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Hypnosis is the original mind/body medicine. It's an amazing technique that uses words to help you control your body. You already know the power of words: you've probably heard some words that have made you blush or tremble or break out in a sweat. These are circumstances under which your body changes without your permission. Words are powerful.

For centuries hypnosis has gone in and out of vogue. During the Middle Ages hypnotists were considered witches, one hundred years ago hypnotists were called charlatans, and fifty years ago hypnotists were entertainers who persuaded your Uncle Bill to quack like a duck in a nightclub. Today hypnotists are employed by hospitals to help with disease management and by sports teams to encourage peak performance. A hypnotist can get you to eat less or quit smoking or have more patience with your demanding boss.

Now, in the twenty-first century, we finally have sufficient scientific evidence and documented clinical trials that prove the effectiveness of hypnosis in specific situations.

Hypnosis is powerful. The right words, spoken at the right time can make a big difference in how you experience your life.

With hypnosis you can change a habit, change an attitude or change a physical symptom. You cannot, however, change a mood with hypnosis nor can you cure a disease, though you can have a painless tooth extraction and you can conquer your stage fright. Yes, you can use hypnosis to enhance your life, but hypnosis cannot make you play a concerto if you've never had a musical lesson, nor paint a masterpiece if you have no talent.

Please understand that hypnosis is not sleep. In fact, it is the opposite of sleep. During hypnosis you hear everything going on around you; during sleep you hear very little. During hypnosis you remain still, while during sleep you tend to toss around. When you are hypnotized you are in a state of deep focus and deep concentration. In sleep you have no ability to concentrate; in hypnosis you are mentally alert. An hypnotic trance is defined as a state of heightened mental alertness along with diminished physical movement. When a person is in a trance state that person is extremely susceptible to suggestion. Whatever is said to the person while in trance is absorbed uncritically.

While most people like to be relaxed when they are hypnotized, it is not a required state for successful hypnosis. You can be tense, upset, or unhappy and still accomplish your goal during hypnosis. Hypnosis is not meditation. In meditation you focus on yourself, in hypnosis you focus on a goal outside of yourself.

Hypnosis can help you reach your goals in your personal life (e.g., become motivated to exercise), in your work life (e.g., show up full of confidence), in your family life (e.g., remember to take the trash out every night), and in your recreational life (e.g., become a better golf player). Hypnosis is not therapy. It is a tool. It is a technique. It can help you change your behavior in a specific situation by suggesting that you see that situation from a new perspective.

Hypnosis is not for everyone. Certain people should not be hypnotized. They are people who have worked very hard to establish regulation in their brain. If you have balanced many variables—antidepressants, antipsychotics, a light box, a sleep regimen, a particular food plan—all to get your brain working just right—you probably should leave well enough alone. Hypnosis actually changes your brain. Brain-imaging studies, particularly positron emission tomography (PET) scans, show that certain sections of the brain are altered during hypnosis. Hypnosis is a physiologic process. Please, don't tamper with your brain's delicate balance if you've finally achieved stability.