How to Build Your Self Esteem With Hypnotherapy

Break the negative trance of low self esteem with a gentle, permissive Hypnotherapy session.

The effects of low self esteem are all around us.

Broken or dysfunctional relationships, academic underachievement, feelings of loneliness and isolation, and behaviour that damages health and life prospects all have roots in low self esteem.

Why high self esteem isn't the answer

It might seem that high self esteem would be a great thing, but high self esteem can bring its own problems.

A little bit of doubt or caution before you go feet first into something forces you to consider more carefully how your actions might affect, for good or bad, the outcome.

So, how much self esteem is right for you?

The effects of low self esteem

Your opinion of yourself, what you think of your own 'worth', really does make a difference to your life. If you mistakenly value yourself too low, you may:

• blame yourself for things that aren't your fault

• underestimate your own abilities

• expect things to go wrong for you

Low self esteem may stop you from socialising and keeping friendships alive, cutting yourself off from the world. Low self esteem may cause you to drink excessively or look for other 'highs' to give your life some excitement.

Or maybe it simply stops you from doing what you want to do, as you've run out of energy or belief that you're worth it and it's worth pursuing.

Why does looking after your self esteem matter?

When you have a more balanced view of yourself, you can;

• be much fairer to yourself

• be more objective about your strong points

• have more confidence in your abilities

• feel calmer when you think about yourself and your future

• think more positively about life generally

So, rather than going flat out for high self esteem, the best way forward is to work on building it to a healthy level that will help you get more out of life and feel more comfortable with yourself. Maybe your self esteem right now hovers around a low 1 or 2 out of 10, but you'd settle for feeling more like a 7 or 8 out of 10.

With higher self esteem, you will start to socialise more and believe you've got something to say that's worth hearing. You will stop abusing your body and look after you physical health better. You will say yes more at work, or school and start to progress towards what you want out of life.

How Hypnotherapy can improve self esteem

The trouble with low self esteem is that it generally stems from emotions that are created at an unconscious level. Which is why conscious efforts to think better of yourself rarely work.

And this is where Hypnosis comes in. Hypnosis is the art of communicating with the unconscious mind, and so we can use it to update the old patterns that are driving low self esteem. It will:

• relax you incredibly deeply

• remind you of your good qualities (that sometimes may be difficult to appreciate)

• improve your self confidence

• give you the inner strength to come through difficult times

• help you feel better about yourself

• improve your social and working relationships

Please contact Me if you have any questions or to make an initial CONSULTATION. 

Face To Face  sessions are by appointment only. Appointments are available 6 days a week and also in the evenings at our discreet premises in Mellieha, Sliema & Naxxar in Malta. Or online by skype or Zoom

Please note for sessions in Naxxar clients have access to the pool and a towel after and before their sessions.
For a list of problems I may be able to help you with please click here

To Arrange YOUR INITIAL SESSION Please contact Kimberley by Whatsapp or Phone on 00356 99355901.

Get Into Shape With Hypnosis For Slimming – Relax To Lose Weight!

Hypnosis for slimming sounds like a contradiction to some people, because it undermines everything that everyone has told you is the best way to shed weight.

What if I were to tell you that you could lose those inches off your waist just by relaxing?

Lose those extra kilos just by prompting your mind to increase the metabolism, and instructing it to curb binging and snacking? You might even be feeling exasperated at this suggestion; because you spent hundreds of pounds trying to sweat it out in the gym, you are losing precious sleep over that early morning jog, and worse still you have been on a crash diet for the last two weeks only to find out that there is an easier and more effective way of getting back your curves!

Hypnosis for slimming is not a stopgap method of losing weight, mind you, it is a way of changing your entire lifestyle. Hypnosis for slimming does not prescribe special diets or routine exercises directly, but instead helps in empowering you to make necessary lifestyle changes for the new you. As is its nature, Hypnotherapy for slimming works on the power of positive suggestion. Through repeated sessions of hypnosis you can train and educate your mind to automatically choose food which is healthy for you, as well as control over eating.

I have always mentioned that our little brain has more power than we can ever imagine, and that the subconscious is a veritable gold mine; the only problem is that most of us haven’t started digging yet. The moment we start tapping into its potential, we will truly realise its powers. Remember that our subconscious can be trained into doing things that you want; and this training can be provided by regular Hypnosis sessions. Working on the principle of auto-feed, you will be able to train your mind to do anything…including slimming down.

The first step towards getting into shape through hypnosis is to understand what really the problem is. What is the root cause of your binging? Why can’t you help but reach out for dollops of ice-cream every time you are down? Through the use of analytical hypnosis, we can figure out the underlying issue and then work the hypnotherapy sessions around it. Yes, hypnosis for slimming is customised depending upon the client’s situation. A therapist will need to understand what sends you gravitating towards food – is it low self confidence, self image, depression, reward eating, or comfort eating? Based on the analysis, a suitable hypnosis routine can be worked out for you.

The second stage here is called suggestion therapy, where you will put the power of positive suggestion to good use. By suggesting to your subconscious what’s good for it and what isn’t you will be shaping your own future, which will definitely be leaner and fitter than your past. Through making positive reinforcements about yourself and your eating habits to your mind you will be gently moulding it to follow a healthier diet and better eating habits. Hypnosis for slimming is one of the easiest and most long lasting ways of losing weight and keeping it that way. So go ahead, try Hypnotherapy and lose those kilos simply by relaxing!.

If you think That Hypnotherapy can help you in anyway.

Please contact my staff or myself if you have any questions or to make an initial CONSULTATION. 

Face To Face  sessions are by appointment only. Appointments are available 6 days a week and also in the evenings at our discreet premises in Mellieha, Sliema & Naxxar in Malta. Or online by skype or Zoom

Please note for sessions in Naxxar clients have access to the pool and a towel after and before their sessions.
For a list of problems I may be able to help you with please click here

To Arrange YOUR INITIAL SESSION Please contact Kimberley by Whatsapp or Phone on 00356 99355901.

Reduce Everyday Stress with Hypnosis

Are you wondering why you feel stressed or anxious when there doesn't seem to be any major reason for it?

Do you find yourself getting tense, sleeping badly, and feeling irritable a lot of the time, even though outwardly things appear to be okay?

When we look at other people, it often seems that things are going pretty smoothly for them. Maybe other people have said this about you - commented on the 'good life' that you seem to have.

And maybe it's even true that, overall, things are more or less okay, or even very good. So it feels very unfair - and a bit of mystery - if you find that you are constantly stressed.

If you could find a real 'cause' to pin it on, you might feel better about it. If there was a big personal problem, like a bereavement, or a divorce, or trouble at work, the sort of thing that everyone agrees is stressful.

But if you feel you 'really have nothing to complain about', you begin to wonder what on earth is going on.

The truth about the stress of ordinary life

The truth is, stress isn't all about the big stuff. Stress is a spectrum, not an on/off switch. At any time, a range of different pressures may be affecting your life, and all to a different degree.

If they are at the lower end of the spectrum, but there are a lot of them, the cumulative effect can be as great as if a single one of the 'big beasts' is rampaging about in your life.

This is why everyday stress levels can build up without you noticing. It's just a little bit here, a little bit there - but it all wears away at you.

And it deserves to be taken as seriously as you would take major stress. That is, you need to look after yourself - no matter how good your life looks on the outside.

How hypnosis can help you manage your stressors better

 Why not Book a customised in person session to Reduce Everyday Stress that will help you relax deeply and minimize the impact of those invisible everyday pressures. Treat yourself as you really deserve now and get those worries out of your life.

After your session, you'll notice that

• you feel much calmer and more relaxed generally

• you sleep better

• your mood improves and you feel more cheerful and optimistic

• you are more resilient and can handle things better

• you are enjoying life more

Book a 1 : 1 customised session Please contact my staff or myself if you have any questions or to book your appointment

Face To Face  sessions are by appointment only. Appointments are available 6 days a week and also in the evenings at our discreet premises in Mellieha, Sliema & Naxxar in Malta. Or online by skype or Zoom

Please note for sessions in Naxxar clients have access to the pool and a towel after and before their sessions.
For a list of other problems I may be able to help you with please click here

To Arrange YOUR SESSION Please contact us by Whatsapp or Phone on 00356 99355901.

Reduce Everyday Stress now and put the shine back on your life. 

See here for Other ways to reduce stress :

If you’d like some help with de-stressing I also offer customised in person hypnotherapy sessions, & crystal reiki healing in Malta.

Stop Putting People on a Pedestal

Let hypnosis help you connect more naturally with others and put yourself on the same level as others

Do you have a tendency to idealise people?

Do you often feel inferior to people who have qualities you admire?

We all idealise people from time to time. As an obvious example, you can probably think of a teenage crush who, in your lovestruck eyes, could do no wrong. (Of course, later in life you likely came to realise just how distorted your view of that person really was!)

There's nothing wrong with putting people on a pedestal from time to time. It's good to recognize qualities we respect and admire in others, as it can help us shape our own personal beliefs and values, and inspire us to better ourselves. The problem arises when we magnify those qualities to an unrealistic degree.

When we see others as superior, we necessarily see ourselves as inferior, which creates an unfair and harmful self-image. Not only that, it can also be uncomfortable for the person on the pedestal, who may worry that they can't live up to the standard you've set for them. Most importantly, it creates a sense of distance that quashes any chance of real human connection.

We are all just human beings

When we put someone on a pedestal, we fail to recognise that their strengths are offset by plenty of weaknesses, too. To genuinely connect with others, it is critical to realise this. We can learn to see and accept all of a person - the good and the bad, the unique and the ordinary. We can nurture the understanding that we are all just human beings, each of us with the same intrinsic value and worth.

That's what this session is going to help you to do: to see people as they really are. To break free of the habit of magnifying people's strengths, while ignoring their weaknesses. You can still look up to people you admire, and you can even put people on a pedestal now and then. But you'll recognize this for the distorted view that it is, knowing that in reality they are no better than you or anyone else.

How hypnosis can help

I offer in person tailored sessions to help or why not try this download .. Stop Putting People on a Pedestal is an audio hypnosis session that will help you stop idealizing people.

As you relax and listen repeatedly to your session, you'll notice that you:

• Recognize that all humans have the same inherent value

• Naturally treat others simply as fellow human beings on the same level as you

• Relate to others in a more comfortable, relaxed way

• Feel more confident and self-assured in general.

I offer in person sessions to help you Overcome any fears or doubts you may have or you can download Stop Putting People on a Pedestal now and learn to set aside doubt when it doesn't serve you.

Please contact my staff or myself if you have any questions or to book an in person session

Face To Face  sessions are by appointment only. Appointments are available 6 days a week and also in the evenings at our discreet premises in Mellieha, Sliema & Naxxar in Malta. Or online by skype or Zoom

Please note for sessions in Naxxar clients have access to the pool and a towel after and before their sessions.
For a list of problems I may be able to help you with please click here

To Arrange YOUR SESSION Please contact us on 00356 99355901.

You can book a session by calling or whatsapp on 99355901 or Download Stop Putting People on a Pedestal now and start enjoying natural, genuine connection with others. You can listen on your computer or device or via our free app which you can access when you have completed your purchase.

Very best wishes

Kimberley

Overcome Fear You've Done Something Wrong

Learn to distance yourself from the doubt and focus on more productive things

Do you spend an inordinate amount of time wondering whether you've made some kind of terrible mistake?

Are you constantly plagued by doubt?

Maybe you're pouring over something you said to a friend, wondering if they took offence. Perhaps you're concerned that client took their business elsewhere because of something you did. Or maybe you can't stop thinking about that red light you may or may not have accidentally run. Regardless of what it is you're obsessing over, fear you've done something wrong is never fun.

Thinking back over our actions and checking for errors is a natural and, in moderation, useful part of being human. But, like most things in life, when we do this to excess it can start to cause problems. Recurrent, intrusive doubts can cause guilt and anxiety, and leave us constantly seeking reassurance.

So what can you do to help divert your mind away from these frustrating and fruitless thoughts?

A strategy for driving out doubt

First, you need to externalize your doubt. This doesn't mean suppressing it, but rather gaining some distance from it so that it is separate from who you fundamentally are. Recognize it for the imaginary or insignificant concern that it is. When you do, you will find that it immediately loses some of its power over you.

Next, you need to soothe and calm the fear that has been stirred up by that doubt. Now that you have gained some distance from it, you can approach this just as you would approach soothing and calming a child or a friend. Sit with your fear, and gently, purposefully relax with it. Validate it, but don't succumb to it.

Finally, when those emotions have settled, you can calmly, deliberately redirect your attention to something more productive or enjoyable. The more often you do this, the more you will reinforce these neural pathways so that you naturally focus on purposeful action rather than dwelling on your doubts.

How hypnosis can help

Overcome Fear You've Done Something Wrong is an audio hypnosis session that will guide you to distance yourself from your obsessive doubts and soothe the associated anxiety.

As you relax and listen repeatedly to your session, you'll notice that you:

• See your doubts objectively as imaginary and insignificant

• Can put aside obsessive thoughts to focus on more useful, productive things

• Are more trusting in yourself and your judgment

• Feel calmer, more clear-headed, and more confident in general.

I offer in person sessions to help you Overcome any fears or doubts you may have or you can download Overcome Fear You've Done Something Wrong now and learn to set aside doubt when it doesn't serve you.

You can listen on your computer or device or via our free app which you can access when you have completed your purchase.

Please contact my staff or myself if you have any questions or to book an n person session

Face To Face  sessions are by appointment only. Appointments are available 6 days a week and also in the evenings at our discreet premises in Mellieha, Sliema & Naxxar in Malta. Or online by skype or Zoom

Please note for sessions in Naxxar clients have access to the pool and a towel after and before their sessions.
For a list of problems I may be able to help you with please click here

To Arrange YOUR SESSION Please contact us on 00356 99355901.

Suggested Aromatherapy Oils for help with anxiety

Please click on images for further details :)

What ‘Makes’ A Relationship Work For You - And How To Achieve it

In the last one hundred years and especially during the pandemic, the boundaries and definitions of what makes a good relationship have been stretched and distorted into so many new and exciting shapes – some good and some awful. So what ‘makes’ a relationship work for you? And what’s more, what could you do to make the relationship that you are in now – even better?

Could you seek more pleasure, better communication, more companionship or a better sex life from your partner?

Using a mixture counselling, NLP, CBT or hypnotherapy ( whichever suits your need) may be what you both are looking for to help you to achieve all of these goals and more.

Within the sessions which you can attend by yourself or with your partner, over time, you will both respond subconsciously and improve your relationship, even if your partner is not participating actively in dealing with the present issues that you are trying to improve!

This means that even if your other half is not interested in going with you for therapy, they can still be affected by it and change for the better. If this is the case you will be shown techniques that will allow your partner to take notice of the process and want to join in.

There are many issues that can “Rock the Boat” when it comes to relationships, however if the reason that you are looking at this article is because you feel that your relationship could be improved, then let me congratulate you for taking the time to read it.

Hypnosis can help you make dramatic changes in your attitude which will ultimately improve your relations with others. And amazingly, - as YOU make these changes, your partner will respond unconsciously, and together you will co-create better communication and rapport.

In basic terms it means that the sessions are very in effective in dealing with the way we think about things. Thinking is powerful, everything starts with a thought! People that have different perceptions normally have different ideas and views about things.

By improving this type of communication you can completely change your relationships for the better! And this is not all. You will also have a tool to help you to achieve the life of your dreams for both you and your partner.

Because we will use the natural processes of the mind and body, you will be amazed just how quickly you will see the benefits! Remember, relationships are not about – big houses, nice cars or even exotic holidays, but they are about two people living and enjoying life as one.

With a little guidance and time you can truly build a beautiful relationship, now isn’t that what you deserve?

To read further about how we can help you and/or your partner achieve a better relationship please see here

If you have any questions or to make an initial CONSULTATION. 

Face To Face  sessions are by appointment only. Appointments are available 6 days a week and also in the evenings at our discreet premises in Mellieha, Sliema & Naxxar in Malta. Or online by skype or Zoom

Please note for sessions in Naxxar clients have access to the pool and a towel after and before their sessions.
For a list of problems I may be able to help you with please click here

To Arrange YOUR INITIAL SESSION Please contact us on 00356 99355901 by phone , messenger or whatsapp

Here are some relationship books we recommend :

"Can hypnosis cure phobias?".

The big question is "Can hypnosis cure phobias?".

How long have you been stuck in the prison of fear and anxiety ? Here’s how I can help

Hi I’m Kimberley Stapleton , I have over 35 years experience in Hypnotherapy

That’s me on TV :)

One of the many questions I get asked is “ Can Hypnosis Cure Phobias ? “

I use a mixture of hypnosis, NLP and cognitive behavioural therapy when dealing with fears and phobias. So that we remove the blocks that have been preventing you from living your best life

When the hypnotist you are asking answers with a resounding "yes", the next thought is usually along the lines of "yeah, right".

But you'd be amazed at the high success rate that hypnosis has with phobias.

Top athletes regularly use hypnosis in all areas of their career. One of these areas that they may not be quite as public about is a fear of flying. After all, how can something as common place as flying be something to be afraid of? Surely almost every plane that takes off lands again safely?

Yet fear of flying is a biggie.

Hypnosis to the rescue!

By getting to the core of the fear, hypnosis can turn round the fear of flying and let you face an airport without turning into a quivering wreck.

The same goes for any other fear or phobia you've got.

For instance, if you've been afraid of heights since childhood, you can listen to a hypnosis MP3 and watch the fear melt away. This won't mean that you will lose the natural fear that kicks in when you are about to do something stupid from a height. But it will mean that you can climb a tower or tall building and admire the view, without your knuckles turning white while they are gripping the nearest safe object.

Public speaking is another very common fear. Truth be known, most of the audience probably don't care what you are saying in your presentation.

They're just glad that it's you who drew the short straw rather than them. You can use hypnosis to boost your confidence in public speaking so that you don't break out into a cold sweat the next time you are asked to speak in public.

You’d be amazed what types of phobias people have so .. please don’t think that you can’t talk to me about yours:)

Please contact my staff or myself if you have any questions or to make an initial CONSULTATION. 

Face To Face  sessions are by appointment only. Appointments are available 6 days a week and also in the evenings at our discreet premises in Mellieha, Sliema & Naxxar in Malta.

Or online by skype or Zoom

Please note for sessions in Naxxar clients have access to the pool and a towel after and before their sessions.
For a list of problems I may be able to help you with please click here

To Arrange YOUR INITIAL SESSION Please contact us on 00356 99355901 or book an appointment here

For a partial list of fears and phobias I have helped with please see here>>

Have a great, safe day

Kimberley 😊

PS: If you’d like to DIY :) Here are some further recommended reading :

Why See a Hypnotist?

Kimberley Stapleton .. Master Hypnotherapist & Transformational Therapy Trainer

Why does change, at times, seem so difficult? Why can’t we just make up our minds to change patterns of behaviours, thoughts, and emotions and have it happen that quickly? The ‘Holy Grail’ of change work, whether it be self-help, or through utilizing a coach or therapist, is the instant ‘quick fix’ change can rectify years of habitual behaviour patterns in a few short moments. Oh, and while we’re at it let’s make those moments comfortable and relaxing.

Let us look for a moment at a possible reason why change doesn’t always occur that easily (in fact rarely) and why hypnosis might be a possible candidate for that Grail.

Your entire magnificent body/mind system sails through life performing an astronomical number of simultaneous tasks. Barring emergencies, your heart never stops beating, your lungs never stop operating, you metabolize the food you eat, and maintain a body temperature of 98.6 regardless of your environment. And, that is just a tip of the physiological iceberg of ongoing vital functions. Yet you only become aware of these processes if there is a problem. Otherwise they thankfully require no attention. These processes are part of your vast ‘unconscious’.

Included in this ever ongoing party of physiological processes beneath your awareness, or consciousness, are all of your brain’s functions, including language, proprioception (sense of your body and it’s position), emotional responses, etc., etc. There is, of course, no clear dividing line between physical and mental processes, and we are blissfully unaware of the overwhelmingly vast majority of them.

Now, specifically regarding behaviours. Most of our behaviours seem to be picked up unconsciously from our environment. Perhaps we are born with the tendency toward some behaviours, the jury is still out on that regard, but whether nature or nurture, the acquisition of behaviour is predominantly unconscious. How many times, as we mature, do we marvel at how much our behaviours (particularly speech patterns) resemble our parent’s patterns, often in spite of our best efforts. These are behaviours we unconsciously picked up from our environment as we developed.

What then, is our conscious mind, and what is it’s scope? What’s left?

Research has repeatedly shown that we can generally only be aware of, or conscious of, seven plus or minus two pieces of information at any one time. As glorious as our conscious mind is, it is so severely limited in the volume of information it can handle, that, in most cases, it is unable to have much of an effect on our overall behaviour. Our conscious mind can manage momentary adjustments of behaviour at best. In fact, I suggest that the main purpose of the conscious mind is to handle the necessary small bits of information we receive just until we can process them into our much more able ‘unconscious mind’.

In fact, think about how we learn new things. Take riding a bike, for example. At first, when we climb on that wobbly two wheeled device, we have more things to attend to than we could possibly consciously handle—balance, speed, avoiding oncoming obstacles, and so on. We end up falling down a lot. However, we keep at it, and one day, success! We can climb on the bike and ride, virtually without a conscious thought about balance, speed, avoiding obstacles, and all of those other innumerable matters connected with bike riding. We say we’ve learned to ride a bike. What we mean is, riding a bike is now an unconscious behaviour, and our conscious mind is free to think of other things while we ride.

Once we learn something, once it becomes accepted as an unconscious behaviour, it usually stays with us for life. That’s a wonderful thing for habits like bike riding and learning to read. It sometimes becomes a bit of a problem when we have learned behaviours like smoking or phobic responses. It seems as though, once a behaviour is learned, we unconsciously assign a value to it (we did, after all, work hard to learn to smoke for whatever reason we had at the time). To later try to change that learned habit challenges those initial reasons and values, and seems to violate the integrity of the unconscious. Trying to consciously change a habit, like smoking, is like trying to swim upstream against an overwhelming current. With smoking, in my experience, the habit is much more difficult to break than the chemical addiction.

Hypnosis to the rescue.

There is one method of interpersonal communication that does allow access to the normally unavailable unconscious processes, and that method is hypnosis. Hypnosis simply creates a doorway to the unconscious part of our mind. A qualified hypnotist can establish communication with the part of your unconscious mind that maintains the habitual behaviour you want to change. Sometimes through simple suggestion (new information) and sometimes through a more complex conversation with that unconscious part of your mind/body that controls the problematic habit, a hypnotist can literally change the course of that mighty unconscious river. Once that occurs, change results as easily as floating downstream on a sun-drenched inner tube.

Hypnosis is that “Holy Grail” of personal change.

Please contact my staff or myself if you have any questions or to make an initial CONSULTATION. 

Face To Face in person sessions are by appointment only.

Appointments are available 6 days a week and also in the evenings at our discreet premises in Mellieha, Sliema & Naxxar in Malta.

Or online by skype or Zoom

Please note for sessions in Naxxar clients have access to the pool and a towel after and before their sessions.
For a list of problems I may be able to help you with please click here

To Arrange YOUR INITIAL SESSION Please contact us on 00356 99355901

Answering Hypnotherapy's Most Frequent Questions

What is hypnosis?

The definition of hypnosis is a relaxed, focused state of concentration. To some, the concept of being relaxed and focused at the same time seems an oxymoron, but hypnosis allows you to enter such a state of mind.

t was presumed until recently that it was a sleep-like state, or that the mind was unconscious. Actually, there is a state which the brain enters into. It has been discovered on scans during hypnosis that in this state, the mind is highly receptive to suggestion. It is not an unusual or unpleasant state of mind; most people simply feel relaxed. There is an alteration in brain wave activity, called the alpha state. This is a very pleasant, relaxing state, but during which the mind is alert, responsive, and open to a rich sensory experience.

Is hypnosis dangerous?

In the hands of a properly trained individual, hypnosis is not dangerous. There may be some circumstances which would be undesirable with an untrained hypnotist, but nothing serious could happen. If you are seeking hypnotherapy, always ensure that the practitioner is registered with a professional body with a code of conduct that you can review.

Can hypnosis make me do something against my will?

This is one of the biggest myths surrounding hypnosis. Stage hypnotists choose their subjects carefully so that they will have participants who would be willing to act outrageously. You will never do anything, or accept any suggestion that violates your morals or values. If that was possible, hypnotists could make you rob banks and bring back the money. The hypnotists would be rich and rule the world. Clearly, this is not the case. If you visit a hypnotherapist wanting to seek help with a phobia, and approach your session with an open mind and a willingness for the therapy to work, these is a good chance that your session will have a positive outcome.

Can anybody be hypnotised?

Almost everyone can be hypnotised. There are a few exceptions, however. Some examples are educationally subnormal individuals, people suffering from senility, very young children, hard drug addicts and individuals under the influence of alcohol.

For issues we can help with please see here >>

A Brief History of Hypnosis

Where does hypnosis come from? Discover the roots of hypnosis with this brief history of this fascinating subject.

Evidence of hypnotic-like phenomena appears in many ancient cultures. The writer of Genesis seems familiar with the anaesthetic power of hypnosis when he reports that God put Adam "into a deep sleep" to take his rib to form Eve. Other ancient records suggest hypnosis was used by the oracle at Delphi and in rites in ancient Egypt (Hughes and Rothovius, 1996). The modern history of hypnosis begins in the late 1700s, when a French physician, Anton Mesmer, revived an interest in hypnosis.

1734-1815 Franz Anton Mesmer was born in Vienna. Mesmer is considered the father of hypnosis. He is remembered for the term mesmerism which described a process of inducing trance through a series of passes he made with his hands and/or magnets over people. He worked with a person’s animal magnetism (psychic and electromagnetic energies). The medical community eventually discredited him despite his considerable success treating a variety of ailments. His successes offended the medical establishment of the time, who arranged for an official French government investigating committee. This committee included Benjamin Franklin, then the American ambassador to France, and Joseph Guillotine, a French physician who introduced a never-fail device for physically separating the mind from the rest of the body.

1795-1860 James Braid, an English physician, originally opposed to mesmerism (as it had become known) who subsequently became interested. He said that cures were not due to animal magnetism however, they were due to suggestion. He developed the eye fixation technique (also known as Braidism) of inducing relaxation and called it hypnosis (after Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep) as he thought the phenomena was a form of sleep. Later, realising his error, he tried to change the name to monoeidism (meaning influence of a single idea)however, the original name stuck. 1825-1893 Jean Marie Charcot a French neurologist,disagreed with the Nancy School of Hypnotism and contended that hypnosis was simply a manifestation of hysteria. There was bitter rivalry between Charcot and the Nancy group (Liebault and Bernheim). He revived Mesmer’s theory of Animal Magnetism and identified the three stages of trance; lethargy, catalepsy and somnambulism.

1845-1947 Pierre Janet was a French neurologist and psychologist who was initially opposed to the use of hypnosis until he discovered its relaxing effects and promotion of healing. Janet was one of the few people who continued to show an interest in hypnosis during the psychoanalytical rage.

1849-1936 Ivan Petrovich Pavlov - Russian psychologist who actually was more focused on the study of the digestive process. He is known primarily for his development of the concept of the conditioned reflex (or Stimulus Response Theory). In his classic experiment, he trained hungry dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell, which was previously associated with the sight of food. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology in 1904 for his work on digestive secretions. Though he had nothing to do with hypnosis, his Stimulus Response Theory is a cornerstone in linking and anchoring behaviours, particularly in NLP.

1857-1926 Emile Coue, a physician who formulated the Laws of Suggestion. He is also known for encouraging his patients to say to themselves 20-30 times a night before going to sleep; "Everyday in every way, I am getting better and better." He also discovered that delivering positive suggestions when prescribing medication proved to be a more effective cure than prescribing medications alone. He eventually abandoned the concept of hypnosis in favour of just using suggestion, feeling hypnosis and the hypnotic state impaired the efficiency of the suggestion.

Coue’s Laws of Suggestion

The Law of Concentrated Attention

" Whenever attention is concentrated on an idea over and over again, it spontaneously tends to realise itself"

The Law of Reverse Action

"The harder one tries to do something, the less chance one has of success"

The Law of Dominant Effect

"A stronger emotion tends to replace a weaker one"

1856-1939 Sigmund Freud travelled to Nancy and studied with Liebault and Bernheim, and then did additional study with Charcot. Freud did not incorporate hypnosis in his therapeutic work however because he felt he could not hypnotise patients to a sufficient depth, felt that the cures were temporary, and that hynosis stripped patients of their defences. Freud was considered a poor hypnotist given his paternal manner. However, his clients often went into trance and he often, unknowingly, performed non-verbal inductions when he would place his hand on his patient’s head to signify the Doctor dominant, patient submissive roles. Because of his early dismissal of hypnosis in favour of psychoanalysis, hypnosis was almost totally ignored.

1875-1961 Carl Jung, a student and colleague of Freud’s, rejected Freud’s psychoanalytical approach and developed his own interests. He developed the concept of the collective unconscious and archetypes. Though he did not actively use hypnosis, he encouraged his patients to use active imagination to change old memories. He often used the concept of the inner guide, in the healing work. He believed that the inner mind could be accessed through tools like the I Ching and astrology. He was rejected by the conservative medical community as a mystic. However, many of his ideas and theories are actively embraced by healers to this day.

1932-1974 Milton Erickson, a psychologist and psychiatrist pioneered the art of indirect suggestion in hypnosis. He is considered to be the father of modern hypnosis. His methods bypassed the conscious mind through the use of both verbal and nonverbal pacing techniques including metaphor, confusion, and many others. He was a colourful character and has immensely influenced the practice of contemporary hypnotherapy, and its official acceptance by the AMA. His work, combined with the work of Satir and Perls, was the basis for Bandler and Grinder’s Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).