Misconceptions
Common Misconceptions About Hypnotherapy
1. Misperception: I will lose self-control and be under the hypnotherapist’s power.
A: Hypnotherapy is not the same as stage hypnosis. Each of the 8 certifying national organizations for certified clinical hypnotherapists require their hypnotherapists to sign a Code of Ethics to certify and recertify. These ethics speak to not taking a client into so deep a focused trance that their conscious mind (the discerning, thought based mind) has been sent completely away leaving the very literal unconscious mind open and vulnerable to the hypnotherapist’s suggestions.
Your unconscious mind has some built-in safeguards that protect clients. These safeguards include: the unconscious mind never revealing more than the client can handle, and any deeply seeded belief (such as religious faith) cannot be changed without the client’s permission.
2. Misperception: Hypnotherapy is a magic bullet for my problems.
A: Hypnotherapy is highly effective and is one of the top 2 evidence-based practices for general anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias. It is not a magic bullet, however, clients that choose hypnotherapy often make faster progress than those who choose just psychotherapy regarding overcoming challenges or making the changes they desire.
3. Misperception: My insurance won’t pay for an “alternative” therapy.
A: Hypnotherapy is an American Medical Association and American Psychological Association approved therapy. Appointments are billed and classified according to the challenge the client presents with, not the type of therapy used. I have been in business since 1998 and have successfully worked with insurance companies.
4. Misconception: I can’t be hypnotized.
A: 97% of the population can be hypnotized. We operate in and out of trance states naturally. For example, if you have ever daydreamed at a red light or been so transfixed in a movie that you didn’t hear someone call your name, you have experienced a trance state.
5. Misconception: I don’t want a therapist “messing” with my mind.
A: Hypnotherapy allows a person to quiet the often loud and overbearing conscious mind that judges them. The hypnotherapist doesn’t provide the client’s answers; the client is guided into their own unconscious mind to access the answers held within.
6. Misconception: A person is totally exposed in hypnotherapy.
A: The unconscious mind has built-in safeguards. A client has the freedom to speak their awarenesses aloud or remain silent to what they observe. The client can do the work quietly and nonverbally if they so desire.
7. Misconception: How do organized Christian religions view it?
A: Most organized religions have approved the use of hypnotherapy, just as the AMA, APA, and the British Medical Association have.
8. Misconception: I called my insurance and they said it isn’t covered.
A: Insurance companies are not liable for their telephone triage information, even if you document the operator’s name. They are, however, liable for their written benefit explanations. Please see the research questions below to get the full picture of your coverage.
Insurance Research Guide
Below are questions you may want to research regarding your coverage:
- Does my plan have any behavioral health or mental health outpatient visits?
- If so, how many in a benefit year?
- How does the benefit year run (e.g., Jan to Dec)?
- Does my policy require a deductible be met first?
- Does my policy have a preferred provider list?
- Does my policy require a doctor’s referral?
- Does my policy require a pre-authorization number?
If you get stuck anywhere along this maze of questions, please call me and I will be happy to assist you. Whether we ever meet or not, I wish you the very best in your personal development progress.
Kathy Jo M. Avery, BSN, MA, CHT, MSW
Thank you for your interest in hypnotherapy and Heartfelt Hypnosis.
I welcome your call at (509) 448-5660.