Hypnosis creates an altered state of mind, and can be used for many different purposes. While many people are most familiar with stage hypnotism, in which a professional hypnotist performs impressive or comedic acts of hypnotism on willing volunteers, hypnotism can also be used by therapists to promote positive thinking and goal setting. Many people have found self-hypnotism useful for losing weight and overcoming unhealthy habits. Doctors have even relied on hypnosis for hundreds of years, and still use it today for patients who are unable or unwilling to be put under general anesthesia.
Instructions
1. Determine the type of hypnotism you want to learn. Stage hypnotism is the type of hypnotism you should learn if you would like to be a performer who hypnotizes volunteers for entertainment. Look for courses in hypnotherapy if you are a practicing therapist or counselor interested in incorporating hypnosis as a self-help technique. If you are a doctor seeking out natural alternatives to anesthesia, find medical seminars or training opportunities in hypnosis.
2. Learn hypnosis with courses and seminars offered online or by professional hypnotists. Many professional hypnotists offer training workshops for corporate environments, tailoring hypnotism techniques to a business's goal setting or operational needs. Others offer summer or weekend classes in stage hypnotism, often through local community theater groups or performing arts organizations.
3. Obtain skills in hypnotherapy or medical hypnosis at professional conferences. Professional counseling or medical conferences often host qualified presenters in special interest topics like hypnotherapy and medical hypnosis, which give conference attendees basic knowledge of performing hypnosis and resources for learning more. Some general practitioner medical degrees also include coursework in medical hypnotism and hypnotherapy for treating anxiety, depression and other disorders.
4. Learn techniques for self-hypnosis online. Many people have found the concepts of hypnosis to be useful for treating problems with both mental and physical health, and a variety of online resources exist to help you learn hypnotism for use on yourself. Self-hypnosis techniques typically involve extensive practice controlling one's thoughts and emotional responses to various external factors in an effort to overcome intense fears or desires.
5. Practice hypnotism techniques on yourself and others, regardless of the type of hypnotism you are learning. Because hypnotism can create drastically different effects for different people, becoming an effective hypnotist of any type requires practice and familiarity with a variety of contexts and possible outcomes.
