Let's tread lightly with hypnosis opinions
Musings:
As hypnotists we must tread lightly (no pun intended). In this blog, my tag line talks about the fact that we, as hypnotists really don't know a thing about the work we do. Truly, it is all conjecture based on empirical evidence, which of course, varies from individul to individual.
One of my rants when I attend a hypnosis conference is that any of us talk about our work as if we really know the answers. We can have strong opinions (you know I do), but we really don't know. That is one of the things that creates discomfort for people relative to hypnosis.
People are looking for answers. This is nothing new. And when someone states something as if it were aboslute truth, people like that. It feels good to believe that someone knows (maybe that someone can help them). But then, when they think about it in quieter, non-emotional times, they wonder if they have been duped.
I think this is why hypnosis' popularity has waxed and waned over the years. Because people fall out of love with us when we try to tell them that we have all the answers. We should tell the truth about hypnosis. What's the truth? The truth is that hypnosis seems to help a lot of the people a lot of the time. The truth is that we don't really know how it works. The truth is that although they have proven through scientific discovery that *something* happens to the brain during hypnosis, we don't really know what or how. The truth is that hypnotists are fallible human beings who want to help people help themselves. But some of us can't even help ourselves.
We don't have all the answers. Humbleness, humility, with a big dose of wonder. Three concepts we need to be practicing regularly when it comes to our work. There I go stating absolutes again. But I'm pretty sure I'm right.... ; - )
As hypnotists we must tread lightly (no pun intended). In this blog, my tag line talks about the fact that we, as hypnotists really don't know a thing about the work we do. Truly, it is all conjecture based on empirical evidence, which of course, varies from individul to individual.
One of my rants when I attend a hypnosis conference is that any of us talk about our work as if we really know the answers. We can have strong opinions (you know I do), but we really don't know. That is one of the things that creates discomfort for people relative to hypnosis.
People are looking for answers. This is nothing new. And when someone states something as if it were aboslute truth, people like that. It feels good to believe that someone knows (maybe that someone can help them). But then, when they think about it in quieter, non-emotional times, they wonder if they have been duped.
I think this is why hypnosis' popularity has waxed and waned over the years. Because people fall out of love with us when we try to tell them that we have all the answers. We should tell the truth about hypnosis. What's the truth? The truth is that hypnosis seems to help a lot of the people a lot of the time. The truth is that we don't really know how it works. The truth is that although they have proven through scientific discovery that *something* happens to the brain during hypnosis, we don't really know what or how. The truth is that hypnotists are fallible human beings who want to help people help themselves. But some of us can't even help ourselves.
We don't have all the answers. Humbleness, humility, with a big dose of wonder. Three concepts we need to be practicing regularly when it comes to our work. There I go stating absolutes again. But I'm pretty sure I'm right.... ; - )
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