A Brief History

Hypnosis is believed to have been around for thousands of years. While the term "Hypnosis" was only coined in the 19th Century references to the trance state can be found both in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, and in other cultures around the world.

Hypnosis (from the Greek hypnos, "sleep")

What is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness. The US Federal definition describes hypnosis as "bypassing the critical factor of the mind and the establishment of acceptable selected thinking". Our unconscious minds are much larger and more powerful than we sometimes realise.
However, the conscious mind (which is where we do our rational thinking) can obstruct access to the unconscious mind. The purpose of hypnosis is to persuade the conscious mind to step aside for a while and so allow access to the unconscious mind.

There are many similar states to hypnosis, usually known as hypnoidal states or everyday trances. For example, just before going to sleep and while in the process of waking up (when we can often recall dreams, which otherwise fade within a few minutes), when daydreaming, if entranced by a film or theatrical performance, or when driving, may all be occasions when consciousness is more narrowly focused.