1. Top 10
Comforting "Facts"
about Hypnosis
[that aren't true!]
http://www.centercityhypnosis.com
(c) 2006-2014 Steve Roh

2. "Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation
and is similar to 'zoning out' when
you're driving on the highway"
● No, it isn't. You can also experience fear,
anger, sadness, and just about anything
else in hypnosis, which is why it can be
useful in training people how to manage
those states.

3. "You won't do anything immoral, harmful,
or unethical in hypnosis"
● This is nonsense. Of course you can. After all, people can be led
into immoral, unethical and harmful behavior without being
hypnotized, right?
● Hypnosis does not create a magical force-field which protects
you from bad influences or stupid decisions. Still, you cannot be
"forced" into doing something you don't want to do, but you can
be misled into doing it, just like you can outside of hypnosis.
● Use common sense: trust your gut and use your brain,
and just avoid working with anyone who gives you
the creeps.

4. "Don't worry, you remain in total control
when you get hypnotized"
● No, this is not true. By definition, a hypnotist can
exert a high degree of control over what you pay
attention to, your emotional state and your
perceptions of reality, and therefore your behavior
within that context. If you are in total control of your
experience, you are NOT hypnotized.

5. "You remain awake and aware while in
hypnosis, and you'll remember everything
that happens during the session"
● No, this is not true. You are NOT asleep, but at the
same time you are not necessarily aware of
everything during the experience.
● It is also common to forget portions of the
experience, just like waking up from an intense
dream and forgetting exactly what happened
in that dream.

6. ● This depends on what you mean by "against your will". If
someone chooses to resist being hypnotized, or is simply
uninterested in it, then they will not be.
● Hypnosis is easy to resist: simply refuse to pay attention and
don't follow instructions. In that sense going into trance is a
voluntary process. However, people CAN be hypnotized without
their knowledge or consent.
● Hypnosis is about unconscious effects, so willpower is mostly
irrelevant anyway.
"You can't be hypnotized against your will"

7. "All you need is the desire and
expectation that you will be hypnotized
and you will be!"
● No, this isn't correct. Desire and expectation are nice, but there are
other factors that can be more important (see the FAQ for details)
● It's also the case that if people try too hard to be hypnotized,
desperately wanting it to work, then they may have a harder time!
So this "fact", that all you need is desire and expectation, is not
accurate... and in reality, being too eager or helpful can interfere
with the process.

8. "You have to 'really want to change' in
order for the hypnosis to work"
● This is not true. The main point of doing hypnosis is to adjust
automatic, unconscious processes towards a positive change. By
definition, hypnosis operates at a non-voluntary level, so it has
little to do with willpower or motivation.
● In fact, when a person feels a need to insist that they "really want
it to work", that can be a bad sign!
● However, for most consistent results in the long run, it's obviously
better to work with people who are self-motivated and have
other factors in addition to hypnosis which are
driving them to change.

9. "You can depend on your hypnotist being
well-trained and competent, as long as they
are certified"
● As a certified hypnotist myself, I can tell you that certifications are
very unreliable. Don't be impressed by a fancy certificate on the
wall! Most of the industry revolves around selling training courses
to other hypnotists. There are relatively few active hypnotists who
work with individual clients on a regular basis.
● When you see someone promoting themselves as a hypnosis
trainer, it usually means they're mainly in the business of selling
weekend workshops to other would-be hypnotists,
because they have an unrelated day-job.

10. "A hypnotist cannot get you to do things
you would not normally do"
● If this were true, then what would be the point of going to a
hypnotist??? After all, people want to get hypnotized in order to
experience a change in an undesired or unhealthy part of their
normal routine.
● But this isn't "making" someone do something they don't want to
do. It's about the skillful adjustment of subconscious perceptions
and focused attention that leads to desired change. This can be a
deep and lasting change if it's in a form that is satisfying to the
hypnotee. Otherwise, it's just an interesting and unusual
experience during the duration of the hypnotic state.

11. "Don’t worry, hypnosis is totally safe!"
● Hypnosis is neither safe nor unsafe.
● Consider that it's a form of intensified focus,
attention and imagination, enabling a powerful form
of subconscious learning. It's meaningless to claim
that focus and imagination and learning are “safe”.
It depends on what you focus on, and it depends
on what you imagine to be true!

12. ● These myths are often repeated with good
intentions by well-meaning people who just want to
make you feel comfortable (I used to believe some
of them too!)
● Either that, or they are just pulling your leg to get
you in the door.
When it comes to the hypnosis field,
I encourage you to be skeptical. You
don't have to believe. Be like Scully.
(We always liked her better anyway)

13. I hope this presentation has been of interest to you.
Get more info like this:
send blank email to
cchypnosis-news@aweber.com
Steve Roh
Chief Hypnosis Officer
Center City Hypnosis
(c) 2006-2014 Steve Roh