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It's normal to have questions

Explore the truth about hypnotherapy and regression while debunking common misconceptions by exploring the most frequently asked questions below.

What Hypnosis Is

Have you ever found yourself behind the wheel, only to realize upon arrival that the journey feels like a blur? Perhaps you've experienced being engaged in mundane daily tasks then find yourself slipping effortlessly into a state of flow where actions unfold seamlessly while your mind floats in a realm we often call 'the zone.? Are those relaxing liminal moments just before sleep or upon waking familiar to you?

Congratulations, you've dipped into the realm of hypnosis!

Hypnosis is a profound, innate state of relaxation that we naturally drift in and out of multiple times daily. When intentionally embraced, the hypnotic state becomes a sanctuary where our conscious and subconscious minds engage in dialogue; resolving conflicts that may linger beneath the surface. The unconscious hypnotic state allows us to sidestep the usual barriers of the conscious mind, delving straight into the core of our emotions and concerns nestled within to more easily explore, address, integrate and reconcile issues.

Remember that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. As a hypnotherapist, my role is to create and nurture a safe space for you to delve into your inner landscape, guiding you towards understanding and addressing and harmonizing the discoveries you make along the way.

What Hypnosis Is Not

A session booked with Headwaters Hypnotherapy and Regression is Clinical Hypnosis, a form of hypnosis that transcends the realm of mere entertainment; it is a profound therapeutic tool.

If you've witnessed a friend mimicking a chicken on stage during a hypnosis demonstration, rest assured, they were willing participants of a form of hypnosis referred to as stage hypnosis, not clinical hypnosis. Stage hypnosis does not reflect the therapeutic essence of inducing a flow state.

It's crucial to understand that under any form of hypnosis, no one can be coerced into actions or statements against their will. Throughout the process of a clinical hypnosis session, you remain in full control at all times, empowered to disclose or withhold information as you see fit, and you can disengage at any moment.

It's essential to emphasize that hypnosis isn't a medical treatment and shouldn't be viewed as a substitute for professional healthcare services. I am transparent about the limitations of hypnosis and will openly discuss these boundaries before agreeing to any session.

Hypnosis isn't something done to you; rather, it's a collaborative effort requiring your active engagement and desire for change. You'll remain conscious and aware throughout the session, with complete recollection of all that transpires.

WHAT IF I CAN'T GO UNDER?

It is extremely rare for a willing client to not reach a state of hypnosis. Some do require a little more time to find their flow state, but eventually reach it with guidance. In the event it does not happen for you, we will work together to discover the origin of the block, and move forward from there.
HOW MUCH WILL I REMEMBER FROM MY SESSION?

Everything! While your conscious mind is sitting off to the side, it’s still observing. You will be present and aware of your entire session, and will remember all the emotion, conversations, and answers that took place. If you are coming for a Past Life Regression or Ancestral Regression, you will also be sent a recording of the session, and are welcome to bring your own recording device, as well.
WHAT KINDS OF ISSUES CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH HYPNOTHERAPY?

Anything from stage fright to fear of heights, general fear and stress relief to building self-confidence or motivation, and from finding the root of an issue to reversing and rebalancing that issue can be addressed through hypnotherapy. These types of issues can be addressed through Clinical Hypnosis, Past Life Regression, or Ancestral Regression. Many have found help quitting smoking or addressing their emotional relationship to food through this modality, as well. Hypnotherapy is not a guarantee, however. It is a process that's best entered into with an open mind - the more invested you are in your own participation, the better your results will be.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE TO GO TO THE RESTROOM DURING MY SESSION OR I NEED TO MOVE MY BODY?

It's a good idea to manage your liquid intake before you arrive, especially for Past Life and Ancestral sessions which can go over two hours. However, if this need does arise, simply let me know and we'll bring you up to a level of consciousness where you can safely go to the restroom and return. Then we will re-deepen you to the previous level and continue with the session. You will be free and able to move, shift, scratch your nose, or make any other physical adjustment needed while under hypnosis. It is not a fragile state, and you will not suddenly 'come out' of hypnosis just because your body moved.
IS HYPNOTHERAPY COVERED BY HEALTH BENEFITS

While clinical hypnotherapy and regression sessions are not yet covered by most employee health benefits, each insurance coverage is different. Many health insurance health care spending accounts do accept hypnotherapy sessions under those extended plans. It is always best to check with your insurance provider to understand their coverage
WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING TO MY BRAIN DURING HYPNOSIS?

Our beautiful brains move through a spectrum of wave patterns all day, every day. Think of these as going from fastest to slowest; we move in and out of each brainwave pattern many times a day. When we are awake, highly aware, and hyper-focused, our brains are producing Gamma waves. Just going about our everyday tasks, conscious and alert, we are in the Beta state producing Beta waves. When we are awake but relaxed and not necessarily focusing on anything in particular, this is the Alpha state. When we are meditating, beginning to fall asleep, or in the first stages of sleep, our brainwaves are in the Theta state. In deep, restorative sleep, our brains produce Delta waves. In hypnosis, the brain moves into Theta state, the realm of deep meditation, trance, and the subconscious. This is where we can explore things on a deeper level with more lasting results.
WHAT IF MY CONSCIOUS MIND WON'T BE QUIET?

It's virtually impossible to completely quiet the conscious mind. Instead, during hypnosis, we ask the conscious mind to take a seat in the 'observation box' and just watch as we work directly with the subconscious. You may still hear mind chatter, such as "what am I going to think?", "what if nothing comes to me?", "is this really going to work?", "is that memory actually real?" or even more mundane things like what you're having for dinner or an email you need to send. When this happens, simply take a deep breath and relax into the process, trusting that your mind is going to show you exactly what you need to know for this session. In allowing the conscious mind to chatter as it will and not giving it energy by fighting it, you make space for what really needs to rise to the surface through the subconscious mind. The less you try, the easier the information comes.
WHO CAN BE HYPNOTIZED?

As all hypnosis is self-hypnosis, anyone with the desire to be hypnotized can go under. It is not something that is done to you, rather it is something that is done by you with my guidance. However, heavy medication, drugs, and alcohol directly affect this. If you are taking a prescription such as pain medication that affects your ability to focus, hypnosis may not be for you at this time. Sessions are not conducted on those under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Also, it is difficult for very young children to maintain the focus necessary for hypnotherapy to be productive, so I do not work with anyone under the age of 8.
WHAT WILL I FEEL AFTER MY SESSION?

This obviously varies based on the individual and the type of session. In general after hypnotherapy, clients feel relief, relaxation, a sense of calmness and being centered, or even energized. If there was deep emotional work done during the session, there may be a period of energetic readjustment in the days following, which may look like general tiredness, body aches, or headache. This clears up quickly however, and is swiftly replaced with feelings of empowerment and balance. Think of having a massage or energy work done and the way you feel post-session - hypnotherapy is very similar in that way. I suggest my clients avoid scheduling a session when they have an important event or something physically demanding scheduled the same day or even the next day.
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT I'M EXPERIENCING ISN'T JUST MY IMAGINATION?

This is a very common concern, and there is indeed no concrete way to know what you're getting is absolutely 100% true. Questions about memory, past lives, parallel lives, or our afterlives are difficult to answer in empirical ways. Some clients do bring through verifiable information which helps to legitimize what they're experiencing, but this is not always the case. So I address this from two points of view: 1) Whether it's definitively 'true' or not, it is something your subconscious is presenting to you for a reason. Even if it is simply a metaphor, what is your mind trying to show you, help you understand, or explain? This is the focus - why are you being shown this and how can it help you move forward and heal? 2) The emotional responses to past life memories lend credibility to the experience. If you try right now to imagine a past life, creating all the details with your imagination, it is unlikely you will have a visceral, emotional response to that creation. Just imagining a loved one as someone important to you in a past life is a more cerebral exercise than anything else. While in a past life under hypnosis, your emotions are engaged in a different way. You know your connection with places and people through real and vivid experience, and often once someone has been through this, they no longer fear it is only their imagination at play.
HOW DOES HYPNOTHERAPY WORK?

In a deeply relaxed trance state, your conscious mind is able to step to the side and just observe, allowing you to then work directly with your subconscious mind to affect the greatest change in thought patterns or behaviors. This state also allows your conscious and subconscious to work together to help implement the changes in your life moving forward.
WHAT DOES TRANSPERSONAL HYPNOTHERAPY MEAN AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT?

The synergistic style of Transpersonal Hypnotherapy in which I am certified is centered on the understanding that the client has all the answers they need inside of them. Instead of feeding information to you as my client or giving direct suggestions, I instead am there to guide you and hold space for you to discover your own answers, and then walk you through any releasing or rebalancing that needs to be done.
WHAT DOES HYPNOSIS FEEL LIKE?

At first it feels very much like a guided meditation – just a gentle settling into deep relaxation. As you are exploring the therapeutic work, various emotions may come up as we move through the issues, but because you’re working from the subconscious mind this also takes place in a dreamlike, deeply relaxed state. Should anything become overwhelming for you emotionally, we can help you transition into more of an observer role that allows us to process and release it together from that space. When you emerge from hypnosis, it’s common to feel extremely calm and refreshed. Also, each person experiences hypnosis a little differently. Some may see things visually, some hear what's going on around them first, some feel what is happening instead and can then describe it, and some may just know and are able to relate what they know. There is no 'right' way to receive information, and it's extremely helpful to be open to however it may come to you. Even if you are very visual in your waking life, under hypnosis you may feel or know instead, or vice versa.