Mention of the term ‘subconscious mind’ can cause an intensely negative response from some hypnotherapists and others working in the field of psychology and psychotherapy.
I find this unhelpful because often, it does not stop at constructive criticism but goes further into a dogmatic assertion that their view is correct – that there is no such thing as the subconscious mind and that any other viewpoint is ‘misguided’ or ‘fallacious’.
As a clinical hypnotherapist, I view this response as polarising and not useful for genuine practitioners and their clients. This polarisation and ownership of concepts are sometimes rooted in an (ironically) subconscious desire to benefit from controlling the language and theoretical basis of a profession’s activities.
What Is the Subconscious Mind?
Usually, it is expressed as the activity of the mind below the level of conscious awareness, which is traditionally viewed as the primary level at which hypnotherapy works.
Long before we had arguments over ‘subconscious or no subconscious’, since the evolution of Freud’s work, we also had them over the use of the terms ‘subconscious’ and ‘unconscious’. Much of this usually breaks down into pedantic disagreements over semantics and definitions. A lot also depends on how the question is asked. Either way, the theoretical argument usually takes place away from the natural theatre of our profession – actual sessions with clients!
The Subconscious Mind as a Valid Concept
In my opinion, the mind is a function of the brain, and the subconscious mind is a conceptualisation of this function.
The concept’s validity is in its utility. It is excellent as a shorthand for discussing the mind’s ability to process information and control behaviour at a level below conscious awareness. It is simple but powerful and, for me personally, is the best model we currently have. My clients understand it; they find it both valuable and empowering. As a practitioner, this alone provides a strong argument for its validity as a concept.
Evidence-Based and Neuroscience
Another criticism of the concept of the subconscious mind is that it is not ‘evidence-based’. Instead of celebrating the opportunity that scientific research can bring to explain the work that hypnotherapists do, it often becomes a ‘stick’ for some hypnotherapists and ‘thought leaders’ to beat each other with. “My hypnotherapy is more evidence-based than yours, nah nah, nah nah, nah,” etc.
There are also many types of evidence. Most scientific evidence starts out as anecdotal observations from the world of practice. Then, a theory is formulated into a hypothesis and tested. There is scientific evidence that hypnosis is effective in many types of therapeutic applications. However, we are still in the early days of understanding or finding conclusive evidence of its mechanism. In this way, hypnosis is not alone; much of the function of the mind is still a mystery that we are only just beginning to unravel.
Hypnosis itself is a perennially tricky subject to research directly because of the inherent problems of trying to create a control group. Put simply, the research group not ‘receiving the hypnosis’ could still be hypnotised! Contrary to what some might say, research in neuroscience does not actually disprove the concept of the subconscious mind. Some studies are less supportive, and some are more supportive, such as this study on how ‘Neural reactivation links unconscious thought to decision-making performance’.
The Problem With ‘Schools of Thought’
Frequently, debates over using the term ‘subconscious mind’ refer to different ‘schools of thought’.
Let’s look at that phrase for a moment – it implies that the highest standard for judging your work as a practitioner is what a ‘school’ says you should do. However, schools are not perfect and are not necessarily the unbiased guardians of best practices or valid theories. A school will always have a vested interest in attracting students. One way of doing this is to redefine, re-label, and introduce controversy into a field.
Part of a marketing strategy will also involve providing comments and opinions on all things related to the field. Often, the more abrasive and attention-grabbing, the better. There is nothing wrong with this per se, but I think it crosses the line when it extends into dogma and undermines the working methods of actual practitioners who are successfully applying the concept of the subconscious mind to their clients.
The Subconscious Mind – Truth or Opinion?
Personally, there is no actual argument on this issue because, as a concept, the term subconscious mind will always be valid in my mind and that of many others as a truth. If something more valuable comes along, whether from scientific research or otherwise, I will adopt that.
The subconscious mind represents the ‘background programming’ of an individual’s mind, explaining the activities of the brain and body that do not require conscious awareness to be fulfilled. This concept has been useful to thousands of my clients in understanding their behaviours and achieving positive change.
As a practitioner, I am first and foremost interested in efficacy, i.e. what works for my clients. Research into the brain and the mind is beginning to explain the how behind hypnosis and its different therapeutic applications. However, we are still in the relative infancy of this exploration. At this time, it is wise to explore theories and acknowledge efficacious practice with a mind open to different concepts, even when we may personally disagree with them.