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Hypnosis was accepted by the American Medical Association in 1958 as an effective approach for treating nervous tension and stress related symptoms. But does it definitely work? What should you consider critical when seeking a hypnotist, or purchasing hypnosis tapes & CDs?

There are many assorted hypnotic modalities that are used to reach the subconscious mind to bring about change. Each method has its good points and its bad points. No two people are the same, so it stands to reason that the best results will be gotten by utilizing the methods that each individual will have the most success with.

Most hypnosis tape venders offer programs that consist of standard traditional hypnotic techniques. A few hypnosis vendors offer much more progressive and effective Ericksonian hypnosis methods. And fewer still offer NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming methods.

The most effective technology is video hypnosis. Video hypnosis relies on the latest NLP mind processes to create instant change in a person. Video hypnosis techniques are not subliminal in nature.

With "Traditional Hypnosis," we simply make post-hypnotic suggestions to the subconscious mind mind. In case you are wondering, as far as I'm concerned, the term unconscious and subconscious are interchangeable - as they refer to the same part of the mind. This type of hypnosis works well for someone who generally accepts what he/she is told without questionning everything.

Most pre-recorded hypnosis programs that are sold today are based on "Traditional Hypnosis" methods. The reason for this is that it really doesn't take much training to write a script and just instruct a subject to do something. Unfortunately Traditional Hypnosis is not very efficient for people who are critical in their thinking processes.

By contrast, Ericksonian Hypnosis and NLP methods work more effectively for most members of today's generation! This is because today individuals are taught to question everything they hear, rather than just follow the flock. So these methods do work very well on people who are critical in their thinking processes.

Ericksonian Hypnosis and NLP are far more effective at reaching and influencing the subconscious mind. However, it can take years of training and experience to learn how to apply these methods with a high rate of success. This is a chore that is only accepted by truly dedicated therapists.

With "Ericksonian Hypnosis," we use little stories, called Ericksonian metaphors, to present post-hypnotic suggestions to the subconscious mind. This is an effective technology, because it usually eliminates the blockage of and resistance to suggestions that is often caused by the conscious mind. There are two types of metaphors, "Isomorphic," and those of the imbedded command or "interspersal" nature.

Isomorphic metaphors offer guidance to the subconscious mind by telling a story with a moral. The subconscious mind draws a one-on-one relationship between the parts of the story and the parts of a problem situation. For example, if a child is telling a lot of lies, the parent might tell the child the story about the "Boy who cried wolf." The subconscious mind would draw a comparison between the boy in the story and the child, and realize that telling lies could lead to disaster, so the child would probably stop lying.

With the Embedded Command technique, the hypno-therapist conveys an amusing story that engages and distracts the conscious mind. The story contains covert direct commands that are almost always accepted by the subconscious mind. For example: While the subject is in trance, he/she might hear the hypnotist say something like: I'm going to tell you a story about ...[a beach that has feelings. Isn't that] ...strange to... [you]? It's a warm summer's day, and... the beach [feels great].

The hypnotist pauses, shifts his voice tonality, and verbally stresses the bracketed text. The subconscious mind recognizes a "Selectional restriction violation." Beaches can't have feelings. So it's like the subconscious mind says to itself: "Wait a minute, a beach can't feel anything, so that must mean that I'm supposed to feel great."

Since the suggestions are submerged in an article that is distracting the conscious mind, its not very likely that the conscious will realize that it has just received a post-hypnotic command, so it won't block it.

Process Instructions direct the subconscious mind to recall a memory of an appropriate learning experience from the past where something useful was learned, and then apply that experience to make a change in the present.

With "Neuro-Linguistic Programming" (NLP), rather than using suggestions, we use the same methods of thinking that are creating a problem, like insomnia, to get rid of the symptom. NLP in the hands of an experienced practitioner can be very effective.

NLP Anchoring: Have you ever heard an old song and had it trigger feelings from the past? When you originally listened to the song, you were experiencing those feelings, and they subconsciously became associated with the sound of the music. So the song became an Anchor for the feelings. Now when you hear the song, it triggers the same feelings again.

Anchoring can be a very effective method. Suppose that you have a memory of being commended for having done a great job in the past. If you revivify that memory, you'll be able to recall the feelings of self-esteem that you had at that time. If you touch two fingers together while you re-experience those feelings of self-esteem, that touch will become an anchor for the feelings of self-esteem.

Now suppose that you want to create motivation to stick to a diet and lose weight. If you make a mental image of yourself with a thin, sexy body, and simultaneously trigger the anchor - (press the two fingers together again), your subconscious mind will associate the feelings of self-esteem to the mental image of you with the thin body and your level of motivation to lose weight will increase markedly.

NLP Flash: This is a very effective Neuro-Linguistic Programming method that can be used to flip things around in the subconscious mind, so that thoughts and experiences that used to trigger feelings of stress actually trigger relaxation instead.

The NLP Flash method is also a fast way to erase a conditioned response. For example: If a smoker has a cigarette while driving a car, his/her subconscious mind will associate the two behaviors together so that he/she automatically gets a strong compulsion for a cigarette anytime he/she sits behind the wheel and drives.

The Flash will cause the smoker's mind to disassociate the image of a cigarette from the steering wheel and dashboard so that he/she does NOT get a craving to smoke just because he/she is driving.

With "Subliminal" CD's, the recording has dual tracks. One track contains a cover sound that is heard by the conscious mind. The cover sound could be anything from music to nature sounds. The alternate track contains direct commands that are picked up by the subconscious mind mind. These suggestions are repeated many, many times during a session.

Subliminal programs can be played in the background while you are working, or talking on the phone or partisipating in any other activity. You don't have to stop what you are doing and relax like you do with NLP CD's. Subliminals can be an addition to hypnotic programs. But Subliminals will never replace Hypnosis or NLP because they are not as effective! They don't even come close!! Some studies have claimed that it can take up to 80 hours of listening to a subliminal CD before it will have any effect on many people.

The last hypnotic technology that we're going to discuss is Video Hypnosis. Video hypnosis is the most effective form of hypnosis!

The methods used in video hypnosis are based on the Neuro-Linguistic Programming technology, which works based on the utilization of a person's existing thought patterns instead of direct suggestions.

Over 70% of the people on the planet learn more easily based on what they see rather than what they hear.

Think about it. If you feel an urge to eat or smoke when watching television, it's because your unconscious mind recorded the video image of either food in your hand, or a cigarette in your hand, and then tied that image to an image of the television. You never spoke to yourself and told yourself in words to associate them together, isn't that true?

And that's why the Video Hypnosis method is so powerful. It's not hypnotic in the traditional sense, relying on the spoken word; rather, it relies on transmitting images to the subconscious mind. And if you've ever shed a tear when watching a sad television show, then you know how powerful video hypnosis can be at reaching the subconscious mind. With this technology, results usually start with the very first viewing of the video!

The Video Hypnosis / NLP technology is offered under the registered trademark of Neuro-VISION. It reprograms the subconscious mind using a high-tech digital process. This frees a person of their compulsions, urges, and tensions and allows someone who smokes to stop without effort, and a dieter to lose their compulsions and appetite. Results start with the very first viewing!

(c) 2007 By Alan B. Densky, CH. This document may be re-printed as long as it isn't changed in any way and the author's name and clickable web address links are retained.

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Alan B. Densky, CH is certified by the NGH. He is the developer of Neuro-VISION Video Weight Loss Hypnosis DVD's and Video Stop Smoking Hypnosis DVD's. The technology was granted a United States Patent. Mr. Densky can be reached through his Neuro-VISION Hypnosis web site.