Sat Nov 14

Self-Hypnosis Techniques to build a Positive Attitude

Written by Karen Cole

Sometimes you don’t have the time or money to attend a hypnotherapy session, or perhaps you want to supplement your sessions with some self-hypnosis. In a similar way to meditation, it’s absolutely possible to induce yourself into a state of hypnosis at home.

Learning self-hypnosis techniques can be of a huge benefit, particularly if you ever find yourself in need of changing your mindset and feeling better in day-to-day life.

How to Induce Hypnosis

Clinical hypnotherapists, like Sonia Devine from Melbourne Hypnotherapy Clinic, are expertly trained to help you get the best out of hypnotherapy, however you can still see great results with self hypnosis if you know what to do.

If you’re ready to give it a go, you need to find a comfortable chair and sit in a position where you feel the most relaxed. A chair is preferable rather than a bed as you might find yourself drifting off to sleep while lying down.

Focus your attention on a single point such as a painting, candle, or vase. Repeat a soothing mantra such as ‘my eyes are tired and sleepy’ or ‘relax’ as you let yourself naturally close your eyes. Your body should start to relax, so lean into it and allow yourself to become limp and calm.

Pay attention to your breathing and notice how deep your breaths are becoming. When you feel as relaxed as you think you can be, you are ready for hypnotic suggestions.

Hypnotic Suggestions

Think of these as affirmations or mantras - positively phrased suggestions to repeat to yourself. It’s a good idea to write these down and memorise them before you begin your hypnosis.

Some examples of hypnotic suggestions for a positive attitude could be:

I am carefree’
I am calm’
I accept myself and my capabilities’
There is so much good in the world’

Notice how these are phrased in the first person? It’s important to do so as it makes feel more real and like it’s happening as you speak those words.

Perhaps the most important part of hypnotic suggestions is repetition. This helps it enter and stay in the subconscious mind to create change in your attitude.

Imagery

When you are in the relaxed, hypnotic state where you would repeat your positive affirmations, it’s also a good idea to add in visualisation to further support your affirmations.

While traditionally, visualisation involves imagining a picture of yourself in certain situations, some people may find this difficult so an alternative can involve using your senses like smell and touch to imagine it, or even just imagining how you would want to feel in these situations.

For example, if you take the above positive affirmation that ‘there is so much good in the world’, you can draw upon past times in your life where you felt truly happy, or try to remember smells that bring you joy, such as the smell of freshly baked cookies or your mother’s perfume.

Utilise Other Resources

Some people, especially if you’re just starting to practice self-hypnosis, may find it easier to use external resources in their practice.

Youtube is a great place to start with plenty of videos teaching you different self-hypnosis techniques. To support your practice, you can also record yourself saying your positive affirmations and play them back during your practice. Sonia Devine from Melbourne Hypnotherapy Clinic also provides videos and downloadable MP3 recordings for positive mental health to use in your self-hypnosis sessions.

You can also have a go at meditation and yoga - both mind-clearing exercises that can help you get into a relaxed state and can benefit you with self-hypnosis, anxiety, stress, and depression.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Whether you are learning to play the guitar, ride a bike, or hypnotise yourself, the most important thing to do is practice!

Before trying hypnotic suggestions or visualisation, you can practice taking yourself into a hypnotic state or just trying different breathing techniques for relaxation. You can also change up your practice to create new imagery or mantras to best suit you and your attitude.

Even though self-hypnosis is very beneficial, it can always be good to supplement your practice with professional sessions, such as those offered at Melbourne Hypnotherapy Clinic, to see the best results.