Mention the word “hypnosis” and many people call to mind old horror movies in which an evil-doer uses dark magical powers to overtake and control a person's behavior. There's the swinging pendulum, deep monotone voice - and who can forget Count Dracula's “look into my eyes.” This all makes for good entertainment, but none of this can be further from the truth.

Hypnosis is based on a “suggestion to healing” concept that has been seen in various forms. In 1958, in the United States, hypnosis gained the approval of the American Medical Association as a viable therapeutic modality, but the practice of hypnosis can be traced back to ancient Egyptian and Greek “sleep temples,” where priests were said to induce a sleep-like state and then suggest cures.

Simply put, hypnosis is a relaxed state of awareness in which our brain wave patterns slow down, providing access to our subconscious mind. Although the word hypnosis is derived from the Greek word “hypnos,” meaning sleep, in hypnosis the client is not sleeping. A hypnotist uses guided visualization imagery to help the client reach a relaxed state which feels very similar to the way one may feel just before falling asleep at night or when first awakening in the morning. Rather than being asleep, the client is fully aware - in fact, hyperaware.

All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The idea that people can be controlled with hypnosis is a misconception. Hypnosis cannot make anyone do something against their will, nor can it introduce something totally contrary to one's core belief system.

Individuals are in control at all times and can bring themselves out of hypnosis at any time during the process. A hypnotist is only a guide to help access the subconscious mind - that part of the mind governing our habits and behavioral patterns - in order to utilize its magnificent potential to give rise to life changes. In order to be hypnotized, all that is required is an open mind, an imagination and a willingness to follow guided directions.

Accessing the power of your subconscious mind through hypnosis can be relaxing and fun, and it can help eliminate the struggle of relying solely on willpower for behavioral change.

Hypnosis can help overcome self-defeating limiting beliefs, negative self-talk and memories of past failed attempts that often sabotage our efforts to change negative behavior patterns. It is interesting to note that Electromyography (EMG), which measures muscle activity, and Electroencephalography (EEG), which measures brain wave activity, have been used to measure muscle and brain wave activity during hypnotic visualization of a sports performance. When compared to the actual sports performance, the patterns were found to be similar.

Hypnosis has been used by athletes in the U.S. Olympics; NASA has used it during astronaut training, and major sports teams have used hypnosis for improving sports performance. It has been shown to be effective in a variety of ways, such as in helping people lose weight, reduce stress, cease smoking, improve self-confidence, study habits and sleep.

Hypnosis can also help erase past negative influences and establish positive belief patterns that can result in accelerated behavioral change. It has even shown to be effective in helping people to overcome fears and phobias - such as of Count Dracula and the residual effects of old horror movies.

Connie Heagerty is certified and registered through the American Board of Hypnotherapy. She can be reached at The Center in Auburn at 704-0319.