Article5
Could hypnosis help you succeed at work?
By DIANA BENTLEY, Evening Standard
Could hypnosis help you succeed at work?
By DIANA BENTLEY, Evening Standard
The quest for expanding our armoury of skills to deal with stress and fatigue seems never ending. It is little wonder given the long hours and pressure many employees regularly endure. But one technique commonly associated with putting you to sleep just might help you deal with your working life and its effects when you are very much awake.
The word "hypnosis" usually brings to mind memories of people on television shows making fools of themselves while unconscious. But on a more serious level, hypnosis is a valuable tool that can help change attitudes and behavioural patterns.
John Butler, the president of the British Society of Hypnotherapists and a psychologist with 20 years' experience using hypnosis as part of therapy, says: "The word 'hypnosis' comes from Hypnos, the name of the Greek god of sleep, but we now know that people who are hypnotised aren't asleep or unconscious.
"Hypnosis is a procedure that moves the conscious mind aside, as meditation may do. This helps the individual relax and enables the subconscious to be more active."
When the subconscious is more available, says Butler, it's receptive to suggestions made to change behaviour or address specific problems.
Over the past 15 years he has seen an upsurge in the appreciation of what hypnosis can achieve, not only for health-related problems such as smoking, but also in helping motivate people - from business to sport - and helping them address problems at work, particularly stress.
"We use the word 'stress' loosely but usually it refers to a combination of micro problems," says Butler. "People may be overloaded with work, have conflicts with colleagues, feel underpaid or be frustrated by a lack of scope for creativity."
Anxiety about coping and fear of failure lie at the bottom of many work-related difficulties, he adds, and these are frequently among the issues dealt with in hypnosis sessions.
"Using hypnosis to boost a person's confidence in himself or herself and her belief in her ability to do the job can play a large role in helping them gain a more relaxed, positive reaction to their work and teaching them to combat stress."
Importantly too, hypnotherapy works quickly. People usually need only three or four one-hour sessions, though severe cases may need up to seven, says Butler.
"In the first session I assess where the person's problem lies and set goals about what he or she wants to achieve," he explains. "Then I give a short introduction to how hypnosis works and to relaxation techniques."
Hypnosis is used in subsequent sessions, but he says that a very deep level of relaxation is not necessary for hypnosis to work.
Another benefit of hypnotherapy, he says, is that it involves instruction in the technique so the individual can use it.
He frequently makes tapes for people to take away from sessions. "Sometimes I make them in the sessions, if they're straightforward, but if there are things the patient doesn't want to have recorded, I script a specific tape."
He tries to teach as much as he can. "Hypnosis isn't just about showing people how to relax on top of a volcano. It can help people take greater control and deal with the bigger stresses and issues of life."
The word "hypnosis" usually brings to mind memories of people on television shows making fools of themselves while unconscious. But on a more serious level, hypnosis is a valuable tool that can help change attitudes and behavioural patterns.
John Butler, the president of the British Society of Hypnotherapists and a psychologist with 20 years' experience using hypnosis as part of therapy, says: "The word 'hypnosis' comes from Hypnos, the name of the Greek god of sleep, but we now know that people who are hypnotised aren't asleep or unconscious.
"Hypnosis is a procedure that moves the conscious mind aside, as meditation may do. This helps the individual relax and enables the subconscious to be more active."
When the subconscious is more available, says Butler, it's receptive to suggestions made to change behaviour or address specific problems.
Over the past 15 years he has seen an upsurge in the appreciation of what hypnosis can achieve, not only for health-related problems such as smoking, but also in helping motivate people - from business to sport - and helping them address problems at work, particularly stress.
"We use the word 'stress' loosely but usually it refers to a combination of micro problems," says Butler. "People may be overloaded with work, have conflicts with colleagues, feel underpaid or be frustrated by a lack of scope for creativity."
Anxiety about coping and fear of failure lie at the bottom of many work-related difficulties, he adds, and these are frequently among the issues dealt with in hypnosis sessions.
"Using hypnosis to boost a person's confidence in himself or herself and her belief in her ability to do the job can play a large role in helping them gain a more relaxed, positive reaction to their work and teaching them to combat stress."
Importantly too, hypnotherapy works quickly. People usually need only three or four one-hour sessions, though severe cases may need up to seven, says Butler.
"In the first session I assess where the person's problem lies and set goals about what he or she wants to achieve," he explains. "Then I give a short introduction to how hypnosis works and to relaxation techniques."
Hypnosis is used in subsequent sessions, but he says that a very deep level of relaxation is not necessary for hypnosis to work.
Another benefit of hypnotherapy, he says, is that it involves instruction in the technique so the individual can use it.
He frequently makes tapes for people to take away from sessions. "Sometimes I make them in the sessions, if they're straightforward, but if there are things the patient doesn't want to have recorded, I script a specific tape."
He tries to teach as much as he can. "Hypnosis isn't just about showing people how to relax on top of a volcano. It can help people take greater control and deal with the bigger stresses and issues of life."