a conscious or subconscious level and agree to it.

A hypnosis show has nothing in common with hypnosis in coaching and therapy. If we are refusing a suggestion or something in us is protesting against it, we are always capable of interrupting the trance.

Indeed, one could think of a connection there, as for the name of the Greek god of sleep is „Hypnos“. Yet hypnosis has nothing to do with sleep.

Quite the opposite. In hypnosis we find ourselves in a state of heightened attention, focus and concentration. Although all of our muscles of the body are very relaxed and we breathe slower and deeper, our senses are increased aware of everything and the subconscious mind is awoken and more alert. We are able to hear the sounds around us, to listen to the spoken words and our thinking is clear.

Every successful session is based on a positive and trustful relationship between the therapist and the client. An open and free atmosphere serves the outcome of the encounter and gives a good feeling for the upcoming collaboration.

The first appointment, the pre-talk, serves the purpose of an introduction and full description of your concern and goals. The proper hypnosis-session follows after that appointment and is completely tailored to your individual goals and needs. In a relaxed atmosphere the hypnotist is inducing a trance with the help of a certain technique and deepens it, before dealing with your personal concern. Towards the end of the session the developed results are strengthened and deepened, before the hypnotist is guiding you back out of the trance.

It is important to know, that the success of the session is strongly connected with your own motivation and personal will for creating changes in your life. The hypnotist is part of your „team“, helping and supporting you on your own way to more well being. The action towards a change is on you.

Nobody can force you to do something, you don't want to do to reach your goal. The collaboration between the hypnotist and the client is based on an equal footing, a feeling of security and trust. When you are willing to accept the support of your „team-mate“ and perceive it as helpful, you can start to act and influence your future actions in a positive and constructive way. The hypnotist cannot do that for you.