Let’s get one thing straight from the outset.
I can’t cure cancer.
But what I can do is help you with your negative thoughts as you go through your treatment.
What I’m saying is this:
I can help you relax and cope with symptoms and treatment. Make you feel more comfortable and in control of your situation.
People with cancer most often come to see me because of their sickness or pain.
Other reasons include:
- Developing a needle or cannulation phobia
- Feeling weak
- Feeling they can’t go on
- Worrying about the outcome
What actually surprises most patients about hypnotherapy is it actually gives you more control in circumstances where you feel a loss of control. In effect, you worry less.
Let’s break things down a bit so you understand the process:
Will I be able to wake up afterward? I want to make sure I will be awake enough to talk to my family and doctors.
You will have no problem “waking up” at the end of the hypnosis. You will never be asleep. You will just feel relaxed, calm, and focused.
I don’t think I’m very ‘hypnotisable’ (e.g., because I’m too nervous, because I have too strong a mind, I need to be in control, etc.).
You do not have to be “very hypnotisable” in order to benefit from hypnosis. In fact, research has shown that almost 90% of patients benefit from hypnosis (source is at the end of this blog). This means that the vast majority of patients benefit from hypnosis, regardless of their level of hypnotisability.
I don’t think that I will be good at hypnosis.
All I am asking for is your attention and concentration. If at any point, you want to stop, you can just let me know. But most people find hypnosis to be relaxing and pleasant, so you might find this enjoyable.
I saw a hypnosis stage show (or something similar, e.g., a show on television), and the subjects did all kinds of embarrassing things, like singing and dancing. I don’t want to do anything like that.
And you won’t. My intention is to help you relax and to feel better during the course of cancer treatment, not to embarrass you. And you should also know that you cannot be made to do anything you do not want to do during hypnosis. Hypnosis is not mind control, it is just a tool you can use to help yourself feel better.
To be clear. This is hypnosis for clinical purposes, not entertainment.
Will I have to do what you say?
Only if you want. During hypnosis, I’ll offer you suggestions. And that’s all they are, quite literally suggestions. They’re not commands, orders, or magic spells. They simply allow your mind to expect better outcomes. At any time during hypnosis, you can speak to me, stop the session, or refuse to accept a suggestion. It’s entirely up to you.
What does cancer mean to me?
Dad had oesophageal cancer, then 14 years later, he had a brain tumour. Mum had breast cancer and later a cancer in her womb.
Two close friends now have myeloma. One of whom I’m working with now.
It feels very close and very real to me.
To find out more talk to me at jamesthomas@thegentlemind.co.uk or call 07787563099.
The reference I quoted from is this:
Montgomery GH, David D, Winkel G, Silverstein JH, Bovbjerg DH. The effectiveness of adjunctive hypnosis with surgical patients: A meta-analysis. Anesth Analg. 2002;94(6):1639–1645. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
