Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, and Hypnotherapists
Hypnosis and Human Memory
Even in a tranquil environment, we are bombarded by 60,000 stimuli per second! Every second of every minute of every hour of every day the barrage continues – unrelentingly.
The biggest barrier to recalling information or memories is stress. Stress is the static or white noise of the mind and makes recall difficult or impossible.
Since the mind operating in its conscious mode can only hold 4-7 clusters of information at a time, it falls to the mind in its subconscious mode to store each and every one of them permanently. This process begins en utero when the fetus is about 14 weeks old and continues until death. All memories are permanent, and can be recalled whenever needed.
Because the subconscious is the repository of memories and hypnosis is the most direct way of accessing it, hypnotherapy is an effective way to recall information thought to be forgotten. This is accomplished by lessening the stress and using some techniques of association along with appropriate post-hypnotic suggestions.
These techniques can be used for everything from locating lost items like keys, glasses or concert tickets to maximizing recall for students studying or preparing to take an exam.
Other highly charged memories deeply buried in the subconscious such as memories of abuse or other childhood trauma can also be elicited. This uncovering needs to be done by a specialist in forensic hypnosis trained to interview the client in such a way as not to inadvertantly plant false memories.
Forensic hypnotists work principally for police departments to elicit details about crime scenes and alleged perpetrators from victims.
What is Hypnosis? | What is a Hypnotherapist? | Choosing a Hypnotherapist | Why does Hypnotherapy Work? | Pain Management through Hypnosis | Hypnosis and Phobias | Hypnosis and Human Memory | Hypnosis and Sports Psychology | Hypnosis and Stress Management
Referring to this article:
“Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, and Hypnotherapists” was written by G. Edward Riley, M.Div., CH, Certified Master Hypnotherapist, and C. J. Newton, MA, and published in the Find Counseling.com (formerly TherapistFinder.net) Mental Health Journal in April, 2001.
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