Please feel free to submit your own questions to Ewa at ewa@sfhypnotherapy.com


Will I lose control while in hypnosis?

No. In truth, all hypnosis is considered self-hypnosis. You cannot be hypnotized unless you wish to be. If an idea or suggestion is presented that does not ring true with you in hypnosis, you will reject it in your mind - sometimes even coming out of the hypnosis state. What is a first hypnotherapy session like?

In the first session I do a thorough intake, related to the presenting issue. We talk about expectations and goals, as well as any experiences you have had in the past with therapy or hypnosis.

Then you have your first hypnosis experience with me. We may start with the breath and using the breath to bring the mind and body into a relaxed and safe place. I work interactively, so I may ask questions, and you may describe your experience. We often work with visualization, related to the goal that you have set for yourself. This relaxed state can last for 15 to 40 minutes, and then you are brought out of the trance. Any new insights are integrated into practical and realistic life changes. I'm always amazed at the level of creativity that people come up with in addressing and solving their own issues.


How many sessions do I need to participate in before seeing results?

Usually people already feel some improvement or relief in 1-3 session. For something like habit abatement or smaller lifestyle changes it takes about 4-6 sessions to have the changes solidify.

People who have experienced greater trauma might need more time in order to release the issues at hand – but sometimes we are surprised how a seemingly big problem starts shifting very rapidly. Even after a few sessions people are able to use the tools they are learning in therapy on their own. For health conditions such as cancer, ongoing support is most effective as an adjunct therapy.

For those wanting to lower their blood pressure, for example, or improve their general state of wellbeing, I see initial results after the first session. But sustained change requires a commitment to doing the work at home as well. The nice thing about hypnosis is that you can take the skills home with you, and it is effortless and enjoyable.


Can hypnosis make me stop smoking?

Hypnosis is a tool, and when used properly, it can help you stop smoking. If you are motivated to stop smoking, you'll benefit from hypnosis. If you're not motivated, then hypnosis won't help you. However, you can use hypnosis to boost your motivation.


What does a typical Reiki session entail and how does it feel?

Reiki is a very safe and soothing way to tap into your own healing energy and people experience a session as relaxing and calming - not just for the time being but also in its after-effects.

A typical Reiki session is 60 minutes long and the first part is spend on some background information about you, answering questions you might have, talking about the symptoms or feelings or experiences in your current life you'd like to change or heal and anything else you consider important for me to know before the healing work. Then you get to lie down on my massage table with your cloth on - starting either front or back, whichever you prefer. You can also lie down on your side if it is more comfortable for you. Then I gently place my hands on your body, following certain positions on your head, your torso, legs and arms. I always make sure that you are comfortable being touched and if there are areas you don't want me to touch I can also work the area just above your body - some people experience this as even more powerful. Halfway thru the session I usually ask you to turn around and I use hand positions on this second side as well. At the end we have a bit more time to integrate your experience.

People mostly experience Reiki as warmth or a pleasant tingling, as care and support, they feel themselves relaxing, sometimes feeling light and a sense of release, sometimes there are sounds or laughter or the release of tears or other emotions. Reiki is often experienced as a clearing and you may feel energized afterwards as well.

Testimonial

Revelation. We all know the feeling. The sudden rush of insight into something you had been trying to figure out for hours, days, or maybe even years. A moment of clarity and empowerment so liberating that body and emotions are lifted and relieved all at the same time. Wow.

When I sat down with Ewa for the fist time I was an emotional jumbled mess embodying just the opposite: confusion, fear, anxiety, hesitation, and a healthy spoonful of self-doubt. Insert magic wand, hypnotherapy, reiki and·healed! No, not that simple. What I discovered in my sessions with Ewa was a person willing to listen, willing to learn with me, and support me in being the master of my own destiny. With this open palate as our working space I slowly began to peel away at issues big and small. The combination of open talk, Hypnotherapy, and Reiki were the tools we used to expand and explore. Through the process of conversing, tapping into my subconscious through Hypnotherapy, and getting the energy flowing through Reiki I felt a real internal shift. No hocus pocus. Just great tools, awesome support, and a dedicated person to guide me through the process. The result of all of this? What nut did I crack? The revelation?

Me. I discovered me. Call it what you like. Corny, cheesy, new age, touchy feely. Whatever. For me I call it the truth. I discovered a person not unlike the person who might be reading this right now. A person with their unique issue to work through. A person with unique challenges. But most importantly I found a person with unique hopes, goals, and dreams. As I write this I am a person firmly and profoundly changed. I acknowledge and work on issues and challenges as they arise now versus repressing them and letting them get bigger and bigger over time. I am a person who is taking myself seriously now and putting real energy into newly discovered hopes and dreams. For this I am deeply thankful.

So take a chance on yourself and pick up the phone or shoot Ewa an email. You never know what or who you might discover.

-John P.