In spite of Hypnotherapy gaining popularity in recent years, there are a lot of myths surrounding it. Often people feel discouraged by these myths and hesitate before consulting a Hypnotherapist. Before I demystify the myths let us know what hypnosis and hypnotherapy are.
Hypnosis is a natural and pleasant state of the human mind. It involves focused attention: concentration on an object, an idea or an activity with full involvement, while attention to anything else is temporarily suspended. We can experience this “trance-like” state in everyday living, for example: becoming totally involved watching a movie or a sports game, driving on a familiar route where you do not quite remember part of the journey, waking minutes before an alarm clock on a significant day, daydreaming, reading an absorbing book, noticing a smell or hearing a song which takes you back in time reminding you of an event which has been stored in your memory. Hypnosis is a relaxed state of mind where one can indeed focus on an idea, an aspect of one's life, a dilemma or a challenge.

Hypnotherapy, simply put, is therapy under hypnosis. During hypnosis, the body and conscious mind are in a relaxed, natural state, while the subconscious mind remains awake and receptive to suggestion. Hypnosis is an education-communication process to a person's mind that allows his/her conscious and subconscious minds to believe the same message. Hypnotic suggestions bypass the intellectual mind, called the "conscious", and zero in on the subconscious. When given a new suggestion that is within the bounds of a person's belief system and moral orientation, the subconscious mind accepts it literally as a new reality. The ability to re-program emotional attitudes and reactions is a latent talent within every human being. Hypnosis is the most functional and reasonable way to build new behaviours, create new patterns and find alternate ways of dealing with situations, thereby enforcing positive changes and restoring well-being of mind and body.
In spite of its uses and benifits, people have myths about hypnotherapy. I would like point out and clarify a few common ones:

Being hypnotized makes people lose their control and surrender their will.

Clinical hypnotherapy uses a western hypnosis methodology as opposed to an eastern hypnosis one. Eastern hypnosis does not involve the consent of the person being hypnotized, while the western hypnosis is done only after the person’s willingness and consent given to the therapist. The purpose of such hypnosis is therapy. In this state, the conscious mind is in a relaxed state and the person is also in control of their self. Thus the client knows what he/she is saying during the session.

The hypnotist is able to take out the clients secrets against their will

As I mentioned in the earlier point, the client is aware of everything that they are telling the therapist, the therapist can’t get any information from the client without their willingness.

People lose their consciousness and have amnesia

Except for few number of people who go through hypnotic amnesia, or sometimes in a very deep state of hypnosis, clients will always remember everything they experienced during hypnotherapy session

One needs to be weak minded for being hypnotized

On the contrary one needs to be willing for being hypnotized.

There is no proof that hypnotherapy works

There are a plethora of case studies and ample proof being reported of clinical hypnotherapy around the globe of it being useful in dealing with several physical ailments, emotional issues, mental states which technically covers almost everything.

So next time you are facing a pressing issue in your life, be it any aspect of your life, don’t hesitate to heal yourself with the help of a hypnotherapist. Have a happy life!