Hypnosis and the Coronavirus Pandemic
Many people have reached out for various services as a result of the current global coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). I wrote this to answer some of the common questions about whether and how hypnosis can help.
The two main ways hypnosis can help are by enhancing your immune system, and by relieving stress/worry/tension.
Enhancing Your Immune System
There is a lot of scientific research demonstrating the effectiveness of self-hypnosis and hypnosis for improving the function of the immune system. If you are interested in reading more about that side of the research, there is no better place to begin than Adam Eason’s blog. That blog post summarizes some of the key research regarding self-hypnosis and immune function.
In my experience, the potential effectiveness of different types of hypnosis work can be ranked from least powerful to most powerful:
- Unassisted self-hypnosis
- Pre-recorded, standardized hypnosis sessions
- Live, standardized hypnosis sessions (following a script)
- Live, online, customized hypnosis sessions (no script, responding to your actual experience, using Zoom or Skype or Facetime, etc)
- Live, in office, one-on-one, customized hypnosis sessions
I vastly prefer to deliver live, face to face, one on one, customized sessions directly in my office, as they really do make the fastest and most powerful changes, but we have to be flexible in the current situation.
As a result, I created a free 10 minute session you can view online to enhance your immune system. It’s best with headphones (although they are not required), and you should listen to it at least once a day for the next week or two. As with all hypnosis recordings, don’t listen to it while driving!
I am also expanding my online hypnosis services in the near future. In the past, these were reserved for existing and ongoing clients in special circumstances, but, again, we have to be flexible.
Relieving Stress, Worry, Tension
Stress actually weakens the functioning of your immune system, so this goes hand in hand with work that focuses on directly boosting your immune system.
With or without global pandemics, stress and worry and tension are problems we all face. You’re not your best when you’re stressed, and this is a great time for all of us to be at our very best.
Hypnosis, of course, is well known for alleviating stress, worry, tension, anxious thoughts, fears, and so on. There are a wide number of approaches, but one of the most common is simply teaching you how to experience profound relaxation on demand.
No Magic Bullets
Hypnosis is no magic bullet. It isn’t a replacement for medical care, it doesn’t make anyone immune or invulnerable to viral infections, and it doesn’t represent a “cure” or vaccine.
But hypnosis CAN help all of us better prepare and endure and get through the current world situation. Thanks for reading. If you have questions about any of this, please get in touch.