The Institut de nouvelle hypnose was founded in 1993 by Dr. Eric Mairlot M.D. in order to establish the first group of hypnotherapy experts in the fields of psychotherapy, psychosomatic conditions and medical disorders. The institute is organised around two centres:
Centre de thérapie brève
The Centre de thérapie brève (Centre for Brief Therapy) is for individuals of all ages who are looking for a lasting physical and psychological well being. The CTB team, inspired by Dr. Mairlot, consists of 13 specialists offering complementary competences:
- 2 neuro-psychiatrists,
- 1 physician-psychotherapist,
- 5 psychologists,
- 1 sex therapist and psychotherapist.
- 2 coach and psychotherapist
- 2 physio-psychotherapist
- 1 nurse psychotherapist
- 1 professionnal masseuse
All these therapists are, in addition, trained in hypnotherapy techniques.
Centre de formation
The Centre de formation is a centre of expertise in hypnotherapy training for members of the medical and paramedical professions. It also proposes to learn to use the techniques of hypnosis and of autohypnosis in order to enhance the personal emotional, cognitive and sexual development.
INTRODUCTION TO INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP HYPNOSIS (TOBACCO) AS WELL AS (STRESS /FOOD RELATED) SELFHYPNOSIS
The ideal attitude to adopt in order to benefit from the first experience in self-hypnosis: the hypnotic process is not to be confused with sleep, one remains conscious at all times. However one should act as though it were sleep (!). For example, when you are impatient and try very hard to fall asleep you will find it much harder to actually fall asleep! The same is true for hypnosis; be patient and let the hypnosis come to you naturally
LET IT WORK NATURALLY
When you worry about not falling asleep, it will keep you from it. For example, if you ask yourself questions such as: “Am I sleeping?” whilst you are falling asleep - you wake up, don't you? It is similar for hypnosis - to get out of the state of hypnosis, all you need to do is to think critically: “Am I in a hypnotic state?”, “Am I doing what I’m supposed to be doing?”, or “Should I be seeing this or understand that?” Therefore, in order to enter a hypnotic state, forget all the “I should’s, I have to’s", etc...and just let it come to you naturally.
HYPNOSIS IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH SLEEP
If during the session you feel tired (as though you’re about to fall asleep) let the alteration of your conscious state take place. It will not be sleep. Most people are only aware of two different states of consciousness: sleep and wake. As the hypnotic state comes closer to one or the other, we tend to believe that it’s either sleep or wake. However, a wide variety of states of consciousness exist. When consciousness profoundly changes it may resemble sleep, when in fact it’s not. If one fights against what one supposes to be sleep, the hypnotic state will end; because our effort thwarts the alteration of the state of consciousness.
HYPNOSIS IS A MODE OF MENTAL FUNCTIONING
Hypnosis is not RELAXATION; it is a mode of mental functioning, so it is not necessary to relax during hypnosis. One can even experience feeling tense, concentrated or distracted. Nevertheless, it enables an extraordinary communication between the mind and body; and certain hypnotic experiences may lead to profound states of mental and physical relaxation. In other words, hypnosis may lead to both, hyper-alertness and concentration, or intense joy and somatic/psychic well-being. You may come to a session feeling tired or tense, and come out feeling fit and ready for an intense day or night.
NO NEED FOR APPREHENSION
The hypnotic process comes to an end as soon as the hypnotherapist suggests that you come out of the state of hypnosis and back into the usual state of consciousness. Everyone comes back easily (there’s no need to worry about not “waking up”). You also remain free to come out of the hypnosis at all times. All you need to do is to want it (e.g. by opening your eyes).
During an individual hypnosis session it is impossible for a hypnotherapist to:
1) Make people do something against their will, or do something their moral or religious beliefs do not allow (if they wish to respect them).
2) Make someone speak against his/her will, or make people relive something they don't want to.The same is true for group hypnosis.
RESPECT YOUR PREFERENCES
If certain words or images suggested by the hypnotherapist do not suit you, make it a habit to translate them automatically into something that does. For instance, if the word "calm" does not please you, immediately replace it by a similar word such as “comfortable, cool, relaxed, etc..."
EFFICIENT HYPNOSIS
Hypnotic thinking is based on association of ideas, images, sensations and impressions just as thinking in an awakened state proceeds by analytic reflection, manipulation of abstract or intellectual concepts, and grammatical (left brain) logic. Thus, hypnotic thinking is more of the right brain type global and allows functioning intuitively, with more spontaneity and authenticity.
This may produce psychic and even psychosomatic experiences which are valued as real; in other words, are experienced as real-life! This is one of the characteristics that make hypnosis so efficient.
EVERYBODY IS CAPABLE
Everybody is capable of entering the hypnotic state; it's one of the natural capacities of the human brain to alter one's state of consciousness (see Transition). Men are just as capable to produce hypnosis as women. Children and some apt people can achieve it faster and easier than most people, but everyone has the capacity to achieve it. However, it may take a couple of sessions to familiarize oneself with the method and to fully benefit from the hypnotic strategies. Paradoxically one must be very patient in order to obtain fast results, as impatience blocks the unconscious process, which is the basis of real and durable changes.
We know that willpower alone can promote fast results when we aim for change. But, in many fields (emotional, sentimental or in matters related to the body, sex, food, etc.) efforts are quickly exhausted and the positive changes brought upon by sheer willpower soon disappear.
In contrast, non-voluntary positive changes are often slower to occur and are unforeseeable; but when they do occur, it is without great effort and they are often permanent. In some cases changes may occur quickly (mostly when you least expect them), this s what gives a "magical" aspect to hypnosis.
Important: Group hypnosis is not advised for people who have experienced crises of paranoia or schizophrenia. Individual hypnosis will be more adapted.
HYPNOTIC STATE
The depth of the hypnotic state is not important in self-hypnosis. The required depth will install itself automatically to adapt to the hypnotic strategy. During the exercises in autohypnosis one “descends" to the depth that one is ready for. Moreover, the way one experiences the hypnosis itself fluctuates; at some moments it may even be so light that one might feel as though you are "coming out of it", and then intensify again, and so on.Let this favorable attitude to hypnosis come by, letting whatever occurs (thoughts, sensations) take place. It will become easier by repeating the experiences.
More information about hypnoses
DEMYSTIFYING NUMEROUS FALSE BELIEFS
Hypnosis spreads an aura of mystery; it appears to be a powerful technique, practised by a small number of specialists or guru’s, which necessitates an initiation. It is often falsely perceived as if in the domain of occultism, secrecy and power held by the one who has the knowledge. When one speaks of hypnosis, sentences like “your eyelids are heavy” “ I want you to sleep!” “ You will do anything I ask of you” “ when you wake up, you will have forgotten everything!” come to mind…these incite fear and reluctance from the wider public, fear of loosing control, of being treated badly, of being influenced, of loosing ones own will…
The fundamentals of hypnosis are based upon mechanisms that are not well known by the wider public, they are not taught in the basic scientific cursus (contrary to chemistry & biology on which medicine is based). For these reasons it is necessary to refute some of the widely held misconceptions and false beliefs.
WITH HYPNOSIS, ONE SLEEPS
Contrary to appearances hypnosis is not sleep!
One remains conscious no matter what hypnotic state is produced by traditional hypnosis or by new hypnosis.
The confusion that surrounds hypnosis is mostly due to the etymology of the word itself. The Greek word HYPNOS means “ sleep”, however hypnosis has little to do with sleep. On the contrary. In fact, hypnosis is a modified state of consciousness, a form of receptive concentration that fluctuates between hyper alertness and drowsiness. Everyone is capable of attaining this state naturally. This state of “parallel consciousness” enables us, whilst being in relation with others, to implicate oneself in another aspect of ones own experience of life.
This aptitude to maintain the beam(stream?) of parallel concentration is an indication of a very focalised extreme awakness. It is as if a part of the brain is hyper alert whilst the rest of the brain and body is resting, which may be perceived as sleep from the outside.
THE HYPNOTISER PROJECTS A HYPNOTIC FLUID ON THE SUBJECT
This is completely false!
This false belief has its origin in the works of Franz-Anton MESMER, a German doctor who lived in Paris, who was trying to understand the functioning of hypnosis. In 1778, he suggested the hypothesis of the existence of a magnetic animal fluid, comparable to the magnetism of metals.
The existence of such a fluid has never been proven. However, a couple of years later, other researchers have been able to prove that the functioning of magnetism is based on psychological influence, verbal and non-verbal suggestions.
To learn more about the subject, see the history of hypnosis.
So, there is no fluid. In fact, hypnotherapists stimulate the natural capacity of a subject to enter in a hypnotic state. The hypnotherapsist merely exploits this natural capacity with the cooperation and activity of the subject. In everyday life a person that is very concentrated on a specific task is susceptible to spontaneously pass into his own state of hypnosis in order to facilitate its realisation.
EXAMPLE: certain people are capable to auto- anaesthetize themselves at the dentist without having learnt autohypnosis. We often use auto-hypnotic capacities in this way to adapt to our surroundings.
WE ENTER THE HYPNOTIC STATE WITH THE HELP OF A HYPNOTISER
This is totally wrong!
Hypnosis can be produced spontaneously, it is a natural capacity that everyone possesses and can appear spontaneously and naturally when alone.
Evidently, for most people the state of hypnosis is easier reached with the help of a hypnotherapist. But hypnosis is mostly produced spontaneously during the course of a life, in particular during difficult or very motivating situations, pushing the individual to surpass him/herself.
IT ONLY WORKS ON WEAK PEOPLE
Wrong!
On the contrary.
Studies have shown that hypnosis takes longer and is less efficient on people who are fragile. People with good mental health are far easier to hypnotize.
The wider public has been strongly influenced by Music-Hall shows and numerous works of fiction (cartoons, novels, movies…), which pictures hypnosis as an instrument of domination.
A technique that enables to act upon someone’s behaviour, against his or her will.
It is because of this that one believes that the person under hypnosis seems weakened. In which case we speak of authority and not of hypnosis (as well as the fact that music-hall hypnotisers often use actors who know the scenario prepared for the show).
Unfortunately there is a lot of confusion between hypnosis used in shows and contemporary hypnotherapy. This confusion explains a lot of fears amongst the wider public; the fear of loosing control, of being mistreated, badly influenced, of loosing one’s own will…
On the contrary, hypnotherapy proposes an approach where the patients discover how to use their own resources in order to induce change and, as a result, resolve other problems themselves. One learns how to exploit one’s capacity to heal oneself.
Because there is no form of authority used, hypnotherapy is based upon collaboration in a true and transparent atmosphere.
HYPNOSIS WORKS BETTTER ON INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EASILY INFLUENCED
Wrong!
Everybody possesses the capacity to enter in the state of hypnosis; it is independent of the capacity of being influenced (suggestibility).
Someone who is easily influenced is not necessarily easy to hypnotize ( even though it is a capacity that they can eventually acquire), and vice versa. Evidently, for those who are easily influenced and easily hypnotised the therapy will be quicker and they will thus heal faster.
HYPNOSIS IS DANGEROUS
Wrong!
According to a comparative research (KROGER, 1977) hypnosis is the therapy with the least secondary effects. Evidently hypnosis is not dangerous;
• As long as health professionals practise it e.g. an anaesthetist or a dentist may use anaesthetic hypnosis, or calm the patients anxiety but it’s a psychologist that will treat real phobia for the dentist or anaesthetist???.
• As long as there is enough trust between the patient and the therapist. However, it is not necessary to have more “trust” in a hypnotherapist than in any other kind of doctor.
Moreover, in a hypnotic state, the body functions better, organs find their individual state; in the case that there aren’t any organic lesions.
Therapeutic hypnosis is a technique that is completely respectful of the patient. The rhythm of a patient’s evolution, their moral and spiritual values, their character, all this is taken into consideration and is respected. There is a real collaboration between the therapist and the patient, with a common objective; the pursuit of efficient and long-term wellbeing.
HYPNOSIS WORKS BETTER ON WOMEN
Wrong!
There is no difference between men and women.(Well I still think there is . “It makes no difference whether hypnosis is applied to men or women”). Scientific studies have shown that there are no differences in the distribution of hypnotisability between men and women.
Hypnotherapy is one of the rare therapies that have an even amount of male and female patients. In fact men are often attracted by the efficiency of a psychological treatment with a straightforward approach and a quick acquisition of autonomy.
IT WILL NOT WORK ON ME
Wrong!
Everyone has the capacity to enter in hypnosis.
We all have the natural capacity to enter in hypnosis, alone or with a hypnotherapist.
However, the facility with which one enters the state of hypnosis depends on the methods used, the experience of the hypnotherapist and the relationship between therapist/patient.
About 30% to 70% of the population can enter in the state of hypnosis by traditional techniques. But these proportions rise to about 99% with the techniques from new hypnosis.
More or less 15% of the population can reach a light trance that they can never surpass, but which is sufficient for most of the treatments. On the other hand 15% are capable of very intense hypnotic states. The remaining 70% are situated somewhere in between.
One generally notes that, whatever the patients capacity, the ability to enter in hypnosis can be increased in a state of stress or of high motivation.
The only people for whom hypnotherapy is not recommended are people who suffer from schizophrenia and are currently in a crisis, people who suffer from paranoia, and people in a melancholic depression who idealize suicide.
THE HYPNOTIZER IS A CHARISMATIC PERSON
Wrong!
In order to practice therapeutic hypnosis there is no need to be manipulative, authoritarian or fascinating.
Many people believe that a hypnotizer has to be a charismatic, fascinating or authoritarian to create an environment in which the state of hypnosis is possible. Techniques of medical hypnosis have often been used in an esoteric context such as in the circus and in shows. We all have the image of the hypnotiser as a “magician “ who uses his direct(ive) authority to obtain obedience and submission.
In reality, the induction into a state of hypnosis is relatively simple. The technique can be easily learnt, when explained rationally. With an open and “apt” subject, someone who is new to the technique can be just as efficient as a hypnotherapist with more experience.
It takes a while to learn the techniques of hypnotic treatment and it requires a basic training in medical/health care. There is a big difference between inducing someone into a hypnotic state in the context of a show, and to exploit the modified state of consciousness to treat problems.
IN HYPNOSIS ONE LOOSES CONTROL
Wrong!
On the contrary, in a hypnotic state the patient gains control.
A common misconception is that in the state of hypnosis one is no longer in control of oneself and of ones actions. When in fact the contrary is true.
The hypnotic state is one of intense concentration. The individual can no longer pay attention, to his or her surroundings and thus be distracted. Therefore, the context in which the hypnosis is done must be secure. Ones usual vigilance diminishes, making room for a spontaneous receptivity, which may make the patient more vulnerable to manipulations.
However, one thing is certain, in a hypnotic state the patient gains in control. Which is the reason that hypnosis heals problems as these are due to the loss of control, emotional, behavioural, control of the mind , even the loss of control of the mind over an organ…
The patient discovers, or rediscovers other forms of control than conscious willpower such as analogue thinking,or such as the visualisation of a healing image. This has far more power than the mere will to heal.
Moreover, the conscious capacities of control are accessible whenever the patient needs them. The patients can come out of the hypnotic state whenever they wish to do so, simply by opening their eyes.
IN HYPNOSIS, I AM UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HYPNOTISER
Wrong!
The hypnotiser is not able to impose his will to the detriment of a patient. The wider public has been strongly influenced by the numerous fictional displays of hypnosis (cartoons, soaps, movies,…) and shows that present it as an instrument of domination. In this light, hypnosis seems like a technique enabling the action upon someone’s behaviour, against his or her will. The hypnotised subject seems weakened and completely under the control of the hypnotiser. This impression is false, it is a result of the confusion between authority, fascination, and hypnosis. When in fact, it is a matter of three separate and different phenomena.
In the sate of hypnosis the subject intuitively senses what is good for him or her and simply rejects all that is not. Moreover, it is much easier to have authority over someone who is awake than in a state of hypnosis. In this way, when Milton H. Erickson used his authority he did so outside of the sessions in which he used hypnosis. Another important fact is that obedience rarely results into durable changes (with the exception of personal indirect tasks in Ericksonian and strategic therapies).
Therapeutic hypnosis is a technique that is completely respectful of the patient. The patient’s rhythm of evolution, their moral and spiritual values, their character type are considered and respected. A real collaboration establishes itself between the therapist and the patient, with a common objective: the efficient pursuit of long-term well being.
WITH HYPNOSIS THE HEALING PROCESS IS FAST OR ELSE IT WILL NEVER WORK
Wrong, but…
It is possible for the patient to heal very quickly and not understand how the problem has been resolved. This is what gives the “magical” aspect to hypnosis.
This general impression has been reinforced by the descriptions given by Milton H. Erickson of his therapies. In fact, his descriptions often merely contained the description of the session that had determined the healing of the patient. When in reality the treatment had often started a couple of weeks or months before the solution emerged.
“ One has to be patient with the unconscious but once it has found a solution to the problem, it is everlasting”
In fact, as every brain is capable of going into hypnosis, every unconscious mind is capable of discovering their self-healing capacities, even if it may sometimes take a while to learn how to discover these capacities.
IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK ONE MUST BELIEVE IN HYPNOSIS
Wrong !
It isn’t necessary. Hypnosis is a medically recognized treatment: just as it is not necessary to believe in aspirin in order for it to diminish your fever or relieve your pain.
Scientific studies have shown that sceptical people benefited faster from hypnosis than people who fiercely believe in it! In fact, if the patient has too much preconceived ideas and beliefs concerning hypnosis, his or her discovery of what hypnosis might bring him/her and how he/she functions under hypnosis can be delayed.
Effectively, the hypnotic state can differ according to:
- The patients personality
- The relationship with the hypnotherapist
- The state one is in before the session
- The objectives, the expectations that one has concerning the experience
For a sceptical person it is important to be open to a new experience.
HYPNOSIS MAY OPEN PANDORA’S BOX IN MY MIND AND REVEAL A LOT OF DIFFICULT THINGS TO HANDLE
People are often afraid of this when they are advised to undergo psychotherapy, they are scared of unveiling memories and problems from the past; afraid of feeling powerless or discouraged at the idea of having to deal with them.
In fact, hypnosis allows the full respect of the patients wishes.
Therefore, if the patient does not wish to explore the past, he/she will never be surprised by the opening of a ‘so-called’ Pandora’s box.
On the other hand if the patient wants to discover the origin of a problem from the past , hypnosis ( as opposed to psychoanalysis and other classic therapies) can be used as a means (the means being the “vertical descend” to a memory) to an end, without having to deal with other undesirable memories.
Thus, hypnosis offers the possibility to treat a problem in a straightforward and precise manner.
3 articles to read :
Hypnoses makes headway in the clinic - The Lancet
The power of suggestion - The Bulletin
Using the powers of hypnosis to heal body and mind - Health