The Neuroscience of Hypnosis: Unravelling the mysteries

Hypnosis has long captured the imagination of both scientists and the general public.

From stage shows to therapeutic interventions, its allure lies in its ability to tap into the inner workings of the mind and induce a state of heightened suggestibility. But what exactly happens in the brain during hypnosis? In this blog, we'll delve into the fascinating world of neuroscience to uncover the mechanisms underlying this intriguing phenomenon.

The Brain in Hypnosis:

At its core, hypnosis involves a state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility. Studies using neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) have provided valuable insights into the neural correlates of hypnosis. One key finding is the alteration of activity in brain regions involved in attention, such as the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. These areas show decreased activity during hypnosis, suggesting a state of reduced self-awareness and increased receptivity to suggestion.

The Role of the Default Mode Network:

Another important player in the neuroscience of hypnosis is the default mode network (DMN), a network of brain regions involved in self-referential thinking and mind wandering. Research has shown that hypnosis is associated with changes in DMN activity, with reductions in connectivity between regions within the network. This disruption of the DMN may contribute to the sense of detachment from the self often reported by individuals undergoing hypnosis.

Hypnosis and Brain Connectivity:

In addition to changes in activity within specific brain regions, hypnosis also appears to alter functional connectivity patterns across the brain. Studies have demonstrated changes in connectivity between regions involved in cognitive control, memory, and emotion processing. These findings suggest that hypnosis may modulate the way different brain regions communicate with each other, potentially leading to alterations in perception, memory, and behavior.

The Power of Suggestion:

One of the hallmarks of hypnosis is its ability to harness the power of suggestion to influence thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Neuroimaging studies have revealed that suggestions given during hypnosis can produce distinct patterns of brain activity, even in the absence of external stimuli. For example, suggestions for pain relief have been shown to reduce activity in brain regions involved in pain processing, highlighting the therapeutic potential of hypnosis for managing pain and other symptoms.

The neuroscience of hypnosis offers a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the mind.

By unraveling the neural mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, researchers are not only gaining a deeper understanding of hypnosis itself but also shedding light on broader questions about consciousness, suggestibility, and the nature of subjective experience.

As our knowledge of the brain continues to advance, so too will our understanding of how hypnosis creates positive experiences and outcomes.

If you’re looking for a therapeutic experience that offers authentic, personalised and effective then book in for your Hypnotherapy today!

Call 0412 502 853 or simply book your ZOOM virtual hypnotherapy HERE

Angela Vincent | Medically-attuned Clinical Hypnotherapy | Hobart, Tasmania and Australia Wide

Hypnosis for Christmas!

Hypnotherapy can ease your anxiety!

Does your social anxiety peak at this time of year?

Most of our in-built personality traits can find themselves busy balancing what we know we’ve grown into verses the delicate and vulnerable child within. All the learning and adapting in the world can be undone with a ‘one-liner’ from your childhood such as “they always were the sensitive one” … ha? Actually, they may well have been the child courageous enough to speak up for the ones how couldn’t speak up for themselves, or perhaps they have a gentleness that requires nurturing and strengthening with constructive and useful encouragement?

If this sounds like your soul is being spoken to then Hypnosis may well be for you!

Don’t let the stress of expectations ruin your Christmas!

Hypnosis and clinical Hypnotherapy work in the present moment to provide immediate relief from ongoing stress and anxiety. As a medically-attuned clinical hypnotherapist I support clients with simple explanations of how their body is behaving in a way that is not helpful and how we can revert those misguided nervous system responses.

In simple terms, an anxious and stressed body is being propelled forward through the sympathetic nervous system’s ‘fight or flight’ response which is driven by adrenaline. Eventually when the perceived attack doesn’t eventuate the body becomes exhausted and unable to effectively identify when it’s time to revert back to the parasympathetic nervous system “rest & digest” which is managed by nor-adrenaline.

You can consider this the antidote to the panic button but it’s not always easy to induce it when the sirens are squealing and the chaos is a sensory wave of nausea, stomach churning, shortness of breath, lightheadedness and an inability to think clearly.

Insert: Hypnosis and mindfulness habits

Delivered by a professional Clinical Hypnotherapist with an understanding of mental health conditions, especially complex post traumatic stress and the ability to engage with the client quickly and effectively with kindness and compassion to create a space of safety first.

Known as the 21st century Therapist, it is hoped that us, as practitioners, are utilising all of the skills we have developed to bring the most helpful, caring and healing approach to our clients so that they can test the waters to find the best-next-step for them in a way that is productive, courageous and supports them to bravely move their healing body, mind and spirit forward

I can personally thank my Mentor Richard Hill and the incredible work he and Matthew Dahlitz have accomplished. As founders of the Science of Psychotherapy as a resource for highly skilled Practitioners and the comprehensive Journal, Podcasts, training programs and special guests, I have gained a huge amount of knowledge, skills and understanding of my role in the Client-centered therapy focused approach to helping people find their antidote.

Richard and Matthew have recently released a comprehensive academic book called The Practitioner’s guide to the Science of Psychotherapy with foreword by John Arden.

Please consider booking yourself in for Clinical Hypnotherapy to have a calmer, more relaxed Christmas this year! I am available Virtually and In-person in Hobart, Tasmania.

Angela Vincent | +61 0412 502 853

@NaturalStateHypnosis.com.au

Stop biting nails with Hypnosis

Are you a nail biter that has been hiding your unwanted habit from the world?

Hypnosis can help! As a hypnotherapist with a background in nursing I have the fortune of helping clients not just quit the habit but also provide them with information about how to heal their nails, cuticles and fingers too.

Easing unwanted habits which are usually behaviors that occur when we are tired, anxious, stressed or simply concentrating are trance-like in their manner and this is why hypnosis is an effective antidote for many people as we can work together to create healthy and calming new habits to ease the past rituals

Is it time to quit nail biting for good?

Let me help you get there with the support of Hypnosis!

Covid-19 aside, we now understand what can be carried on the skin and nails than ever before. We are using more hand sanitising products which are helpful when applied correctly although usually it’s the cuticles and damaged skin and nails that harbor unwanted bugs in crevices and dry skin.

Don’t let this be your normal anymore

Clinical Hypnotherapy and nourishing and nurturing your hands with simple practices and helpful hacks can help!

With the support of clinical hypnotherapy we can ease the behaviours and with the correct hand hygiene habits which we can work together to create, you will be wanting to cherish those hands and nails and protect them from the world once we are done!

This can be achieved via virtually online hypnotherapy and in person for those in Tasmania.

Call 0412 502 853 today to book your appointment!

Hypnosis for Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is hard. Hypnosis for quitting smoking is easy, they say. Well is it? Is it really?

Does it work? How does it work? How do I know it’s going to work on Me? Do I have to pay if I can’t be hypnotised? How will I know I’m hypnotised? Should I be scared? .. I’m scared.

As a clinical Hypnotherapist with a nursing background, I do not work in absolutes. You do need to play your part in committing to quit smoking and for a reasonable number it will take more than 1 session.

It will cost you at least as much as your weekly smoking habit, after all we need to make sure you can’t afford to buy them the next week (just kidding).. but seriously, clinical Hypnotherapy is a skill and if you’ve done your research right you will find a well respected clinical Hypnotherapist to help you quit smokes.

Clinical Hypnotherapists are all invested in ensuring you quit smokes for good. The addiction is deadly and environmental exposures alongside nicotine addiction increase the complications of diseases such as Mesothelioma and lung cancers. Links to these can be found on The Mesothelioma Center, a web resource that provides information about asbestos-related cancers.

We recently published an educational page about smoking, asbestos, and lung cancer that details how they affect health:

and we get an opportunity to help you quit that unwanted addiction but you need to take our advice literally. If we want to know if you’ve had a smoke after the session then tell us and if we want you to clear out the smoking paraphernalia before your session or move your ‘smoking chair’ then do it.

If any suggestions given prior to your appointment aren’t met its unlikely that your hypnotherapist will commence the session as these are all red flags for us. We need to know that you’ve knocked over as many skittles as possible before arriving on quit smoking day and not just arrived with your half a pack of 40’s in the car - just in case.

Hypnosis is divisive. It’s either one of those subjects that you’re either curious about or you’ll run a mile if it’s brought up in the tearoom.. yeah?

Insomnia relief with hypnosis

Can’t sleep? Ease your night time distress with Hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy for insomnia was my introduction to Hypnotherapy and hypnosis as a life changing phenomenon. Allow yourself to be ready and willing to rid yourself of the exhausting symptoms of insomnia.

Life is quite short. Shorter even, as we get older.

Hypnotherapy offers an opportunity to reset your cycles of sleeplessness and provides a refreshing chance to investigate the reasons why this is occurring in this instance. As a medically-attuned clinical hypnotherapist and RN, I appreciate the complexities of the physical and structural abnormalities that drive the recurrence of insomnia. In some cases, however, that switch into the fight and flight autonomic nervous centre may find itself stuck in high alert and anxiety. When we’re able to consciously and subconsciously let go or process the trigger (whether you’re aware of what it is or not) of this current insomnia then hypnosis may be right for you!

Can’t sleep, can sleep but wake regularly, wake too early? All of these are indicative of insomnia. If these are your experiences, then find yourself a Hypnotherapist today.

Contact Angel Vincent in-person or online at 0412 502 853

PTSD symptom relief

Hypnotherapy provides effective relief for many people suffering from PTSD with all research findings highlighting the importance of receiving therapy from a highly skilled Therapist with a background in mental health care training.

Post Traumatic Stress disorder symptoms vary from one person to another. However, most people express their experiences as a combination of these 4 main groups of symptoms according to SANE

·       Flashbacks of the traumatic event through intrusive memories or nightmares

·       Feeling emotionally numb

·       Feeling anxious and ‘jumpy’ for no reason

·       Avoiding reminders of the event

Flashbacks, intrusive images, thoughts and nightmares are common and often extremely distressing.

A 2019 Meta-Analysis titled “Effectiveness Magnitude of Hypnosis on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment’ on military and civilian populations was supportive of Hypnotherapy for PTSD in both populations.

The effects of Clinical Hypnotherapy combined with CBT were most positive in the veteran population. The combination of subsequent CBT and a structured 1 hour consultation process over multiple sessions was found to support the veteran’s respect for time and process as enhancing the positive Hypnotherapy outcomes for their clients.

Reference: 2019, Klissourov, GK., Walden University, USA https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6054/

Does hypnosis work?

Good question!

I’m never disappointed when people ask me about what I do. Well, I get to hypnotise people for a living and a vast majority thank me, tell me I’ve genuinely changed their lives or the lives of a family member.

It’s a unique playing field and one that continues to have its validity questioned despite the addition of fMRI evidence of what occurs in the brain during hypnosis as well as the newer area of the neuroscience of consciousness providing us with more defining variances between the waking state and state of hypnosis.

If you’re interested in how we can take someone from a smoker that has been unable to quit due to the severe physical and environmental cravings they’ve experienced in the past to someone who simply states ‘I don’t smoke’ and feels strangely Ok with this phenomena of the voice in their head reminding them that …

.. That’s right, I don’t smoke!

Does it get any more fantastic than that?

Watch this Video to see a little about how I work with you to release your unwanted habit.

Want more details about Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy and hоw it wоrkѕ

Hурnоѕiѕ fоrmѕ thе foundation of hурnоthеrару. During hурnоѕiѕ, your bоdу relaxes and your thoughts bесоmе mоrе fосuѕеd. In thiѕ relaxed ѕtаtе, оnе will fееl аt ease physically yet fully awake mеntаllу, аnd mау be highlу rеѕроnѕivе tо suggestion. Some people rеѕроnd better tо hурnоtiс suggestion thаn оthеrѕ.

Hурnоthеrару

With hурnоthеrару, thе hурnоthеrарiѕt may use a variety of different techniques to guide the process and one technique is regressing thе client tо an earlier time such as сhildhооd tо diѕсоvеr сеrtаin patterns and сhаngе thеm deep within the ѕubсоnѕсiоuѕ mind.

Hypnotherapy is a kind of рѕусhоthеrару that utilisеѕ the power of роѕitivе suggestion tо bring аbоut ѕubсоnѕсiоuѕ change tо оur thоughtѕ, fееlingѕ and bеhаviоr. It aims to аltеr our state оf consciousness ѕо аѕ tо relax thе соnѕсiоuѕ раrt оf thе mind while simultaneously ѕtimulаting and fосuѕing thе ѕubсоnѕсiоuѕ раrt. This heightened ѕtаtе оf аwаrеnеѕѕ, rеасhеd through ѕkillеd relaxation techniques, allows the therapist tо make appropriate suggestions.

Hypnotherapy is widеlу еndоrѕеd аѕ a trеаtmеnt fоr hаbit breaking, stress related issues аnd fоr a range оf long-term соnditiоnѕ. Hурnоѕiѕ hаѕ thе capacity tо work for thе majority of individuаlѕ but some аrе mоrе susceptible to suggestions thаn others. It iѕ imроrtаnt tо remember thаt оnе muѕt be fullу соmmittеd to thе рrосеѕѕ аnd have truѕt in thе hурnоthеrарiѕt аѕ аnу ѕkерtiсiѕm may subconsciously dаmреn оnе’ѕ ѕuѕсерtibilitу.

Work of Hурnоthеrару

Hурnоthеrару can be аn еffесtivе mеthоd fоr сорing with ѕtrеѕѕ аnd аnxiеtу. In particular, hурnоѕiѕ саn rеduсе ѕtrеѕѕ and аnxiеtу before a medical рrосеdurе, ѕuсh as a brеаѕt biopsy. Hypnotherapy hаѕ bееn ѕtudiеd for оthеr соnditiоnѕ, inсluding:

• Pain соntrоl – Hурnоthеrару mау рrоvе tо bе beneficial fоr раin аѕѕосiаtеd with cancer, fibrоmуаlgiа, tеmроrо-mаndibulаr joint рrоblеmѕ, dental procedures and headaches.

• Gastro-intestinal disorders – It may help in ulсеrѕ, irritable bowel ѕуndrоmе, соlitiѕ, аnd Crоhn’ѕ diѕеаѕе.

• Dermatologic diѕоrdеrѕ – Dеrmаtоlоgiс diѕоrdеrѕ in which it mау help include есzеmа, hеrреѕ, neurodermatitis, рrurituѕ (itсhing), аnd рѕоriаѕiѕ.

• Hоt flushеѕ – Hурnоthеrару mау be hеlрful tо rеliеvе ѕуmрtоmѕ оf hоt flashes associated with mеnораuѕе.

• Bеhаviоur сhаngе – Hypnotherapy hаѕ bееn uѕеd with ѕоmе success in the trеаtmеnt оf insomnia, bеd-wеtting, ѕmоking, оbеѕitу and phobias.

• Fаtiguе – Hурnоthеrару has been used to trеаt fаtiguе associated with rаdiоthеrару in реорlе with breast cancer.

• Slеер diѕоrdеr – It can еffесtivеlу bе employed in mаnу реорlе ѕuffеring frоm ѕlеер diѕоrdеrѕ.

• Griеf аnd lоѕѕ – It can hеlр аn individuаl tо overcome grief аѕ a rеѕult оf lоѕѕ of a beloved оnе.

Cоntrаindiсаtiоnѕ

Hypnotherapy соnduсtеd bу a trаinеd thеrарiѕt or hеаlth care рrоfеѕѕiоnаl iѕ considered a ѕаfе, complementary аnd аltеrnаtivе mеdiсаl trеаtmеnt. Hоwеvеr, hypnosis may nоt bе appropriate in реорlе with ѕеvеrе mеntаl illness.

Hурnоѕiѕ might not bе аррrорriаtе fоr a person, whо hаѕ рѕусhоtiс ѕуmрtоmѕ, such аѕ hаlluсinаtiоnѕ аnd dеluѕiоnѕ, оr fоr ѕоmеоnе whо iѕ uѕing drugѕ or аlсоhоl. Hурnоѕiѕ аlѕо poses a riѕk оf сrеаting false memories in ѕоmе реrѕоnѕ uѕuаllу as a result of unintended ѕuggеѕtiоnѕ mаdе bу thе therapist. Fоr this rеаѕоn, thе uѕе оf hурnоѕiѕ for certain mental diѕоrdеrѕ, ѕuсh as dissociative diѕоrdеrѕ, rеmаinѕ соntrоvеrѕiаl.

Supporting evidence

There is a scientific basis fоr hypnosis, whiсh iѕ unеԛuivосаllу ассерtеd by thе еxреrtѕ. Hypnotherapy iѕ nоw inсrеаѕinglу used bу mаnу аѕ аn аdjunсt in thе trеаtmеnt of some diseases. Bеѕidеѕ that mаnу еxреrtѕ of the modern mеdiсinе whо deny its usefulness, it can effectively bе uѕеd in раin соntrоl, hot flаѕhеѕ аѕѕосiаtеd with mеnораuѕе, behavior change, fаtiguе, ѕlеер diѕоrdеr, and аnxiеtу and tеnѕiоn tо the bеnеfit оf the реrѕоn. On thе соntrаrу, hypnotherapy hаѕ a соntrоvеrѕiаl role in the trеаtmеnt of реорlе with severe mеntаl illnеѕѕеѕ. Thеrеfоrе, hурnоthеrарiѕtѕ must tаkе duе рrесаutiоnѕ in inѕtituting hурnоthеrару in раtiеntѕ ѕuffеring frоm mеntаl illnesses in оrdеr tо аvоid precipitating their unnесеѕѕаrу symptoms.

Hурnоthеrару has definite thеrареutiс bеnеfitѕ in certain conditions.

Ready to make your change today?