Portland Chiropractor Utilizing Chiropractic, Nutrition, Graston, Functional Medicine, Hypnotherapy and More

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Functional Hypnosis

(AKA: Clinical Hypnosis)

What is clinical hypnosis and how can it benefit me?

This is a question I am often asked by both patients and others who find out I am a certified clinical hypnotist.

When I began building this web site and my clinic in Portland, Oregon, I wanted to help my patients in physical, chemical and biochemical (naturally through nutrition) and mental/emotional levels. The mental/emotional and, frankly, subconscious level is where clinical hypnosis comes into play.

Here are some common reasons people come to me for clinical hypnosis in my Portland, Oregon, Chiropractic Clinic:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Utilizing Dr. Palsson's IBS protocol: click here for more information on this protocol including research and efficacy)
• Weight loss
• To stop smoking
• General fatigue (with no medical reason)
• Food cravings
• Help with motivation
• To become more active
• For chronic pain
• Sleep disturbances
• For relaxation
• Memory loss
• Problems focusing, and more.....

Hypnosis is a natural state of mind. It's a form of dissociation in which the mind is so focused on one thing that it ignores everything else. When you are hypnotized your unconscious mind takes over and operates automatically. If you have ever driven home and couldn't remember anything about the journey, or if you have been so absorbed in a book or a film that you lost track of time, then you have been in hypnosis.

What I will do is to call up this natural state during a session instead of waiting for it to happen randomly. When you are in a hypnotic trance, your mind is more open to suggestion, that is why you can easily stop smoking, lose weight, have more confidence etc.

What is a clinical hypnosis session like?

First, you'll fill out a detailed intake form which will give me a window into who you are. Next, we'll schedule an initial interview where we may or may not perform your first hypnotic induction depending on your goals and complexity of your situation. When we are both ready to perform the first induction, I will have you recline comfortably on memory-foam pillows and after checking that you are ready will then begin the induction.

The induction is a form of words designed to lead you into a relaxing and comfortable trance. Although you are deeply relaxed you are actively involved in the process. In hypnotherapy you are not a passive observer, you are always aware of what is going on and following what I am saying.

Once in trance I will guide you in making the changes you want. At all times, you will be aware of what is going on and you can talk, move and even come out of trance if you want to. You will be pleasantly relaxed and you will be able to hear a telephone ring or a door closed in the professional building I am in, but in the trance state your mind will dismiss these things; they are of no importance. You will normally remember everything that was said and you will not lose control.

At the end of the session the It will bring you out of trance again, usually including suggestions that you are feeling great. You will come out of trance feeling refreshed and alert.

What is hypnosis like?

Most people find the experience of hypnosis very enjoyable. Trance is like a state of deep relaxation, your mind becomes detached from everyday cares and concerns. In trance, nothing seems to matter, you feel you don't have anything to do, anything to worry about. You are aware of my voice, of things around you, but it is too much effort to attend to them.

There is no right or wrong way to experience hypnosis. Some people go into trance and report feeling deeply relaxed and sinking into the chair, others report a light airy feeling. For most people, once you are deep in trance you feel a lovely luxurious ease, and you can choose to forget about everything, detach completely from your surroundings, disconnect from your body and just exist in a timeless formless state until I call you back.

How does hypnosis work?

While you are in trance your unconscious mind takes over, you react to stimuli but do not consciously evaluate them. Much of your daily behavior is unconscious. When you are driving and you see a traffic sign you do not start to consider who designed it, or how it got there..... you just obey it. You can easily obey the traffic sign while thinking about something else.You will react to the suggestions I make during your session the same way.

In the unconscious state, your mind becomes responsive to suggestion you can do things you cannot do in normal circumstances. For example, under hypnosis you can alter your heart rate, reduce your blood pressure, make one hand warmer than the other, recall long forgotten events, ignore pain, and perform many other body functions that are normally not within conscious control.

The theory is that because your mind is automatically and unconsciously processing the hypnotic suggestions and the normal process of critical evaluation is absent, it seems to your mind as if the suggestions originate from inside your own subconscious, rather than from outside. Your mind will therefore accept the suggestions as rightfully belonging there and will combine the new suggestions with existing knowledge about itself.

However, your unconscious mind will not accept just any suggestion. The primary function of the unconscious mind is to keep you safe. Anything which goes against your basic values or which might harm you is disregarded. If hypnotists could get people to do anything they wanted then I would just go to the nearest bank and get the manager to give me money. Sadly, it doesn't happen.

Your subconscious regulates all your bodily functions like taste, smell, and your emotions. In hypnosis the subconscious is highly responsive to suggestion and so the hypnotist can suggest that you can taste lemon juice, or smell oranges and the subconscious will generate the appropriate responses. You really do taste the lemons, or smell the oranges. Your mind cannot tell the difference between something vividly imagined and the real thing.

This is why I can can suggest that events in the past mean something different, or are no longer important or are fading away, and the subconscious mind will incorporate these suggestions into a new way of reacting to these things. Similarly, I can guide you to imagining a future where you can do whatever it is you find hard to do right now. In hypnosis your powers of imagination are enhanced and the vivid images you create are accepted by your unconscious mind as being a part of reality. When you are effectively guided to imagining yourself doing something or experiencing something, then the mind cannot tell the difference between that and what really happened (or didn't happen). This means that if you imagine yourself speaking confidently to an audience then your mind will believe that you have done it and the feelings of confidence generated by that imagined event will replace any old feelings of fear and inadequacy.

How do I know I can be hypnotized?

Everyone can be hypnotized. If you are able to imagine someone's face, or recall a tune in your mind, or recreate a certain feeling.... you can be hypnotized! The more a person tends to daydream the more likely they are to be easily hypnotized. Strong minded people are excellent candidates too. If you have ever been lost in a daydream, or if you have been so absorbed in a book or a video game that you lost track of the time, then you have been in hypnosis. In fact, you have already been in hypnosis many times. Everyone has, and the more intelligent the person the easier they are to hypnotize.

How safe is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is natural and safe. No one has ever been harmed by going into a hypnotic trance. While you are in trance you are aware of everything that is going on, you are not unconscious.

The fun demonstrations seen on stage or TV are specially set up. The people you see really are hypnotized, they are not pretending. But the people who volunteer to go on stage are natural exhibitionists. They are also carefully screened to ensure only the highly hypnotizable are selected. The things people do on stage are things that they would do in normal life, given enough encouragement. The volunteers are aware of what they are doing and can stop at any time. People usually report that on stage they felt as if part of them was watching someone else do the antics and they were happy to go along with the suggestions. But they were aware of what was going on at all times, and could have stopped if they wanted to.

No one can be persuaded to do anything that conflicts with their own safety or their own moral values. If you are asked to do something you are not comfortable with you immediately pop out of trance and back to normal awareness. It happens all the time on stage shows, but they don't televise that bit.

There is nothing in your own mind that can harm you, and modern hypnotherapy does not go back to old hurts and open them up again. Hypnosis is gentle and enjoyable, and most people regularly go into hypnosis as soon as they have learned how.

Will I reveal my secrets?

You will not say anything you would not divulge normally and you won't talk in your sleep or anything like that. If I touch on anything that you do not want to deal with then your subconscious mind will just ignore the suggestion. You won't tell met any secrets, but you might some out on your own. It often happens that in trance you become aware of the hidden beliefs that have been holding you back, or identify the source of self sabotage that prevents you succeeding. I am skilled in using general suggestions that could apply to many situations and your subconscious mind will pick up the general suggestion and apply it to your particular problem. Once you are aware of it you can deal with it.

What if I don't wake-up?

This cannot happen. No one has ever got 'stuck' in hypnosis. It just isn't possible. Hypnosis is a natural state that you go into every day, your mind knows how to deal with it. Even if the hypnotist somehow went away and left you alone, your subconscious is still working to protect you. If there was any sudden alarm you would waken to full alertness instantly. For as long your mind is busy with whatever I suggested, you will remain in trance, but when you finish you will gradually become aware of your surroundings and you would waken naturally, as if from a gentle nap. When you leave the session you will be bright and alert and totally out of trance.

How long do the effects last?

Hypnosis not only works faster than many other therapies, once the change is made, it is permanent. Once you realize that there is no Santa Clause, you can never believe it again. It simply impossible to go back to the old belief. It is the same with hypnosis. I will leave suggestions that will empower your mind to keep on making the changes you want long into the future. Even after you have left the appointment your mind will still be working in the new way. It is a bit like showing you to cook instead of selling you a sandwich.

How many sessions will I need?

Some problems such as smoking or weight loss have a standard solution and I know how long they will take. Most problems only need a few sessions. For example, Stopping Smoking can take only one or two sessions, Weight Loss may take two or three. Most phobias can be cleared in one session, public speaking for example. Other problems take longer. Most people see a dramatic improvement after only one session. If there is no significant improvement after three sessions then hypnosis may not be the right fit for you.

How long does it take?

The initial session is booked for one and a half hours and follow-ups for 45-60 minutes. If you need more than one session, the usual pattern is to have one session per week, but some patients prefer a longer periods of time between sessions, sometimes several weeks. Each session is a distinct therapeutic unit and will have its own benefits independent of any other sessions; the effect is greater and longer lasting with repeated sessions. I usually record each session.

What does it cost:

$145 for the initial visit, $89 for follow-ups.

If you have doubts about any aspect of hypnotherapy, please contact me here: Dr. Irving: Portland, Oregon, Hypnotherapist, email me at info@OptFunction.com or call 503-866-9739. You are very welcome to bring a friend along with you if you want to. I look forward to working with you.