A friend who has struggled with her weight for years said to me, “Every evening I hear a voice inside my head saying, It’s time for ice cream! I tell myself, Do not open that freezer, but often I just can’t resist.” Despite countless diets, this friend never lost much weight because nothing silenced the insistent voice that steered her toward fattening treats.

I told her about a recent study in the journal Primary Care, which looked at various complementary and alternative therapies for treating weight problems and found that hypnosis had real evidence of being effective. She was intrigued but nervous about the loss of control that getting hypnotized might bring, so I asked psychologist Steven Gurgevich, PhD, coauthor of The Self-Hypnosis Diet, to tell me more about how the technique works.

Dr. Gurgevich explained that fear of hypnosis stems from a pervasive misconception. “No one can ‘get hypnotized’ any more than they can ‘get meditated,’ because all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. You’re aware of where you are and what you’re doing at all times,” he said.

Try it: Follow the guidelines below, practicing for at least a few minutes once or more each day…

Promote a trance state. Your aim is not a profound alteration in consciousness, but rather a state of deliberately focused attention on your own thoughts, with a narrowing of awareness of other stimuli, which enhances your acceptance of suggestions, Dr. Gurgevich explained. What to do: Sit or lie in a safe and relaxing place where you won’t be distracted. Focus on your breath for a few moments, then silently repeat to yourself, I am going into a trance… I am shifting my attention inward. When you feel yourself become absorbed in your imagination, as occurs when you are caught up in a daydream, you are in a trance state (really — that’s all it is!) in which you can deliver messages to your subconscious mind. If you have trouble achieving a trance, listen to a hypnosis CD such as the one that comes with Dr. Gurgevich’s book… or have a professional hypnosis practitioner lead you the first time. Referrals: American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (630-980-4740, www.asch.net, click on “Public” and “Member Referral Service”).

While in your trance, offer yourself suggestions. Silently or aloud, repeat to yourself, “I am losing weight… I am lighter and thinner… my palate and food preferences are changing… I crave the healthy foods and portions that support my ideal body.” During your trance (and whenever else you think about weight or food during the day), let yourself believe what you want to happen actually is happening now. Why it works: “The subconscious mind can’t tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined, so it uses the combination of what you want (to lose weight) and what you believe (that you are losing weight) to create a blueprint for action,” Dr. Gurgevich said. Eliminate the word try — it is more powerful to say I am than to say I’m trying.

Keep your words and images positive. The word “not” has no literal meaning to your subconscious — so it is more effective to suggest to yourself, I will eat one piece of chocolate for dessert, than to suggest, I will not eat too much chocolate. Dr. Gurgevich said, “Positive thoughts reinforce motivation, while negative thoughts damage motivation.” During your trance: Imagine yourself happily eating one piece of chocolate and then walking away, well-satisfied… replay this image in your mind for several minutes.

Create healthful cravings. Rather than struggling to suppress cravings for candy, fries or other unhealthful fare, use the power of a craving by transferring it to a healthful food. Example: Envision a beautiful salad of fresh organic greens and vividly colored vegetables… conjure an image of yourself eating it while you think, This salad tastes better than anything else I could have chosen. Imagine the flavors filling your mouth, the wonderful sense of fullness in your belly, the plentiful nutrients traveling through your body.

Bottom line: Self-hypnosis helps you deliver healthy thoughts to your subconscious, Dr. Gurgevich explained… and these thoughts naturally lead to healthier beliefs, behaviors and eating habits that restore you to the healthy weight you desire.