FOCUS: What actually is hypnosis?

Friday 14 April 2023

When they think of hypnosis, many people might picture swinging pendulums, wavy lines or Derren Brown-like characters... But most practitioners are actually focused on wellbeing.

If you're trying to stop smoking, get over a phobia or even lose weight, then a session with a hypnotherapist might help, as one therapist who fell into the practice by "accident" explained...

Philip Blake, who operates out of the Lido Medical Centre  in St Saviour, is a hypnotist and has been for the last 35 years.

We have all heard of hypnotists, Derren Brown-like characters who, with the click of a finger, can have you at their beck and call. 

Unlike Derren Brown, Philip is not going to manipulate you for the sake of light entertainment. Instead, Philip uses hypnosis to help get people out of their harmful habits and help them make a positive change in their lives. 

Pictured: Philip Blake, a practicing Hypnotherapist with over 35 years experience. 

Philip began his career as a hypnotherapist "by accident" when he applied to learn hypnotherapy after seeing an advertisement in his local paper. He said: "It opened up a real interest in my mind and I thought  I'd really like to do this for a living." 

After training as a councillor and leaning about psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, he opened up his practice in Jersey in 1985, and has been working as a hypnotherapist, psychotherapist and Mind Training Coach ever since. 

But what actually is hypnosis? 

When asked whether it really does involve a sinister figure dangling a gold watch in front of your eyes, Philip said: "Well there's no reason why it can't be done like that, but that's not how it's done in therapy." 

How does it work? 

Philip said: "The truth is, I'm not sure if anyone can answer that. There is debate as to whether the state of hypnosis exists at all, some people say it doesn't exist, others say it's all merely suggestion.To me, it doesn't actually matter.

"To me personally all that matters is that a persons is susceptible to the idea, has a good imagination and is compliant. Most people who come in want to get better, they want to get something out of it." 

Pictured: The use of hypnotherapy, of using the power of suggestion, is to help break people out of unfortunate habits or patterns that can be detrimental to their lives.

During a hypnotherapy session, a trained hypnotherapist will induce a state of intense concentration or focused attention. This is a guided process, utilising verbal cues and repetition. 

While in this state, the therapist will make guided suggestions designed to help you achieve the desired outcome. As a result of the heightened state of focus, the patient may be more open to proposals or advice that, in their normal mental state, they might be less susceptible to. 

"There's nothing spooky about it"

The state of hypnosis, according to Philip, is something that people can often experience in their every day lives. "The process of helping someone to get the into a state where they are more amenable is not difficult.

"People who practice meditation, mindfulness or yoga all experience that feeling of extreme relaxation. It can happen when you're reading a book, when you're absorbed watching the TV, when you're looking at the sky and reflecting... There's nothing spooky about it." 

The use of hypnotherapy, of using the power of suggestion, is to help break people out of unfortunate habits or patterns that can be detrimental to their lives. Philip uses hypnotherapy to help people quit smoking, to help them lose weight, and even to help people with insomnia. 

Pictured: The state of hypnosis, according to Philip, is something that people can often experience in their every day lives, when practicing meditation or Yoga. 

All it takes is one session with Philip to provide a person with the tools they need to make a positive change with the help of hypnosis. Philip will record the hypnotherapy session, and then insist that the patient listen back to it every day over the period of a week. After this, they can listen back to it whenever they feel like they need it. 

"Repetition is very important"

"The repetition is very important, it helps to cement everything in place of them. When a person's at home, there's no pressure and if they feel that they're backsliding, it can give them a bit of a boost." 

As well as hypnotherapy, Philip also offers psychotherapy (or talk therapy) sessions, and a Mind Training Programme. "This is more of a CBT type approach, about helping people to marry their thinking, build up their self-esteem and manage their self-confidence." These courses usually take between eight and 12 sessions.

More information can be found on Philip's website.