The “Mind Model” is a heuristic device employed by Consulting Hypnotists to explain how the human mind works and why hypnotism helps. The model differs slightly from one school of hypnotic thought to another, but all are similar. This is the version Dr. Giles uses in his practice.

While anchored in long hypnotic tradition, modern neurology has largely confirmed this model. PET and fMRI scans disclose that brain activity appears to correspond to the Mind Model very well.

Your mind can be thought of as made up of three basic parts and two functions:

Your Conscious Process
-It is only about 12% of who you are, and you probably value it too much.
-It contains the story you use to explain the world to yourself.
-It is analytic, problem-solving and holds your working memory.
-It causes you problems as it is prone to self-defeating thoughts.
-When it sets a goal, it usually sets it just high enough that you can’t reach it.

Your Subconscious Process
-It is the other 88% of who you are.
-It is quiet, focused on self-preservation, emotions and habits.
-It is where your long-term memory is stored.
-Initially, it is programmed by your early experiences.
-It is automatic and operates without judgment. It stores whatever programming it receives and works to achieve it. It does not matter if that programming is good or bad, desired or not.

Your Unconscious Process
-It is the deepest, wisest part of you. It is what connects you to spiritual and deep psychological structures. It’s your spiritual and soulful part.
-You are not aware of it at all except in dreams, fantasy, creativity and intuition.
-Some psychologists and philosophers call this the “Collective Unconscious."

The Critical Faculty
-It is the guardian between your conscious and subconscious processes. It wants to help you survive.
-It knows you survived the past, so it works to defeat all change, even helpful and desired change.
-It compares new information to what is already stored in your subconscious process. If there is agreement, it lets the new information in. If not, it finds a way to deny, discount or ignore the new information.
-It can be bypassed by hypnotism, strong emotion or repetition.

Mindful Presence
-This is the state of “being in the moment” that allows information from the unconscious process to rise to the surface of your conscious process.
-It requires training, practice and patience to learn.
-Almost all highly successful people learn to cultivate it in some way.
-There are advanced hypnotic practices that encourage Mindful Presence and increase its value.