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Hypnosis and the Mind Model
So what is hypnosis?
The best way to describe hypnosis is to remind you of the last time you were in a trance. You and I go into and out of trance many times a day. Most of the time, we're not even aware of it, but cast your mind back to today or the last couple of days and see if you can remember any of the following scenarios:
Have you ever experienced trance?
You found yourself thinking intently about something and realised you were staring open mouthed at the stranger sitting across from you on the train...
You were driving along in your car vividly remembering a conversation you had with a friend and how you felt about it and as you come out of that memory, you wonder how on earth you didn't notice the last 4 miles and perhaps ask yourself how you even did that, and was it even safe! Don't worry, it was - your subconscious mind was looking after you...
You were engrossed in a television program or some other performance and your friend or partner has to poke you in the ribs to get your attention because shouting your name just wasn't getting through.
These are just a few examples of how we use trance on a daily basis and I'm sure that now it has been brought to your attention, you'll notice it more in yourself and other people and be able to enjoy the feeling even more.
The Mind Model
The following diagram gives you an overview of how our minds work and the functions each carries out.
So we can clearly see that the mind is divided (for the purposes of explaining how hypnosis works) into three separate sections, each of which has specific functions.
The Conscious Mind
This is where we spend (most of) our time while awake. It is where we think, rationalise and hold all those things that are important for immediate access and processing. As far as hypnosis is concerned, we spend little time with the conscious mind and while it may be along for the ride, it is by no means driving it. We do have to take the conscious mind into consideration throughout however as it acts as your critical factor (see below).
The Subconscious Mind
Our creative and emotional part of our minds exists on an unconscious level and it is here that our habits (e.g. smoking and other addictions) and that deep seated self-preservation (that can get mis-wired and form phobias) resides. It is the subconscious mind that we access and interract with when in trance and it is how change through hypnosis can be such a natural and unnoticed thing: It is the unconscious that drives us through life and what turns our beliefs and desires into reality.
The Unconscious Mind
We are all animals and the unconscious mind looks after all those automatic and involuntary functions such as our heart beat, blood pressure and balance. We do not often venture into the unconscious mind for therapy unless of course it is under referral from a medical doctor for a specific purpose.
The Critical Factor
The single biggest cause of "failure" of hypnosis is down to the critical factor: Your rational conscious mind can choose to allow a suggestion past, or it will stop it and thus prevent change. It is the critical factor that will prevent you from doing anything that you don't want to under hypnosis. It is the critical factor that will pick and choose what suggestions to accept or reject.
Mostly, the critical factor can be oppeased by ensuring that you are not afraid of going into hypnosis as it is the number one reason for not being able to be hypnotised. Metaphor and stories are also methods we employ to side-step the critical factor as your creative unconscious is much better at picking out the hidden meanings and suggestions in a story than your conscious, critical factor.
Ultimately, "hypnosis" as a profession is all about finding a way for the client to accept and act upon advice without those suggestions being blocked or picked apart by the critical, analytical, rational conscious mind first.
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