The role of the hypnotherapist is to help people to make positive changes in their lives through the use of hypnosis. Hypnosis originally came from the Greek "hypnos" to sleep but, in reality, the patient in hypnosis is awake, but in a relaxed state. In fact, in our everyday lives we enter into hypnosis without really knowing about it. For example, it is possible to be engrossed in really a good book so that you become so fully absorbed you are unaware of someone speaking to you.

Another example of a natural trance state is when you are watching a film - we know that it is not "real" but we still experience emotions as if the situation was real, with tears or being frightened out of our wits! Many experience a trance-like state while driving a car - the journey is often made on "automatic pilot" mode, the mind being totally occupied by other matters. How many times do you "switch off" in the middle of a boring conversation or lecture, and daydream…

In hypnosis you are aware of all physical sensations around you, noticing sounds you wouldn't otherwise be aware of. After a traumatic incident such as a car accident or violent robbery, a subject under hypnosis may be able to recall with extreme accuracy car numbers, details, etc., that their subconscious mind has remembered but their conscious mind has overlooked.

All hypnosis is essentially self-hypnosis