Hypnotherapy -- or hypnosis -- is a type of nonstandard or "complementary and alternative medicine" treatment. It uses guided relaxation, intense concentration, and focused attention to achieve a heightened state of awareness that is sometimes called a trance. The person's attention is so focused while in this state that anything going on around the person is temporarily blocked out or ignored. In this naturally occurring state, a person may focus their attention -- with the help of a trained...