Misconceptions of Hypnosis

Many people have some pretty wild ideas about hypnosis. Most of them come from movies or dramatic stage shows where someone appears to lose control or act against their will. It’s no wonder people ask, “Is this even real?”

One thing I always remind clients is that movies use hypnosis as a convenient plot device. “Mind control” makes for an exciting storyline, but it has very little to do with what hypnosis actually is. Cinematic hypnosis is almost always inaccurate.

Stage hypnosis is real in the sense that people are genuinely responding. The laughter, the tears, the relaxation, those reactions are authentic. What’s happening, though, is that the hypnotist creates the illusion that people are being made to do things. In reality, it’s a carefully structured process based on suggestion, communication, timing, social cues, expectation, and volunteer selection.

The people on stage with their eyes closed and heads down may look unconscious, but they aren’t. They are present, relaxed, and in a highly focused state of awareness, deeply engaged with their subconscious mind.

The same principles used in stage hypnosis are also used in hypnotherapy, but the intention is very different. On stage, the goal is entertainment. In a hypnotherapy session, the goal is transformation, healing, and change chosen by the client.

Many people worry they won’t be able to experience hypnosis at all. My response is always the same: “If you want to go there, I’ll get you there.” Once people understand what hypnosis actually is, they usually experience it much more easily.

Early in my practice, I assumed hypnosis required dramatic outward signs. Over time, I learned that subtle shifts are just as meaningful. A softening of the face. The shoulders dropping. The breath slowing. A slight twitch in the hands. These are all signs that the subconscious mind is beginning to open.

Often, within seconds of closing their eyes, clients show REM-like eye movements. These are the same kind that typically occur during dreaming. When they come out of trance, their eyes may appear slightly reddened, which is a normal parasympathetic response as the nervous system deeply relaxes.

Stage hypnotists know exactly what they’re looking for. They run quick suggestibility tests and choose the most expressive responders. If the suggestion is that an arm is becoming light, one person may feel the sensation internally while another person’s arm floats dramatically into the air. The second person is selected for the show, not because they are more hypnotized, but because their response is easier to see.

There’s usually another type of person in the audience, the one who feels nothing and wonders why. This happens because hypnosis is a state of consent. If someone doesn’t want to experience trance, they won’t. Hypnosis cannot be forced.

If someone says, “I won’t be hypnotized,” they’re absolutely right. Permission has already been withdrawn. Even in deep trance, sometimes so deep a person is snoring while still answering yes or no questions, the subconscious continues to protect them. It only accepts suggestions that feel safe, reasonable, and beneficial.

This is why hypnosis is not mind control, not a truth serum, and not a way to override someone’s will. It is a deeply relaxed, focused state where external distractions fade and the mind becomes open to clear communication.

The worst thing that can happen in hypnosis is nothing at all. That only happens when someone doesn’t want the experience. The best thing that can happen is meaningful, lasting change that continues throughout the rest of their life.