Common Questions about Hypnosis

Q: What does hypnosis feel like?

A: For most people, it feels incredibly relaxing and pleasant, like a massage for your mind. It's also a familiar experience to many, as everyone briefly enters a state similar to hypnosis every time they fall asleep or wake up. If you've ever been driving and suddenly realized that you were so caught up in your thoughts that you missed your turn or didn't notice that the light had changed, then you've experienced spontaneous hypnosis. If you've ever been so caught up in a movie or book that you jumped, cried, screamed, or otherwise reacted to imaginary events, you've been in hypnosis.

Q: Will I remember any of it?

A: You'll probably remember all of it. Some people don't remember anything that happens when they go into trance, unless they get specific suggestions to remember. Most people remember all of it, especially the first time, and may even wonder whether they've actually been in hypnosis. This is usual. Some people drift in and out of awareness during a session, remembering some parts and not others.

Q: Do I have to go into a deep trance to make changes?

A: No. Fortunately, even a light trance is sufficient to contact the unconscious mind and give it powerful suggestions. Most people find that they drift between deep and light levels of trance in a single session.

Q: What if I get stuck in hypnosis and can't get out?

A: Then you'll spend the rest of your days cleaning my house. Okay, seriously, you can't get stuck in hypnosis any more than you could get stuck in a daydream. Even if the hypnotist dies in the middle of your session, you'll just return to normal waking consciousness after a little while. Likewise, in the case of danger, you can snap out of hypnosis in an instant.

Q: What if I fall asleep?

A: It's not ideal to fall asleep during a session, but if you do, your unconscious mind will still be listening.

Q: Can a hypnotist make me do things I don't want to?

A: If something is against your basic character or moral code, no one—hypnotist or otherwise—can make you do it. In hypnosis, any suggestions that are dangerous to you or against your higher will are automatically rejected.

Q: Do you need a college degree or a state license to be a hypnotist?

A: Both the federal government and the state of Texas consider hypnosis to be safe enough to not require licensing. Likewise, no accredited colleges offer degrees in hypnosis; anyone who claims a doctorate or other degree in hypnosis received it from an unaccredited institution, or possibly a diploma mill.

Q: Your business card and website say you're a certified hypnotist. What does that mean?

A: There are plenty of organizations and individuals who will "certify" anyone with little or no training. However, in my case, being a certified hypnotist means I completed a 250-hour course with an instructor certified by the International Hypnosis Federation and passed an extensive final exam that included both a written test of my knowledge and a practical examination of my skills.

Q: Will I reveal all of my secrets?

A: Hypnosis is not a truth serum. People who lie normally will still lie under hypnosis.

Q: Is hypnosis an instant cure-all?

A: Don't I wish! Hypnosis can effectively deal with such a wide range of problems that it may seem like magic, but it isn't. It's just a way to make your mind work for you.

Q: Will I cluck like a chicken?

A: Only if you want to.

For more on common misconceptions about hypnosis, check out this segment from Mythbusters.