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Some people with agoraphobia are afraid of hypnosis because they hold misconceptions about it or don’t understand it. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions regarding hypnosis: What qualifications should a professional hypnotherapist have in order to treat psychological disorders? To provide professional hypnosis treatment for psychological disorders, the therapist should be a licensed psychologist or some other form of licensed mental health care professional (psychiatrist, social worker, or counselor). The therapist should also have taken courses in hypnosis at the postgraduate level and have received supervision in using this technique. For certification in clinical hypnosis, the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) has set a minimum standard of 40 hours of formal instruction, 20 hours of individualized supervision, and two years of independent practice in a specialty. How long should hypnosis treatment take? The length of hypnotic treatment will vary with the severity of your disorder, just like other treatments. It could take one session or several sessions. Hypnosis is often used in conjunction with other forms of therapy. Will you lose consciousness during hypnosis? No. Hypnosis is just an altered state of consciousness, but you do not become unconscious. The hypnotic EEG pattern is different from that of sleep. During hypnosis, you stay aware of everything that is spoken to you. Will you unknowingly reveal secrets about yourself while undergoing hypnosis? No. Patients do not start offering information about themselves during hypnosis that they normally would not reveal. You can talk while under hypnosis but you are unaware of what you are saying. Does a hypnotherapist control or exert power over the patient? No. You remain in control of yourself during hypnosis and your will is not weakened by the therapist. The hypnosis procedure is totally voluntary and you cannot be made to do anything against your will. Only when hypnosis is done on stage for the purposes of entertainment does the therapist exert power over the patient. This does not happen in professional, clinical hypnosis. What if you have trouble coming back from the hypnotic state? When done professionally, you remain in control at all times and decide when you are going to come out of the hypnotic state. Can you learn to hypnotize yourself? Yes. Technically all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The therapist only helps guide you through the procedure. Most therapists make tapes or CDs that you can use to hypnotize yourself on your own. There are many self-help programs that teach self-hypnosis (sometimes referred to as autogenic training) that can be done at home without the guidance of a therapist. Autogenic training involves thinking about your body in a state of complete calm. To practice it, you lie down in comfortable clothing, close your eyes, and spend time focusing on imagery that makes you feel heavy and warm, and that lowers your heart rate and slows your breathing.
Article Source: http://www.agoraphobia.net
Stephen Price is a recovered agoraphobic with a master's degree in psychology. His informational website on agoraphobia, featuring a free newsletter, can be found at: www.agoraphobia.ws
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