Tapping into the subconscious mind through hypnotherapy is gaining in popularity as a way to curb smoking and weight gain.
Rosa Marrazzo, certified clinical hypnotherapist at St. Albert’s Positive Power Plus, said a majority of her clients are looking to either put an end to their smoking or start shedding pounds.
“It’s a tool that empowers you to use the best part of your brain,” she said. “You’re using the best part of your mind to take control of your patterns, your habits, change routines.”
Hypnotherapy differs from stage hypnosis in that participants are in full control of their actions throughout the interactive session, Marrazzo said.
She said sessions begin with progressive relaxation, which opens the doors to the subconscious.
“The subconscious is your programming from the time you were born, so everything you do automatically, any habit you have, is stored in the subconscious; it’s like the hard drive of a computer,” she said.
Once the individual is in a state of deep relaxation, habits can be altered to deter individuals from lighting up or reaching for fatty foods, Marrazzo said.
Hypnotherapy is a treatment suitable for individuals over the age of five. Marrazzo said 85 per cent of individuals looking to kick nicotine are successful after one treatment, while those hoping to lose weight do between one and three sessions.
“Weight control is a little more complex because of the emotion involved,” she said. “Sometimes we eat for boredom, for sadness or some emotion that needs feeding.”
During sessions aimed at shrinking the waistline, hypnotherapy will be used first to determine if the individual is an emotional eater, then to motivate the individual to participate in physical activity and finally to focus on portion control.
“It's not just about you going out and being thin. It’s about what can you do to be thin and thinner, and then make those decision at a subconscious level,” she said.
Hypnotherapy can also be used to increase self-esteem, overcome setbacks, prevent nightmares and end bed-wetting in children, Marrazzo said.
She has been practicing hypnotherapy since 1993 in the greater Edmonton area and has been operating out of St. Albert for the last decade. She said she has helped thousands of individuals quit smoking, lose weight and build self-esteem.
“When I get an email, let’s say three years later, and they say they’re still a non-smoker … that’s really rewarding for me,” she said.
Each hour-and-a-half session costs $150. For more information on hypnotherapy, visit www.positivepowerplus.com.
