Hypnosis has become a loaded word because stage hypnotists have used hypnosis to  encourage people to do silly, dangerous or shocking things. 

In fact, hypnosis is a natural brain state. You will probably have experienced hypnosis many times during your life.

It is  the brain state we get when we are not consciously thinking .  So when we are doing a boring, repetitive task, we ‘switch off’ and perhaps have a day-dream.  When we are absorbed in reading a book we feel ourselves to be ‘elsewhere’. 

Hypnosis is a  particular type of focused attention  where you can  ‘escape’  from your usual worries and anxieties and become  receptive and open to different, much more helpful ideas.

A Hypnotherapist will usually ask you to close your eyes so that you can focus more easily on the words that are said.

Therapists who use hypnosis in a clinical therapy setting are called Hypnotherapists. People who use hypnosis for stage and entertainment tend to be called Hypnotists.