Are You Being Brainwashed? Watch Out For This Insanely Effective (Yet Oh-So-Simple) Brainwashing Technique!

Explicit content warning

11/08/22 • 6 min

One of the common misconceptions about hypnosis is that it’s similar to (or actually is) brainwashing. In fact, the question ‘is hypnosis brainwashing’ is a commonly-searched Google query, which just goes to show how many people are concerned that hypnotists or hypnotherapists are attempting to hack their brains and control their minds. Firstly, I want to make it clear that I’m not here to brainwash anyone! The type of hypnosis I offer at Coaching Hypnosis isn’t a form of brainwashing at all - it’s about influencing your patterns and behaviours so you can make better, healthier decisions that align with your goals. I don’t have control over your mind, nor can I force you to do anything you don’t want to do. But the idea of brainwashing certainly captures people’s attention. So I thought it would be interesting to explore this concept and shine a light on just how simple brainwashing actually is. Far from being something that can only happen if you’re unconscious or semi-conscious (like in a hypnotic state), brainwashing can occur on a much more subtle level simply through having a conversation with someone. Intrigued? Read on to learn about one incredibly simple brainwashing technique that you’ve probably fallen victim to!

Previous Episode

The Ultimate Anger Management Hypnosis Technique

While it’s an emotion that can be brought on by a myriad of reasons and cognitive patterns, anger is something that all of us have experienced. And the problem with this particular emotion is just how difficult it can be to control in the moment. When anger starts to rise inside of us, we often feel like we need to react instantly in order to obtain immediate relief from the discomfort and unsettling feelings that this powerful emotion creates. Unfortunately, as many of us will know all too well, that reaction is often a negative one carried out in the heat of the moment, without thought to the potential consequences. Today, I’m going to share with you one simple anger management hypnosis technique that can dramatically shift the way you feel when anger strikes. Rather than feeling the need to react, this technique will allow you to calm your mind, bring peace to your body, and give yourself distance and protection from the wrath of anger. You can use this technique anywhere, anytime - so be sure to make a note of it and pull it out whenever you need it!

Next Episode

Lifting the Lid on Forensic Hypnosis - the Truth About This Practice and Why It’s So Controversial

Forensic hypnosis is defined as “the use of hypnosis in the investigative process and as evidence in court”. And you may (or may not) be surprised to learn that forensic hypnosis is actually illegal here in Australia. In fact, it’s a pretty controversial practice around the world - yet it was very popular from the 1950s all the way through to the 1980s. After that, its popularity began to diminish, as the use and effectiveness of forensic hypnosis became a widely-debated issue. So why is forensic hypnosis so controversial? Well, the main reason is that it involves the use of our memories to gather information about a particular scenario or activity. And the trouble with that is, that our memories are notoriously unreliable at the best of times. At any given moment, your brain is only focusing on a small percentage of what’s actually happening around you. Essentially, we’re filtering out the parts that aren’t important and focusing (consciously or unconsciously on the bits that are a priority. So, for example, you might not be sitting in a cafe and not even be aware that there’s a man in a red jumper reading a newspaper near you. The presence of this man doesn’t effect you in your current situation. So even though the man is real and was definitely there, he doesn’t form part of your memory. Can you see why our memories aren’t the most reliable pieces of evidence?! More sinister still is the fact that our memories can be influenced by certain triggers or suggestions, meaning we might actually start to believe that we ‘remember’ something that never actually occurred. This makes delving into memories using forensic hypnosis a controversial practice that most hypnotists are glad isn’t recognised here in Australia. So, now you’ve got a clearer idea of what forensic hypnosis is and why it’s a bit of a contentious issue, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at a couple of less controversial uses of forensic hypnosis and how they can be used.