dr. med. Ferrera Nicole

Your doctor has suggested that you supplement your regular treatment with hypnosis. Here are some pointers to help you understand this type of therapy.

-The hypnotic state is something completely normal, experienced physiologically approximately every 90 minutes, when a person's concentration is focused on something other than sensory perceptions (daydreaming while traveling by train or during school lessons, thinking about vacations during lunch, following a film or literary plot closely and not hearing surrounding noises, etc.).

This state is the brain's technique par excellence for "recharging its batteries."

The hypnotherapist creates a trance state by accompanying the patient into this state of maximum concentration at a specific, desired moment. It is not possible to be hypnotized against one's will. There is a codified and clearly recognizable beginning and end to the trance.

-During trance, you do not sleep, but rather you are in a state of hyper-concentration and attention, particularly sensitive to your surroundings. For example, this is what allows us to record almost indelibly phrases or events heard and experienced in periods of high emotional tension (e.g., in the emergency room, intensive care, delivery room, in the event of an accident...).

This means that during trance, you can move, talk, and spontaneously exit the state induced by the therapist at any time and in complete freedom.

This enormous capacity for concentration is used for purely therapeutic purposes, to reactivate each individual's ability to cope with difficult situations, both physical and psychological. There is a code of ethics, with very specific rules, to which all hypnotherapists are subject.

-The therapeutic cycle is generally short and focused on concrete objectives; after a few consultations, the patient is usually taught self-hypnosis, so that they can manage their resources independently.

-It is not a form of psychotherapy that seeks to analyze the origin of certain disorders; rather, it is a therapy aimed at reactivating the patient's skills, so that they can fully participate in the solution; a therapy oriented towards the future rather than the past. In this sense, it is not an alternative to traditional therapies, but rather a complement to them.

-Everyone is hypnotizable; the ability to enter a trance is intrinsic to human beings. The trance can be more or less deep, but even light trances can be sufficient for therapeutic work.

-Consultations are covered by LaMal

Of course, other questions or queries may arise, which I will be happy to answer in consultation if you are interested in this type of therapy.