The Transparent Hypnotist

For a week that has started out a little persnickety, telemarketers and evil email, I have to admit for a moment I actually romanticized the notion of taking a job in a fast food restaurant. I could easily leave my work behind every day that I walked out the door of said foodery.  There might even be health insurance involved.

Then I did the typical smug thing and accused myself of sarcasm and righteousness, with a huge bit if ego thrown in to boot. There are times when I feel pretty brilliant at what I do; it seems akin from getting a calling from God.  Mourning the idea that I would be letting humanity down, I also blew this off, sighed and went on clicking entrecards.  How snitty is that? (By the way, no offense to the fast food workers of the world.  Most of you I respect highly and am impressed with the patience you must gain from working with the public).

However, my partner was not about to let me revel in high-minded foolishness. He reminded me that if I got down off my high horse, there is a chance that I would still seriously end up serving humanity if I got a job at a foodery, perhaps more so.  I have a bit of a counseling background (not much, but some) and I have always been the person people talk to about their troubles and I have the annoying habit of being a problem solver. Why would that change? Now I just know more.

It was an interesting idea and it humbled me.  It is a totally new way to look at life.

But, for all you hypnotists who were breathing a sigh of relief that I would be out of the competition game (who me, compete?), I still have plans to continue on, as I am, the transparent hypnotist.

Do you ever feel really tired after learning a lesson through experience?  I do.  Very tired.  The Irish Breakfast tea is just not cutting through it today. And on each email ping into my inbox, I feel even more ready to crawl under the warm protection of my quilt.

Maybe you are thinking I went ahead and began my next university degree in neuroscience.  Yeah, that would be me. Not. That would probably also feel more like tired in a positive way.  My tiredness does not feel like the exhaustion of something well done, but of something that has gone totally amiss.

I recently participated in a women’s expo, setting up a booth and all that.  Part of my rental package included a list of emails of event attendees of whom I could entice with marketing.  It sounded good.  Basically the emails came from people participating in the hourly door-prize drawing.  We each had to supply a prize.  For those participants who wanted the opportunity to win said prizes, they signed up in agreement that they would be marketed to by us.

How has that all worked out?  Rather poorly.  I sent my first email out to these 200 people, introducing myself as a vendor from the expo, gave them a special offer, and of course added the disclaimer about unsubscribing to the future emails.  After a few weeks what has been the response?  Only those people who signed up for more information at my booth were worth the trouble.  The 200 sum-marketing list proved a disappointment.  I had more interest for “unsubscribing” than anything else - plus a few outraged husband-types who told me to leave their women alone (okay, that is priceless) even if they called for an appointment.  Granted, this is the Bible belt, but for goodness sake….

Now I am just so sleepy.

So here we are, Monday morning it again. As I sip my very hot (new cup and the heat is unexpected) cup of Darjeeling, the office phone has been ringing. No, no new clients yet, but solicitors (non-profits in the throws of fund-raising). It would be one thing if they were soliciting for causes near and dear to my heart, but they are for things that seem odd to me. Buying circus tickets for children (not even under-privileged), buying advertising so the local cheerleaders can go to France (I do not have children and I did not go to school here), or one that I think is particularly good, but am appalled that it is not state funded - bullet-proof vest for the local police officers. Needless to say out the three, I would be most apt to support the last. But business wise, I choose my charities carefully. I feel bad saying ‘no’ (I suspect I am supposed to) but really, I really do not understand how seeing a circus can truly help some or why can’t those cheerleaders parent come up with the funds. I did not fund-raise for travel when I was a student or expect others to fund my fun

So, here is the real thing, I am at a point of not answering my business phone. I decided against hiring a receptionist long ago, but this is getting annoying. I do not answer the phone when I am in session and people leave messages. Why would this not work all the time? My partner says he believes many people will not leave messages because it would be awkward to have a hypnotist return a call. Perhaps they do not want other people to know they are thinking about seeing a hypnotist. Now I wonder if I do lose clients when they get the answering machine. I thought we had transformed into a “talk to the machine” society anyway. Did I miss something?

States of consciousness. So, what state are you in presently? A Maryland state? A Florida state (and if so, what does that mean:)). A relaxed state? A normal state? An I-need-more-coffee state? (Guess which one I picked. LOL).

I was/am thinking about something I read, and I may have even blogged about it before (so if I did, please forgive me) awhile back. I cannot find the source, but for some reason the message has stuck with me. It was the idea that there are two camps in the hypnosis world. There is one that believes that hypnosis itself is a state of mind, as in you go to a state of hypnosis (like a state of relaxation, a state of stress, etc.). There is another camp that believes there is no state of hypnosis. Hypnosis, on this side of the coin, is a figment of the mind; it is no different than just being very relaxed, etc.

Now I personally am not so sure that a distinction has to be made. To me, hypnosis is an art and science, something akin to a technique or tool that helps one get to a place where inner change and discovery happens naturally. Maybe it is a state, maybe not.

What are your thoughts? Is hypnosis a state of mind, consciousness, or relaxation? Is it just imagination? Or does it even matter?

Okay, you may know I was complaining about a sore wrist last week and it was caused by an over-indulgence of playing video games. For those who know me, you know I am a total sucker for a good video game.  I waited on edge for Crush to come out, but OMG!!!!  There is a new one.  I HAVE TO HAVE IT!!!  Yeah, yeah, yeah, all of you who are saying to yourselves, I came here because I have an interest in hypnosis, not video games, hang on to your horses.  This is all about hypnosis.

I am talking about Overclocked.  I read about it on the washingtonpost.com. It is a new video game where you start the game in the role of a psychologist who has been brought in to help solve a mystery.  This is the fun part.  Five people have been found in New York, running around naked and amiss. They have no memory.  So through hypnosis, it is up to you to figure out what is going on.  In the game you unlock the various memories of each person.  However, as the psychologist, David McNamara, you are not free from flaw yourself.  There is alcoholism and other maladies to contend with before the game is played out.

Too much like life?  Not mine.  My life and career sound mundane in comparison. I suspect this is a really good thing.  My worst problem maybe a little more soreness in the wrist, though this should not be as bad as Stupid Monkey Ball. Oh wait, that is not my biggest problem.  This is only for Windows something or rather.  I am an Apple girl. D-mn.

Cyber Location: www.durbinhypnosis.com

1. Are you a full time hypnotist, part-time or hobbyist?

Retired as Director of Clinical Hypnotherapy from Methodist Health System Foundation and Methodist Hospital in New Orleans. (Hospital closed since flood following Katrina. MHSF now in Slidell, LA.)

2. Do you specialize in any type of hypnosis?

General, but lots of stop smoking, pain management, stress management, childbirth hypnosis, cancer protocol, etc.

3. Is there any type of hypnosis you do not do? Why?

I did not do “past life regression” because it does not fit into my religious convictions. If a person came to me for “past life regression”, I would refer them to a therapist who did do that kind of therapy. I did not like to do drug/alcohol abuse and often refer to a nearby therapist/friend who specialist in that area.

4. Do you use self-hypnosis regularly in your life? If so, how?

I use self-hypnosis every night to prepare me for sleep and to work on any problems ending each session with repeating 10 times, “God and my subconscious mind removes the symptoms by curing the cause.”

5. Describe your hypnosis office or work setting.

I was first a Chaplain at Methodist Hospital in New Orleans 1976-2001 and the hospital hypnotherapist 1982-2005. In 1999, the Department of Pastoral Care became the Department of Pastoral Care and Clinical Hypnotherapy. When I retired from full time in 2001, I became “Director of Clinical Hypnotherapy”, working 3 days a week, till June 30 2005 when I retired. At my request, my replacement was hired for full-time and is still with MHSF.

6. Describe a typical day in your life.

As a retired hypnotherapist who still has a great interest in hypnotherapy, I spend from 4 to 8 hours a day working with hypnosis, stress management, visualization, imagery research and collect material on these subjects. I have had 3 books published and still write for hypnosis publications. I do from 2 to 5 hypnosis conferences doing workshop/seminars on hypnosis and related subject. I am active in the Louisiana Hypnotherapy Organization, which meets every 2nd Sat for 2 hours of education and networking. I was one of the founders of LHO and its previous named organizations. I was its first President.

7. Where did you get your training in hypnosis and are you certified?

IMDHA, IACT AIH, ACHE, HMI, IHF and other organizations and institutions.

8. Most fabulous hypnosis technique you use?

“Hand to Face for Therapy” for releasing conscious and subconscious causes for problems without going to cause and when hand touches face followed by “Waterfall for Cleansing”. If the hand does not touch face I use “Therapy Between Sessions” all can be found under “Article 1″ “Hypnosis Scripts’ at my website www.durbinhypnosis.com

9. Worse moment ever in a hypnosis setting that ended up being a valuable learning experience.

I was doing pain management for a patient in the hospital with a technique, which has a bright light focusing on the place of the pain and drawing out the pain. The patient began to abreact so I had her change imagery to her peaceful place and when she had settled down, I asked her what had happened and she told me that her pain began as the results of an accident a few months before by a head on accident at night. I did another pain reduction, which worked very well. My learning experience was that if a person begins to abreact move them away from the experience and help them clam down. Don’t panic.

10. Any words of advice to potential clients or other hypnotist.

To clients, want to change, choose a good hypnotherapist, and commit to change and most like change will come.

To hypnotherapist, always be a learner, learn from as many people as you can and use what is helpful to you as a therapist. Collect information on hypnosis/hypnotherapy from classes, the Internet, books, professional journals. ALWAYS BE A STUDENT. I continue to be a student, researcher, and teacher.

It is a coffee morning (Peruvian) and I was thinking about writing something mesmerizing, when my mind began to wander. As it did so, the thoughts progressed and here is the fruit of all that

I have been reading some miscellaneous blogs, interviews, books, what-have-you, and certain words began to resonate with me. There is nothing special about these words; in fact they are rather every day. The two specific words are dissociative and abreaction. And I thought, those two words sound very scholarly, don’t they? I am sure there is a ton of other vocabulary we all bandy about in our pursuits (blogosphere, postings, bounces - you get the point, yes?). Actually, I can hear my father using a word like ostentatious about now.

But these words, in some odd way, they sort of become toys for us to play with, to pleasure in, and whip out in a conversation. Then I started thinking about some of my friends, specifically my ghost hunting friends and my art friends. They do have their vocabulary, but they have their love of specific toys. The ghosting crew has big, bad, ol’ EMF meters, temperature gauges, digital voice recorders, thermal imaging cameras, and various still cameras. My art friends, they have their brushes, canvasses, software, computer screens and digital cameras.

And here’s where I digressed further. While some have tangible toys, many of us do not. Does our vocabulary become our toys? Sure there are some hypnotist who have biofeedback machines, pendulums, heart beat simulators, head sets, and such, but it is not so required. We can move about freely and do what we do without anything else. And in the end, when other’s talk of toys, we can smile to ourselves (often smugly) and think how all the other people are so dissociative. LOL.

In consideration of what Craig Eubank’s suggested, I am doing some footwork for us all. After Monday’s post about the hypnotist who used self-hypnosis rather than anesthesia during a surgery, Craig suggested that we all include the article in our packages to new prospective clients and such as a resource for “proof.” I have gone back to the beginning of this blog (a year now) and searched out the stories that have been positive about hypnosis. There were a few others, but for various reasons I thought they might be borderline.

Here they are the ones that seem really positive:

1. Surgery under hypnosis a pain-free event
2. Hypnosis Brings Groups into Focus
3. Scientists in new hypnosis brain link discovery
4. Tonsils removed under hypnosis
5. DDW: Hypnotherapy Effective in Children With Bowel Pain
6. Hypnotherapy shows promise for sleep disorders
7. If you want to kick the habit, a local study is finding a hypnotist may be your best bet

In my quest to avoid the computer for long extended stays, I suggest you consider doing the same (if you aren’t online, then what fun is it for me?). So, grab your green tea (green tea, because it’s, well, green) and think about getting out into the world today. Allow your feet to connect to the earth (if its warm enough take off your shoes and feel the sand or grass between your toes). And then look around you, really look. Try to notice ten things you have not noticed before on your way to work, lunch, or backyard. Allow beauty to happen. If you are in a concrete jungle, look for the lone tree, the weeds fighting for survive in the cracks of the pavement, or even the bouquets of flowers at the corner florist.

Just take this time to be part of the earth, even if for just a moment.

I am.

And if you are looking for other ideas to celebrate the day, visit the Nature Conservancy at www.nature.org.

Good Monday morning to you! The wrist is feeling better, thank you very much and the world is aligning itself simply. Even the news in the hypnotic world has improved, since the ickiness of last Thursday

Once again, we have a brave hypnotist who faced the surgeon’s scalpel. Notice that the pioneers in non-anesthesia seem to be hypnotists these days, like Liesl van Dreau and her tonsillectomy. Well, good for us. Faster healing, less side effects. The other wonderful and timely thing about this recent surgery is that it involved total self-hypnosis. He did it himself.

In case you have not heard about this, here are the details:

• Who: Alex Lenkei, Age 61
• Where: Worthing Hospital in West Sussex, UK
• What: Used self-hypnosis opposed to anesthesia for Orthopaedic surgery to remove a walnut-sized growth and adjusting a tendon on his hand.
• Surgery Purpose: To improve his hand mobility that had been decreased due to arthritis.
• Length of the Procedure: 81 minutes.

Pretty amazingly wonderful. There was an interesting quote:

“The anesthetist Dr. Richard Venn, believes Lenkei managed by way of the hypnosis to get his own body to release large amounts of pain-killing chemicals that prevented him from feeling pain during the procedure.”

I would love to know what self-suggestions Lenkei did use. It sounds wonderful.

Sources:
news-medical.net
www.thesun.co.uk