Many people are afraid of experiencing hypnosis as they fear being placed under the control of their hypnosis practitioner. Actually, the state called hypnosis is a very natural state that we drift in and out of several times each day, including when we wake up and when we fall asleep. It's the state between awake and asleep, and the state we are in when we are daydreaming or when we “zone out” when performing actions on “auto-pilot” like highway driving. It's the same state one is in when they meditate. During a state of hypnosis, our conscious mind takes a break, our subconscious mind is more active, and we are able to concentrate, problem solve and make the changes we want more easily.  Your practitioner will guide you through an imagined and/or metaphorical experience, giving your subconscious mind several hypnotic suggestions to help you make the changes you desire. These hypnotic suggestions are provided by the client before the hypnosis session. If the hypnotic suggestions are contrary to the client's values, moral code or desires, or the client is resistant to the changes outlined by the hypnotherapist, the client's subconscious mind will reject the suggestions. Therefore, the client's motivation to change is the single most important factor which determines their success with hypnosis. Some people fear being in the hypnotic state, thinking they will readily be coerced into revealing their secrets. You are in control during the entire session, and you will not blurt out anything you don't want your hypnotherapist to know. In fact, most people find they have greater control over their thoughts, emotions and behaviors when in the hypnotic state than they do when they are in their normal, everyday conscious state of awareness. Some people have witnessed a hypnosis stage show, and are afraid that they will be made to do ridiculous things, such as clucking like a chicken or barking like a dog. Hypnosis stage shows are for entertainment purposes only. The people who volunteer to go up on stage during these shows are aware that they are expected to entertain the audience by acting silly, and by volunteering, they agree to do so. The stage hypnotist will perform a series of exercises to screen out volunteers who are resistant to “playing the game” and entertaining the audience by following his/her hypnotic commands. Only the most hypnotizable and agreeable volunteers will remain for the whole show. Like any other profession in the world, there may be a small percentage of unethical people involved. For instance, there are a few male hypnotists teaching male clients how to use hypnosis to pick up women, which is highly unethical. Hollywood movies typically portray hypnosis as mind control for shock value, which perpetuates all kinds of myths and misconceptions about hypnosis. For several years starting back in the 1940's, the CIA performed some mind control experiments using hypnosis in combination with administering drugs such as LSD to subjects and and using various torture methods, such as sensory deprivation. This is where many of the myths about hypnosis and mind control originated. When working with a professional hypnotist or hypnotherapist, it is highly unlikely that you would ever encounter an unethical person who wishes to do you harm. Choose your practitioner carefully and ensure you feel comfortable with them before allowing them to hypnotize you. Hypnosis is not an unconscious sleep state. Most people who work with a professional hypnotist/hypnotherapist hear every word spoken during their session, and find they experience heightened awareness, focus and concentration. If you go into a deeper state of hypnosis, you may become more absorbed in your own thoughts and not always pay attention to what your practitioner is saying. However, your subconscious mind is aware of every word, which is processed and integrated later while you sleep.