What Is Hypnosis?

What Is Hypnosis?Lee McKing meets his client for hypnotherapy

Hypnosis is a natural state of awareness that people slip into day in and day out. It is characterised by several indicators, from a heightened state of awareness (hear more, see brighter etc), to deep relaxation, to intense focus and concentration.

The key is focused attention. You see, when you focus on something, like doing a task, you are tapping into this natural state of awareness, in order to complete the task as best you can. For example, studying for an exam and so focus were you in studying, that you forgot to eat. Although I know some people will never forgot to eat ahahah!

This natural state of awareness is sometimes known as a trance. Have you ever saw a beautiful or handsome person and went into a moment of stun-shock? That’s one example of a hypnotic trance.

When Do You Go Into A Hypnotic Trance?

There are many instances where you go into hypnosis or trance and many reasons for doing so. Have you ever had a meal with one other person and you were so into the conversation that you zone out all other noises from the cafe or restaurant? That’s another example of a naturally occurring trance.

Lee McKing The Hypnotist demonstrating hypnosis with a client
Lee McKing The Hypnotist demonstrating hypnosis with a client

This is quite similar to the above studying trance, so how about this. If you drive, or you can ask a driver, have you ever driven on a familiar route, from point A to point B, and for some reason you got to point B but you have no idea what happened in between? There will be instances of this happening because this is another state of trance!

How about this. You probably already experienced this, where you wake up and do your daily activities like brushing your teeth and then you forgot whether you brushed your teeth or not? This is because your unconscious mind is doing it for you so you don’t have to do it consciously. I will explain more on the conscious and unconscious mind later.

Here’s one more for fun. Have you watched a movie before and you were so into the movie, that you felt the main character’s pain, his or her happiness and joy, the sadness at the loss and even grief? This is tapping into another type of trance.

What’s The Conscious and Unconscious Mind? Monday Hypnotic Fact by Lee McKing

Now the conscious mind is the part of the mind that is a bit more logical and minute. It is the mind that focuses on one thing, whether it’s looking or hearing, or even thinking.

The unconscious mind is the part of the mind that is a bit more emotional and vast. It is the mind that absorbs information from everywhere, regardless of where the conscious mind is looking or hearing.

Think of it this way, do you know what an iceberg is? Well, besides it being what the Titanic crashed into and sinking, an iceberg essentially, a large piece of ice. And you probably also know that the iceberg that is seen above the water, is only about 10%, whereas the iceberg below the water is about 90%. That’s why the Titanic sunk, it didn’t realize the iceberg was much bigger.

Now the conscious mind is like the 10% above the water, while the unconscious mind is the 90% below the water. Our problems can exist consciously, but it can exist unconsciously too. This is why hypnosis or hypnotherapy is a useful method to tap into the unconscious mind and resolve problems. But I will share more on that in just a moment. Let me share what hypnosis is not, first.

What Is Not Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is not sleep as you probably already guessed by now. Yes, what you see in the movies is largely Hollywood. So that means hypnosis is also not mind control.

Ok, you might be thinking I might say that, but think of it this way. If I as a hypnotist can control your mind, I might as well make myself rich or the king of the world by now!

Although I can say this, if mind control is a valid thing, then hypnosis is more about controlling your own mind. But that’s more to self hypnosis.

Alright, so hypnosis is not sleep, it’s not mind control, and it’s also not some voodoo black magic. I shared a bit about when someone goes into a state of trance, or another state of awareness, and this occurs naturally already. So you know by now that hypnosis is not magic.

However I must point out here that it is possible for certain drugs or herbs that cause one to go into a hypnotic state much more quickly and thus, might seem magical especially when we think of shamanic rituals and how they do into a state of trance (same word, different meaning!)

Now here is one final thing I must emphasise, hypnotherapy largely works with consent. So I cannot hypnotise you and and make you do my bidding as mentioned earlier. But it also means a key important note.

Unless you want to change, I cannot help you. It is also a principle of mine to work only with people who want to change and gives consent for hypnosis to occur. So if you are a parent, no I cannot make your child stop playing the computer unless he/she wants to stop playing the computer.

What Is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis to provide therapy to a client, such as the resolution of emotional issues or behavioural modifications. Essentially, it is to solve problems with the client.

A hypnotist or hypnotherapist like myself, will use hypnosis to tap into a client’s unconscious mind to find solutions to the issues the client is having and experiencing, which sometimes might not seem related and totally not what you thought.

A quick case study, I had a client who had anxiety issues and he thought it first happened when he was 17 years old. He sought medical help and he found it didn’t work for him as what he thought so he found me. I did a regression technique to we found out that the real root cause happened when he was 7 years old and crying in the living room. There was the possibility of losing his parents which started the anxiety issue. It only “manifested” itself when he was 17! Once we found the root cause, we resolved the anxiety issue within a single session.

And this is why hypnotherapy is a good alternative treatment to the conventional treatment. It finds the root cause that is in the unconscious mind and resolve it from there.

What Are The Benefits Of Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is an amazing way to tap into your unconscious mind to find powerful and positive resources to resolve issues. If you have fear, you can find calmness or even protection and your fears will just dissolve away. Or perhaps you have trauma, and then we find forgiveness, love and even what we learnt from the experience.

Hypnotherapy is also a time effective way to resolve issues, because you go right into the unconscious mind. Most people might think to have a logical way to resolve fears, for example, and that works on the conscious level, and while it can work too, it usually takes quite a bit of time, and who wants to face their fears physically? 

So other than making you feel completely relaxed, which you may or may not have felt in a long time, hypnotherapy also resolves behavioural issues like procrastination. Think of it this way, you’ve tried to stop procrastinating for the umpteen time but you still end up doing it anyway. What gives?

You see, the issue lies in your unconscious mind and hypnotherapy is an excellent way to find your inner motivation and bring it out, or find your mental blocks and clear them. You can get inner breakthroughs with hypnosis like no other.

Conversational Versus Traditional

Traditional Hypnotherapy has been in history for the longest time and is well known for a long and deep relaxation followed by direct suggestions for the issue. Conversational Hypnotherapy uses more complex and diversified language patterns to assist the client with unconscious change processes. It is more time effective for both client and therapist, and cost effective for the client.

Ok, let me clear something up for you. What you probably know of hypnotherapy is restricted to what you see in the media, movies and stories.

And that’s the standard 2 hours of sleep in a bed of some sort and the hypnotist is speaking in a droning, boring, slow… zzz

Hahahaha well that is traditional hypnotherapy and while some elements are true, it’s not my main method of hypnosis.

What I prefer to use is Conversational Hypnotherapy, and as mentioned above, it’s more time and cost effective for you.

Let me illustrate. Let’s say you have a fear of heights. And you go to a counsellor. One of the techniques they might use is exposure therapy which typically take 6-8 sessions. This is a more conscious way by the way. A traditional hypnotherapist might also take about 6-8 sessions. A good traditional hypnotherapist might take 3-4 sessions. But then again, so could the counsellor. Me? As a conversational hypnotherapist, I would take a maximum of 1 session to resolve your fear of heights, and so far, my average time to resolve such a fear is about 15-20 minutes.

“Are you freaking kidding me?” You probably have that question in your head. No, I am not.

In fact, go and find a friend of yours who studied psychology or counselling or maybe even now is practising counselling or psychology. Find that friend, and ask about a fear of heights, or whatever fear you have, and the treatment process. And then what’s the fastest client they had or know of. And then mention you kind of know this guy (me) who is a hypnotist and he said he can resolve a fear in a maximum of a single session. If your friend can help you in a single session, go ahead and work with him/her! If he or she cannot, well, you still don’t have to work with me to resolve your fears. It’s really your choice. This paragraph is more to raise awareness and have an idea of what’s out there and what works.

What Can I Work Through?

Typically, I work with people who have emotional issues.

Emotional issues include and not limited to anxiety, low self esteem, anger management, stress, post traumatic stress disorder, emotional breakups, fears etc

Now while most of my clients come to me for emotional issues as above, there are some who come to me for other issues as well. They include behavioural issues are habits and procrastination, career blockages, clearing the mind to get extra focus and concentration (especially with kids) and more

The key is in your unconscious mind! That’s where all your solutions to your problems are.

Monday Hypnotic Fact by Lee McKing

So now what?

Well, if you believe you have some issues and really want to change or resolve it, and believe I can help you, or maybe just curious if I can help you, go ahead and contact me by emailing me at mcking (at) leemcking.sg or sending me at text message on my facebook page here

And if we do meet, let’s have a cup of coffee 🙂

Lee McKing with a cup of coffee