If your only experience with hypnosis comes from movies, stage shows, or viral videos, you might picture someone clucking like a chicken or surrendering their mind to a stranger with a swinging watch.But the truth, especially when it comes to hypnotherapy – is very different.Real healing starts with trust, not control.
Myth #1: “Will you make me do things I don’t want to?”
One of the most common fears I hear from new clients is, “Will I lose control?”That fear runs deep, it’s primal. We’re wired to protect ourselves. Giving up control feels like giving up safety. But here’s the reality: you never lose control during a hypnotherapy session. Ever.
Therapy vs. Entertainment: Two Different Worlds
There’s a world of difference between stage hypnosis (for entertainment) and clinical hypnotherapy (for healing).As a registered hypnotherapist, my job isn’t to trick, embarrass, or brainwash you. It’s to partner with you – inviting you into a state where deep, lasting change can happen. Before we start, we always talk about your needs, your history, and what you want from the process. You set the boundaries.
To understand how hypnotherapy works, you need to know how your mind operates in different states:
During hypnotherapy, you remain in Alpha – alert enough to sense any danger yet relaxed enough to access the deeper layers of your mind.
Forget the idea of “zonking out” or “going under.”A trance is more like being lost in a book, a film, or a daydream. You always have the power to stop, speak, open your eyes, even move around if needed. (In art therapy, for example, clients often open their eyes to create, then return to trance, never “breaking the spell.”)
As your therapist, I choose my words carefully. If I say anything that contradicts your beliefs or touches on a deep fear, your conscious mind will immediately intervene; waking you, or even ending the session. You can’t get “stuck,” and you’ll never do anything that goes against your true self.
And to answer the question I get most:No, I can’t make you cluck like a chicken – unless you’d actually want to.
Think of your mind like a computer:
Most of your responses (habits, fears, automatic reactions) are “programs” in your subconscious, built from your experiences, good and bad.
Let me tell you about a client who was terrified of dogs. She’d avoid certain streets, even while driving, with her doors locked, just to steer clear of a neighbour’s dog.She missed out on hikes and family time because of her fear.Through gentle regression in trance, we found the childhood memory where that fear started. Together, we rewrote the “program”, not erasing the memory, but changing its meaning.Today, she takes the easy route home and goes hiking with her children, free from the panic that ruled her for years.
Because as we grow, our lives change, but the subconscious “apps” can stay stuck in old patterns.Hypnotherapy lets us gently access and reprogram those apps. You don’t forget the past, but you heal the lesson, and finally respond in a way that matches the life you want now.
If you’re ready to change, or just want to understand more… reach out.Hypnotherapy is about partnership, safety, and real transformation.I’m not here to control you, just to help you unlock the parts of yourself waiting to be set free.
Note: The field isn’t regulated in South Africa. I’m fully trained and registered with The South African Institute for Hypnotism (SAIH). Always check your therapist’s credentials.
Ready to explore? You set the pace. I’ll guide the journey.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.
Curious about how hypnotherapy can support your transformation?Use the contact form below to reach out, and let’s explore how we can work together to help you become the version of yourself you know is waiting to emerge.