Hypnofertility therapy comes to town Alternative for conceiving in the US and UK finding takers in Mumbai

There's so much more to hypnosis beyond the clichés of swinging stop watches and deep voices trying to put you to sleep. Matt Damon and Drew Barrymore turned to hypnotherapy to quit smoking. Lily Allen dropped to size 8 from 12 with the help of hypnotherapy. Tiger Woods credits his strong mental health to the years of hypnosis he got since he was a child. World over, hypnobirthing has been helping expecting mothers. Now, there's something experts are calling hypnofertility therapy for couples diagnosed with infertility.  How it works  Dr Hetal Pandya, a clinical hypnotherapist, says that for couples undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), including hypnotherapy in their treatment can double the success rate. "It works with the subconscious mind to release blockages and de-condition the mind from fears that could lead to infertility," she explains. Popular abroad  Sarojini Alva, a hypnotherapy practitioner based in the US, says that it's a popular alternative option for couples there. "Marie Mongan encouraged treating infertility through hypnosis, which came into being about ten years ago." It's popular in Europe and is catching on in Canada, she adds. PLAN OF ACTION  "Induction techniques like reverse counting, progressive relaxation and white light healing are used to take the couple into a deep hypnosis state wherein the physical body is relaxed and the mind is very receptive to healing suggestions," explains Dr Pandya. "Crayon drawings and paintings are also used to work with the belief and thought of a person. A hereditary family tree is also used to identify and break patterns if any," she adds. While in most cases, both partners have to undergo hypnotherapy, in some cases only one of them requires therapy.      "The programme also tackles ancillary issues like thyroid anomalies, etc. by eliminating stress," points out Jaypali Shetty, a hypnobirthing practitioner. The sessions required varies from case to case. On an average, each session costs around Rs 2,000 and requires two hours, she tells us.  BONDING BENEFITS  Hypnotherapy helps couples deal with the effects of infertility and make changes that can help to positively impact their fertility. "It can make the treatment process easier and help them to handle the outcome better, irrespective of what the results might be," which is more important than promising miracles, says Alva. The "best side effect" as Dr Pandya beautifully puts, "is a stronger bond between the couples."      saadia.dhailey@timesgroup.com  DOC TALK  Dr Fariza Shaikh, a gynecologist, sees no harm if couples want to try hypnotherapy. "Stress is an important factor in cases of infertility. If some therapy can work at that level and helps a couple, then why not," she reasons. "Even for a host of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, doctors first suggest lifestyle changes, yoga and meditation." Gynecologist Dr Rishma Pai, however, cautions, "I am not in favour of delay in case of treatment for infertility. Most couples who face infertility issues often come in for treatment quite late. Some try a host of alternative medicines. Adding this to the list before they seek medical attention is not what I'd recommend." She suggests that one can try it alongside conventional treatment.