If you are planning to try hypnotherapy, it is advised to take time and do your own research first. Hypnotherapy is not a standardized technique. In fact, it offers a huge toolbox of treatment techniques and approaches that therapists can adopt based on the patient’s specific needs. Whether you are an aspiring hypnotherapist, or plan to take hypnotherapy treatment yourself, the first step is understanding the various types of hypnotherapy.

This article aims to explain the five main types of hypnotherapy and the benefits of each technique.

Holistic therapy or holistic psychotherapy refers to a therapy technique that attempts to analyze the patient as a whole rather than just addressing their psychological issues separately. Like any other therapy, holistic therapy is also rooted in scientific research. This technique assumes that a person’s consciousness or self-perception is an integration of the entire person, including their mind, spirit, and body.

Holistic psychotherapy uses different techniques to have the patient gain awareness of the deeper connection at all levels between the mind, spirit, and body for improved self-esteem and self-awareness. This form of therapy downplays traditional pharmaceutical approaches and instead applies acupuncture, meditation, exercise programs, yoga, massage, and natural treatment for holistic wellness. Once the patient has gained a complete understanding of themselves on a deeper level, they can better release the issues that are causing distress.

Holistic psychotherapy is usually applied to treat various mental conditions and trauma-related disorders like anxiety, sexual abuse, or PTSD.

Cognitive hypnotherapy focuses more on the patient’s thoughts and beliefs rather than behavioural habits. Sometimes a person’s mind can be stuck on an unhelpful thought that initially served as a positive way of thinking. The cognitive hypnotherapy technique attempts to get the patient to update their belief in the subconscious state of mind to start thinking differently.

Depending on the patient’s personal goals, values, and needs, cognitive hypnotherapy draws inspiration from various mindful approaches, namely:

By combining these different traditional schools of hypnotherapy, cognitive hypnotherapy creates a positive influence on the patient through symptomatic change. This hypnotherapy technique can be applied for several mental concerns or disorders but is particularly useful when treating anxiety and phobias to help patients lead a more productive and happy life.

A person’s mindset is built up of automatic thoughts and beliefs that drive the thought process and guide how a person acts or feels. Mindset therapy believes that anxiety, negative thoughts, and self-doubt can prevent a person from being what they want to be. Hence, mindset therapy applies hypnosis to change the patient’s mindset and overcome unhelpful thought patterns and control their mind through new and positive mental behaviors.

NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming is another commonly employed therapy technique. NLP is a set of tools that use language to generate neurological changes in the patient. Several NLP techniques can be made more effective when used in conjunction with hypnosis. NLP, combined with hypnotherapy, can be applied to address issues rooted in the unconscious mind that patients may be aware of but cannot change.

NLP used in conjunction with hypnosis has proved to have a positive impact on creating changes in the patients related to phobia, procrastination, weight loss, and smoking habits. It has also proved effective in resolving anger issues, fear of public speaking, stress, anxiety, and codependency, among others.

Regression refers to taking the patient’s mind back to a younger state of mind than their physical age. Age regression therapy involves taking the patient back a few years younger or even back to their early childhood, where they might have experienced an event that could bear on their problem. Age regression can be used as a therapeutic method to help patients return to the painful period of time and overcome trauma by finding healing.

These are the five major types of hypnotherapy that professional therapists can use. But these are not the only hypnotherapy techniques. Depending on the treatment goals, the therapist may also adopt less commonly applied techniques such as solution-focused hypnotherapy, hypnoanalysis, past-life regression hypnotherapy, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, hypno-psychotherapy, or hypno-counselling.

With several different types of hypnotherapy treatments available, selecting the best one can be a challenge. If you are planning to become a hypnotherapist, it is crucial to understand that each patient you will be treating will be unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all hypnotherapy treatment that can be adopted. The best type of hypnotherapy will be the one that focuses on the particular patient’s problematic state and provides a personalized solution to their problem.

If you are planning to seek hypnotherapy, it is recommended to first research the different types of treatment and understand if hypnotherapy is for you. Several articles across the internet may make patients think that hypnotherapy is something that is completely out of their control. However, patients need to understand that they are entirely in control when they seek therapy through a certified professional, and the therapist is only there to guide them.

Scientific experiments prove that the altered state of mind obtained through hypnosis can influence the subconscious mind and positively change a patient’s life. All the types of hypnotherapy techniques mentioned are meant to positively help patients handle their conditions and come out of the situation.

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