Hypnotherapy can heal emotional trauma stored in the subconscious mind, and enables us to find emotional balance and overcome specific issues that stop us living a fulfilled life. It is commonly used to deal with fears and addictions, and to enhance self-esteem, relationships, athletic performance, and more.

There are many unfounded beliefs about hypnotherapy. Valentina Tudose, a relationship expert and certified hypnotherapist, says it allows the client to be in control of the process, with the therapist acting as a facilitator of an inward journey that is similar to a guided meditation.

The process opens the “door” in a controlled manner for the client, while in a state of deep relaxation, to access memories stored deep in the subconscious that are affecting their daily life.

The healing process is safe and smooth and the client is able to fully recall the entire session. The outcome is that, even though the memory of past events continues to exist in the client’s mind, the pain and trauma associated with that memory will have been erased, she explains.

“It is like a journey into our inner self allowing us to safely revisit painful memories from our past and peel the different layers of perception and interpretation – essentially the sad, pitiful or scary stories we tell ourselves – to get healed and ... see life through the eyes of the person we are today.”

Tudose says hypnotherapy can help strengthen the bond between partners. “Hypnosis can definitely be very beneficial for dealing with relationship problems but it is an individual healing method,” she says.

“Issues between couples are often created by personal fears and beliefs, and by emotional blockages and subconscious programming coming from early childhood. These issues are usually brought up in our adult lives by our partners; that’s why we say our partners can push our buttons like no one else.

“If each individual recognises the impact of these negative beliefs on the relationship and agrees to work on resolving these issues, a combination of hypnotherapy and coaching can deliver the best results, as they would at the same time heal past trauma and have a new perspective and ability to handle emotions. They can also learn new tools and skills to create a strong relationship for the future.”

Undergoing hypnotherapy can be an effective way to lessen the burden of emotional baggage, advises Tudose.

Emotional baggage is the term for a collection of unresolved issues or negative conclusions we draw about situations in our lives that our subconscious mind stores as trauma.

“They may be the result of not feeling important enough; having a sibling that gets more attention as a child, for example, or being judged by peers or being bullied for being overweight or too shy; being abandoned by parents or a partner; or not feeling safe in a given situation,” she says.

“These negative beliefs play out in our lives every day and stop us from achieving our potential. Hypnosis can address these beliefs or fears right at the source and give the person the opportunity to change them or reframe them so they can create a new perception of their reality.”

For this type of therapy to work, the person must believe in the power of their subconsciousness. This is because hypnotherapy only works when the client is prepared to allow the experience and give themselves permission to access the subconscious mind to receive healing.

“Some people have a deep fear of losing control even of their own subconscious, so they are most likely not going to be open to hypnotherapy or many other healing modalities,” Tudose says.

“Most people have fears and reservations about hypnosis and believe they cannot be hypnotised. But the reality is that the moment they allow for the possibility to happen and simply go along with the process, the healing can begin.

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“All you need to do is to be open to whatever might happen. That means not trying to prove it is not going to work. Have a good understanding of the issue you would like to explore by identifying a part of your life that is not in balance with who you want to be and is impacting your life in a negative way,” she adds.

It is easy to write off alternative forms of therapy because they are unfamiliar, unusual, or they come with the preordained stigma of being a pseudoscience.

Nonetheless, science itself requires experimentation and venturing into new territory, so why not broaden your horizons and give it a go?

You may be surprised by the results.

Luisa Tam is a correspondent at the Post