Simply stated, hypnosis is a naturally occurring psychological state that can be induced by a trained professional to elicit behavioral changes the client wishes to make. People can also learn to utilize hypnosis themselves; this is known as “self-hypnosis.” Hypnosis is not strange or mystical as it is sometimes depicted on TV and other places. Clinical hypnosis is very different from stage hypnosis. Usually hypnosis is a relaxed state of mind where you can choose to be open to suggestions from the hypnotist or from within yourself. It is intended to allow you more control over yourself, and does not take away self-control. Hypnosis cannot make you do anything that you would not choose for yourself.
We are often in hypnotic states naturally, such as when we are absorbed in a good book, watching a compelling movie, or when time flies by because you were so absorbed in some project or task. It is a natural and normal state. Formal hypnosis harnesses this natural ability to utilize it to help you make changes in your life. Similar states include meditation, visualization, and other states of inner directed focused attention.
Hypnosis utilizes a naturally occurring state of consciousness (some call trance) where attention is focused away from aspects of the spectrum of present reality; and where attention is focused toward, directed toward, or absorbed in images, thoughts, perceptions, feelings, motivations, memories, sensations, behaviors, imaginings, fantasies, or any combination of these.
Hypnosis is the intentional use of directed attention, imaginational processes, and suggestion to modify or discover images, thoughts, perceptions, feelings, motivations, memories, sensations, imaginings, or fantasies. Typically this process is undertaken with the goal of creating alterations in perception, emotion, thought, or behavior; in part by exploring possibilities, choices, and resources.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming is predicated on the belief that cognition, communication, behavior, and emotion (and their interrelationships) have structure that can be identified, utilized, and modified. It examines how we process, store, organize, and categorize experience and information; and how this guides our behavior. It examines the conscious and unconscious patterns underlying the maps and models of our subjective experience and the manner in which these are overtly expressed.
In practice, NLP is pragmatic and technique oriented. It does not arise from a single theoretical position, but its development has been influenced by Gestalt therapy, the family therapy of Virginia Satir, Ericksonian psychotherapy and hypnosis, and humanistic psychology. There are also clear links between NLP and the fields of systems theory, behavioral psychology, and linguistics. A critical position of NLP is that understanding psychological functioning does not depend on theoretical premises; rather understandings are useful primarily to the extent that they assist in creating usable interventions, models, and patterns to facilitate cognitive and behavioral change.
Various people have defined NLP differently, or at least emphasized differing aspects of it. The following comments summarize aspects of other definitions that have been offered.
NLP is also about modeling the strategies and patterns behind human excellence; so successful and effective behaviors, cognitions, and ways of communicating can be replicated by others.
NLP is also about transforming the way people organize their maps so they can think, and act more resourcefully and with more choice.
NLP is also about a methodology that helps us understand how experience is coded and how we learn. The fundamental processes of learning and information processing are utilized to help people train their brain to function more effectively. NLP proposes that we can take control of our inner representations to realize the changes we want.
NLP is about communication, both verbal and nonverbal. How communication is structured, within ourselves and interactively with others, impacts subjective experience and others response to our communication. Communication can be structured to effect cognition in various ways. Communication also reveals aspects of the underlying representations and cognitions. Some have described NLP as the psychology of influencing others.
NLP is also about psychological tools for changing, dysfunctional beliefs, internal states, overt behavior, motivation, and well-being. The tools can facilitate success, personal power, personal effectiveness, influence, persuasion, and communication.
