The Transparent Hypnotist

It is one of those mornings where I cannot seem to get warm. The heat is on and I am bundled up. It is not even cold outside. I am drinking green tea (gunpowder, thank you very much) and I just had a left over scone from the weekend. But, I am still really freezing.

I finished last week’s apple fast and am pretty happy with it over all. I am glad I did it and I think I will continue to do one a couple times a year. You can read the summation here.

And now to warm up a bit. Let us get our blood flowing with a look at what is going on in our hypnoworld.

The Good

Michael sent me this article, via Julia from the New York Times. It is called The Possibilities in Hypnosis, Where the Patient Has the Power. You just have to like an article with that sort of title. It starts right off the bat with the idea that a few people who went to a hypnotist for various reasons came out of the session believing they had not been hypnotized (which happens) - BUT - (here’s the juicy part), it did work. Either they stopped smoking, lost their fear of flying or any number of things. This one is definitely worth the read.

With a title such as Hypnosis no sure way to quit smoking, you might think I would be tempted to put this under the “Ugly” section, but I am trying to remain honest here and indeed this is the best spot. Dr. Michael Craig Miller of the Harvard Medical School answered a question about using hypnosis for smoking cessation. He speaks honestly about it, presenting ideas about how it can help, but also mentioning the other side of the coin - that it is not a magic remedy.

Good articles about Specific Hypnotists

Diane Carlin located in Louisville, Kentucky. (www.whas11.com)

Scott Lewis located in Maui, Hawaii. (www.mauinews.com)

Kevin Hurley, performer who is visiting Mississippi today. (www.reflector-online.com)

Beth Keil located in Wilmington, DE. (www.communitypub.com)

Upcoming Events

Are you blogging tomorrow? If so, are you going to blog about Refugees United? That is the theme for tomorrow’s Bloggers Unite Day.

If you are in Brookline, Mass, join Avinoam Lerner on November 13, for a discussion on the benefits of doing self-hypnosis (www.wickedlocal.com).

November 20 is the Great American Smokeout. Thinking about quitting the ciggy habit, why not give it a go on this big day.

November 27 - Karen Green will discuss the realities and the myths of hypnosis at the Caledon Public Library in Caledon, Ontario (www.caledoncitizen.com).

Hmmm. This past week has actually left me with much fodder for potential questions for today’s post. I have had two small cups of coffee, feed the cat, read the paper and have allowed two questions to remain on the chalkboard of my mind. For awhile I thought I would do the indecisive thing and present two today, but after all, it is the Sunday Question and that is not in plural form. Therefore, I have a solution - one that means you must come back tomorrow and answer the almost weekly poll. Ah, the joy of a weak cliff-hanger.

As it is a weekend more about relaxation for me, I am going to put on my proverbial work boots for just a moment and hike back to a surface level. Yeah, I heading back to my chair issue. A few of you were really helpful in your thoughts about what to do about seating in my office that might help clients feel more at ease. Currently, I do a lot of my pre-talk in the waiting area of my office, which includes a comfy couch and a straight-backed chair. This seating creates different height levels for clients and myself (the original problem stemmed from a certain personality type of client who insist on sitting in the straight back chair). I have decided that this is a good cue for me that may help me in the session (these seem to be the ones I have a more difficult time with establishing rapport, but I do not think it can be easily solved by seating arrangements) so I do not wish to change the waiting room. However, I do want clients to be more comfortable. I had thought about buying a couple of mission-style chairs for my office, but maybe doing the pre-talk in my office rather than the session room would mean making my clients stop at too many stations (though often they end up in my office when I print out their receipts or make other appointments).

This leads to today’s question:

If you were going to a hypnotist (or if that is a stretch for you - a massage therapist, acupuncturist, counselor, etc.) what would you prefer - to just go into one room for everything or would you mind having the interview or pre-talk part done in an office setting and why?

The day, buzzy with thoughts of football (American) and all hurry, hurry, I still seem to have enough time to shake my head in bafflement at a new television show called I know What You Did Last Friday. Yeah sure, I am all “show people that hypnosis is not scary,” but I have never been too keen on using it as a tool to embarrass people. However, I am jumping a head of myself.

Here is the premise:

The contestants are hypnotized for a day. They are apparently given wacky suggestions and do crazy things. Then at the end of the day, they are given suggestions to forget those antics. A few days later, at the television studio in front of an audience that consist of friends, family, and strangers, they are quizzed about their hypnotic adventures. If the questions, backed up by video footage, are answered correctly they may win up to £30,000.

Here is what I suspect the producers of the show are gaming on when it comes to audience interest:

Footage from their day under hypnosis is shown during the programme prompting embarrassing but funny moments.

Call my boring, call me a party-pooper, but I just cannot get excited about this show. It would be interesting to see if they eliminate contestants who are not susceptible to the hypnotist’s suggestions or is that done pre-airing? And if the suggestions are so accepted by the contestant, the amnesia thing should fit like a T. Is the funniness due to people not remembering and having the footage of their actions played in front of them (and God and Country)? (Sorry Anthony Jacquin, the hypnotist involved, my qualms are not about your ability as a hypnotist).

I do not know if any station has picked this up (if you do,let me know), but if you are curious visit the production company site at www.eyeworks.tv. I would love to know your thoughts.

Location: Bradenton, Florida
Cyber Location: www.easywillpower.com

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

Full time. I conduct hypnosis seminars for weight loss and smoking
cessation at hospitals throughout the country. I also do private hypnosis
sessions over the phone and at my office in Bradenton, Florida. I have been
conducting these Wellness Seminars since 1990.

2. Do you specialize in any type of hypnosis?

My specialty is weight loss, smoking cessation, stress reduction, releasing
fear and self-esteem.

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

I don’t do past life regressions for the sake of it because I am not drawn
to that type of work. My focus is more how to live productively and happily
and in touch with our own inner power, in this life.

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

Yes, I do - daily. I practice a heart centering hypnosis that I find very
powerful. I get in touch with the highest light of the Universe that I can
connect with, and bring any challenge to it. I find the practice to be very
purifying and empowering.

5. Describe your hypnosis office or work setting.

Most of my seminars take place in hospital settings, or in corporate board
rooms, or at Spa meeting rooms. My private sessions are done in a
comfortable chair in my Bradenton office (or over the phone). If they are
done over the phone, I recommend using a headset.

6. Describe a typical day in your life.

Aside from my Easy Willpower, Wellness Seminar business, I have two lovely
daughters - age 12 and 14, and a wonderful husband, who is an acupuncture
physician. When I am not traveling, I am spending time during the day
writing about weight loss, giving private hypnosis sessions and also setting
up my seminars, and giving radio interviews. I also find time to exercise
every day for up to an hour - usually walking on the beach near my home or
roller blading. I do my heart centering hypnosis in the morning and again
at night, before bed.

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

Yes, I am a certified hypnotherapist through the National Guild of
Hypnotists. I have taken many certification courses with some wonderful
teachers including George Bien and Dr. John Hughes. I am also a nationally
certified biofeedback therapist and NLP Practitioner.

8. Most fabulous hypnosis technique you use?

I like the “eyes-locked shut” technique brought to us by the wonderful Dave
Elman. I find it to be very powerful to confirm to a person that he/she is
really “hypnotized” and to induce deeper levels of relaxation.

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

What I thought was my worst moment was when a fire drill went off during my
stop smoking seminar in the middle of the hypnosis. It turned out to be a
wonderful learning experience because I just kept giving the suggestions for
“the bells going off are like church bells in the distance on a beautiful
spring day and take you deeper,” and people loved it! Many people quit
smoking and told me that they went deeper than in a previous hypnosis
seminar where there were “no bells going off!”

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

For hypnotists I would say just keep studying - there is so much to learn.
The more you practice and learn, the more confidence and understanding you
gain. For potential clients I would say to just be open to the wonderful
treasures that you can discover within yourself to change your life for the
better.

I am still on the subject of chairs, not completely ready to let it go. If you read my post from yesterday, I mentioned a phenomena that happens when a certain type of person sits in a particular chair in my waiting room. Indeed there is definitely a psychology to the height level of seating and such when it comes to interview scenarios. In the hypnosis setting, it seems a little more difficult to figure out appropriate seating (for the waiting room and such). In some ways, it is the client who is interviewing both me and hypnosis. In many ways, it is I who am the one interviewing the client to see if they are good match for my services. Since I let the client choose where they will sit (even though I face the clip board with the intake form placed toward the couch, those who choose the chair have no problem picking it up and moving it). So, I do not really think of it as manipulation. It is just interesting the type of person who chooses the chair and their response to me.

When involved in the pre-session (and overall process), I utilize NLP techniques of mirroring a client. It is a subtle thing. If they cross their leg, I do the same (mirrored) and so on. It really seems to help those who are nervous because the mirroring will either put them at ease or allow me the opportunity to guide them into a more relaxed posture. The key is subtly and reading their body language.

So, with this in mind, I have to wonder if the waiting room arrangement should be tweaked. I like the couch because it is comfortable for family or friends who have to wait. Yet, maybe the waiting room is not the place to do the pre-talk. The session room is a little bit better because the recliner, when upright is about the same level as the chair in which I facilitate the process.

But then I think that maybe it would be good to do the pre-session in my office. I am not too keen about sitting behind a desk (and I use a computer armoire). I have a notion to buy a couple mission style chairs (they will go with the armoire). This way they are the same height. Sadly, with the economy, I cannot just go out and buy a couple and give it a go. However, I may look into the old-fashion (but rather brilliant) notion of doing layaway. That way I commit to the chairs, pay for them slowly (eight weeks) and I do not have to over extend the credit card. Being a Martha Stewart fan, Kmart carries her mission style furniture (see above). Maybe it is time to get back to basic and try the Kmart Lay-Away idea.

Just a few thoughts.

Photograph by Laughing Squid

My office waiting room is set up with a comfortable couch, a coffee table, and a Straight-backed chair. This room is inevitably where I meet and greet my clients and do my pre-talk about hypnosis. When setting up the office, I decided against the notion of making it look sterile and doctor-like. I opted for the sanctuary concept.

However, I am very comfortable sitting in the chair with the client on the couch. I leave it up to the client though to decide where to sit (I stack my odds by putting a clipboard with my intake form facing the couch). So, when the client picks the coach, they sink back into it (though it is not one that is so pillowy that it is hard to exit) and I sit straight-backed in my chair and we begin.

Yet, I have noticed a pattern. It is usually women who chose the chair, with the exception of one gentleman (interestingly enough he liked hypnosis so much, he became a hypnotist). For a long while I did not notice anything unusual about these women, other than it took me longer to gain rapport with them and they seemed more resistant to my suggestions.

So, I recently had a new client who came in and insisted on sitting in the chair. Rather than talking to her from my couch position, I never really sat down. You see, I had begun to wonder if it was my oddness of sitting on the couch that was being projected into the session. Rather than remaining in the waiting room, I took her into the session room fairly quickly and finished my pre-talk there. It seemed to work on the rapport level, and yet the session was still very challenging to me. I prefer my challenges to be met in the process of the suggestion work (finding just the thing that will work for the client), not at the induction level.

It went like this:

I would begin an induction, start the deepening and she would open her eyes and suddenly ask a questions (though I gave her over an hour to ask them in advance). So, I would answer the question and segway it back into a patter that would deepen whatever state she was currently experiencing. This continued to happen. I gave her three times and on the last, I asked her if she wished to resume, just try it out for relaxation purposes, or try again another time giving her an opportunity to just chat with me (I figured I switch to complete NLP techniques at that point). She chose to continue on, and things went better. But then I heard my automatic wind chimes jiggle (timed to give off a soft tone to remind me when a session is supposed to end) and knew I needed to end the session. I had another client that would be there in half an hour.

Anyway, in looking back at my client notes, I notice this same occurrence happening every time someone sits in that chair. The sessions are often successful, but it is like pulling teeth to get there. Sometimes I wonder if the chair is cursed. I suspect it is more a cue for me to change my practice for those who fit the pattern. Maybe I just need to have the first session as more of a consulting type deal with a practice hypnosis run. Stuff to think about.

Photography by Dawn Endico

The day has begun, not with a cup a tea or an indulgence of coffee, but with a rather simple cup of hot water (warm actually). My apple fast has begun. But, in spite of this opening, this post is actually about something I meant to cover quite awhile ago.

Over the summer, I posted a few things about using hypnosis during pregnancy. I had referred to it as “hypnobirthing,” My tendency to make everything “hypno” this or “hypno” that caused me to disrespect the HypnoBirthing trademark. I was unaware of it at the time I posted, but a reader quietly sent me an email about my faux-pas.

So, my apologies to Marie Mongan for infringing on her trademarked HypnoBirthing®. If you are not familiar with the idea of using hypnosis to make the birthing process more comfortable and such, you can get an idea about it by visiting Marie’s HypnoBirthing® website.

Or if you prefer, you can check out the actual faux-pas - I did it twice:

• Awaiting the Storm and Other News
• Hypnobirthing in Australia

Thank goodness last week Michael continued my Monday tradition of looking at the news in the hypnosis world, otherwise I would have been writing this post throughout the day and posting ever so late. You know, it really is a busy world.

The Good

It is amazing to me in this day and age how the notion of getting pregnant often runs to polar opposites. Those who do not or should not get pregnant do so way too easily. Yet, there are others who desperately want to have a child of their own and have incredible difficulties. (Of course there is a middle ground, but talking about that seems less dramatic). Hypnotist Gina Cox-Roberts shares her story about overcoming her own difficulties becoming pregnant. She used hypnosis and within a month, she was pregnant (The Shropshire Star).

So you have heard about this thing called past life regression. Maybe you are inclined to wonder about the procedure. The Altoona Mirror has published hypnotist Teresa Ippoliti’s 14 steps to exploring past lives.

I appreciate honesty - even if it is not what I wish to hear. And when one is involved in hypnosis, I think honesty is really important. A prime example is an article Peter Duffy wrote about attending a group session lead by Dr. Donald Brown. It is a lovely article, one in which Peter admits his own inhibitions on giving hypnosis a chance. Peter, do not fret, you probably used some suggestions for relaxation without even knowing it, and when or if hypnosis is something for you to explore there will be another time and place (The Chronicle Herald).

Good Articles About Specific Hypnotists

Phil McKinnon of the Carson-Tahoe Hypnosis Center in Nevada (The Nevada Appeal).

Robert Maxwell of the Magically Hip, located in Ontario, Canada (The Sachem).

Peter Gilmour, a hypnotist working with the Robins’ football team (soccer) (The Football League).

Peter Reveen, stage hypnotist (Times and Transcript).

Dr. Vasantha Krishnaswam, clinical hypnotherapist (Express Buzz.com).

Clever Articles About Hypnosis By Those Who Practice Hypnotism

Dr. Morrow: Myths of hypnosis forever debunked (www.news-press.com).

Sensational smoking cessation by Bobby Keeling (Nature.com).

EVI SHAW: Another approach to pain management (Go San Angelo).

So Cool, It’s Bad

Sometimes Mother Russia has it going on. Take fighting crime for instance - they are not afraid to employ hypnosis (and truth be told, a little psychic prowess added into the mix) to find answers. Other countries (yes, I am pointing the finger inwardly to the place I reside) are not so keen and often in court, hypnosis is inadmissible (The Moscow Times).

HypnoMagician Keith Barry is back at it again, performing for the big dogs (Planet Hollywood for one) after having taken a year off to recover from a devastating accident that left him debilitated. We wish him well! (The Las Vegas Sun).

Ever heard of the band Star***er? Well hopefully you have or will. Their lead singer used hypnosis to get out of a creative rut. You can listen to their music here (www.argusleader.com).

Let us talk about sex for a minute. If you live in an area where you are able to watch the show Generation Sex, November will feature hypnotist Terry Doherty working with an up and coming model on increasing her sexual pleasure (www.live-pr.com).

The Ugly

Shame on you Nebraska. Here you go, being all we-want-our-state-to-be-smoke-free and what is the real message? Subject your body to chemicals (pills) or talk therapy to quit. Hypnosis is not covered in their new Medicaid smoking cessation plan that will begin in December (Nebraska TV).

Photography by david.nikonvscanon

There is much to be thankful for this fall Sunday. There is hot coffee, a quiet cat, a comfy bed (yes, I have brought the laptop into the blanket confines of my current posture) and there is the loss of an hour. Yes, I am grateful for the loss because I slept an extra hour and still woke up at a reasonable hour. LOL.

The other thing for which I am grateful is that today my business line is still free from the various non-related work phone calls. Even though I have registered my phone on various “do not call lists,” I still get the annoying call or two that has no other function than to take up precious minutes of my life. Bet you can relate. Even though I have a policy of using Caller Id, it is a complicated practice for the business line. I am not comfortable letting all calls go to voice mail. There seems to be potential clients who are not comfortable leaving messages or they need to hear a friendly voice personally, helping eliminate the fear of dealing with a hypnotist. Usually, I satisfy my need to answer the phone by being aware of the local area codes and answering those. I let area codes two hundred miles or more away, eight hundred numbers, and private numbers to go to voice mail.

And yet…most of those types of callers do not leave a message. So there I am with a phone full of numbers and no idea who the numbers belong to and why they called me. I let them go in my nightly ritual of erasing censor, only to have the embers of my curiously oxygenated the next day when the same number reappears on the phone ID.

Sometimes, my curiously becomes engulfed with flames (on those particularly slow days). I find myself typing the number into a web search engine, hoping to find clues. Sure, I could answer the phone when it rings, but then I would have to find some way of getting rid of a telemarketer, hanging up on the political computers, or dealing with a charity I do not support. Yuck.

The positive thing about my phone number checking is that I am not alone. Take for instance www.reportphonenumbers.com, a site created just for the purpose of sharing information and experiences about questionable phone calls. When you visit the site, at the top of the screen is an area to type in the number in question. Upon hitting enter, you may see what other people have to say about the caller. If no one else has had an experience, then the site gives you an opportunity to cite your thoughts on the number. In this way you can help others know if they should actually take the call or not.

And yes, that leads us to the Sunday Question - how do you handle unwanted (or warranted) phone calls?

Photography by vk-red

With a heavy heart I say goodbye to October…how I will miss the craziness of last minute party preparation and toasting in All Hallows’ Day. The disco has left town and my yoga studio is back to the tranquil setting it was before this month (okay, truth is - I kept my mirror ball). How empty the place feels. The echos are now my company. No more excuses to put off my exercise practice. No more boxes in the way, partners on ladders, or trips to be used as a reason to be sedentary.

So, in the esoteric hypnosis realm, today, I use this space as another breather, getting ready to get back to a normal routine. I am also using this as a page mark to let you know that I am getting back to The Unwinding Path, my experimental blog and beginning a new experiment - apple fasting. Yes, you read that correctly, but you will have to visit the site to understand it better.

Though I did not mention it yet over there, I am going to add a self-hypnosis component. Three days of eating nothing but apples is not really a long time, but apples being on my marginally acceptable food list means it is a bit of a challenge. Therefore I am planning to do a series of scripts to help me through it. For those who are able and want to do this with me, I will either post the scripts, do audios, or email them…we will have to see how the next couple of days go time wise.

Welcome November.