How Hypnotherapy Works
Why it is Natural Yet so Powerful and Effective
These subconscious patterns of behaviour lie in the part of our mind that responds to images rather than words, emotions rather than logic. Once programmed, it’s very difficult to change these patterns, partly because conscious reasoning relies on logic, which the subconscious just doesn’t recognise. In order to change we need to communicate to our subconscious in its own language. Of course intellectual control also plays a large part in resolving your problem. But this needs to be unaffected by inappropriate, subconscious responses.
It stands to reason then, that if things aren't going well for you, it's simply a matter of re-programming your subconscious with the right ideas and concepts! And this is true, except that the subconscious mind has a special protector to prevent any uncomfortable or harmful suggestions from finding their way in. This protective barrier called the “Conscious Critical Faculty” (CCF) is a bit like an anti-virus program on a computer. It won't allow anything that it's uncomfortable with to get through to the subconscious mind, and as this part of the mind has already been programmed, it will only let more of the same type of “comfortable” suggestions through!
This CFF performs an important function. If it wasn't there, the subconscious would be open to almost all suggestions, good and bad. A problem occurs when the CFF allows a bad suggestion into the subconscious because it is comfortable with it, and only later does it realise that it was a bad choice. Refer to the section on smoking. By then it's a habit, and one that's addictive!
It seems logical then, that all we need to do is reprogram our thinking. This would be correct, except that the CFF is now uncomfortable with this positive idea and rejects it outright! Some people try to change habits using will power. Will power is a part of the conscious mind, and as soon as the weaker conscious mind becomes a little distracted, the subconscious mind programmed with the negative suggestion takes over, re-establishing the negative programming. The individual starts smoking again, and will continue to do so, until the new positive idea is internalised. This can only happen if the conscious critical faculty is bypassed, and the new idea established in the subconscious.
How Hypnotherapy Helps...
This is exactly why hypnosis works! Hypnosis is the process of bypassing the Conscious Critical Faculty, and the establishment of acceptable suggestions. Very simply, and effectively, hypnosis overcomes the filtering effect of the CCF, and suggestions flow into the subconscious mind and the individuals programming is successfully altered.
It's also important to note that when the CCF is bypassed using hypnosis, not all of it is bypassed. Enough of the CCF remains to allow the individual to remain in perfect control. Hypnosis is a 100% consent state. People in hypnosis won't accept any suggestions they don't want to and won't offer up any information they don't want to. Hypnosis is safe, easy and effective.