Are self hypnosis recordings just as valuable as visiting a hypnotherapist in person? Well, it would be easy for us to say that self hypnosis CDs and downloads are better in every way, but that would be dishonest. There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. The purpose of this article is to examine some of the main ways they differ in an unbiased and ethical manner.
Affordability and availability
Recorded self hypnosis sessions, such as those here at SelfHypnosis.com, are significantly more affordable than visiting a hypnotherapist in person. We like to think our self hypnosis recordings as being very affordable and offering excellent value for money. Of course, this is not to suggest that paying for sessions with a hypnotherapist is not worth the money, if you can afford to do so. Yet for many people the financial cost can be prohibitive.
Another significant advantage of recorded self hypnosis sessions is the ability to listen to them as often as you like, in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Whereas when visiting a hypnotherapist you end up paying each time, not to mention the travel costs. We have customers that still like to occasionally listen to our sessions months, and even years after they initially purchased them. We also provide life-time upgrades that our customers can download for free, for those times when we update or improve a session.
Our self hypnosis recordings are immediately available, whenever you need them. If you order a CD then there is obviously going to be a bit of a wait, but our downloads are available instantly. So right now you are just a few clicks away from a choice of over 150 different high quality hypnotherapy sessions. How is that for convenience?
Generality vs. specificity
Even though we offer a wide range of self hypnosis recordings on a variety of topics, we simply cannot offer solutions for every potential issue that people seek help for. Even if we had a billion different recordings for a million different issues, this still would not do. We often get requests and enquiries for all sorts of issues that people need help with, including many obscure conditions. It takes a lot of time and effort to produce recordings and as much as we would like to help, it is often just not viable. If you need something that is truly specific to your needs then the only solution may be to visit a professional hypnotherapist in person.
We are also restricted to only being able to offer a generic approach to the most common conditions. Whilst still extremely effective, we must take great care with the words we use in each recording to avoid any unhelpful assumptions about the listener. We do not know the listener’s age or gender, let alone other salient details. In contrast, should you visit a hypnotherapist for an initial consultation, he or she will ask questions about your life and any relevant details about the prevalent issue. As such, you can expect to receive therapy that is specific and tailor made to your needs.
Personal interaction
Perhaps the major advantage of working one on one with a hypnotherapist is the personal interaction, which is something that cannot be achieved with recordings. There is much more to hypnotherapy than just being able to work on specific problems. A professional hypnotherapist can take into account your personality and is able to ask questions (both inside and outside the state of hypnosis), observe and respond to any feedback you provide, while observing both verbal and non-verbal cues.
Hypnotherapy is more than just using hypnosis as a tool for change. A good hypnotherapist should know that what you actually need may be quite different than what you think you need. When a professional and ethical relationship is established and rapport is in place, both hypnotherapist and client can work together successfully toward almost any goal. This all comes about as part of the live interaction between people.
Locating the root cause
There are times when the underlying causes for our feelings and behaviours can run deep. Within some of our self hypnosis recordings, we use advanced hypnotherapy techniques to help address past issues and limiting beliefs in a safe and secure way. But there are limitations to what we can do with recordings and some issues are best handled with the help of a professional hypnotherapist.
Some people may even benefit from an approach known as hypnoanalysis, which is a form of regression therapy that seeks to locate the root cause of a problem or symptom (usually from childhood) and resolve it in the mind. However, it is worth noting that many hypnotherapists are not suitably trained for this type of work. It is also a slow form of hypnotherapy, which means it can be quite expensive-and there is no guarantee it will work either.
Contrary to what you might read, many conditions have few, if any, underlying issues. Sometimes seeking a “cause” or ”causes” may prove to be a wild goose chase. But if there is a need to discover the underlying cause of a presenting problem, then there is no doubt that working with a professional hypnotherapist would be the better (and in many cases, the only) option, provided they have the necessary experience and expertise.
The law of concentrated attention
Hypnosis works because it allows the subconscious to be more open to suggestions. Never underestimate the power of suggestion. All hypnotherapists use it, even if their work is predominantly analytical. Well crafted suggestions can help you to develop a new thought process or habit which is more beneficial or rewarding than the previous one. Moreover, if you talk to any hypnotherapist he or she will tell you about the law of concentrated attention, which means:
“When your attention is focused on an idea again and again, it tends to spontaneously realise itself.”
This is why self hypnosis recordings can be so powerful. The more you hear hypnotic suggestions, the more likely it is that the suggestions will be taken on board at a subconscious level. Our hypnotherapists use a variety of suggestion therapy based techniques (in addition to other methods), such as direct and indirect, embedded commands and compounding suggestions, in our self hypnosis recordings. Through repetition, by way of regular use, the results of this style of therapy can be long lasting and truly effective.
Complementary, not alternative
By debating which is best, we are in danger of forgetting that it does not need to be an either/or situation. There is absolutely no reason why you cannot use both approaches! In fact, many hypnotherapists give their clients a CD to listen to in-between sessions to complement and reinforce any therapy, even if it is just for deep relaxation. We also know many hypnotherapists who recommend our self hypnosis sessions to their clients, not necessarily as an alternative, but to complement the process. Hypnotherapy itself is a complementary therapy and we should view the use of recorded self hypnosis and the benefits of visiting a therapist in the same way.
Even if you intend on visiting a hypnotherapist, there is another additional benefit of using our self hypnosis recordings. The more you experience self hypnosis, the more easily you will be able to experience the same state of hypnosis in the presence of a hypnotherapist. Although some people may disagree, the ability to get into hypnosis lies mostly within the hypnotizee, rather than the hypnotherapist. Therefore, you would almost certainly save yourself time and money by practicing self hypnosis prior to working one to one with a hypnotherapist, should that be your intention.
So, which is best?
There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. Self hypnosis recordings clearly come out ahead in terms of affordability and availability. We have also examined some of the therapeutic benefits to regularly listening to our recordings. We know for sure that our sessions can produce permanent and lasting changes for a wide range of issues — and this is backed up by our many testimonials. However, there is no disputing the fact that there are some major benefits in visiting a professional hypnotherapist, particularly when it comes to specific and deep-rooted issues.
If you have access to one on one therapy then that is great, but do not underestimate the value of high quality self hypnosis recordings. Whether it is visiting a therapist, using our self hypnosis sessions, or a combination of both… if you are willing to dedicate the time and open yourself up to change, you will reap the benefits.
