The first thing to understand is that what occurs in a stage show is all about what the hypnotist wants or the illusion he wants to create. These illusions serve to create and perpetuate the many misconceptions people hold about hypnosis. They create these illusions by utilizing information of which the general public is unaware. For instance, he knows that approx. 7% of the world's population is somnambulistic, or highly suggestible. These somnambulistic people are of very low inhibition, which means that they will generally enjoy being the center of attention for whatever reason. There are also many things that they would do in public that others would not. These people are prime candidates for the stage show.

Knowing this, a hypnotist can travel anywhere in the world, to relatively small audiences and feel assured that there will always be some likely participants for his show. These somnambulistic people are easily identifiable to the trained eye after just a little interaction. By using one of the many forms of suggestibility tests, these people soon find themselves a part of the show. These individuals are the most willing to be guided into a relaxed, comfortable state for a deeper subconscious or hypnotic state of mind. This helps to create the illusion that the hypnotist is all-powerful and can hypnotize anyone, anywhere, anytime he wants to. Once these people have allowed themselves to be hypnotized, the hypnotist then seeks to perpetrate another illusion that he is controlling these people in some way. He does this simply by disguising basic rules of hypnosis, as a magician uses sleight of hand only now done with words. Somewhere in his running monologue, he uses a line such as "And now think of something that you have always wanted to do".

The, targeted subject may reply, "I always wanted to play the guitar". Then the hypnotist might say, "Well then, you're Elvis Presley, go ahead and play for us!" Of course, this is the part that the audience notices the most. Some guy playing an air guitar and singing silly. On the surface, the audience is laughing, but on the inside, they're thinking nobody's going to make me do that!" The true fact is that nobody can be made to do anything, even in a hypnotic state of mind, that they wouldn't do normally.

The somnambulistic ‘volunteers’ at a stage show are far more willing to be ‘guided’ into actions that they find readily acceptable anyway. In a Hypnotherapists' office, free of the stage show silliness, the therapist needs no illusion to bring good effect. Everything is "client centered", what the client likes, wants, and desires. The first order of business is that the client becomes aware that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. It is a process of logically guiding one's thoughts to create a pleasant, tranquil frame of mind. The second golden rule of hypnosis is that even in one's most relaxed and comfortable state of mind, nobody will accept anything that they do no like, want, or desire in anyway.

Nobody can be hypnotized unless they want to be! Because of this fact, the therapist knows that results can only come from positive suggestions that are to do with the situation that the client has presented. A skilled professional therapist uses this principle to guide clients, easily and effortlessly into a hypnotic state of mind where they can become aware of the abilities that they already possess; and once they are aware, can utilize them to take care of their concerns effectively.

Candidates for hypnotherapy include the other 93% of the population as well. Issues commonly dealt with concern something which a person feels has become inappropriate in their lives and would like to modify, or replace. Many issues revolve around a sense of loss of control in a matter, and a desire to regain control. Specific issues are as varied as the people themselves. Some common examples are:

• Dealing with Addictions: Tobacco, alcohol, drugs
  
• Weight Problems : Either loss or gain
  
• Fears and Phobias: From simple fears of spiders to full blown phobias where one might not venture from their home for years.
  
• Stress and Tension: In the deeper subconscious, there is no such thing as tension or stress. After all, meditation, which has been widely used and is effective in dealing with stress and tension, is in fact a general form of self-hypnosis, the difference being that with the guidance of a Hypnotherapist, a client can easily access levels of the subconscious in just one or two therapy sessions that may otherwise take them 5 - 10 years via meditation practice alone.
  
• Sleeping Difficulties: The very act of going to sleep at night is a form of self hypnosis. This knowledge alone alleviates the common misconception where people believe that some people can be hypnotized and others can't. This is a natural ability that belongs to everyone.
  
• Pain Management : A Hypnotherapist can make you aware of your own natural, drug free, hypnotic abilities which are proven.