A lot of people don't realize that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The hypnotherapist is simply the facilitator. In fact, you can put yourself into hypnosis without a hypnotist. In my practice I regularly teach my clients self-hypnosis because using it between sessions helps compound the suggestions and aids in reaching the desired goal faster. I routinely give personalized recordings to my clients for this purpose. Hypnosis can be used in any situation where you need to change your physical, mental or emotional state.

Hypnosis is the most natural self-healing gift known to humanity. It is the key to changing old or unwanted behavior patterns and creating new, positive habits. However, remember to keep all suggestions and directions in the positive form…eliminating all negative words.

The reason for this is that the subconscious mind will not hear negativities. How many times have you said, “don’t forget the milk”, and forgot the milk. On the other hand if you say “remember the milk…you will remember. So it is very important to keep positive language.

Hypnosis is a method of boring your conscious mind so that it relaxes and stops thinking, much the same as when you go to bed at night just before you actually slip into sleep.

In hypnosis, your conscious mind is like an obedient servant-it just does what it is told to do. The subconscious mind doesn’t think, reason, or rationalize, it only follows instructions. Conversely, your conscious mind needs to be relaxed and quieted so it won’t argue against what you are instructing your subconscious mind to do. Hypnotic suggestions are effective because they bypass the conscious mind’s natural resistance to change and to reprogram the “computer” we call the subconscious to permanently effect these changes.

This process is called hypnosis. Again…all hypnosis is self-hypnosis-it is impossible to hypnotize someone against his or her will.

By devoting a mere 20 minutes each day to this approach, you can literally take charge of your life. Remember permanent change/habit takes about 21-30 days of repetition.

These steps in and out of hypnosis are merely guides, guiding you in and out of self-hypnosis. As you progress and become more proficient, you will find what best guides YOU in and out of self-hypnosis.
When first practicing and learning, I suggest a quiet, undisturbed place to sit down comfortably. It is best not to lie down at first as your mind has a tendency to go to sleep on you.

"IN"
1. Sit down in a comfortable position and quietly begin saying to yourself your optimal goal while envisioning this as reality.
2. In the beginning you may want to use a technique called 'eye-fixation'. For example stare at a spot on the wall, ceiling or in a picture. Suggest to yourself, "As I stare at this spot my eyelids are getting heavier and heavier, soon they will get so heavy they will close and stay closed until I tell them to open".
3. Take three (3) slow 'deep' breaths. The first is to relax yourself. The second is to MOVE into a state of hypnosis and deeper relaxation. And the third is to BE in a state of hypnosis.
4. Tell yourself how long you are going to be 'in' hypnosis. (15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc.) This teaches you to set your 'inner' clock.
5. Now start either at the tips of your toes or at the top of your head and move through each part of your body relaxing the muscles and releasing all stress, anxiety, frustration, etc. Saying 'relax', 'let go', 'deeper and deeper relaxed'.
6. Then imagine a staircase with ten (10) steps or a path that will lead you to your Special Place. Begin to count from 10 down to 1 or vice versa and either on 10 or 1 you will move into that special/safe place in your mind. Spend a few minutes there feeling, smelling, seeing, and hearing ...familiarize yourself with this Special/Safe Place. Ex: If, for instance, you chose the beach...HEAR the waves, SMELL and TASTE the salty sea mist, FEEL the warmth of the sand between your toes, just be completely at this beach…or mountains...or meadow...where ever you choose is right for you!
7. Now begin your self-talk of positive suggestions and continual optimal self-imagery.

"OUT"
Count yourself up from 1-5 suggesting that you have enjoyed a wonderful relaxation and on 5 you will feel refreshed and wonderfully good! Open your eyes, take a deep energizing breath and stretch!

If you do this before sleep you can suggest that on 5 you will move into a normal and natural sleep...until it is time for you to wake.
(Remember to set your mental alarm clock!)

If you would like to allow yourself the luxury of total relaxation, then just follow these four suggestions as you listen to the recording…and begin an enjoyable, pleasant and very beneficial experience.
First, make your surrounding so that you will undisturbed.
Second, remove your shoes and any apparel that will interfere with your physical comfort in any way.
Third, stretch out on your back, with your legs uncrossed, and your arms lazily to your side. Now if that doesn’t feel right for you, just wiggle around and wiggle into comfortable position that is just right for you.
Fourth, allow your eyelids to gently close, focus on your breathing, and begin to let your thoughts drift.
Its just that easy…enjoy!