Hypnotist for Weight Loss

Hypnosis has a long and colorful history, as it was practiced by Greeks and Native Americans who engaged in trancelike behavior. Modern hypnosis has been periodically practiced since the 18th century, and English ophthalmologist James Braid spurred interest in hypnosis in the 1840s. The American Medical Association approved hypnosis as a medical treatment in the 1950s. Hypnotists licensed as hypnotherapists use hypnosis to assist weight loss patients, notes Healthy Women website.

Function

Hypnosis brings you to an altered state of consciousness with assistance from a trained hypnotherapist. You'll be encouraged to create mental images and use verbal repetition to achieve this frame of mind. During your session, you'll be extremely focused and very receptive to suggestions about behavioral changes. Some of these behavioral changes can lead to weight loss, states registered dietitian Katherine Zeratsky at MayoClinic.com.

Technique

Weight-loss directed hypnosis can occur in individual or group settings. Seattle-based registered hypnotherapist Katie Evans conducts group sessions for eight to 10 clients. Evans helps each client identify her food and hunger issues, and continues with support sessions that include group hypnosis. Relaxation exercises are followed by a suggestion to associate a troublesome food with something unpleasant. Meditation and concentration help to declutter your mind and heighten your resolve to change.

Effectiveness

There is no definitive proof that hypnosis causes weight loss. New York-based hypnotherapist Benjamin Kligler, M.D., stresses that while some of his patients have lost weight while using hypnosis, each patient's success depends on her motivation. Kligler thinks hypnosis is one tool that can help you change eating behavior. He notes that since hypnosis studies are generally short-term, with varied hypnotic methods, it is difficult to draw reliable conclusions.

Considerations

Hypnosis is generally not a risky procedure, although patients with some medical conditions or untreated pain should not experience hypnosis. Active alcohol and drug abusers and delusional patients should avoid hypnosis. Clinical hypnotist Judith E. Pearson, Ph.D., notes you must be receptive to a suggestion to bring it to fruition. Therefore, it is impossible for you to be hypnotized into doing something that contradicts your values or is against your will.

Qualifications

A hypnotherapist can have a variety of medical backgrounds. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that medical doctors, social workers, registered nurses and family counselors undertake specialized training to become licensed hypnotherapists. The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis requires at least 20 hours of approved hypnotherapy training, while the American Psychotherapy and Medical Hypnosis Association mandates a six-to-eight-week instructional course.