As hypnotherapy folks, we get to see some amazing stuff with the human mind. It's powerful! But have you ever wondered what exactly is going on in our brains during hypnosis? I stumbled upon an article in Brain Sciences that gives a cool overview of what we're learning about the brain and hypnosis. It's pretty neat, and it got me thinking about where this could all lead.
This article is great because it pulls together thoughts from some of the big names in our field. It looks at what we know, but also, importantly, it brings up the stuff we don't know yet. It reminds me that even though hypnosis feels different for everyone, there's some real science behind it that we're starting to understand.
One study in the article that really caught my eye looked at folks with fibromyalgia using hypnosis. The researchers found some changes in brain waves – specifically, an increase in theta, beta, and slow-gamma power in certain areas. This could explain why hypnotherapy often helps with chronic pain. Just imagine how much better we could get at helping people if we really nailed down those brain wave patterns!
Another study used some fancy tech (time-resolved EEG analysis) and found that alpha frequency in the brain seems to be connected to how easily someone can be hypnotized, especially when they're actually in that hypnotic state. This is huge! It could change how we approach clients, depending on how open they are to suggestion.
The article also touched on using hypnosis with other treatments. There was a study on kids at the dentist, looking at ibuprofen, sedation, and hypnosis. Ibuprofen helped with pain, but the study highlighted that combining sedation with things like hypnosis made the whole experience way better for the kids. This totally reinforces what many of us believe: using both mind and body approaches is the way to go!
This whole article is a good reminder that hypnotherapy is always evolving, thanks to science. By keeping up with this research, we can get better at what we do and, most importantly, better serve our clients. Sure, there are still mysteries about hypnosis, but the potential for growth is super exciting!
I'm curious, what do you all think about these findings? How might this new understanding of the brain during hypnosis affect how you work with your clients? Jump into the comments and let's chat about it!
Reference/Citation: De Benedittis G. Brain Mechanisms of Hypnosis. Brain Sci. 2025 Jan 31;15(2):142. doi: 10.3390/brainsci15020142. PMID: 40002475; PMCID: PMC11852439.