September 15 2021
 
Hypnosis: The Key to Unlocking the Mind

Hypnosis: The Key to Unlocking the Mind

A man swings a pocket watch as a pendulum. The observer’s eyes shift side to side as the bob swings back and forth. The observer’s eyes show a spiral pattern as he falls asleep. He does everything that the man tells him to. These are the classic portrayals of hypnosis in television and cartoons. However, there is more than humor in hypnosis with a real potential to help people.

What is Hypnosis?

Most people think that hypnosis is a state of non-awareness where you are under the complete mercy of the hypnotist. It’s actually the opposite: your mind is aware, but only the subconscious part of your mind is. The normal parts of your mind dedicated to your immediate surroundings and senses are dulled so that you are only focused on the hypnotic suggestion. Basically, you feel calmed and relaxed, and you would dearly love to comply with the hypnotist’s suggestion. Your imagination hyper-activates itself, and it’s quite a pleasant experience.

This isn’t fringe science. It’s used worldwide by proficient physicians and psychiatrists to combat addiction, phobias, pain and anger management, as well as anxiety!

How does Hypnosis Work?

To understand how hypnosis works, first, you have to understand how our mind is made up. Various models categorize and divide our psyche, but here’s a simple outline: the mind can be divided into two; the conscious and the subconscious. Our daily decisions and thoughts are generated in the conscious part. However, this part which is essential to our daily routine comprises only 10% of the mind. The remaining 90% is the subconscious which controls habits, addictions, emotions and subconscious feelings.

Another part called the critical mind is the gate between the conscious and the subconscious. The critical mind gets to decide what thoughts pass into the subconscious from the conscious. If our mind was a computer, the conscious would be the RAM, which executes temporary functions, while the subconscious is the hard drive, which permanently stores critical information.

Hypnosis bypasses this critical mind gate to directly allow the hypnotist to reach and modify the subconscious to bring about benefit. Imagine a smoker struggling to give up his addiction. His subconscious is hardwired to constantly order him to pick up a cigarette and smoke. No matter how much he is yelled at or instructed, it does not reach the subconscious. If this person was subjected to hypnosis, the hypnotist could plant a suggestion in his subconscious mind to quit smoking once and for all.

Conclusion

If done properly by a professional, hypnosis can be performed for all people including children, but it may not be appropriate for people with severe mental illness. You can directly access the subconscious to manage stress, control your weight gaining or losing behavior, access repressed memories or even get over fears or phobias that have been plaguing your entire life! It’s safe and works well in case you prefer non-pharmacological therapy. At Phoenix Hypnosis, we provide all the solutions you need to get over the problems mentioned above, through trained and certified hypnotists. Take the initiative to finally unlock your mind to defeat your inner demons.

 
 
December 5 2019
 
Stress: Signs and Solutions

Everyone feels stress at one time or another. It’s a part of living. A 2017 Gallup study reported that 79% of Americans “feel stress sometimes or frequently during the day.” Additionally, 4 in 10 U.S. adults (41%) say they lack the time to do all they want and 44% frequently feel stressed.

The American Institute of Stress identifies the number one cause of stress as job pressure brought on by tension between co-workers, relationships with the boss or work overload. Money concerns are the second most cited cause of stress followed by health, relationships, poor nutrition, media overload, and sleep deprivation.

It is important to remember, that all not all stress is bad. Positive stress can increase performance whether in competition or meeting personal goals and deadlines, like completing an education. Stress can be a lifesaver in a dangerous situation when the fight or flight response kicks in.

But all too often, damaging stress goes unnoticed or unidentified until it has a stranglehold on the induvial. Initially, many people will brush off the symptoms as minor irritants or refuse to acknowledge those symptoms until someone close brings attention to them.

Stress may be brought on by any number of circumstances: work, family, finances, relationships, current events, to name just a few. Some stress is normal, but when stress begins to impact health, moods or behavior on an on-going basis, it is important to take steps to release the stress and regain physical and mental control.

Someone under stress can be edgy, impatient, jumpy or easily irritated. Unaddressed stress can lead to physical problems including high blood pressure, headaches, muscle tension, fatigue or sleeplessness. Someone under stress may experience an inability to focus, anger, depression or even suicidal thoughts. Stress can ultimately limit activities and endanger health and well-being.

No one can eliminate stress. However, stress management is possible and often necessary in order to live happily and healthily. People can learn techniques to manage stress themselves. These include deep breathing, exercise, writing in a journal or talking with a trusted friend. Improving eating habits and avoiding smoking, alcohol and caffeine can also help.

If the symptoms of stress do not respond to self-help exercises and lifestyle changes, it is important to consult a medical or mental health professional.

Along with everyone else, Ron Benninghoff, a local hypnotherapist and owner of Phoenix Hypnosis, has experience with stress. Well into his long career as a computer programmer, Ron realized that the stress of his job was eroding his ability to enjoy his life. He reacted to the smallest things, his blood pressure rose alarmingly and once he got home each night, he did little but sleep.

On the advice of his doctor Ron left his stressful job. This change offered the opportunity for Ron to go full time into hypnotherapy, an area he’s been studying and practicing for over 10 years. Stress management is one of the primary focuses of his work. He knows firsthand the damage stress can do and the value of finding a way to relieve that stress and regain control of one’s life.

Recognizing stress before it negatively impacts mental wellbeing, health or relationships is the key. Stress management can come in many forms, self-help, professional medical or mental health services. Whichever approach is chosen, taking steps to reduce and relieve stress can be liberating and even lifesaving.

Sources: American Institute of Stress – Stress.org Gallup – Gallup.com

 
 
June 3 2019
 
North 32nd News

Hypnosis conjures many images for most of us, from night club acts to regressing people into past lives to satisfy curiosity, but it can be so much more than that. Few realize the true health benefits that can be derived from working with a trained hypnotherapist even though the American Medical Association has recognized the health values of hypnotherapy since 1958.

Local business owner and long-time North Phoenix resident, Ron Benninghoff is hoping to change that perception with the opening of his new business Phoenix Hypnosis. His specialties include weight loss, smoking cessation and stress relief. He has also recently completed training in hypnosis for a pain-free natural birth.

In answer to people who associate hypnosis with being asked to cluck like a chicken, Ron explains that hypnosis is actually self-hypnosis which means that subjects will use their subconscious to affect change in themselves, during which they will do only what they want to do. His clients are always in complete control of their actions.

Ron first encountered hypnosis 30 years ago as a stage act. He was fascinated and finally, 10 years ago, was able to begin his training in hypnotherapy at Southwest Institute for Healing Arts in Tempe. This allowed him to begin helping people improve their lives and investigating solutions to their problems through hypnosis. His tag line is “Rise from the ashes; Emerge as new.”

Two of the most promising health uses for hypnosis are weight loss and smoking cessation. Ron approaches weight loss using gastric band hypnosis which allows his clients to avoid surgery through retraining their subconscious to be satisfied with smaller amounts of food. One of Ron’s patients actually commented, “Darn, Ron, I can’t eat as much as I used to. I lost 25 pounds without even trying.” When dealing with clients who want to stop smoking, Ron stated that some require only one session with him to achieve success.

Another unique health tool Ron offers is hypnosis to enhance the natural birth experience. Both parents can be taught to have a rewarding, relaxing, stress-free birth based on the belief that all babies should come into the world in an atmosphere of gentility, calm and joy. When a mother is properly prepared for birthing physically, mentally, emotionally she can experience that sort of joy, birthing her baby in an easier, more comfortable, and often pain free manner.

For someone who wants to try hypnotherapy, the process includes an initial interview to familiarize the clients with the process and to determine what services will fit their needs. This can move directly into a hypnotherapy session so clients can begin working toward their desired outcome immediately.

Phoenix Hypnosis office hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, but Ron is available for appointments evenings and weekends to accommodate the schedules of his clients.