In conversation with Ursula James, author of You Can Think Yourself Thin
How does hypnotherapy work? Quite simply, hypnotherapy works by taking what you know you want to change from your cerebrum (the area of learning and conscious though), and converting it into information in the cerebellum (action and unconscious thought). This means you make changes without thinking about them – they just become your new thoughts and behaviors and feel natural to you.
What does one typically experience when hypnotized? You feel physically relaxed, but mentally tuned into what the hypnotherapist is saying. It is as if your body is asleep but your mind is wide awake. Some people get so relaxed that they feel as if they have drifted off to sleep, but even when you are asleep you can still hear as your auditory cortex is still active.
Why are so many people reluctant to try hypnotherapy? This is because of a misconception. People think that hypnosis is about someone controlling you, and that if you have willpower you cannot be hypnotized. Actually it is about you getting more control over yourself, your thoughts and your actions. No-one takes control of you in hypnosis except yourself.
Is there proof that hypnotherapy is effective? There are thousands of research papers which demonstrate hypnosis is effective. The real proof, however, is in the number of people who come for hypnotherapy, and recommend it to their friends and family. Once you see it work, you are happy to tell other people about the benefits.
Who are the best candidates for hypnotherapy? And who would benefit most from your book, You Can Think Yourself Thin? The best candidates for hypnotherapy are those people who are naturally curious and analytical. If you are open minded, positive changes can happen and you will be willing to accept them when they occur. On the other hand, if you are afraid of the idea of hypnotherapy, you will not be hypnotized. A good practitioner will listen to you and allay your fears by explaining exactly what is going to happen. It is important that you feel comfortable with the hypnotherapist, of you won’t trust them – and if you don’t trust them you won’t enter hypnosis.
The people who will get the most out of my book
You Can Think Yourself Thin will be those who have tried diets before – and failed. Those people whose weight yo-yos and they get miserable about it. My book is about getting your head straight first – and whey you have done this, your weight loss will naturally follow as you put yourself first, and start to take care of yourself properly – in all ways.
Why is hypnotherapy more effective than the traditional diet and weight loss avenues? Everyone already knows what they should be doing in terms of diet and exercise – but it is the motivation, focus and confidence to apply this knowledge that eludes most of us. We start off well, and then allow pressures and stress from daily life to erode our new behaviors. With hypnotherapy you keep on track because you learn to respect yourself – and your body, too.
What are the most prevalent weight-related issues that people have, and how can hypnotherapy help them work through those issues? They tend to fit into two categories. Habits caused by stress or boredom, and these relate to the present, and emotional eating caused by an event from the past. I work with both in the You Can Think Yourself Thin program. Finally I help you give yourself a future – a realistic and achievable one.
How or when did you discover that hypnotherapy was the best solution to enduring weight problems? I have been in fulltime practice for 16 years now. I recognized many years ago that when I worked with people using the regular techniques of encouraging people to diet and exercise, they would lose the weight initially, but put it back on (and more in some cases) pretty soon after. So I started using hypnotherapy to get their head straight first. Often this session wasn’t about weight at all, but about confidence, or their relationships with their partner. I soon realized that when the person was happier with themselves, then they would stick to the program. Often it just meant not eating ‘misery food,’ the food they reached for when they were unhappy.
What are the most surprising results that your clients report after they’ve completed your weight-control program? The most surprising result to me was that when people completed the program they wanted to change more. Their jobs, their partners, their lives. Taking control of your weight for good is about getting your life back on track. Once you have this, no-one can take it away from you.
Specialties: Hypnotherapy,
Self-HypnosisClient Focus: Men's Health,
Senior Health,
Women's HealthHealth Conditions: Weight Loss