About 40% of the global population experienced emotional upheaval during the lockdown. As people return to the relative safety of endemic life, it will be common for many to feel mentally exhausted.
Sleep disruptions, elevated stress levels, angry outbursts, relationship problems, worries about children, and unhealthy eating and/or drinking are just some of the symptoms leading out of the pandemic.
Clinical hypnotherapy has shown itself to be effective in helping with these woes. It is an efficient treatment for reducing anxiety and tackling depression, helping people through addictive behaviours and suicidal ideation, and even strengthening the immune system.
Many clinical hypnotherapists have seen their practices grow during the pandemic, with mental health issues becoming more widely accepted and addressed. This trend is set to continue.
Clinical hypnotherapy is a low-cost treatment that is easy, safe, and drug-free. Benefits can be experienced after just one session, and most therapists will teach clients how to use self-hypnosis so they can look after themselves between appointments.
It is also a brief therapy, which works for those who are anxious to find swift and efficient solutions that will help them regain emotional and psychological equilibrium.
More than a daydream
Going under clinical hypnosis allows people to feel emotionally and physically recharged after just one session. This has proven helpful during the dark days of lockdown, helping clients regain their motivation and recalibrate their emotional health.
Research from Stanford University shows that brain-to-body connection is enhanced during hypnosis, which makes it much easier for the client to accept therapeutic suggestions and stay focused on the treatment plan after the session.
Experiencing hypnosis is often compared to being in a pleasant daydream. You feel at peace, emotionally centred, and content.
The state is very similar to meditation, but in clinical hypnotherapy, the therapist will guide their client towards their desired outcome. So while meditation, guided imagery, and hypnosis come from the same family, clinical hypnotherapy is a more directed and empowering approach.
Becoming a hypnotherapist
The demand for therapists has increased over the last decade and, given the impact of the pandemic on emotional health and the workplace, many have been prompted to consider careers in the helping professions.
People who explore becoming clinical hypnotherapists often have some life experience and are curious about the way the mind works. This might stem from the desire to understand their own psyche, or to fix a personal or family issue.
Those who pursue this profession also recognise they have natural empathic skills. They like listening to others, find it easy to offer solutions, and enjoy the way others trust them with personal dilemmas.
As clinical hypnotherapy puts you in touch with your feelings and those of others, learning the associated skills can offer flexible and useful options for you to progress towards a full- or part-time career as a therapist.
These skills can augment the work you currently do, or allow you to embark on an entirely new career path devoted to helping others and contributing to the wellbeing of your community.
Sheila Menon is the Principal of the London College of Clinical Hypnosis (LCCH) in Asia and Australia, and the CEO of the LSCCH Therapy Centre.