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Hypnosis was accepted by the American Medical Association in 1958 as a viable mode of proceedure for treating nervous tension and stress related symptoms. Does it really work? And what should you look for when seeking out a hypno-technician, or buying hypnotic tapes?

There are many noteworthy hypnotic modalities that are used to reach the unconscious to bring about change. Each method has its strengths and its weaknesses. We are all different, so it makes sense that the best results will result from utilizing techniques that each individual will have the most success with.

Most hypnosis tape venders offer programs that consist of standard traditional hypnosis techniques. A few hypnosis vendors offer much more modern and effective Ericksonian hypnosis methods. And fewer still offer NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming methods.

The most effective method is video hypnosis. Video hypnosis relies on the latest Neuro-Linguistic Programming mind patterns to create rapid changes in a person. Video hypnosis techniques are not subliminal in nature.

With "Traditional Hypnosis," we simply make post-hypnotic suggestions to the unconscious mind. In case you are wondering, as far as I'm concerned, the term unconscious and subconscious are indistinguishable - as they refer to the same part of the mind. This type of self-hypnosis works well for someone who generally accepts what he/she is told.

Most hypnosis CD's sold today are based on "Traditional Hypnosis" methodologies. This reason is because it really doesn't take much knowledge to author a script and just tell someone to do something. Unfortunately Traditional Self-hypnosis is not very efficient for people who are analytical in their thought processes.

By contrast, Ericksonian Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming methods work much better for most people today! This is because today individuals are taught to question everything they see and hear, rather than just follow the flock. So these methodologies do work efficiently on people who are critical in their thought processes.

These methods are much more effective at reaching and influencing the unconscious. However, it can take years of training, study, and most of all experience to learn how to apply these methods with success. This is a challenge that is only accepted by truly dedicated therapists.

With "Ericksonian Hypnosis," we use little stories, called metaphors, to present suggestions and ideas to the unconscious. This is a powerful and effective technology, because it usually eliminates the resistance to suggestions that is often caused by the conscious mind. There are two types of metaphors, "Isomorphic," and those of the imbedded command or "interspersal" nature.

Isomorphic metaphors guide the unconscious by telling a story that offers up a moral. The unconscious draws a one-to-one relationship between the parts of the story and the parts of a problem situation. For example, if a child is telling a lot of lies, the parent might tell the child the story about the "Boy who cried wolf." The unconscious would draw a comparison between the boy in the story and the child, and realize that telling lies could lead to disaster, so the child would probably stop lying.

With the Embedded Command technique, the hypnotist tells an amusing story that distracts the conscious mind. The story includes covert direct commands that are usually accepted by the unconscious. For example: While the subject is in hypnosis, he can usually hear the hypnotist say something like: I'm going to tell you a story about ...[a beach that has feelings. Isn't that] ...strange to... [you]? It's a warm summer's day, and... the beach [feels great].

The hypnotist pauses, shifts his voice tonality, and emphasizes the bracketed text. The unconscious recognizes a "Selectional restriction violation." Beaches can't have feelings. So it's like the unconscious says to itself: "Wait a minute, a beach can't feel anything, so that must mean that I'm supposed to feel great."

Since the suggestions are embedded in a story that is distracting the conscious mind, it is unlikely that the conscious will realize that it has just received a post-hypnotic suggestion, so it will not block it or resist it.

Process Instructions direct the unconscious to find a memory of an appropriate learning experience from the past where something useful to the present situation was learned, and then apply that experience to correct negative behaviors in the present.

With "Neuro-Linguistic Programming" (NLP), rather than using hypnotic commands, we use the same thought patterns that are creating a problem, like a phobia, to do away with the problem. NLP in the hands of a trained and experienced hypnotherapist can be very effective.

NLP Anchoring: Have you ever heard some old music and had it recreate feelings from the past? When you originally heard the music, you were experiencing those feelings, and they subconsciously became attached to the sound of the melody. So the music became an Anchor for the feelings. Now when you hear the song, it triggers the same feelings again.

Anchoring can be a very useful method. Suppose that you have a memory of being commended for having done a great job in the past. If you go back into that memory, you'll be able to recall the feelings of self-esteem that you had at that time. If you touch two fingers together while you re-experience those feelings of self-esteem, that touch will become an anchor for the feelings of self-esteem.

Now suppose that you want to create motivation to stick to a diet and lose weight. If you make a mental image of yourself with a thin, sexy body, and simultaneously trigger the anchor - (press the two fingers together again), your unconscious will associate the feelings of self-esteem to the mental image of you with the thin body and your level of motivation to lose weight will increase substantially.

NLP Flash: This is a very powerful NLP technique that can be used to turn things around in the unconscious, so that thoughts and experiences that used to trigger feelings of stress actually trigger relaxation instead.

The NLP Flash technique is also a fast way to extinguish a conditioned response. For example: If a smoker has a cigarette while watching TV, his/her unconscious will associate the two behaviors together so that he/she automatically gets an urge for a cigarette anytime he/she watches TV. The Flash will cause the smoker's mind to disassociate the image of a cigarette from the TV so that he/she does NOT get a craving to smoke just because he/she is watching TV.

With "Subliminal" CD's, the recording has dual tracks. One track contains a cover sound that is heard by the conscious mind. The cover sound could be anything from music to the sound of a running stream. The number two track contains direct suggestions that are heard by the unconscious mind. These suggestions are repeated many, many times during a session.

Subliminal programs can be played in the background while you are working, or watching TV or partisipating in any other activity. You don't have to stop what you are doing and relax like you do with hypnosis or NLP. Subliminals can be an addition to hypnotherapy programs. But Subliminals will never replace Hypnosis or NLP because they are not as effective! They are not even in the same universe!! Some studies have claimed that it can take up to 80 hours of listening to a subliminal CD before it will have any effect on many people.

The last hypnotic modality that we're going to discuss is Video Hypnosis. Video hypnosis is the most efficient form of hypnosis!

The methods used in video hypnosis are based on the NLP technology, which works based on the utilization of a person's existing thought processes instead of hypnotic suggestion.

Over 70% of the population learns more quickly based on what they perceive through their eyes rather than what they hear.

Think about it. If you feel an compulsion to eat or smoke when watching TV, it's because your subconscious recorded the video image of either food in your hand, or a cigarette in your hand, and then tied that image to an image of the TV. You never spoke to yourself and told yourself in words to associate them together, true?

And that's why the Video Hypnosis method is so compelling. It's not hypnotic in the traditional sense, relying on the spoken word; rather, it relies on transmitting images to the unconscious. And if you've ever cried when watching a sad movie, then you know how powerful video hypnosis can be at reaching the unconscious. With this technique, results usually start with the very first viewing!

The Video Hypnosis / NLP technique is sold under the trademark of Neuro-VISION. It reprograms the unconscious using a high-tech digital process. This frees you of your cravings and tensions and allows someone who smokes to quit without effort or gaining weight, and a dieter to lose their cravings and appetite. Results start with the very first viewing!

(c) 2007 By Alan B. Densky, CH. This document may be re-printed as long as it isn't changed in any way and the author's name and clickable web address links are retained.

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Alan B. Densky, CH opened his professional practice of hypnosis & NLP in 1978. He is the developer of Neuro-VISION Video Weight Loss Hypnosis DVD's and Video Stop Smoking Hypnosis DVD's. The technology received a US Patent. Mr. Densky can be reached through his Neuro-VISION Hypnosis web site.