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Hypnosis was accepted by the American Medical Association in 1958 as an effective methodology for treating tension and stress related symptoms. But does it definitely work? What should a person consider important when seeking out a hypno-technician, or ordering hypnosis recordings?

There are many diversified hypnotic methods that are used to reach the subconscious to cause change. Each method has its pros and cons. We are all different, so it stands to reason that the best results will result from using methods that each person will respond to.

Most companies that sell pre-recorded hypnosis programs offer CD's that consist of standard traditional hypnosis techniques. A few hypnosis vendors offer much more up-to-the-minute and effective Ericksonian hypnosis methods. And fewer still offer NLP methods.

The newest and by far most effective technology is video hypnosis. Video hypnosis utilizes the latest Neuro-Linguistic Programming thought processes to trigger rapid changes in a person. Video hypnosis techniques are not subliminal in nature.

With "Traditional Hypnosis," we simply make suggestions to the subconscious mind. In case you are wondering, as far as I'm concerned, the term unconscious and subconscious are equal - as they refer to the same part of the mind. This type of hypnotherapy works well for a person who generally accepts what he/she is told.

Most pre-recorded hypnosis programs sold today are based on "Traditional Hypnosis" methodologies. This is because it really doesn't take much knowledge to author a script and just tell a subject to do something. Unfortunately Traditional Hypnotism is not very compelling for people who are critical or analytical in their thinking processes.

By contrast, Ericksonian Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming methods work much better for most of today's generation! This is because today people are taught to question everything they hear, rather than just mimic what everyone else is doing. So these methods do work efficiently on people who are analytical in their thinking processes.

Ericksonian Hypnosis and NLP are far more effective at reaching and influencing the subconscious. However, it can take many years of of experience to learn how to apply these methods with a high rate of success. This is a chore that is only accepted by truly dedicated hypnotists.

With "Ericksonian Hypnosis," we use little stories, called Ericksonian metaphors, to present post-hypnotic suggestions to the subconscious. This is a powerful methodology, because it usually eliminates the mental blockage of suggestions that is often caused by the conscious mind. There are two types of metaphors, "Isomorphic," and those of the imbedded command or "interspersal" nature.

Isomorphic metaphors offer guidance to the subconscious by telling a story that offers up a moral. The subconscious draws a one to one relationship between the ingredients of the story and the ingredients of a negative behavior. For example, if a child is telling a lot of lies, the parent might tell the child the story about the "Boy who cried wolf." The subconscious would draw a parallel between the boy in the story and the child, and realize that telling lies could lead to disaster, so the child would probably stop lying.

With the Embedded Command technique, the hypnotist conveys an amusing story that distracts the conscious mind. The metaphor contains hidden direct post-hypnotic suggestions that are generally accepted by the subconscious. For example: during the time that the subject is in trance, he/she will hear the hypnotist say something like: I'm going to tell you a story about ...[a beach that has feelings. Isn't that] ...strange to... [you]? It's a warm summer's day, and... the beach [feels great].

The hypnotist pauses, shifts his voice tonality, and emphasizes the bracketed text. The subconscious recognizes a "Selectional restriction violation." Beaches can't have feelings. So it's like the subconscious says to itself: "Wait a minute, a beach can't feel anything, so that must mean that I'm supposed to feel great."

Since the suggestions are buried in a story that is misdirecting the conscious mind, it is unlikely that the conscious will realize that it has just received a post-hypnotic command, so it won't resist it.

Process Instructions direct the subconscious to remember an experience of an appropriate learning experience from the past where something useful to the present situation was learned, and then apply that experience to eliminate negative behaviors in the present.

With "Neuro-Linguistic Programming" (NLP), rather than using suggestions, we use the same thought patterns that are creating a problem, like a phobia, to get rid of the symptom. NLP in the hands of a trained and experienced NLP'er can be very effective.

NLP Anchoring: Have you ever heard some old music and had it trigger feelings from the past? When you originally listened to the music, you were feeling those feelings, and they unconsciously became associated with the sound of the melody. So the music became an Anchor for the feelings. Now when you hear the song, it triggers the same feelings again.

Anchoring can be a very effective method. Suppose that you have a memory of being commended for having done a great job in the past. If you revivify that memory, you'll be able to recall the feelings of self-esteem that you had at that time. If you touch two fingers together while you re-experience those feelings of self-esteem, that touch will become an anchor for the feelings of self-esteem.

Now suppose that you want to create motivation to stick to a diet and lose weight. If you make a mental image of yourself with a thin, sexy body, and simultaneously trigger the anchor - (press the two fingers together again), your subconscious will connect the feelings of self-esteem to your mental image of you with the thin body and your level of motivation to lose weight will increase exponentially.

NLP Flash: This is a very effective and powerful Neuro-Linguistic Programming method that can be used to turn things around in the subconscious, so that thoughts and experiences that used to trigger feelings of stress actually trigger relaxation instead.

The NLP Flash method is also a fast way to extinguish conditioned responses. For example: If a smoker has a cigarette while watching TV, his/her subconscious will associate the two behaviors together so that he/she automatically gets a compulsion for a cigarette anytime he/she watches TV. The Flash will cause the smoker's mind to disassociate the image of a cigarette from the TV so that he/she does NOT get an urge to smoke just because he/she is watching TV.

With "Subliminal" methods, the recording has two tracks. One track contains a cover sound that is heard by the conscious mind. The cover sound could be anything from music to nature sounds. The number two track contains direct commands that are picked up by the subconscious mind. These suggestions are repeated many times during a session.

Subliminal programs can play in the background while you are working, or driving or partisipating in any other activity. You don't have to stop what you are doing and relax like you do with hypnosis or NLP. Subliminals can be an addition to hypnotherapy programs. But Subliminals will never replace Hypnosis or NLP because they are not as effective! They don't even come close!! Some experts have claimed that it can take up to 80 hours of listening to a subliminal recording before it will have any effect on many people.

The last hypnotic methodology that we're going to talk about is Video Hypnosis. Video hypnosis is the most efficient form of hypnosis!

The methods used in video hypnosis are based on the Neuro-Linguistic Programming technology, which works based on the utilization of a person's existing thought patterns instead of direct commands.

Over 70% of the population learns more easily based on what they perceive through their eyes rather than what they hear.

Think about it. If you feel an urge to eat or smoke when watching TV, it's because your unconscious recorded the video image of either food in your hand, or a cigarette in your hand, and then linked that image to an image of the television. You never spoke to yourself and told yourself in words to associate them together, isn't that true?

And that's why the Video Hypnosis technology is so powerful. It's not hypnotic in the traditional sense, relying on the spoken word; rather, it relies on transmitting images to the subconscious. And if you've ever shed a tear when watching a sad television show, then you know how powerful and effective video hypnosis can be at reaching the subconscious. With this technique, results usually start with the very first viewing of the video!

The Video Hypnosis / NLP technique is offered under the trademark of Neuro-VISION. It programs the subconscious via a high-tech simulation process called computerized digital optics. This frees you of your cravings and tensions and allows a person who smokes to quit without willpower, and a dieter to lose their urges and appetite. Results start with the very first viewing!

(c) 2007 By Alan B. Densky, CH. This document may be re-printed as long as it isn't altered and the author's name and clickable web address links are retained.

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