What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is difficult to define exactly, mainly because no one knows for certain what a person feels and thinks when hypnotized. During hypnosis the patient is relaxed but not asleep, which allows the mind to be more receptive to suggestions.

Can I be hypnotized?

Most people can be hypnotized, but you cannot be hypnotized if you do not want to be. There are some mental illnesses in which hypnosis should not be done.

Will I “feel” hypnotized?

Most patients cannot tell for certain, as there is no special feeling. Many patients will not know they are hypnotized unless certain indicators are pointed out.

How long is a hypnosis session?

Typical hypnosis sessions are 25-70 minutes in duration. The number of sessions depends on the reason for hypnosis and the patient’s individual response to the technique.

What are some uses for hypnosis?

Common uses of hypnosis include weight loss, smoking cessation, relaxation, self-confidence, concentration, test anxiety, self-esteem, motivation, insomnia, stress, habit modification, anger management, anxiety and depression.

Phobias, such as fears of flying, public speaking, crowds, heights, bugs, or other situations can also be very successfully treated with hypnosis. Hypnosis can be used to ease chronic pain (such as fibromyalgia or IBS), prepare for surgery, help dental pain or anxiety, and enhance healing.

Another useful purpose of hypnosis is for enhancing personal growth (rather than fixing a problem), such as reaching your ideal fitness level, facilitating productiveness at work,  or improving sports performance for youth and adults.

Is hypnosis safe?

No state license is required for hypnosis and anyone can legally say that they can do it, however hypnosis should only be done by a licensed mental health professional. Dr. Rebeck recommends a Ph.D., M.D. or M.S.W. with advanced training in hypnosis. Without a mental health background hypnosis can be dangerous.

While hypnotized a person will not do things that he/she really does not want to do. If left alone the patient will come out of the hypnotic trance within a few minutes, or simply fall into a natural sleep and then awaken normally.

Hypnosis should not be used to recover memories, since the “memory” may not be an accurate recollection of the past.

It is not good to sign a contract requiring a certain number of sessions – you should be able to stop whenever you are ready to do so. Basically the question is not whether the person doing hypnosis can talk you into being hypnotized, but whether the practitioner is qualified to handle the problem if hypnosis was not being used.

Fees and Number of Sessions

The fee for hypnotherapy and psychotherapy is the same. Normally the session lasts 45 minutes, however if longer sessions are scheduled, the fee is prorated accordingly. Please contact Dr. Rebeck regarding current fees for her services. Sometimes your insurer will cover all or part of this fee. The only insurance that Dr. Rebeck takes directly is BlueCross/Blue Shield PPO.  If you do not have BC as insurance, generally you can file the claim directly with your insurance and they will reimburse you as they would for any out of network provider. They normally do not cover fees for smoking cessation, weight loss or anything that is considered personal growth, such as sports performance.

Dr. Rebeck has had a considerable amount of immediate success helping people quit smoking in one 90-minute visit.  Most other problems require ongoing treatment of 3 or more visits. Results for other problems are not always immediate and she does not encourage people to think of hypnosis as a magic bullet.  When you call her initially on the phone, unfortunately she cannot predict the number of sessions.  The first visit is a consultation and the charge for this is the same as the charge for all subsequent visits.  Hypnosis is not done during the consult.

Additional information

Stage hypnosis is different from hypnosis in psychotherapy – it is not magic nor does it employ illusions. Hypnotherapy is used for medical and emotional purposes, not entertainment.

The American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Dental Association all recognize the use of hypnosis.