I had a very interesting chat with a client of mine during our pre-hypnosis discussion. Although he was open to hypnosis and he himself approached me for help, he was not entirely sure he believed in hypnosis. So why exactly was he there?

Clients like this are some of my favourite ones to work with because either way, the are not disappointed. If they walk away not feeling any different, they are not dissatisfied and still walk away with the benefits of a hypnosis session, feeling relaxed and energised. If they did manage to gain some insight or feel a change within themselves, they walk away in awe, feeling lightened and excited.

So, does it actually work? We don’t really know, do we? Research has been done watching the brain activity of individuals under hypnosis and it turns out that the brain does indeed react to our suggestions. Certain areas of the brain dim down, such as those that make us aware of our external environment, while other areas light up and create stronger connections, connections between mind and body.

Still not sold on the idea? Think of it this way: What do we really know in life? At one point in time, is was common knowledge that the earth was flat or that bloodletting was known to cure disease. We only know as much as we have discovered. So what if there is the tiniest possibility that hypnosis (or all alternate medicine for that matter) is one of the healthiest and safest ways to heal? What if it ties in more with our field of energy and that of the universe’s than we ever expected it? What if there is some truth that everything is energy and to heal we simply need to attract it into our lives? We as humans may not yet have discovered what is it that will make alternate medicine as accepted as drugs are today.

Could it be the placebo effect? Absolutely, as both the placebo effect and hypnosis rely on the power of suggestion. This being said, I firmly believe they are different. Hypnosis can relieve pain instantly, can make you see colours and feel sensations. Many people lose track of time while under hypnosis and believe they were under for hours. But if believing in the placebo effect brings you to book a session, then let’s go with that until you can come up with your own personal reasons for wanting to continue.

All this to ask “Does hypnosis work?” Well, in my experience, yes it does. And for my client who was unsure about the whole process before the session, I can confirm that we talked in length about the colour he saw washing over his body, healing him.