An excellent tool for helping with a variety of issues, clinical hypnosis is not as mysterious as many believe. Far
from the way it's depicted in movies, hypnosis can be seen as a state of inward focus that comes naturally to most people
under the right conditions. In practicing clinical hypnosis, my objective is to help you connect with this inward focus to
discover ways of resolving issues that are personal to you. In this sense, hypnosis is ultimately self-hypnosis, which I initially
facilitate and teach you to practice on your own.
Most people find hypnosis very pleasant and deeply relaxing. For
many, it can be a powerful technique for:
- stress management
- smoking cessation
- weight control
- pain
management and relief
- symptom exploration and reduction for IBS and other conditions, with medical consultation
- relief
from depression, anxiety and obsessiveness
- resolution of fears and phobias
- Improved focus
- enhanced
well-being
I offer clinical hypnosis on an individual basis for these and other issues, at times
integrating hypnosis with mindfulness approaches that can aid in maintaining focus.
In addition, I conduct groups using
highly researched, evidence-based strategies for smoking cessation and weight control. These strategies combine educational
information with hypnosis for optimum results.
I am a member and an Approved Consultant of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, which is dedicated to the research of hypnosis and to training licensed healthcare professionals. ASCH members must be licensed
healthcare workers and, at a minimum, have obtained a master's degree. This is in contrast to many hypnosis organizations
that certify unlicensed individuals; in North Carolina, no license or degree of any kind is required to perform hypnosis.
I also serve as president of the North Carolina Society of Clinical Hypnosis, which is dedicated to the training of licensed healthcare providers and the ethical practice of clinical hypnosis.
I
have been fortunate to work with leading clinicians, theorists and researchers in the field of clinical hypnosis, and I remain
committed to maintaining the highest standards of practice in order to provide the most effective help.
To learn more
about hypnosis and to see Frequently Asked Questions, please visit: www.nchypnosis.org/what-is-hypnosis and/or www.asch.net/Public/GeneralInfoonHypnosis/FAQsAboutHypnosis/tabid/161/Default.aspx.
Finally, in addition to the practice of clinical hypnosis, I am certified in the use of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), which has been endorsed by the American Psychiatric Association and the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of
Defense for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. When PTSD or trauma-related issues are involved, EMDR can often
be a useful therapeutic tool.
Click here to learn more about Barbara Birge.
