(do NOT email health information)

early Homo Sapiens, staring into the flames

probably experienced Trance.

Human beings experience trance. It happens every day, all day, to each and every one of us. The degree varies. Hypnosis is a tool to access it. Magnify it. And use it.

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The definition of Trance and hypnosis is difficult.

Trance is natural. A brain state. Hypnosis is a tool. Something to access it. Trance, or dissociated attention, is simply something we all experience, as human beings.

All true attributes. Characteristics. But what is trance? It certainly does happen. Have you missed an exit while driving? Often this is trance, commonly after you've been driving for a while. Has time ever seemed to fly while you were absorbed in a hobby? Trance! Have you stood on a train and felt truly at peace as the train moves, shifting back and forth rhythmically? There it is again!

Is it sleep? Clearly not. During a hypnosis session, a person is very aware. Yes, you can use hypnosis to sleep. Yes, "Hypnos" is Greek for sleep. But sleep, it is not.

What is trance? It's a kind of INCREASED focus. Where one's attention to external stimuli is decreased. It's awake. Not unconscious! Is it "hypnosis?" Clearly NOT. Hypnosis has been more aptly described as attention with intention (Yapko). The clinical hypnosis experience is trance, with a purpose.

Every person and everyone's experience of a hypnosis session is different and unique. Therapeutically, it is a way of connecting. Communicating. Really sharing.

Although trance is usually achieved clinically in a deep state of relaxation, this is not actually necessary. Clearly, however, this is a time of incredible focus, heightened imagination, and absorption.

During trance, one uses the brain in different ways. Areas that usually dominate can take a back seat.

One can do real, substantive work in hypnosis. Redefinition. Realignment. Clarification. New kinds of perceptions. For some, finally a breath of peace. Some relief of discomfort.

This is your brain. Well, yours isn't plastic.

Or is it?

30 years ago, brain cells were thought to be static in the adult. Now, we know that different parts can start to take over after injury, such as in a stroke. Brain science is exploding.

What parts are active in a hypnosis session?

Traditionally, it is thought that trance is a Right Brain state. New functional MRI evidence infers an unlinking of some structures: chains break. Parts of the puzzle can be put back together again, differently. Science grows. As our knowledge will, in regards trance and hypnosis.

How does this resorting happen? How do the fibers in the fabric get dissociated, so they can be rewoven into something new?

No one knows for sure. It's interesting to understand how the mere process of perception demands patterning, and structure.

The brain is made of several structures, including two hemispheres. Humans have two hands, two ears, and two BRAINS. Not one brain, with two halves.

Very much like a network, these two hemispheres are linked by a large band of neurons. Interestingly, they work differently. The Left brain is linear in its logic, and is speech dominant. The Right brain's specialty is in non distorted perception: its logic style is 3 dimensional. Speech does not reside on the Right side.

Speech defines. Every thing perceived is labelled, sorted and qualified. The Left brain, dominant in almost all people, quickly assigns categories to things perceived. In essence, mental impressions are quickly taken off the table of consideration, and filed away.

Human beings define themselves, too. And are defined, by others. Babies don a pink, or blue hat, within minutes of birth. To clarify...the hat is put upon their heads. And the football in their hands. And the ice cream cone, when they get a good grade. We become our labels, our definitions. We grow up male, or female. We do masculine, or feminine things. Every thing becomes, in essence, something else. It's categorized, then judged. Good or bad. Ice cream is more than a sweet dessert: it's a culmination, it's a reward, it's a hot summer day, a day at the beach, an escape.

Performing in spite of those definitions is usually tough, but necessary for life change. How can an athlete be an exceptional student? How can a pianist box? Or an artist think scientifically?

Fortunately, there are parts of the human brain that don't know anything about definitions. Labels. Can, or can't. Regions where things just ARE. Where things, people, the world, ourselves are perceived realistically, in a total fashion. Hypnosis is one way to unfetter them, and to choose better, more fitting structures. That Right brain, more non-distortional in its perception, unencumbered by the definitions of language, able to think non linearly, may play a significant role.

Things filed away can be taken out, looked at, resorted, and filed completely differently.

More than this, a completely new filing cabinet can be found. Or a different way of filing all together.

Images changed for privacy...

“I asked him after. He said he didn't make me sick, physically ill when I smelled tobacco smoke. Said he couldn't do that. Said he gave me a choice, and I took it, that I decided. Didn't know I was so smart, that powerful.”

“He said he's been doing this since I was negative 10. That's a long time.”

“It's nice to have a non-drug therapy offered by a physician. It seems a lot more holistic, natural. It's working with me, not on me. No, it's me doing it. I do things myself.”

“Went there for smoking. The next week, I found myself at a financial planner, getting my investments started. The next week, I bought a guitar. Always wanted to, never did...”

Hypnosis is just a tool, not a panacea, and certainly not Harry Potter's wand. It facilitates a brief style of intervention that can be very powerful. For when you can see something differently, then put it all back together better, sometimes everything can start to change.

R. M. Ireland, MD

Family Medicine. Involving psychotherapy and hypnosis since 1986

Certification in Clinical Hypnosis, ASCH

FCFP, M.Ed

Assistant Clinical Professor Family Medicine deGroote School of Medicine.

TALK TO ME

ron@ronireland.com

do not email or post online

private health information

Lincoln Medical Centre

4413 Ontario St

Beamsville, ON.

L0R 1B5

905 563 1212

“Stop asking why. Ask How to get from point a to B. Find or learn that skill, Then put that behaviour in place. Hypnosis helps you do just that.”

Hershey, CL. & Ron Ireland, MD.

Hypnosis in action...

Consultations.

Hypnosis in Ontario is an OHIP covered service, and considered a family doctor level skill. Most provincial physicians work in a capitated model, which penalizes a family physician if a patient sees a different provider. Formal consultations are requested for this reason.

Basic Training.

Self hypnosis can benefit almost anyone. Hypnosis can facilitate relaxation, mindfulness, and goal attainment. Basic training takes less than 30 minutes for most people.

...No mud need be involved...

There is, however, a difference between discovering a new muscle, and having a strong one.

Education for medical practitioners.

Remember: See one, Do one, Teach one?

Well, maybe that's an exaggeration in this circumstance, but you'll get there!

I am willing in many circumstances to come to your clinic for consultation. You may observe, and receive a basic one on one introduction.

The muscle thing works here, too. I can point you to some great training.

Hypnosis can help

TRANSFORM

YOUR life, or that of your patients.

Modern therapeutic hypnosis was developed by physicians, for use in health care. Although it is a tool that is well supported by the literature, seldom do physicians, or even psychologists, encounter training in this skill.

Basic training in hypnosis can benefit any healthcare provider, and thus her patients. Excellent training opportunities now exist. Please contact me for more information. I truly want to help.

Practising hypnosis since 1984. Starting to get the hang of it. (Any Milton Erickson fans out there?)

Have a problem?

Smoking Cessation: just a stupid mistake... Funny how it grows.

Mood Disorders: or is it attempting to engage life minus a couple of tools?

Phobias: Develop for reasons. But does WHY matter?

Life Change: Want one? Many people do. Perhaps I can help.

Pain: Is an interpretation.

Where I Camp... Usually.

Lincoln Medical Center

4413 Ontario St

Beamsville, ON

L0R 1B5

905 563 1212

Email Ron

NEVER email or post online

private health information.

early Homo Sapiens, staring into the flames

probably experienced Trance.

Human beings experience trance. It happens every day, all day, to each and every one of us. The degree varies. Hypnosis is a tool to access it. Magnify it. And use it.

The definition of Trance and hypnosis is difficult.

This is your brain. Well, yours isn't plastic.

Images changed for privacy...

R. M. Ireland, MD

“Stop asking why. Ask How to get from point a to B. Find or learn that skill, Then put that behaviour in place. Hypnosis helps you do just that.”

Hypnosis in action...

Consultations.

Basic Training.

Education for medical practitioners.

The words Change and struggle

Hypnosis can help

TRANSFORM

YOUR life, or that of your patients.

R. M. Ireland, MD

Have a problem?

Where I Camp... Usually.