About Hypnotherapy

What can hypnotherapy be used for?

In short just about anything! It should be considered as a very useful tool in treatment programs for many psychological and physical conditions (although, of course, the two are totally inter-related anyway!).

Examples include:

• Weight loss
• Smoking
• Anxiety disorders
• Stress
• Workplace issues
• Phobias
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Depression
• Asthma
• Performance and motivation
• Bed wetting
• Tics and related habits
• Sexual difficulties
• Public speaking

Dr Hallows has successfully treated all of the above conditions. She is also an expert in using hypnosis for Positive Psychology, i.e. increasing happiness, fun, communication and other positive attributes in individuals, teams and corporations.

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a state of highly focussed attention with a selective decrease in peripheral awareness and a heightened responsiveness to suggestions and cues.

What does hypnotherapy feel like?

Interestingly, the majority of us have been in the same depth of trance that is used in hypnotherapy many times in our lives. It is that feeling you get when you are deeply engrossed in a film at the cinema - you are focused, ie. you know what is going on in the film and are following the plot, you are absorbed, ie. the person sitting next to you might have to say your name or touch your arm to get your attention, yet you would be perfectly able to attend appropriately to warnings, e.g. fire alarm.

At the same time your subconscious communication with your cells is keeping your body safe by clearing your throat if you need to, blinking and changing your body position when required, etc.

Also the communication between our emotions and our cells is enhanced in this state - hence we laugh more easily [try laughing to order!] and we can create amazing substances known as tears, either of joy, or of sadness - which fascinatingly have different substances in them!

We, in our conscious minds, do not know how to create tears to order, we need this deeper level of communication with our cells. Hypnotherapy utilises this deeper level of communication to send health enhancing messages to our cells eg. to improve asthma.

It also uses the deeper level of communication with our emotions (and some people would also say spirit) to change our behaviour and habits in a positive direction and thus enhance our well-being.

Can anyone be hypnotised?

In theory, yes. Have you ever driven somewhere and somehow seemed to been on "autopilot" and pulled up and thought "crikey am I here already?". Time seemed to have passed in a bit of a haze, yet you carried out a complex task and you were deeply absorbed in your own thoughts or that radio program. If this, or something like it has ever happened to you then you have been in hypnosis. The use of this state combined with suggestions for increased wellbeing is what is known as hypnotherapy.

How can I access hypnotherapy?

Dr Rowena Hallows practises hypnotherapy at her holistic health centre, The North Queensland Wellbeing Centre in Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

She offers a range of services including one-on-one hypnosis, hypnotherapy for couples and families and hypnotherapy CDs for a range of conditions. She also provides corporate wellbeing seminars.

Qualifications

Dr Hallows has degrees in medicine, surgery and an honours degree in psychology (all from the University of London).

She has experience in many fields ranging from hospital psychiatry to working on a leprosy project in the biggest "slum" in Mumbai (formerly Bombay).

She has post-graduate qualifications in general practice, obstetrics and gynaecology and has been a GP for nearly 20 years.

She first started studying hypnosis in 1988 with the British Society of Medical and Dental Hypnosis and regularly updates her learning through conferences and courses, the most recent being with The Australian Society of Hypnosis.

She gave up full-time general practice in 2002 to specialise in hypnotherapy.

She continues part-time general practice with the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia.

How Many Sessions and How Much do they cost?

Dr Hallows recommends three sessions usually about 2 weeks apart, depending on the issue. The first two sessions are $160 each, the third is $140 and any subsequent sessions are $135. You are able to claim a rebate of $101.55 from Medicare on each session. Please call the office to make an appointment.