Information for Parents

What is Hypnosis?

Everyone experiences an extremely focused state of mind at times. Hypnosis can help you enter that state quickly. Also, it can be used to center and concentrate your mind on just one thing. You can enter such a “trance” state whenever you decide to. You can be aware of your surroundings, and yet be totally focused on the task at hand.

Hypnosis and trance states are common. Daydreaming is a form of hypnosis. Children spend a great deal of time in trance states when they are engaged in pretend play. Hypnosis can help us improve how our minds work. In medical settings, hypnosis can help children cope better with their symptoms and even resolve some of them. Also, hypnosis can help children develop insights, and create more positive, peaceful, and confident outlooks on life.

Why Use Hypnosis?

Illness not only affects our bodies but also interacts with our moods, feelings and thoughts. Sometimes, people feel depressed or anxious about being sick, or become sick because they are depressed or anxious. Sometimes, our psychological state worsens our physical symptoms. A child with asthma, for example, can have difficulty with breathing during athletic events because of fear that the asthma might act up. Often, psychologically-related symptoms remain long after a physical illness has healed. These symptoms do not respond well to medicine because they are lingering mostly in our minds. Using hypnosis can help people change the psychological impact of their illness, symptoms or both.

Hypnosis is safe and effective. It is easy to learn, easy to use, and can take only a few minutes each day. Once successfully learned, children can use their hypnosis skills to solve a variety of life’s ongoing challenges (for example, through improving their school performance, athletic achievements, or social interaction skills). Hypnosis can begin to benefit children as young as 4 years of age.

Children who use hypnosis:

Become empowered to help themselves when they feel poorly, and are proud of themselves for being able to do so.
Feel better about themselves and their medical condition because they can help take control of how they feel.
Become aware of their inner strength that allows them to cope more effectively with all aspects of their lives.

What are the risks of hypnosis?

There are virtually no risks to using hypnosis. However, hypnosis is not the only therapy for a given problem. If you (or your child) are using hypnosis to help resolve a medical issue, you should continue to have your condition monitored by your medical practitioner to make certain everything that ought to be done is being done.

How can I tell if my child’s symptoms are caused or aggravated by how he or she feels?

Your child appears anxious about an illness. Common problems that go along with anxiety and/or stress are: dizziness, feeling like something is stuck in the throat, feeling the heart race, tingling or numbness in the arms or legs, or shakiness.
The symptom improves when the child is distracted or focusing on something else.
The symptom worsens when the child becomes upset, or the child becomes upset because of the symptom.
The child does not improve as expected in response to medication.

What will happen the first time when I bring my child for hypnosis instruction?

At your first visit, your doctor or nurse practitioner will get to know about you and your child. He or she will ask your child why s/he is there and why s/he wants to help themselves. You will be asked about your child’s medical history, and you will both learn about hypnosis and how it can help. You’ll be able to ask any questions that you might have about how treatment with hypnosis works. With your input, your child will decide whether s/he would like to learn more about how to use hypnosis.