Most people have questions about hypnosis. Hypnosis isn’t magic. It isn’t sleep. Real hypnosis isn’t much like you’ve seen it on TV or in the movies. You can’t be “made” to do anything, and you always have free will. You have to attend a free screening and demonstrate that you can pay attention and follow directions in order to be accepted as a client.

Hypnosis is currently taught at many major medical schools including Harvard Medical School and Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. All branches of the military, the secret service, and many law enforcement agencies have used hypnosis for decades. Hypnosis has been part of the healing arts since the 1800s. Olympic and professional athletes, and corporate executives use hypnosis and custom suggestions to sharpen their focus, increase self-confidence and overcome performance problems.

Hypnotists do not diagnose, treat or cure disease. A doctor of psychology treats psychological problems. A licensed counselor works with personal problems like marriage and family issues. A psychiatrist is an MD, can prescribe drugs and treats psychological conditions that require medical attention.

Hypnosis is not the practice of medicine or psychology. Hypnosis is the art and science of suggestion. Completely different, even though we frequently work closely with physician referral when requested.

Hypnotists have no need to diagnose, treat or cure disease. That’s because we don’t provide services for any psychological, medical condition or disease. In fact, being psychologically and medically sound is a prerequisite to participating in our programs.

Success using hypnosis assumes only that you lack a workable strategy to relax and achieve your goals. Hypnosis motivates and encourages you to overcome barriers and see your situation differently… maybe more differently than you ever have.

Mark Okopny

Master Hypnotist
Meridian Hypnosis

Call (208) 729-1111 for your Free Screening

Scientific Evidence of Hypnosis Success

BECAUSE IT WORKS! 

Hypnosis has been accepted by the American Medical Association since 1958. Hypnosis has successfully been used for many years prior to that. I would invite you to go to the Topics page and read about specific issues of interest to you. Here are just a few of the statistics for the use of hypnosis:

Cancer.gov indicates that hypnosis is a non drug treatment now widely used to help manage cancer pain. This technique may be used alone or along with medicine. Some people find they can take a lower dose of medicine with such techniques. (Please keep in mind that Meridian Hypnosis strongly urges people to remain on their prescribed medical protocols and will require a referral from your physician. Any change in medication should be made between you and your physician.)

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A 1995 consensus statement from the National Institutes of Health cited strong evidence that hypnosis can reduce chronic pain associated with cancer and other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and tension headaches.

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American Psychotherapy & Medical Hypnosis Association Cochrane Review Abstracts, Oxford, 1999 reports: Hypnotherapy is a process by which a person, with the assistance of a trained hypnotherapist, has his/her subconscious mind opened to suggestion for the purpose of changing one or more behavior patterns. When the subconscious is spoken to directly, it may be possible to reprogram old behavior patterns and introduce new ideas and positive suggestions. These positive suggestions may then be used to help make the changes you desire.

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Blue Cross of California, one of the state’s largest health care providers, breaks new ground with the launch of their new “Hypnotherapy Network” at www.bluecrossofcalifiornia.com. The goal of the program is to introduce Blue Cross customers to the idea of using hypnotherapy to prevent illness by reducing stress, and to lead more productive and rewarding lives. Helping people to sleep better, to stop smoking, to be motivated to exercise and learn to release the tension of their job, those are just some of the ways they see Hypnotherapists helping Blue Cross customers develop healthier lifestyles.

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In the June 21, 2001 issue of eMedicine Consumer Journal that medical hypnosis has been used to successfully reduce nausea and vomiting and that some people have also used self hypnosis to control their symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are normal in pregnancy. Up to 70% of all women get mild to moderate symptoms during the first trimester of pregnancy.

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Hypnotherapy has been successfully employed with sleep disorders such as nightmares and anxiety associated with falling asleep as well as night terrors. There is general agreement that relaxation based approaches, including hypnosis, are “effective treatments of insomnia”, according to a 1996 National Institutes of Health Technology Assessment Panel report published in JAMA.

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The Mayo Clinic reports on their web site: According to preliminary studies, hypnotherapy can be used to: Treat pain during childbirth and reduce labor time; control bleeding and pain during dental and surgical procedures; relieve cramping and other symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome; reduce blood pressure and regulate blood flow; enhance the body’s immune system and ability to fight infection; control nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy; reduce the intensity of frequency of migraine headaches in children and teenagers; treat and ease the symptoms of asthma; hasten the healing of some skin diseases; improve psoriasis and atopic dermatitis; change negative behaviors such as smoking, bedwetting and overeating; reduce fear, stress and anxiety; eliminate or decrease the intensity of phobias. 80% of patient visits to their doctors are stress related. Almost 60% of all employee absences from work are related to stress. The World Health Organization calls stress a global epidemic. Stress kills over 1 million people a year in the U.S. Heart disease and high blood pressure; suppression of the immune system; deaths from smoking; deaths from obesity. Stress is also a contributing factor in arthritis, herpes, fibromyalgia, insomnia, migraines, chronic pain, and infertility.

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American Gastroenterological Association accepted hypnotherapy as a successful treatment for irritable bowel syndrome in 1996.

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National Cancer Institute currently lists hypnotherapy as a method to manage cancer pain and studies have indicated that people involved in therapeutic support groups have better quality of life and may extend their survival rate.

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Kaiser and Blue Shield endorse guided imagery for pre and post surgery to facilitate more rapid healing, reduce stress, and patients require less pain medication. Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery reports concur.

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Dr. Rossman and Dr. Bresler, both of UCLA Pain Control Unit, endorse guided imagery as a way to reduce pain.

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Hypnotherapy offers the highest success rate of approximately 75% for smoking cessation.

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A Dateline NBC experiment on weight management indicates hypnotherapy was more successful than other methods.