Sherry Gilbert is a Certified Hypnotherapist with more than a decade of experience.  She is certified through both the International Association of Counselors and Therapists and the International Medical Dental Hypnosis Association as a hypnotherapist as well as a hypnotherapy instructor.

What is hypnosis?  How does it work? 

Hypnosis is a natural. normal change in your brainwaves.  this change happens naturally many times throughout the day.

Very simply put, while you are at your most alert, you are in Beta state.  This is the state we are presumably in for most of the day.  When you go to sleep at night, you are in a Delta state.  Everything between the wide awake Alpha state and the sleeping Delta state is hypnosis.

You experience these states while daydreaming; when driving to and from someplace but at the end of the trip you realize you don’t recall actually driving; while getting lost in a good book or movie; anytime at all that your mind drifts off a bit (like that boring class or meeting!).

The difference is that during a hypnotherapy session you will intentionally go into this relaxed, drowsy state to create the change and healing you desire.

Frequently asked questions:

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a natural state between wakefulness and sleep.  This is the state most useful in self-improvement.  This state allows you to access and put to use the power of your subconscious mind.  Your subconscious mind represents approximately 90% of your mind and is also the storehouse for all of your memories.

What is self-hypnosis?

All hypnosis is a form of self-hypnosis.  A hypnotherapist is your guide to using hypnosis to achieve your goals.  You choose to be hypnotized or not, as well as how deeply into hypnosis you will go.  For this reason, it is very important that you feel comfortable with your hypnotherapist.

What does it feel like to be hypnotized? 

You will feel physically and mentally relaxed.  You will be completely aware of yourself and your surroundings.

Will I do anything harmful or embarrassing?

No, no one can be hypnotized against their will.  Hypnosis works with your will to achieve your goals.  You will not do or say anything against your will.

Who can be hypnotized?

Anyone who is open minded, has normal or above normal intelligence and has the ability to concentrate.

Is hypnosis dangerous?

There has never been a documented case of anyone experiencing harm from hypnosis.  There has also never been a documented case of anyone being unable to come out of the hypnotic state.  You’ve experienced light hypnosis if you’ve ever daydreamed, or been so deep in thought that you didn’t remember the details of your drive home.

Does hypnotherapy work?

Click the link below to read a comparative study

Research article