​This is a common question, and in the context of Australia I would say the main difference is purpose. 

The word Hypnotist in Australia is generally used to describe someone using the skill of Hypnotism for the purpose of providing entertainment, where as a Hypnotherapist is using very similar skills, (although usually executed in a less dramatic and more collaborative manner) with the purpose of delivering  therapy while utilising the state of focus and absorption created  when their client  is in a state of trance (even very light trance).  This state enables the client to absorb and process concepts, suggestions and possibilities on several levels of their consciousness simultaneously.

When Clients first come to see me, I’m often asked to explain how Hypnotherapy works.  I believe the reason why it is so effective is that essentially Hypnotherapy provides a vivid healing or corrective psychological experience. 

Often this is achieved without the Therapist having to delve into the clients past or by the Client having to be in a deep Zombie like trance.  It’s facilitated through the relationship between the Client and the Therapist, it’s very much a team effort and it most often culminates with the client finding their own resolution internally.

A useful analogy is that our emotional lives are similar to rolling calculations in a spreadsheet.   As we are going along in life new experiences are entered into our emotional calculation just like numbers being data entered into a spreadsheet.  All going well any associated emotions will be processed prior to entering the experience data; however occasionally if this doesn’t happen it can cause a “corruption”  of the data.  The  “corrupt” entry may then throw the rest of the calculation out going forward.  Sometimes you can correct this by tracing it back to the original “corrupt” entry and by correcting it at that point so that all the subsequent experiences are recalculated to be perceived differently.  Alternatively sometimes you correct it from the current position and allow for the fact that up to that point there are errors, however going forward the calculation has been corrected.  A small miscalculation at one point can have a compounding effect. 

Moving away from the analogy to a real life example, let’s say someone who is terrified of being alone.  Throughout their life they’ve felt uneasy and afraid when left alone and the longer it’s been allowed to go along the stronger the fear has become.  It’s possible that this is because of a significant event, however it’s also possible that it’s because one night when they were 3 or 4 they woke in the night and called their parents, their parents being fast asleep didn’t hear them so they ultimately fell back asleep feeling a bit scared and alone i.e. without resolving the emotion.  The next morning they have no recollection that they were even awake, however from that point forward without knowing why they don’t like being left alone.  That unprocessed emotion has thrown out how they calculate their emotional response to what they perceive as similar situations.

While under Hypnosis the Therapist may direct the client’s imagination back to look for the initial event and resolve it.  A properly trained Therapist will have the skill to do this so that the Client feels safe and aware that they experience is not real but rather a vivid recollection (As with all forms of  Therapy it’s important to ensure that your Therapist has been properly trained).  Equally it may be decided to process the triggered emotion in the here and now.  Either way as previously explained, the Client is aware at all times that they are safe and secure and that the process is utilizing their imagination.

This resolution will help people resolve limiting beliefs about habits whether it’s their eating habits, smoking or even their habit of responding anxiously to certain or general triggers.  Often these habits and responses stem from unresolved emotions, or a belief that the habit fulfills an emotional need.  We all know for example that Ice-cream is not really capable of solving our problems and yet in times of crisis a tub of Ben  & Jerry’s can be the first thing we turn to!  This belief has a source, and that is stored in our subconscious available to be accessed when triggered, it will keep coming up as a response to crisis until the emotion attached to the belief is resolved so that it can be archived.

Of course some habits have been formed purely through repetition. The brain loves repetition because it allows it to lay down pathways, which it can then easily run habits through while allowing the Cognitive part of the brain to rest. In cases like this Hypnotherapy can be used to fast-track the creation of new healthier habits that re-route the automatic behaviour away from the old unhealthy habit pathways on to new healthy Super Highways! This is done using the infinite power of the client’s imagination.

The Client often feels as though nothing has changed and it’s only when their behaviour during or at the end of their program is compared to the measures taken before Therapy that they realise they’ve been making significant changes in their daily life without even noticing.   When I ask people how their week has been I often smile to hear them say e.g. If they’re a weight loss client “nothing has changed really, although I guess I’ve started eating more vegetables, I’ve started going for a few runs, I’ve stopped buying take-away every second night, and I’m going to bed earlier and sleeping better than I can remember”.  Oh, I reply “so nothing’s changed then…… ”

Melbourne Hypnotherapist Georgina Mitchell is located in Mentone and Skype Sessions are available.
Georgina is a member of the Australian Hypnotherapy Association and the Australian Counselling Association.  Private Health Rebates may apply, check with your provider about your policy.

At Hypfocus  Therapies we advise anyone interested in trying Hypnotherapy in Melbourne to ensure that their therapist is properly trained and a member of an accredited association.

If you would like to book an appointment call 0435 923 817 or use click here to use the contact form.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Imagine being able to have happy, healthy, balanced relationships with food and with people....
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*There are givers and at the other end of the spectrum there are takers.  In between are the people with healthy boundaries and relationships.  I read a great quote from Irma Kutz which to paraphrase said  “Givers have to set boundaries because takers never do”    Does that resonate with you?  I think it is one of life’s great truths.

Often people that are on the extreme giving end of the spectrum tend to put themselves and their own needs last. As they don’t have robust boundaries they set themselves up for an endless list of requests and entitled expectations from other people, and through habit and perhaps a faulty belief system they automatically push their own needs down the list of priorities.  Self-care suffers.  They feel guilty doing anything for themselves, whether it’s spending time exercising, eating properly, emotional self-care or investing financially in improving their own life.

When it becomes clear that change is required, they are reluctant to completely commit to the effort of making that change because they feel uncomfortable with the idea that they will potentially be denying other people their time, energy and resources.  In short they don’t feel worthy of making an investment in themselves.

Not only can this hinder a commitment to weight loss, it can actually contribute to weight gain, because when someone is caught in a cycle of endless giving, their emotional needs are not being met and this more often than not results in emotional eating.

This is why as an Advanced System Weight loss Consultant, working with the Virtual Gastric Band Program; if a client comes to me and it becomes apparent that they put themselves last I work with them to help them release self limiting beliefs and build the boundaries that are essential for a healthy happy life.  When these boundaries are in place we  work together to really activate their full potential, not just for weight loss but to live life more confidently and with a healthier and more balanced attitude to their relationship with food, as well as their relationships generally. 

As a practitioner I've made it my mission to acquire all the skills necessary to support my clients through the process of positive change.  Having gained certification as an Advanced Weight Loss Practitioner incorporating the Virtual Gastric Band Program,  I can  assist people who simply want to regain their body confidence, or lose a few kilo's, and I'm also trained and experienced in assisting people with more weight to lose and more complex reasons for gaining and holding on to that weight.  Poor boundaries are just one of the many issues I work on with clients, and in my experience when the underlying issues that have been keeping them stuck are addressed the weight loss is almost inevitable.  

The Virtual Gastric Band Program is helping people lose weight safely and naturally without the need for risky surgery in 10 countries world wide, it was created by Sheila Granger in the UK.  When Sheila was in Australia recently she delivered state of the art training based on on the latest research and most successful techniques designed to help clients that have found themselves stuck, to break free from old  patterns.   I was very fortunate to be one of only a handful of Australian Therapists to attend that training and I'm very excited to combine the skills and tools I learned with the extensive range of tools I had already gained during  my training and in my years as a successful therapist.

If you would like help in activating your potential for weight loss and turning dreams of a fitter healthier body in to reality, call today on 0435 923 817.  If you'd like to come along for a complimentary 30 minute assessment please call or use the booking form at the end of the page at this link and I'll get back to you within a working day.  Skype sessions are available.


Call today and Activate your Potential to succeed!


Georgina Mitchell is the owner of Hypfocus Therapies
Located in Mentone, South East Melbourne and at the cutting edge of Melbourne Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy


*Results may vary.

​Are they properly qualified and accredited?

​​How do you choose the best Hypnotherapist in Melbourne for you?  The suitability of a therapist, much like anything else can depend very much on personal preference.  It is important that you ensure the person you are seeing has been properly trained, and preferably that they are a member of at least one professional association.  Membership of a professional association proves that the therapist has had their credentials verified, that they are properly insured, that they are being supervised by an experienced and qualified professional supervisor and mentor and that they are receiving regular ongoing professional development/training. The Private Health Funds that provide rebates for Hypnotherapy will only do so for professional Association members.  
 
Are they easy to get to?

Once you have established that the Hypnotherapist is suitably qualified, the next step in the process is to find a therapist that is accessible to you,  these days this doesn’t necessarily have to mean geographically accessible as more and more people are seeing their Hypnotherapist and Counsellor via Skype or other online platforms, however it is essential that you find a therapist that you can get to see either face to face or online without it becoming a practical, scheduling or logistical nightmare; for example here in Melbourne, the city and suburbs are very spread out, so if you want to come and see me in Mentone, South East Melbourne and you are on the other side of Melbourne, it would be inadvisable to make an appointment for 6pm as the additional traveling time during peak hour on a week day, would make getting to see me a stressful event in itself.  If you contact me I may be able to refer you to equally qualified colleagues on your side of town, people that I can personally recommend based on my knowledge of the industry and my networking within it, this may turn out to be a better option for you.  Once you’ve established that you can get to the area that the therapist works in,then you need to narrow down the list for that area.   Don’t forget however those Skype sessions are an option and as long as you have a reliable internet connection are very successful.


Are they recommended and do they take the time to answer your questions?

As I previously said I work in Mentone in South East Melbourne, there are a number of other Hypnotherapists around the area, so what criteria can you use to narrow down your choice?  Most of my clients now come to me through word of mouth, getting a personal recommendation from a trusted friend is my favourite means of making a choice when seeking a new service.  If you don’t know someone that has seen a Hypnotherapist in your area, I would suggest that you take a look at their website, check the Testimonials, see if there are any videos of the therapist themselves  and maybe read a blog or two to get a feel for the therapist and see if their style resonates with you.  I’d also suggest that you give them a call and have a chat, I personally offer a free phone consultation for up to 30 minutes, I find this puts people’s minds at ease, allows them to see if they feel comfortable talking to me and to ask any questions they may have. I’ve noticed that some  people these days prefer to fill out my contact form and send me questions, this also works well as I’m happy to answer the questions by return email (within a day), and this allows the enquirer to process the information I’ve sent before making their decision. 
Feeling comfortable with the therapist is key to getting the results that you’re after, if you don’t feel at ease this will become a barrier to therapy.  If the Therapist specialises in your particular issue, this may be another deciding factor, however get a feel for them and ensure that they are treating you as the individual that you are and not a set of stock symptoms and characteristics.  Everybody experiences everything in their own unique way, and therapy should therefore be tailored accordingly to your personal experience.

Will you feel comfortable in their consulting room?
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Ensure that the physical environment is conducive to therapy too, if the ambience is unwelcoming, unclean, or surrounded by noise and bustle it may impair your ability to feel at ease.  Consider the type of environment that will make you feel most at ease and include that in your criteria too, do you feel safe and secure there?

Are their fee's clear?
 
Make sure that you’re clear about their fee structures.  These will normally be displayed on the website; if the fees are not displayed I personally find this off-putting. In my opinion this often indicates one of two things, that the therapist is unsure about their worth or that they are going to sell you something so expensive that if they published the cost nobody would enquire and you may therefore expect a lot of pressure and hard sell justifying the cost if you do enquire.
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These are my tips on seeking the best Hypnotherapist in Melbourne for you; the same also applies to seeking the best Counsellor in Melbourne or indeed the best Life Coach in Melbourne.  I am a big believer in trusting your instinct once you’ve done the research. 

So to sum up when seeking the best Hypnotherapist for you, get informed and trust your gut!