Fears vs. Phobias

     Whenever a client tells me that he or she has a fear of something, the first thing I must do is confirm that the experience is a fear and not a phobia. A "fear" has a specific origin. For example, someone may develop a fear of dogs after being bitten by one during childhood. Such a fear can be treated by repeatedly exposing the person to the memory of the fear-inducing stimulus (the dog)--and "passing" that fear--during hypnosis. This repeated process of experiencing and passing the stimulus gradually desensitizes the person to the fear.
     Conversely, a phobia does not have a specific origin. To treat a phobia, the person is repeatedly exposed to the phobia-inducing stimulus; however, he or she is immediately "removed" from the stimulus and returns to imagery of "a special place" or somewhere safe, through guided imagery before actually experiencing the emotion or phobic reaction. This process would be repeated until the person is completely desensitized to the phobia.
     Once the client has resolved the fear or phobia issue, I have the person anchor these new sensations of relaxation, calm and comfort. While the client is still in hypnosis, I have the person continue to draw, hold, and then slowly release several deep breaths to increase relaxation throughout the body. I remind the person that each deep breath draws in confidence and relaxation, replacing the old anxiety/fear with relaxation and a sense of well-being.

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2014