Phobias can be crippling and paralyzing. They have the bad effect of keeping you frozen and unable to focus on anything else but your fear.
For instance, perhaps you’re at work, busy at your desk, when you notice that someone covers a cough with their hand and then touches a doorknob. While others may find this incident fairly harmless, it may be all that’s needed to trigger your phobia and send you spiraling into fear about germs.
“What if I get sick? Then I might miss work, and I don’t have enough sick days!”
It’s easy to see, in this situation, how things can get away from you pretty quickly. But it doesn’t have to be this way!
Whatever phobia you’re dealing with, clinical hypnosis can help free you from its paralyzing effects.
What Is Clinical Hypnosis?
Clinical hypnosis is different from the kind you may be thinking of. It’s not about controlling your mind to make you do things you wouldn’t normally do (which, by the way, is unethical!), such as clucking like a chicken. Rather, it is meant to relax and aide you to get back on track.
During hypnotherapy, a therapist trained in the technique helps you to have a more open mind and be accepting of new ways of thinking. You are conscious throughout the entire process. Think of it as an intense meditation session in which you are more focused and engaged than you typically would in your day-to-day life.
Creating a “more open mind” sounds a little far-out, doesn’t it? However, it’s a good way to describe the approach needed to tackle phobias. How so?
A phobia causes your mind to shut off in a sense. That’s because, when you are triggered, your brain reverts to its more primitive self. It’s telling you that you are in danger and that you must do something about that danger. This is called the “fight or flight” response. Because of this innate response, it’s difficult (even for someone who feels calm otherwise) to be open to new and different ways of thinking.
That’s where hypnotherapy comes in.
Using Hypnotherapy to Free Yourself from Phobias
During a hypnotherapy session, you work with an experienced clinician to understand why you have certain fears in the first place. Often, phobias are rooted in some sort of trauma that you experienced. This could either have happened recently or a long time ago.
Together, you and your therapist can uncover the potential connection between the phobia and your past. Then, you can work towards using better ways to cope with your phobia. Utilizing clinical hypnosis during therapy sessions makes it easier to talk about the past and absorb the lessons too.
Creating Anchors
Another way that hypnotherapy can help with phobias is by creating anchors that keep you grounded. Using breathing exercises, for example, is one way to stay grounded and calm, not getting drawn into a full-blown panic attack. Another is using mindfulness techniques to create more self-awareness. Or perhaps you learn to apply logic to understand that there is really no danger at all.
The objective of creating anchors is to prevent your mind from going back to that more primitive, fearful state. That way you can better focus on resolving the situation at hand.
Staying in Control
By practicing a variety of methods during therapy sessions, you will have a greater sense of control. In fact, this might be the first time ever that you truly felt in control of yourself when being triggered. It’s a liberating feeling that hypnosis can help you discover.
It doesn’t take long to begin experiencing the benefits of clinical hypnosis. Six to twelve sessions are all that it takes. Though, many people start seeing results after just one session. The important part is that you find a therapist who not only is trained and practiced in hypnotherapy but with whom you feel comfortable too.
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Clinical hypnosis could be the key to unlocking your phobias and a whole new way of life. If you’re interested in learning more about my approach to hypnotherapy, please contact me.
