Hypnosis and hypnotherapy are becoming more popular all the time, as therapists and clients alike notice the efficacy and efficiency these modalities offer. What is the difference between hypnosis and hypnotherapy? In general, and as stated in this guide from Psyche Magazine, hypnosis is a state and a process.  
 
Hypnosis is a state of focus that people enter into all the time, whereby the conscious mind is less dominant, and communication with the subconscious mind is facilitated. This can happen several times a day, while watching a program or driving on “autopilot” from work to home. As a process, hypnosis is the practice of inducing this state of consciousness, through relaxation and suggestion. 
 
Under hypnosis, clients become more suggestible, and can, to a large degree, change the way they view themselves and their behavior. The idea of becoming a nonsmoker, or curbing an urge to overeat can be instilled in a client as they work to train themselves into new ways of thinking and behaving. 
 
How does this differ from hypnotherapy? At The Wellness Institute, the distinction drawn between the two involves actually performing therapy while a client is in hypnosis through the practice of age regression.  

As it is used in hypnotherapy, age regression permits clients to go back to the source of the distressing feelings they may be experiencing in the present. The ability to do this creates a powerful healing force that allows clients to not only consciously change their behavior, but get to the reasons behind the development of the unproductive behavior patterns. 
 
Age regression is done while the client is in the relaxed state of hypnosis. The hypnotherapist first brings up the core emotions underneath an urge, a sense of anxiety, a fear, or something that upsets the client, and encourages full expression of the emotion. Somatic awareness and Gestalt techniques are used here, to have the client get in touch with their feelings. 
 
Then, the client is asked to allow a memory of a time to come up when that same feeling was present. Now comes the opportunity to go back to the source of the discomfort the client feels in the present. It might be a childhood memory, but it could also go back to the client’s time in the womb, or even a past life. 
 
No matter where the client goes, the hypnotherapist follows, offering an opportunity for the feelings that were not fully expressed at the past time to be released. The client then can identify what that situation came to mean about how they saw themselves at that time. “I am powerless,” or “I am unlovable” are some examples of the old conclusions the client might make.  
 
After some reflection, the client is asked about the behavior patterns they engaged in, based on these beliefs. They might say “I never asserted myself,” or “I forgot about my needs and tried to please everyone else.” The insights that come from observations like these are powerful, and they enable clients to truly get to the source of the faulty beliefs that lead to behavior that does not serve them. 
 
In addition, the client is able to identify and nurture the younger part of him-or herself, and work to build up the confidence or self-esteem that was lost in the moment of a traumatic experience. The hypnotherapist might even assist the client to retrieve these lost parts that could have split away when the client was experiencing these devastating events, by going back in time and symbolically reclaiming them. 

For someone who is trying to change a bad habit or overcome a fear or phobia, getting to the source of their psychological pain shows them the reason behind their need to be soothed by smoking cigarettes, or in some cases, their self-annihilating actions such as cutting. With the information extracted through age regression, it is far easier to overcome negative habit patterns and undesirable behaviors. 
 
The hypnotherapist emphasizes the possibility of change and transformation by looking at those old beliefs and behaviors, and encouraging the client to come up with new and more productive ones. The idea of “I am unlovable” can thus be transformed into “I am worthy of love, and I choose healthy relationships.” The behavior of people pleasing can be changed to “I take care of my needs first, and then help others when they need it.” 
 
These affirmations become the basis of establishing new patterns and habits for the client. If needed, more traditional hypnosis or NLP techniques, such as collapsing anchors or extinguishing urges, can be deployed. The hypnosis techniques mentioned above are used to reinforce the client’s insight after or in between sessions. With the deeper work that is possible with age regression, the combined effect leads to healing that is as rapid as it is profound.  

There are many hypnosis and hypnotherapy training programs available, but few of them provide students with the knowledge and experience needed to perform age regression. The Wellness Institute has been practicing and teaching age regression for several decades. The Institute’s approach, which views clients in terms of mind, body, and spirit, nurtures students through the process, so that they may assist their clients in finding the source of their unwanted behaviors. 
 
While age regression is powerful and much more intricate than simple hypnosis, you can learn how to do it in less than a week with The Wellness Institute’s Six Day Hypnotherapy Training and Certification Program. With the material you learn in this program, and the experience you will gain during practice sessions, you will be able to give your clients the gift of age regression therapy, which will make the potency of your sessions much greater than they would be with hypnosis alone. 
 
The Institute does offer a two-day course in hypnosis, and hypnosis is presented in the Six-Day training, so you can still learn all about managing the trance state and making suggestions in both courses. However, when you enroll in the Six Day Hypnotherapy Training and Certification Program, you will get a much more extensive education in hypnotherapy, as well as a certification your clients will respect.  
 
Clients are looking for hypnotherapists who do age regression therapy more and more as the popularity of these modalities expands. Don’t miss your chance to learn hypnotherapy and age regression live and online, in the comfort of your home and office. Real time interactions with your teachers and support from experienced certified hypnotherapists make this course unique, comprehensive and a very wise way to increase your knowledge, develop your expertise, and expand your practice. And…you can also earn CE credit! 

Enroll in the Six Day Hypnotherapy Training and Certification Program now!