What you need to know about hypnotherapy online

Hypnotherapy Online with Barry Jones MSc

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First, hypnotherapy online is no different than a traditional hypnotherapy office visit. Prior to COVID many hypnotherapists were already practicing online. There are many benefits over the person to person hypnotherapy experience.

For example, online hypnotherapy negates that additional time and stress getting to an office visit.

Arranging your appointment around family and friend commitments is usually simpler. And if medical conditions and mobility are a limitation, online hypnotherapy is a wonderful alternative.

In so many cases the anxiety of making it to an office hypnotherapy session can outweigh its benefits. These anxieties produce VERY real emotions, both subjectively and physiologically. In the medical field, practitioners are trained to recognise White Coat Syndrome . In more extreme cases, Latrophobia and Agrophobia or social anxiety may also prevent clients from travelling or spending time in new environments.

Online hypnotherapy can remove many of these types of anxieties because you are in a familiar environment. You can also have friends and family present (as long as they do not disturb you).

How does online hypnotherapy differ to traditional hypnotherapy?

There is no difference. As long you commit to the process then the results will be exactly the same,  (without that additional stress of getting to the hypnotherapists office). 

Due to the Corona Virus, many therapies have moved online, however telemedicine has been around since the 1950s with remarkable success.

Hypnotherapy in many ways is far easier to prescribe online than traditional medicine as the hypnotist prescription tool is his voice. As long as your audio settings are good then you are ready to go.

What conditions can online hypnotherapy treat?

Everything that a traditional office visit could help with. 

In today’s Corona Virus environment, anxiety has become the norm for many. One of the greatest benefits of hypnotherapy is the creation of a relaxation response.

Whatever condition you choose from the list below, you will feel a sense of peace and tranquility. The following list is just an example of what can be helped with hypnosis. Click on the green highlighted link for up to date evidence based hypnotherapy treatment. 

 Hypnotherapy For Anxiety

Reducing Anxiety/Stress Self-Hypnosis Audio

The tremendous volume of research provides compelling evidence that hypnosis is an efficacious treatment for state anxiety (e.g., prior to tests, surgery and medical procedures) and anxiety-related disorders, such as headaches and irritable bowel syndrome. – quote from the study.

Hypnotherapy For Weight Management/Weight Loss

Weight Loss Self-Hypnosis Audio

This study indicates that hypnotherapy in obesity treatment leads to weight loss in obese patients, and thus, to considerable changes in leptin, ADP, and irisin levels. Hypnotherapy is easy to apply, cheap, and effective; has no potential for side effects; and can be applied both alone and in combination with other treatments. – quote from the study.

Hypnotherapy For Smoking Cessation

Quit Smoking with Self-Hypnosis Audio

Efforts to stop a tobacco habit have components which are both physical and emotional in nature; and which produce periods of discomfort and high relapse rates. Hypnosis can be supportive for both the physical and emotional aspects necessary for successful cessation. – quote from the study.

Hypnotherapy For Phobias

There is a significant change in the decrease in phobia symptoms, by 51.87% after hypnotherapy. This study concluded that hypnotherapy was effective in reducing phobia symptoms with 2 therapy sessions in 4 meetings. – quote from the study.

Hypnotherapy For Nail Biting

Stop Nail Biting Self-Hypnosis Audio

Results for all subjects indicated immediate and dramatic increase in fingernail lengths concomitant with the introduction of treatment. At 3-month follow-up, subject 1 demonstrated a moderate reversal effect while the remaining two subjects continued to indicate substantial progress. These findings were discussed with regard to the efficacy of hypnobehavioral treatment strategies and utilization of single-case experimental designs in future hypnotherapy research. – quote from the study.

Hypnotherapy For Sports Performance

This paper focuses on using hypnosis as a technique to enhance performance, reduce anxiety and increase self-efficacy in coaching and coaching psychology settings. – quote from the study.

Hypnotherapy For Pain Management

Pain Management Self-Hypnosis audio

Reviews on hypnosis for internal medicine topics are impressive, with demonstrated efficacy for migraine headache, irritable bowel syndrome, and anxiety. Hypnosis improves procedural pain and emotional distress and reduces medication consumption up to 40%—in short, if hypnosis were a drug, it would be standard of care. quote from the study.

Hypnotherapy For Exam Preparation 

In the test-anxiety categories, emotionality, worry, interference, and lack of confidence were evaluated. The effect of clinical hypnosis on test anxiety was observed in this study. The global test anxiety and lack of confidence scores were reduced significantly over time in the group that underwent clinical hypnosis, while not so in the control group. - quote from the study.

Hypnotherapy For Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Hypnotherapy has been shown to be effective at relieving global gastrointestinal symptoms (GGS) in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study examines the impact of hypnotherapy delivery and participant characteristics on IBS outcomes. - quote from the study.

How to a determine a reliable online hypnotherapist

You have a huge choice of hypnotherapists from all over the world to choose from. 

However, Hypnotherapy is currently UNREGULATED in the UK and USA. There is no national or international organization that is solely responsible for hypnotherapy accreditation. In reality, anybody can self-accredit, and they do!

So, how do you navigate through the minefield of hypnotherapists? 

Begin by finding a professional organization that has academic standards.

UK

The British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis

bscah.com

USA

  1. Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis www.sceh.us

  2. American Society of Clinical Hypnosis www.asch.net

  3. American Board of Medical Hypnosis www.abmh.info

For more resources on this go to my Blog Post

What are the technical requirements for online hypnotherapy?

Multiple platforms are available that can be used for online hypnotherapy and, typically, all are free.

   Please ensure that you have the following:

  • A high speed internet connection e.g., cable or DSL broadband.

  • A computer with integrated microphone or a headset with microphone.

  • A webcam for face-to-face therapy sessions and adequate lighting.

  • A valid online platform, Zoom, FaceTime, Skype etc. (or other application) account and the latest software. Keep these apps and your computer updated.

  • A location that is private (free from any distractions if possible). This includes pets that do not want to be away from their person. If a pet is not used to being isolated, they may cry. Let friends and family know ahead of time that you will need this block of time not to be disturbed. Turn off the notifications from your devices.

  • A location that is comfortable (sitting or lying position) and still in view of the webcam, phone or tablet video camera.

  • Prior to a hypnotherapy session it is always advisable to do a sound and picture testcheck.

Which are the best online hypnotherapy platforms?

I am going to cover four platforms. If you are interested in other formats, I have included additional companies. There are some great tutorials on Youtube, so rather than reinventing the wheel, I have included some of the most popular. They are all free for one to one communication and similar in their use.

Facetime

Skype

WhatsApp

Zoom

Additional platforms are GoToMeeting, Google Hangouts, join.me, and ON24.

How do I know if hypnotherapy online will work for me?

To begin with lets reiterate that online hypnosis is just as effective as a traditional office visit, so the question really is: “Can I be hypnotized?” 

I am going to refer you back to one of my blogs: Hypnosis, what we know . What we do know, is that some people are more hypnotically gifted than others. A hypnosis facilitator looks for physiological signs that indicate hypnosis. These signs are not necessarily consciously experienced by the client.

One of these is called an eye roll developed by Dr Spiegel .

You can try this out with friends and family, and although it is not a DEFINITIVE test, it is a great indicator. 

1. Hold your head looking straight forward ;
2. While holding your head in that position, look upward toward your eyebrows— now toward the top of your head (UpGaze) ;
3. While continuing to look upward, at the same time SLOWLY close your eyelids slowly (Roll) ; I say try and close your eye lids over your eyeballs, it is a good image to visualise.
The amount of sclera visible ( White of the eye ) between the lower eyelid and the lower edge of the cornea is the most practical measurement.

Spiegel Eye Roll

Spiegel Eye Roll

 Simply, the more you see of the white of your eye measures your level of hypnotisability. 

If your eyes start to flutter you may be experiencing what is called REM or rapid eye movement

You may also notice a change in body temperature and a tingling sensation in the extremities, neither pronounced.

During hypnotherapy, we skip the first three stages of sleep. A hypnotized person is intensely focused but not worried about what they are doing. They are not worried about evaluating instructions, but are simply following those instructions, and they have a more direct connection between their minds and the physical function of their bodies.

Stage 1 non-REM sleep is the changeover from wakefulness and daytime wakefulness patterns into sleep. 

Stage 2 non-REM sleep is a period of light sleep before you enter deeper sleep. You spend more of your repeated sleep cycles in stage 2 sleep than in other sleep stages.

Stage 3 non-REM sleep is the period of deep sleep that you need to feel refreshed in the morning.  It occurs in longer periods during the first half of the night. Your heartbeat and breathing slow to their lowest levels during sleep. Your muscles are relaxed, and it may be difficult to awaken you. Brain waves become slower yet. 

REM sleep first occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep. Your eyes move rapidly from side to side behind closed eyelids. Most of your dreaming occurs during REM sleep, although some can also occur in non-REM sleep.

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TRY THIS AUDIO TO SEE IF SELF-HYPNOSIS WORKS FOR YOU

Go to www.barryjones.com to book an online appointment. For self hypnosis audio downloads go to the STORE

For more clinical information you can also go to TAVISTOCK HYPNOTHERAPY

Source: www.barryjones.com

Does Hypnosis work to lose weight?

Does Hypnosis work to lose weight? Is hypnotherapy a good investment? The answer is yes and no. Let me explain

Should a hypnotherapist understand nutrition to create a more successful outcome? In my opinion, they should. But it is also my belief that they should have a good understanding of any therapy they are facilitating. Hypnosis is not a panacea, as medications are not to a physician. In fact, many medications mask the original problems and cause additional side effects.

A hypnotherapist prescribes words, however, unless they understand the power of those words, then most long-term therapy will not work. Especially so for weight management/weight loss.

With most hypnotically talented clients, you will get favorable short-term results. Yet, as with ANY hypnotherapy, long-term results will have greater success if your vocabulary is precise and relevant.

You would think if we could put a man on the moon that we would be able to figure out this ‘nutrition thing.’

Our governments are aware of the health issues caused by poor nutrition AND have the power to make changes. Consider the huge amounts of profit made from the fast food and sugar industry via investment as well as sales. Their lobby in Congress is powerful.

Another great benefactor of our rampant obesity is the Pharmaceutical companies. The pharma industry makes billions on statins and blood pressure medications… conditions, especially obesity, that poor nutrition causes. Piggybacking them is the diet industry, which in the USA market is estimated at $71 billion. That is a lot of money being made to confuse us into thinking we have no control over our lives!!!!!!!

As a hypnotherapist, we are in a unique situation to make a profound difference, but generic hypnotic weight loss dialogue is only going to take your client so far. I still hear the word fat consumption being used in a negative context… when taking in healthy fat is ESSENTIAL for a healthy lifestyle.

I do not have a degree in nutrition, but I have extensive knowledge in health education, a subject that I taught at University/College.

If somebody approaches me to discuss a specific way of eating, I feel prepared to alter my dialogue to accommodate their needs. I am blessed to have a wife who is a Nurse Practitioner with specialised knowledge of nutrition. www.stilljanet.com

If I feel stuck with anything then this is my go-to person. 

Weight loss/management can be a complex problem especially if medications are involved. If you are unsure about a nutritional situation, you can refer out, or work in a partnership with a health care professional.

We all have individual constitutions and lifestyle circumstances, so it would only make sense that every hypnotherapy dialogue would be different.
Resources
Glycemic index for 60 plus foods

U.S. obesity as delayed effect of excess sugar
Obesity and overweight-World Health Organisation. While many population health studies have invoked sugar as a major casual factor in the obesity epidemic, few have explicitly explored the temporal delay between increased sugar consumption and rising obesity rates.

Obesity and overweight
Obesity and overweight-World Health Organisation.
In 2019, an estimated 38.2 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight or obese