www.myhypnosisnews.com

The effectiveness of the mind-over-matter approach to solving problems is clearly evident in the use of hypnosis in treating women who have difficulty in becoming pregnant, according to a Durango hypnotherapist.

“Studies indicate that ‘infertile’ women utilizing mind-body techniques have a 42 percent to 55 percent conception rate compared to a 20 percent rate for those using in-vitro fertilization alone,” Sonja Parker said in an interview. “Decreased levels of depression, anxiety and anger also were noted.”

Parker, a certified hypnotherapist with a decade of experience in California and now Durango, uses hypnotism to treat emotional, weight, smoking and phobias. She is a certified hypnotist with additional certificates in hypnobirthing and hypnofertility.

“I work with a lot of problems,” Parker said. “If you have a problem, hypnotism can take care of it.”

Dr. Lloyd Lifton, a Durango gynecologist, said he has no first-hand information about the effectiveness of hypnotism in treating infertility.

“I’m not aware of any studies that confirm or dispute the success rate of hypnosis in these cases,” Lifton said. “But (hypnotism) could be considered (as an alternative) because options are limited when the cause of infertility is unknown.” Couples struggling to conceive turn to assisted reproduction such as intra-uterine insemination or use in-vitro fertilization. In-vitro fertilization is expensive, he said.

In treating women for infertility (she works with couples as well), Parker asks women to commit to six sessions, each with a different focus. Hypnosis is not a magic wand, she said.

“Most ‘infertility’ is caused by stress, although there are physical problems,” Parker said. “I use the mind-body connection to dispel stress.”

In North America, more than 1 million women seek help for infertility, with most turning to conventional methods, usually drugs or in-vitro fertilization.

Some women feel there is something wrong with them, Parker said. There is pressure from family or friends wondering why the couple hasn’t had children.

“All this pressure builds in our consciousness,” Parker said. “Hypnotism clears up doubts because it works through the subconscious, which controls the body more than we want to admit.”

Hypnotism, a state in which the conscious mind is distracted, is familiar to everyone, Parker said, noting that a person can be in a noisy crowd but be oblivious of surroundings because he or she is “somewhere else.”

An induced hypnotic state requires a willing subject with minimal level of intelligence and the ability to follow simple instructions, Parker said. The trance state - depending on the subject - is brought about by such methods as counting down, concentrating on relaxing the body from head to toe or by rapid induction such as snapping the fingers.

Once hypnotized, a subject can be lead through a “script.” A woman who is stressed over her mother could be asked to imagine herself a tiny person traveling through the womb where the subconscious mind can clear up debris and pinpoint the reasons for the problematic relationship with her mother.

“The subconscious mind directs the body,” Parker said. “The subconsciousness knows what the body needs and knows how to take care of it.”

Hypnotherapy instills a sense of control, allowing the patient to increase the chances of conceiving naturally or enhancing the success of medical assistance, Parker said.

People may shy away from hypnosis because of pejorative connotations associated with stage hypnotists, Parker said.

In those cases, Parker may turn to what therapists call the Emotional Freedom Technique. She calls it “acupuncture without the needles.” In this case, she taps on the meridians - the energy channels of Chinese medicine - to relieve stress.

Techniques that patients learn in hypnofertility sessions can be applied to other issues for the rest of their lives, Parker said.

Hypnotherapy is just one of the options women are choosing to treat infertility, Parker said. The list includes herbal remedies, acupuncture, homeopathic and chiropractic methods.

source: durangoherald.com