Have you ever wondered if Hypnotherapy changes your personality? Well, it can and in this post, I will explain what it can change and how hypnotherapy can change your personality, the answer may surprise you.

Can hypnotherapy change your personality?

Hypnotherapy is an effective tool that can allow us to think, feel and act differently to how we usually would in situations. By practising hypnotherapy, we create new neurological pathways in the brain; if these thought processes are repeated consistently, over a period of time, these thoughts become habits and ultimately become our personality, our personal reality, therefore changing our personality.

Furthermore, Neuroplasticity, a strand of neuroscience, tells us that the mind can change the brain. By coaching our thought processes to change, we create new neurological pathways that alter the physical structure of the brain.

For change to occur, it depends heavily on you. Whether you really want to change, believe you can and are committed to spending the time needed to make a change. Once you know how Hypnotherapy can help the want and believe becomes so much easier.

Let me explain further.

How hypnotherapy Can Change Your Personality

To understand how hypnotherapy can change your personality you first need a little science lesson, stick with me, I promise it will be worth it.

According to neuroscience, our brain is organised to reflect everything we know in life. Most of the behaviours that amount to our personality stem from our environment, our experiences.

Our environment triggers automatic responses that are embedded in who we are.

For example

How do you act when you are in a group of friends at a dinner party? Usually the same, right?

This consistent behaviour that has been repeated over time has become a habit. And it is these habits that make up our personality.

Here’s another example

Let’s say that you don’t think you are a funny person. Repeating thoughts that you’re not a funny person, not being funny has become a part of your belief system and therefore part of your personality.

Why does this happen?

Because neurological pathways of thought which make you think and feel like you were not funny are created. Over time, these neurological pathways of thoughts have become habitual and you repeat them almost every day, on autopilot.

Are you ready for the good news?

Neuroplasticity (the ability for the brain changes continuously throughout our lives) and research has found that we can change elements of us, our personality, over time whenever we truly want.

How I hear you ask?

As neuroscience tells us, by thinking above our environment. By creating new, positive neurological pathways of thought about ourselves. For example, focusing on the fact that you are funny and learning how to be funny can change your funniness (is that even a word)

Don’t get me wrong this is can be hard, especially if you have a limiting belief about yourself which may be deeply engrained. I know it can be hard to even envision being the comedian of the party. But it’s easier than you think!

Now we’re getting to the good stuff.

If you want change to be quick, easy and painless, this is where hypnotherapy comes in.

Hypnotherapy is a tool that can be used to communicate with the subconscious mind so we can change automatic thought-processes. By doing this, you are naturally creating new neurological pathways in your mind that are much more positive and in line with how you’d prefer to think, feel or act.

For example

Suggested I statements, I am hilarious. I am funny in X situation, around X people. Visualising yourself making witting jokes at a party and people laughing, learning jokes and practising them often.

You’d be surprised how simply visualising these scenarios and thinking these affirmations, or thought processes, stick with you after you come out of a hypnotic state.

These changes in thought will influence how you feel and how you feel will influence your thoughts. This process acts as a feedback loop, how you feel impacts how you think and how you think impacts how you feel.

Over time as this loop continues, the body embodies the feeling and makes it a habit. It is at this point that these thoughts, feelings and behaviours become a part of our personality.

It gets even more interesting.

 How hypnotherapy works on the brain

Dr David Spiegel from Stanford University published a study that explored the brain during hypnosis.

Spiegel found that there were three significant changes to the brains during hypnosis:

1. Brain Activity Changes: There is a decrease in the activity of the brain that attracts attention and gets distracted. This means that during hypnosis, our brain can focus easily and not become distracted, judgemental or anxious about random ideas or thoughts. This means we become more receptive to hypnotic suggestions.
2. Brain-Body Connections: The brain and body are constantly working together, controlling our actions based on how we feel. During hypnosis, the brain-body connections, which control and process what’s going on in the body, are heightened.
3. Automatic Responses: During hypnosis, there is a disconnect between two areas of the brain that one, control our actions and two, make us aware of those actions. For example, this happens when you are in a situation where you are engaged in something and you don’t think about doing it, you just do it, like playing an instrument or watching a good film.

It is in these moments that there is a disassociation between action and reflection, which allows people to be receptive to suggestions without being self-conscious or criticising the activity.

The process of hypnosis allows us to get into a comfortable place where we can neglect the thought processes that restrict us. As our mind does this, we can plant more positive, self-serving suggestions about ourselves directly to the subconscious whilst picturing an ideal version of ourselves that is above our environment.

6 steps to change your personality with hypnosis

First, I must address two basic things before we can change our personalities with hypnosis.

1. We need to make the decision that we want to change
2. We need to change our beliefs to believe that we can change.

If we don’t want to change and don’t believe we can, positive change will present itself as an impossible challenge. If we flip that notion on its head and believe that we can change, well then this is the start of some serious steps forward towards a more fulfilling existence.

It’s easier than you may think.

Step 1: Acknowledge and Accept: Before begining acknowlege and accept that you want change and why. This will help your mind be more open and to enjoy the journey.

Step 2: Take Action: Go to www.awaecnan.com/shop find what you need or head over to our Youtube channel and try out some free content.

Step 3: Prepare for Downtime: Before you start your hypnosis session, and to get the most out of the session, find a comfortable place to listen where you can close your eyes and relax into it and let go.

Step 4: Go with the Flow: During the hypnosis, follow the instructions given in the recording, you don’t have to hear it all (as the unconscious is always listening) if you are struggling to focus or go into to trance, we suggest repeating the words said on the recording in your head or focus on your breathing. The recordings will guide you through the process just follow along.

Step 5: Aftercare: After your session, you may feel tired. If you have had a big shift you may need to nap, your body and mind are going through a healing process, give it a chance to heal and refresh by having a rest.

Don’t miss this part, it is critical.

Step 6: Rinse – Repeat: listen to a recording for at least seven days, or until you feel you’ve sufficiently changed before moving onto any other recordings.

By doing this you will start thinking and feeling more like your true self over time.

Make sure you acknowledge these thoughts and feelings any time you can. Negative thoughts, similar to the old thought process may still arise, so when you become aware of them, relabel them as ‘a brain glitch’ and realign your thought processes to the preferred you.

How hypnotherapy Can not change your personality

Hypnotherapy can not change habits and beliefs that you would never change, nor can it completely change who you are.

Because Hypnosis works with your mind and your thoughts, feelings and emotions it can only enhance what is already there and not make a total new person. Make sense?

Other Examples of what Hypnotherapy can’t change

Your religion: Religion is strong and deep in someone’s belief system

Your sexual preferences Hypnotherapy cannot change instinctual responses like sexual preferences.

Your gender identity: Baby you were born this way and hypnosis can’t change it and baby we love you the way you are.

Hypnosis cannot permanently remove memories or parts of your natural personality.

Commit Crime: this is hotly debated because of the whole JFK thing but in general and the general population (serial killers excluded) Hypnosis can not make you do something out of your instinctual and primal behaviour.

It is also unable to fix genetic problems or enable somebody to do something impossible, like live forever or grow limbs.

Most importantly, hypnosis cannot do anything that the participant resists happening or doesn’t really deep down want to change.

Related questions:

What can you use hypnosis for?

Hypnosis has a range of benefits directly linked to changing thought processes and beliefs. It can be used to get rid of old, bad habits such as smoking, emotional eating, procrastination and nail-biting or mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression. It can help give us the motivation to start new, positive habits such as healthy eating, exercise or new working habits and it can give us ultimate confidence before events such as sports, work and sexual performances or public speaking. It can help people achieve their goals in business, health and learning and can help modify personality traits.

Are Religious Rituals a kind of Self-hypnosis?

A Hypnotic state requires trust, relaxation and focused attention. The act of chant, prayer, sitting still, listening intently to a priest, rabbi, monk etc can send you into a trance-like state. But so can watching a movie.

The act of chants and prayer or any religious rituals while in a hypnotic state can have an impact on your unconscious. But again, if you don’t like the suggestion your mind just won’t take it on.

Some eastern religions commonly use hypnosis as part of the rituals and worship, its just us westerners that need to catch up when it comes to hypnosis and hypnotherapy.