Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic approach that makes use of clinical hypnosis (for more information scroll below) to identify and treat problems. It is performed by a trained practitioner, also known as a hypnotist or hypnotherapist.
As I have graduated from two hypnotherapy courses, I have experience in using several methods of induction into hypnosis and techniques for detecting the root cause of a specific issue.
One of the courses was based on Dave Elman's method of induction into hypnosis, which has recently been used in a scientific study that was aimed at understanding differences at the level of brain activity between the normal and hypnotic states, using functional MRI (link to the scientific article).
The other technique I use is RTT or rapid transformational therapy. It was developed by Marisa Peer and it allows a rapid detection and reshaping of the presenting problem. Because our minds learn best by repetition, at the end of an RTT session a recording is produced which needs to be listened to so that the mind becomes accustomed to its own power to make changes.
Hypnosis can be defined as a process of guiding an individual into a relaxed state that allows the communication between the conscious and subconscious mind. In that state, the critical/analytical part of the mind shuts down and the individual is open to receiving only the suggestions that are in agreement with their own personal values. Contrary to its name, based on the Greek god of sleep Hypnos, hypnosis is not an actual sleep. Sure the eyes are closed in order to bring more focus inward and the hypnotized individual is in a very relaxed state, but their awareness is sharp and deeply focused. If you would like to know more about this topic, here is the link to watch one of the Huberman Lab podcast episodes, where Prof. Andrew Huberman and Dr. David Spiegel MD have an in depth conversation about hypnosis.
The history of hypnosis can be traced back thousands of years. Ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans practiced forms of hypnosis for healing purposes. However, modern hypnosis as we know it today emerged in the late 18th century with the work of Austrian physician Franz Mesmer (mesmerism) and received its current name in the 19th century, from the Scottish surgeon James Braid.
Below are a few of the topics that the research into the field of hypnosis had been focused on: