Myth: Hypnosis only works for a select few.

Fact: Most people can experience hypnosis. Hypnosis is a natural state of focused attention and absorption that many people slip into during everyday life — like getting fully immersed in a movie, a book, or a creative project.

If you’ve tried hypnosis before and it didn’t feel effective, it can simply mean the approach wasn’t the right fit for you. Comfort, trust, timing, and the style of guidance all influence how easily someone enters that focused, receptive state.

Your hypnotherapist, Mike Proulx, received comprehensive training through the National Guild of Hypnotists, one of the largest hypnosis training organizations in the world. His ongoing training in advanced hypnosis methods helps create the best conditions for you to enter hypnosis comfortably and respond well to the session—so the work feels natural, focused, and genuinely productive.

Note: With over 500 clients in 17 years, Mike has not encountered anyone he could not hypnotize. With the right approach, everyone can be hypnotized.

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Myth: Hypnosis can make you do things against your will.

Fact: Hypnosis is a guided, focused state — not mind control. Your hypnotherapist is a coach and facilitator, and you stay in control the entire time. You can speak, move, ask questions, and you can accept or reject any suggestion that doesn’t fit for you.

Why this fear exists: Stage hypnosis is entertainment. Performers typically select volunteers who are eager to participate and comfortable being on stage. That willing cooperation — plus social pressure, performance cues, and showmanship — can create the impression that the hypnotist has total control.

Stage shows also blend hypnosis with elements of entertainment such as misdirection, audience psychology, and other performance techniques. The result looks dramatic, but it isn’t proof of mind control — it’s a performance built on participation.

Important note: Mike Proulx focuses exclusively on hypnotherapy for personal change and personal development. He does not perform entertainment hypnosis, and your sessions are conducted in a professional, respectful, confidential setting.

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Myth: In hypnosis, you’ll always tell the truth — and might reveal personal secrets.

Fact: Hypnosis is not a truth serum. You remain in control, and you can choose what you share. If something feels private or inappropriate, you can simply keep it to yourself — just as you would in normal conversation.

In hypnosis, you’re typically more relaxed and more focused inward. Many people describe it as the subconscious becoming more active while the conscious mind stays present. A helpful way to picture it is this: your subconscious mind is “driving” the process of change, while your conscious mind stays along for the ride—still aware, still able to evaluate what feels right for you.

One more important point: a hypnotherapist cannot read your mind. Hypnosis is a guided process based on communication and your cooperation — not psychic ability. Your session is confidential, respectful, and always centered on your goals and comfort.

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Myth: You won’t remember anything the hypnotherapist says.

Fact: Most people remember some or even most of the session. Hypnosis isn’t sleep or unconsciousness — it’s usually a calm, focused state. For some, it feels deeply relaxed and crystal clear. For others, it feels more like daydreaming, where attention drifts in and out.

That’s normal. Even in everyday life, your focus naturally shifts — sometimes you’re fully engaged, and other times your mind wanders. Hypnosis can feel the same way. What matters most is not “how deep” it feels, but that your mind is receptive and the suggestions are tailored to your goal. Whatever your experience, it’s still working — and we guide the process to fit you.

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Myth: You can get stuck in a trance and not wake up.

Fact: Getting “stuck” in hypnosis doesn’t happen. Hypnosis is a natural state of focused relaxation, and your mind will return to normal awareness on its own. Even if a session were interrupted, you would simply drift back to full alertness naturally—much like coming out of a daydream.

In professional sessions, you’re guided in and guided out comfortably every time, at a pace that feels safe and easy for you. You remain in control throughout, and your body knows exactly how to return to full awareness.

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Myth: Highly analytical, “brainy” people can’t be hypnotized.

Fact: Being analytical is often an advantage. Hypnosis works best with focused attention, concentration, and the ability to imagine—skills many intellectual people already have.

Sometimes an active mind simply needs the right approach: clear explanations, a logical process, and a style that helps the mind shift from analyzing to experiencing. With the right guidance, most intelligent, high-functioning people enter hypnosis very well. You don’t have to “stop thinking” to benefit—your mind just learns to focus in a different way.

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Myth: In hypnosis, you’re asleep or unconscious.

Fact: Hypnosis can look like sleep (closed eyes, slower breathing, relaxed muscles), but you’re not unconscious. Most people remain aware, can hear what’s being said, and can speak or move at any time. It’s simply a calm, focused state where attention turns inward.

Sometimes the mind drifts like daydreaming — that’s normal. And in certain specialized clinical uses (like pain control), awareness of specific sensations can be reduced, while you still remain safe and responsive.

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Myth: Hypnosis conflicts with religious beliefs.

Fact: Hypnosis is not a religion and it isn’t tied to any spiritual philosophy. It’s a natural, focused state of attention used to support positive change. A professional, ethical hypnotherapist respects your beliefs and will work within your comfort level—always aligning the session with your values.

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