The mystery of the human mind
Human consciousness is one of the greatest remaining mysteries in science. Somehow, somewhere, amongst all the neural circuitry in your brain, your conscious experience is born. The essence of being you. Even the greatest scientists of our time have yet to figure out how exactly consciousness works, or how it came to be. We can only witness and observe its immensely complex mechanisms.
The term "subconscious", which refers to the part of the human psyche that significantly affects our feelings and behaviour, was first used and defined by Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis. Freud compared the human mind to an iceberg, with the tip above the water representing the conscious mind and the rest representing the preconscious and subconscious mind.
The conscious mind is primarily responsible for our thoughts and perceptions. The conscious mind processes the ideas we have and the goals we set for ourselves. Our conscious decisions and aspirations, however, do not always align with the actions we take, resulting in regret and frustration. This is because the subconscious mind has a strong influence on our feelings and behaviour, and the dichotomy of our minds is at the heart of our never-ending struggle.
Understanding the mechanisms of your mind and how it affect your behaviour is the first step towards reclaiming your free will.
Hypnosis and hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is the oldest Western form of psychotherapy, dating back to the late 18th century. It utilizes hypnosis in order to help alleviate a variety of physical and psychological symtoms.
Hypnosis is a natural state of focus and relaxation, similar to daydreaming. Everyone enters hypnosis at least twice a day, when waking up and when falling asleep. Hypnotic state can also occur when you're reading a book, watching a movie or driving a car.
The advantages of hypnosis in relation to psychotherapy include increased self-awareness, receptivity to suggestions, and easier access to the memories and patterns that govern your life. During hypnosis, your subconscious mind becomes more accessible and can be influenced to produce the desired change.
What issues can hypnotherapy help with?
Fears and phobias
Fear is an emotional response that often can’t be reasoned with using logic. Irrational fears can be linked to subconscious beliefs and images that greatly exaggerate the danger associated with a particular animal, object, or situation. Hypnotherapy is used to change the images and feelings linked to the object of a phobia and make them appear harmless.
Addictions
Urges and compulsions stem from the subconscious mind and often don’t respond to conscious reasoning. When it comes to addictions, hypnotherapy addresses both the compulsive urge to engage in unhealthy behavior and the reason why it’s there in the first place.
Addictive behavior takes a person away from mental or physical discomfort and pain, becoming the primary coping mechanism in times of distress. Sometimes addiction serves as a way to feel connected to other people, creating a sense of belonging.
We can find better ways to cope with life's challenges if we address the root cause of addictive behavior.
Relationships
Hypnotherapy can be used to improve your relationships in a variety of ways. It allows you to set clear boundaries, stay true to yourself, and avoid dependent behavior by increasing your self-esteem and sense of worth.
Children learn about love and relationships by observing their parents and the adults around them. The ideas and beliefs about how they should behave around their loved ones and how they should treat them are rooted deeply in the subconscious mind. If someone has adapted toxic beliefs and patterns throughout their life, it can lead to major difficulties in forming connections and bonding with other people.
Self-esteem
It's difficult to assess someone's self-esteem simply by looking at them. People can struggle with their self-image regardless of their social status, physical appearance, or the amazing skills they might possess. With low self-esteem, no accomplishment can ever feel like it's good enough.
We all see the world through a lens colored by our own beliefs. When that lens becomes distorted, we tend to focus on the negative feedback only. A thousand words of encouragement and support will be crushed under the weight of one critical opinion.
With the use of hypnotherapy, you can learn to treat yourself with kindness and make your internal dialogue resemble a conversation between dearest friends. You can start focusing on the good things about yourself and grow to truly love yourself for the person that you are.
Depression
Depression is a serious mood disorder that affects all areas of life. Although symptoms vary from person to person, the affected individual is usually accompanied by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, and a lack of motivation. Hypnotherapy focuses on exploring the possible causes of depression, improving the relationship one has with their thoughts, and helping them find purpose and meaning in their life.
Physical issues
Think about all the diseases and symptoms that can be triggered or exacerbated by stress. Migraines, gastrointestinal issues, hair loss, eczema, and many more physical conditions are closely tied to one's mental well-being. Hypnosis has been shown to be effective in stress management, resulting in the relief of many physical symptoms associated with stress.
Performance at work, school, or sports
To improve performance in various areas of life, hypnotherapy focuses on boosting confidence, concentration, and motivation while redirecting attention back to the goals set out. As an added benefit, this also naturally reduces procrastination.
Many people, from office workers to professional sportsmen, nurses to brilliant scientists, and even famous artists, have learned to use hypnosis to achieve a fantastic work attitude and, as a result, great success in their fields.
Sexual problems
In order to fully enjoy being close to another person, one needs to feel comfortable with themselves first. Insecurity, fear of rejection, feelings of guilt and shame are just a few of the ways the mind can cause a loss of interest in intimacy and hinder the ability to perform.
By investigating the root cause of these negative feelings and improving their attitude towards sex, anyone can become perfectly comfortable with their sexuality and reap the benefits of a healthy sex life!
Your subconscious mind contains your emotions, urges, habits, and convictions, all of which have a significant impact on how you interact with the world. We'll figure out how this affects you and then work together to remove the subconscious barriers that are holding you back and replace them with positive affirming beliefs about yourself.
I can provide hypnotherapy services in the following areas:
Obsessive-compulsive behaviour
Compulsions, just like habits, reside within the realm of the subconscious. When these automatic behaviours get out of hand and begin to hinder a person's life, there's often an underlying cause to be found with the help of hypnotherapy. If someone feels like they don't have any control over their life or their thoughts, the mind often tries to help by exerting control over the simple things around them. With the help of hypnotherapy, one can learn to let go of what they can't control and focus on directing their thoughts in a way that benefits them in their daily lives.
And much more!
Are you experiencing an issue that has not been listed? Book a discovery call today and let's talk about the countless possibilities RTT® can offer you!
Weight issues
Whether you're trying to lose some weight or gain a few kilos, having the right mindset is the key. It's not as simple as going on a diet for a month or exercising from time to time - as long as your lifestyle remains the same, the yo-yo effect is almost inevitable.
Whenever you eat something, the reward system in your brain releases feel-good chemicals. Because everyone's brain is hardwired to seek pleasure, it's not surprising that many people treat themselves with food in times of stress - especially if they used to be rewarded with sweets when they were children.
There are as many reasons for being both overweight and underweight as there are people. It's best to explore the subconscious mind for clues as to why conventional diets don't work, and focus on changing the mindset once and for all.
Money blocks
There are so many things that can go wrong when it comes to handling personal funds. Some find it almost impossible to save money, spending everything they get shortly after a paycheck. Others can't bring themselves to buy anything expensive out of fear that they might soon need cash for an impending disaster - even if their worries are completely unfounded. Some people feel uncomfortable when receiving money, even if it's a fee for their services. Because of that, many aspiring entrepreneurs end up working for free or undercharging their clients.
Everyone has a different view on money and its value, stemming from the beliefs rooted deeply in the subconscious. There is a reason why some people end up in poverty even after winning a lottery, while others can build a great capital seemingly out of nothing. Hypnotherapy can help you eliminate the hindering beliefs that keep you from reaching the goals you set for yourself and greatly improve your relationship with money.
Anxiety
The causes of anxiety are not always easy to pinpoint. Is it something that happened a long time ago that fuels that unsettling feeling within? Is it because of current events, or because of situations that haven't yet occurred? One thing is certain: anxiety causes mental and physical exhaustion, making life more difficult than necessary.
Aside from having a deeply relaxing effect, hypnosis allows you to go deep into your subconscious in order to not only address the potential causes of anxiety but also to instil the reassuring feeling that everything will be fine - that no matter what happens, you're strong enough to deal with any situation.