What is Hypnosis? We have all been in a hypnotic state -- in fact, most of us go in and out of hypnotic states every day. Have you ever been … Driving and all of a sudden you realized that you just passed your exit? … So focused on a movie or a TV show that you didn't hear someone calling your name? … So deep in thought that you had to be shaken out of it? Of course, all of us do things like this everyday.  And that is exactly what it’s like to be hypnotized.  The only difference is that the hypnotic state is induced with the guidance of a trained Hypnotherpist, with the intention to modify behaviors and make positive changes in your life. It’s not unlike using “guided imagery” or “visualization”; the same techniques athletes and successful achievers use everyday in many areas of their lives and careers. Normally, when you think, you are really only aware of the thought processes in your conscious mind.  But, we all know that your conscious mind doesn’t work alone -- it is always working hand-in-hand with your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind processes all of the physical information that your body uses and needs to function, and takes care of all the things you do automatically.  You don't consciously work through the steps of every breath that you take, or think through every single thing that you do while driving a car -- your subconscious mind does all of that.  You might consciously think over the problems that are right in front of you, but it is your subconscious mind that accesses the vast reservoir of information that lets you solve those problems. Hypnosis is simply a way to access a person's subconscious mind and direct it to make positive changes. When you enter into the hypnotic state with the guidance of your Hypnotherapist, you are extremely relaxed -- probably more relaxed than you have ever been in your entire life.  Studies show that the deep relaxation and focusing exercises of hypnotism work to calm, subdue and distract the conscious mind so that it takes a less active role in your thinking process.  In this state, you're still acutely aware of what's going on, but have an increased focus, a heightened imagination, and are also highly suggestible. This allows you and your Hypnotherapist to work directly with your subconscious mind, so when you are given a suggestion that you are ready to accept you will act upon it. Hypnotherapy is the first choice of therapy used by thousands of health care professionals to assist their clients to change behaviors and to cause improvements in their physical, mental and emotional health.