Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q:  What does hypnosis feel like?
A:  Hypnosis is a very natural state where your body and mind are very relaxed.  Most clients can hear every word and feel more aware than before going into hypnosis.  You can open your eyes at anytime – your mind is active and open, yet aware and ready to make decisions if you choose.

Q:  Some people can’t be hypnotized, right?
A:  Everyone has the ability to be hypnotized. We enter a hypnotic state whenever we’re engaged in a film or TV show. When the actors become the characters they portray in our minds, we are hypnotized. Whenever we are driving and daydreaming enough to miss a turn or freeway exit, we’re experiencing a light state of hypnosis.

Some people may have this misconception because of an unsuccessful experience they may have had in the past. People are responsive to different approaches, and if a particular approach has not been successful in the past, it’s a matter of finding the way that works best for them. Our practitioners have numerous techniques to draw upon, and are trained to find a method that will work best for you.

Q:  I’m too stressed out and can’t relax.
A:  You’ve come to the right place.  We will show you techniques to stop the racing going on in your mind.  You will learn how to slow down to relax into the hypnotic state — gently, easily and drug-free.

Q:  What will I feel like after hypnosis?
A:  Most report feeling wonderful, euphoric, light and with low-stress.  A good night sleep that evening is a regular side effect.

Q:  Will I remember what is said during hypnosis?
A:  Everyone experiences hypnosis differently. For some it’s a state in which you are focused on the hypnotist’s words and listening more carefully. For others it’s more like daydreaming and your attention may drift and wander from one thought to another, at times, not paying any conscious mind to what the hypnotist is saying.  Both ways are equally effective.

Q:  How long will the effects of hypnosis last?
A:  They last as long as you choose.  By experiencing hypnosis you have taken a huge first step – admitting something can be improved.  After entering hypnosis and re-programming the issue subconsciously that you want to change, you choose to embrace the change and “new way” of learning through new behaviors, beliefs, habits, etc.

Q:  Won’t I be asleep or in an out of control state?
A:  A common misconception is that you are asleep when hypnotized. Hypnosis is neither sleep nor unconsciousness. The experience of a formally induced hypnotic state might resemble sleep physically: slowed breathing, eyes closed, muscles relaxed, activity decreased.  Mentally, the client is relaxed and may be highly alert, in a comfortable state where the person can think, talk and even move about if needed.  All clients are different and can experience hypnosis in their own unique ways.  Some are comfortable enough with the process that they find themselves drifting in and out of a more dream-like state. In some instances they might respond subconsciously, through ideomotor signals or other methods.

Q:  There’s gotta be a catch… I mean, all these programs I’ve enrolled in before haven’t worked — why would hypnosis?
A:  The other programs from before only masked the symptoms, it didn’t go directly to them and get them corrected.  That’s the beauty of hypnosis — it fixes the problem so you don’t chase the symptom anymore.  Hypnosis helps people “take back” control of their mind, and thus their life.

Q:  Is Hypnosis against my religious beliefs?
A:  A handful of religious sects have, in the past, raised objections to hypnosis. Most religious groups accept the proper ethical use of hypnosis for helping people. Included are: Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Mormon, and most Protestant Christian Churches, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and others. Hypnosis is not associated with any religion. A professional and ethical hypnotist respects the faith of all clients and cannot use hypnosis inappropriately to influence a person’s religious beliefs.

The Roman Catholic Church was among the first to accept and recognize hypnosis as a healing procedure back in 1957.  Most other major religions have also accepted hypnosis and do not prohibit their members from seeking and utilizing hypnosis to improve their lives.  Click here for more information about hypnosis and the Catholic Church.

Q:  What is the office like?
A:  We have an antigravity chair or regular chair for you to sit in.  The antigravity chair includes a heater in your back that you can turn on if you wish.  99% of clients prefer the antigravity chair because it eliminates any pressure points in the body – its very, very comfortable.  We have a salt lamp in the corner which gives a soft orange glow during the session.  The salt lamp has natural healing and restorative properties and helps with relaxation.  We also have a music system that plays soothing music as you relax.  We recommend clients bring their own “snuggle blanket” to their session for added warmth and comfort.

Q:  How is therapeutic hypnosis different from stage hypnosis?
A:  In stage hypnosis, the performer chooses people who pass suggestibility tests to see if they will enter hypnosis quickly and open up to their deepest, most child-like state (barking like a dog, hand glued to their head ,etc.).  If it appears the people on the stage are “under someone’s control,” its because they have chosen to do what they are told because they believe they will have fun in doing so.

In therapeutic hypnosis, it is the complete opposite — it is not a show and there is no stage.  Therapeutic hypnosis is a one-on-one experience with a Certified Hypnotherapist where we discuss an issue, how it manifests in your everyday life and using the hypnotic state, we work toward change in a very natural, drug-free, easy way.

Q:  Will I bark like a dog or cluck like a chicken?
A:  If you want to, sure.  We’re not here to judge.  We are only here to help you achieve your goals. Joking aside, this is not a stage show – our office is a therapeutic environment where each client is treated with the highest amount of respect.  We are simply facilitators of change and a guide. We do not engage in unprofessional, stage show antics.

Q:  A hypnotist can control and force me to say and do things against my will, right?
A:  The Law of Freewill stops this dead in its tracks.  What you may have seen in stage hypnosis are people who willingly go up on the stage wanting to experience a loss of control.  In Therapeutic Hypnosis (what we practice at Meridian Peak), the client is always in control, not the Hypnotherapist.  A person in the hypnotic state determines their own level of participation in the process.  Hypnosis can never be used to make you do something that you don’t want to do.  Under hypnosis you will not be able to do anything that goes against your personal beliefs or values.  If you are asked to do something unacceptable to your beliefs and values, your mind will simply reject it and if it concerns you significantly, you will come out of hypnosis immediately.

Q:  Can’t I get stuck in trance?
A:  No one has ever been stuck in a hypnotic trance. Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state that we enter and exit several times during the normal course of a day.  If, for some reason, the hypnotist does not bring someone out of trance, he/she will return to a fully alert state on their own. If there’s an emergency while you are in hypnosis, you will automatically recognize the urgent situation and immediately awaken to full alertness.

Q:  Can only a person with a weak mind be hypnotized?
A:  The opposite is actually the truth.  Motivation and cooperation are the only things required for success using hypnosis.  We work with people of all ages, backgrounds, intelligence levels and capacities.  As long as you are motivated to change and cooperate with what we tell you to do there is no reason why we cannot get you into the hypnotic state.

Q:  Can you become addicted to hypnosis, or become dependent on your Hypnotherapist?
A:  Meridian Peak Hypnosis is committed to the empowerment of our clients so they can be self-sustaining and help themselves.  This is why we teach self-hypnosis in the first session.  Hypnosis has no negative physical effects on the body — all effects are positive and beneficial to your well-being.  In fact most clients look forward to their daily self-hypnosis time because they can relax themselves completely and awaken refreshed and energized.  Meridian Peak Hypnosis makes a point of giving clients tools to independently help themselves for the rest of their lives.

Q:  If you could hear the Hypnotherapist during the session, does that mean I was not hypnotized?
A:  This is false.  Society, movies and especially stage hypnosis, have taught us that being in the hypnotic state is the same as being asleep and this is not true.  While in hypnosis you are aware of anything around you.  During the session you are relaxed and even more aware than before entering the hypnotic state. After the session, some find they have only a partial memory of what was heard while in hypnosis.  This is common because your mind was so relaxed and focused that it registered the Hypnotherapist’s words but did not store them in your conscious mind.  But, they were stored in your subconscious mind which is where they will do the most good!  Our subconscious mind is the agent of change in everything.

Q:  Hypnotherapists have magical powers — this must be true?
A:  Hypnotherapists are normal human beings who have been professionally trained to understand how the brain processes information and how our subconscious operates.  A good Hypnotherapist is an expert in guiding you into the hypnotic state and giving positive suggestions for improvement.  There is nothing magical about this.  It is simply how we are wired and most don’t know change can really be this easy!

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We can work with you in-office, via phone, via Google Meet or via Apple Facetime worldwide. Scheduling is fast and easy online. We are happy to answer questions at anytime by calling our office or send an e-mail to: questions@meridianpeakhypnosis.com.

Our Practitioners Are Committed To Your Success - Click to Schedule

Marc Holm, CHt Clients ages 14 & up Initial Visit (In-Office) Follow-Up Visit (In-Office) Initial Visit (Online Only) Follow-Up Visit (Online Only)

Jodi Grubman, CH Clients ages 16 & up Initial Visit (In-Office) Follow-Up Visit (In-Office) Initial Visit (Online Only) Follow-Up Visit (Online Only)

Additional Information:

• Wikipedia - Hypnotherapy
• Wikipedia - Self Hypnosis
• National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH)