The Transparent Hypnotist

He would sit for hours or at least what felt like hours to my wee bottom that experienced the cold, hard wooden bench. But he never seemed to notice any discomfort, his or mine. Instead, gazing into the aquarium at a local park, it would keep hold his fascination above all else.

“Look Ellie! See that fish, the one by the glass, looking at me? He is talking to me.” 

“What is he saying?” I would respond and my grandfather would weave the most fascinating stories about the life of the fish. 

Often the story would begin with, “Well, luv, he says I should come and join ‘im. He wants me to meet his wife and have a lovely meal of seaweed.”

Then there were the times my grandfather would remain silent, staring fixedly into the dimly lit water. If the current Ellie could go back to those moments, I feel quite sure she would see all the markings of a trance. But the younger Ellie had no idea about such things. All she knew was that when her grandfather appeared unaware of the word outside of the aquarium, he would loose all the tension and worry from his face. What she also discovered was that if she asked for certain things, like a bit of chocolate, when they left the aquarium, her grandfather seemingly would have a desire for something chocolaty, too. They would stop at the little store down the street and her grandfather would choose the confectionary that Ellie had mentioned earlier and share it with her. On days when they were just walking or doing other tasks and she would ask for such a treat, he would respond in the negative

“Ellie, you know your mum does not allow for such things before our next meal.”

Hmmm.

So whether I am just craving a bit of candy, the presence of my grandfather, or some form of nostalgia, I still find myself intrigued with those creatures who live in aquariums. Hence you will notice the ad in the right column of this blog for “Dolphins blowing bubbles.” Maybe you thought it was silly for a hypnotism blog to have such things on it - what is this nonsense about dolphins blowing bubbles? Now, maybe you will understand a little more why I would put such things here (do click on it). 

Maybe the phenomena of dolphins blowing bubbles seems meaningless, but I assure you, it is not. Here is the thing, the dolphins at Sea World have begun to do something quite unique. They have learned how to not just use their blow holes as biology dictates, but have to use them as a source of amusement. They create large bubble rings, much like a child who learns to blow soap bubbles through a special wand. Just like humans, the dolphins seem to find much enjoyment with playing with their water bubbles. 

What also makes the dolphin bubbles special is that this playful behavior has just been recognized (by us humans). Though I am not an animal behaviorist, I am all about human behavior, so I can see the appeal to studying this phenomena. Perhaps even more interesting is the human reaction to the dolphins. People are fascinated (recognizing a commonality in play?), so fascinated that Sea World has made it part of their marketing effort. Ingenious! Seriously. If you have not visited their website on dolphin bubbles, it is really interesting.

I can imagine myself young and small again with my grandfather larger than life. I can imagine us watching these dolphin bubbles and I can hear my grandfather concocting great tales of bubble Olympics. Or I can imagine him silently engrossed in the spectacle. Then I can take it a bit farther and hear my own self mentioning riding the Manta coaster. Eventually, my grandfather would take my hand, leading me away from the dolphins and suggest we try our hand with roller coaster  (something he was normally not so keen).

Location: Chicago, IL
Cyber Location: www.hypnosischicago.com

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

I have had a full-time private practice for over five years. The business started slowly in 2001 but then gained momentum as people saw tangible results and word-of-mouth spread. By 2004, I was in business full-time, and feel very fortunate to make a living doing work that I love. 

2. Do you specialize in any type of hypnosis?

Although I have worked with a wide range of issues, I primarily see clients for weight loss, smoking cessation, test anxiety and stage fright. Sleeping better is the number one side effect or benefit of the work that I do, regardless of what issue we work on. I have also hypnotized people for stress reduction, procrastination, study habits, self-confidence and a variety of other issues.  

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

I do not do HypnoBirthing(tm), forensic hypnosis, or much work that would fall into medical categories such as pain management. I am not trained or certified to do HypnoBirthing(tm) or forensic hypnosis, and although I did receive some training in pain management, I normally refer these cases out to specialists.  

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

Yes. I use self-hypnosis daily. I find it necessary to maintain my weight, stay on an even keel, and keep my life balanced. I also use it before I do any public speaking so that I do my best. I must also confess that I find hypnosis to be an excellent tool for manifesting prosperity and abundance.  

5. Describe your hypnosis office or work setting.

My office is located in downtown Chicago across the street from Northwestern University. There is a private reception area, and once in my office, you’ll relax in a lazy-boy recliner. After the intake, you’ll put on a pair of headphones, soothing music is played while my voice is piped in through the headphones, and your session is recorded. You will receive a CD recording of each session that you can use to reinforce the results. 

6. Describe a typical day in your life.

Normally my day is a mixture of seeing clients, and returning phone calls and emails. In the morning I might see a client who wants to get off of sweets, another who wants to quit smoking, then I might break for lunch and to answer phone calls and emails. The afternoon might be a student who wants to pass an important test, an executive who wants to be better at public speaking, or a doctor who wants to get off Oreos and exercise regularly. My day is often full of people from all walks of life who want to stop bad habits, overcome fears and improve the quality of their lives. 

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

I hold two national certifications in hypnosis, one from the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH) , which was rated number one by Congress in 1993, and also by the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners (ACHE). I trained in Santa Fe, New Mexico at the Hypnotherapy Academy of American for ACHE certification, and at the Leidecker Institute for NGH certification. I also hold a BA in Journalism from Indiana University, and have been a lifelong student of the human mind and potential, psychology, spirituality, metaphysics and the principals made popular by The Secret.

8. Most fabulous hypnosis technique you use? 

I use many great techniques, but one of my favorites is a Neuro-Linguistic Programming technique called “Godiva Chocolate.” It is a technique that is often used to overcome procrastination and/or reframe how you think about something. For instance, say you find biology boring but need to study to pass the class, and your favorite sport is downhill skiing. In this case, I’d have you get in touch with your love of downhill skiing, the thrill of it, and so forth. Then by tapping you on the arm, I’d anchor your love of skiing. Then I’d tap you on the wrist to get in touch with how you feel about biology, and then transfer your love of skiing to biology, so you now feel the same way about studying biology as you do downhill skiing. And many people feel the energy literally shift, so they no longer dread or put off what it is they know they need to do. Many clients find they actually look forward to the activity they once abhorred. I would of course verbally tie the two in as much as possible. 

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

This had to be a nine year-old girl; I’ll call her Sarah. Sarah’s mother brought her to see me to quit sucking her thumb. She had been sucking her thumb since she was a baby, and they had tried everything and nothing worked. After the hypnosis session, Sarah started fretting that it didn’t work for her, that she wasn’t hypnotized, and she wondered what she was going to do, as the kids at school were making fun of her, and so on. Her fretting soon turned into outright sobbing in my office.  Her tears were falling as I tried to explain to her that we really didn’t know what happened, that she needed to listen to her CD, and that more than one session was recommended. After talking with her mother, Sarah agreed to return, even though she was highly skeptical. The following week she returned, and reported  “I haven’t sucked my thumb all week and I’m just here for back-up.” Sarah and her mother were thrilled. So that taught me that the conscious mind is often the last to know how effective hypnosis is, and I tell this story to clients when they think nothing happened or that it didn’t work for them. 

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

 
Make sure your hypnotherapist has worked successfully with your issue, and is certified. You might also look for someone who has training from several different schools or in different techniques. These hypnotists will have more “tools in their toolbox” to help you than others who take just one training or are versed in only one modality. 

For fellow hypnotherapists: Invest in the best training you can afford, and keep on learning throughout your life. Do the best work you are capable of with each client, really listening to them. And remember, a full-time practice takes some time to build. So keep at it. Hypnotize yourself for success. Believe that you can make a living doing this. Have faith. If you’re good at what you do, word will get around, and you’ll get referrals. And once you do find yourself with a thriving practice, make sure you do your own self-hypnosis so that you stay balanced and refreshed. In other words, make sure you take as good of care of yourself as you do your clients.

Photograph by tea..

Inhaling through my nose, I filled myself with the warm afternoon sunlight as though it were air. Breathing deeply, one could say this was a great allergy-free day for me. My contacts felt fairly natural and I appauled myself for my dedication to weening myself off allergy medication with the help of a teaspoon of honey in my morning tea everyday.

These were my thoughts as I walked into my optometrist’s office yesterday. All was well and right in my world. Then the eye doctor did her magic (with drops of this and that) and asked, “Are you having a bad allergy day?”

I paused, “No, it is a pretty good day.”

“Really?” her eyebrows raised in a bit of disbelief. As it turned out, my respiratory system was doing quite well without the allergy pills, but my eyes were not. Apparently my membranes and such were puffy and swollen and the Corneal area looked as though I had been scraping it with sandpaper. Chapped, was another word she used. I had heard of chapped lips, even a chapped nose, but chapped eyes?

I have been having contact problems for some time now and had finally made an appointment to have my eyes checked. I am not sure what I expected, maybe that I would be allergic to the contacts themselves?

By the end of what turned out to be a long eye session, I found myself with new rituals to do daily for the next week before she will consent to changing my prescriptions or ordering my contacts (I do not write this in bitterness, I am relieved to have an eye doctor who will help me fix the problem, my last eye doctor was not so sufficient). Now I must go back on antihistamine pills, take allergy eye drops twice a day, and more or less not wear contacts for the week. How will my vanity ender?

The she said with a wink, “Or you could just try hypnosis.” She admitted she is not a holistic sort of girl, so I think she was just teasing me. However, I admit that there is a part of me that is seriously thinking about using hypnosis. I really do not want to go back to the world I just emerged from, the one where I am completely depended on allergy medication. Yet, I have paid dear money to this woman for her learned advice.

Here is my compromise. I will follow these daily rituals for the week. In addition to them, I will use self-hypnosis to help promote healing. Depending on what the doctor says next week, I may try to keep just the eye drops for awhile and self-hypnosis for allergy relief in general. We will see how that goes.

Photograph by The Labour Party

She comes to me for help in losing weight. Somewhere along her path, somewhere between fast food joints and petrol stations with trail mix (the kind with bits of chocolate), she has gained quite a bit of weight. She travels frequently and finds herself using this as an excuse not to keep up with her exercise or even proper nutrition. That is boring, right? 

She finds her self-esteem also wrapped up in the weight. Somewhat naive and believing the pounds would magically shed themselves, every time she went to a physician and was forced to stand on a scale (finally almost thinking about fending this off with a few well chosen martial arts moves - she knows no such gestures), her heart would sink as the scale, perhaps justly so, told of her bad habits. Her beautiful clothes no longer fit quite right and she began to exist in jogging pants (the skinny little black yoga pants long too small). The mirror also betrayed her, but not as much as the everyday reflections off of glass doors or cars (anything reflective). They were the true enemy. She was no longer able to live with the the idea that every reflection was complete distortion. No, the distortion was in her head. Her stomach sagged a bit over her waist line, she had a bloated look to her, and jowls even threatened to be a new addition to her face. 

This client who desperately sought me out was myself. Since I began with the goal to lose 20 pounds (back in January), seven and a half have been removed - not lost. Have I just used hypnosis in this process? No. I have finally had to take my advice to countless others and practice what I preach - I need a healthier lifestyle. This  new life style includes self-hypnosis (for keeping me motivated and tweaking some of the better habits I wish would come easier), portion awareness, some calorie counting (allowing me to make better food decisions), daily exercise (almost), drinking lots of water, and being patient with myself. 

It has been truly tempting at times to go for diet pills or other trendy diets, but I know in the long-term, slow and steady will win my race back to a size eight. It has been a remarkable experience so far in that now I have a much deeper understanding of what people go through in trying to lose weight. I also find that the more I know about healthy living, the better I do, the better I feel. 

I have always done research or tried to find sources for my clients. Since I am now one of them, I find myself always looking for women’s health resources. I have always been tempted, when grocery shopping, to go for foods that say fat free or low calorie, totally buying into the marketing of specific products. It is not a practice that is very consumer conscious really. I had no idea what those terms meant, only that they sounded good in a healthy sort of way (Oh, Ode to Olestra). But then I go to web sites such as www.womenshealthbase.com and find out that well, it is not quite as fuzzy wonderful as I would have hoped. There is math involved (I am not a fan of math, though I see its necessity). There are certain amounts of this or that in those products that may not be so helpful to my cause. But, now I have a better idea of what to look for in nutrition as well as some healthier options.

It is amazing what we think we know compared to the reality. Sometimes you just have take off those mental, rose colored glasses, take a long hard look (put on those reading glasses and gaze upon the ingredients and nutrition information of potential eating pleasures), take a deep breath and make another choice. The road is long.

 
Photograph by perreira

The library quiet has always been a sanctuary. On the days when I need human contact but do not have the mental energy to truly engage with humanity, the library has always provided a way to meet both of these conditions. There is something wonderful about surrounding one’s self with written words, the smell of printer’s ink and paper. The quiet murmurings of other patrons, the rustle of pages being turned, and now the clicking away of computer keyboards is so very soothing. 

In Friday’s 10 Questions with Paul Nguyen, Paul listed his favorite hypnotic technique as being one that utilizes a library of encyclopedias to discover past lives. To get a feel for how he uses this, I will just quote him:

Basically, I ask a deeply hypnotized client to imagine their entire history as a vast library of encyclopedias, where each volume represents one lifetime. If they are able to see more than one volume (indicating that they have lived many lifetimes), I can ask them to proceed backward from the volume that represents their present life to any previous lifetime. When they open a specific volume, they will be able to see all the important events from that lifetime.

This is a handy tool that is quite valuable for any hypnotist. It can be used for many different issues such as finding any answers to questions as well as potential solutions. Just look have the client look it up in their own encyclopedia.

As I read Paul’s words, I revisited my own library tranquility and felt an instance of recognition. This technique also speaks to a theosophical idea (1). The Hall of Akashic Records. I recently read an article by Peter Russell who describe the word Akasha as a Hindu concept meaning the source of everything (2). For those not familiar with the Hall of Akashic Records, it is reported to exist on another level of consciousness and is a vast, never-ending library of all that was, is and will be. Edgar Cayce fans will recognize the Hall of Akashic Records as where he gleaned all his information to help find cures to peoples mental, spiritual, and physical ills (3).

Sounds very much like Paul’s library, does it not? But…I think Paul is quite brilliant for not using the words Hall of Akashic Records because I can think about several clients I have encountered who would not really appreciate the “New Age” feel of Akasha. It would have put them off a bit and may have even caused a block of some sort. But the flip side is that I have also had several clients who have asked specifically to experience the Hall of Akashic Records. To each his own, I suppose.

Also, for those interested in a journey through the Hall of Akashic Records, regressionist Henry Bolduc, who is a student of Edgar Cayce, has a wonderful hypnosis script to help you appreciate and experience what Edgar Cayce did in his hypnotic journeys. The link is http://www.henrybolduc.com/cayce3.html. If you try this, let me know what you think.

Sources:

• Besant, Annie and Leadbeater, C.W. Man: How, Whence, and Whither? Adyar, India:1913 Theosophical Publishing House
• Russell, Peter. “The Primacy of Consciousness.” Peter Russell: The Spirit of Now. Nov 2004.
• There Is a River: The Story of Edgar Cayce

Photograph by Augapfel

Quotes of the Week

• Instead of a war story, hypnosis left her with a picture-perfect birthing story to tell - from an article about Holly Leone’s recent use of hypnosis in the birthing process. Shelley Albini from Hartford, CT was the hypnotist (www.wfsb.com).

• In the relaxed hypnotic state, the doorway between the conscious and the subconscious is open and new information is easily taken in. You are not thinking…you are experiencing. The subconscious doesn’t “think” in the usual way…it experiences….it reacts and it can’t distinguish between reality and unreality. Without the questions, direction, critical judgments or analysis by the conscious mind the subconscious absorbs all the information received through the senses as true - from hypnotist and astrologer Patricia Lantz in an article she published on www.examiner.com.

• “I’m getting hypnosis. I’m seeing a guy called Anthony Cool, who performs a show at Vegas too. I’m doing this just in case I get any last-minute nerves - you know, in case I can’t remember the lyrics or the moves. He’s going to hypnotize me as soon as I get there.” – Mel B. (a former Spice Girl) said in an article for My Park Magazine. She is going to be appearing in a Vegas show (normally I would put this in The Bad (as in cool) section, but the quote was too precious not to include it here.

The Good

• By any chance, were you ever hypnotized by Dr. Barry Hart for smoking cessation? If so, he is looking for past group session clients for a follow up on the impact of the sessions. He is currently writing an article and could use the information. For more information visit www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk.

• My mum has a terrible time whenever she needs a medical scan. However, she gets through it by using self-hypnosis (she actually goes into a hypnotic state and makes an imaginary salad). She is not the only one to do such things and cancer experts agree that using relaxation, deep breathing and self-hypnosis are the way to go before and during any cancer testing. As in my mum’s case, it is useful in any sort of medical testing. (The Philadelphia Inquirer).

The Bad (as in cool)

• Here is a moral question - what if you discovered that you had lived a past life (say you went to a hypnotist for regression work), were able to verify the information and knew that loved ones from that past life were still alive, would you contact them? That is exactly what Jenny Cockell did and she has written a book about the experience called Journeys Through Time: Uncovering My Past Lives (www.independent.ie).

• Imagine going back to your school days and having to attend classes on a Saturday (or if you are in school, you can groan at the notion of school on Saturday). This is what the seniors at Capital High School in Washington state had to do recently. Between missing school because of a collapsed roof over the library and snow days, these students have to make up two days, hence classes on Saturday. However, it was not the normal schedule - the only class that was really held was one on hypnosis (The Olympian).

The Ugly

Another court case, this time in Virginia, that had issues with hypnosis. According to an article on www.delmarvanow.com, it is a case of child, sexual abuse, but the victim is no longer allowed to testify because:

The judge said she was unsure if the court could separate statements made during hypnosis from the statements made after the victim was hypnotized.

10 Question Alumni in the News

Natalie Jones, a writer for the Evening Leader recently experienced hypnosis for issues with learning and using shorthand. She went to hypnotist Mark Darlington and wrote about her experience in the article Denbighshire hypnotist helps Evening Leader reporter conquer her nerves.

 
Photograph by  Lola_TC

I have felt more persnickety than usual this year, constantly tweaking my self-hypnosis and meditations. Normally, eventually I can find peace in using bad stuff life offers as a tool for self-evolving, stuff like poll widgets not functioning on the blog or entrecard turning into just another advertising site (to name today’s pet peeves). This year it seems much harder to accept the world as it is. So what has changed?

Everything. Nothing. My partner and I have moved (sure that is big, I know), but I should be settling in, and I am not quite totally there. I am ready to be, though. 

And I cannot help but wondering if a hypnosis audio is at the root of all this. As my Christmas 2008 gift to you, I presented three of my favorite hypnosis audios. In preparing for that post, I spent umpteen hours listening to a cavalcade of audios. Since I included only three, you probably realize I am very picky. My criteria was to find ones that were peaceful and positive, the author’s voice soothing and pleasant, and that offered suggestions that would be productive. You may have read on this blog that hypnotic suggestions will only be accepted by a person if the suggestions are within the nature of the participant. True, true (anything else is another form of manipulation).

Here is the thing, I am a fairly suggestible person. I sat back in one of my comfy chairs, uploaded the hypnosis audios into my iPod Touch, and began my research. One audio really stood out (and no, it did not make my cut). It was by a British bloke (not one of my hypno friends who has appeared on the blog) and was about increasing self-esteem. The induction was really good and was sensation-based (your arms are tingly, then heavy and so on with all parts of the body). Then he got into the meat of his subject with somewhat aggressive suggestions for finding acceptance of life by standing up for all of your opinions, not letting things go, and by confronting them. Sounds good, eh? Well, it was about not being treated as a doormat and taking a more confrontational attitude towards your dislikes. I suspect for some this might be the perfect way to go, but not for old Ellie Blunt. I am a chose-your-battle-carefully sort of girl, finding acceptance in things that I cannot change, let go, forgive, and so on.

Through most of the audio, I could hear my observer-self saying, “No, no, no” but for some reason I felt compelled to listen to it all. I also thought the other positive hypnosis audios would cancel out any of the negative suggestions my subconscious had lashed onto. That is why, three months later, you are hearing about it for the first time.

Now, I am not saying the hypnosis audios are bad - quite the opposite. I do not really blame this audio for any of my apparent negative attitude this year. Instead, I think it has made me more acutely aware of things I need to work on within myself. I may have been a bit idle in my cocoon of going through the motions. Though I have not been as peaceful, I have become aware that there things I do have the ability to change within myself to move forward to greater happiness (like dealing with my weight gain, tweaking my blogging activities, writing more, doing more research in hypnosis, and so on).

Now you have my story about my three month attitude, which of course, segues into today’s question:

What have you possibly considered as negative that has turned out to be an epic precursor to change in your life? Maybe it is something small like a hypnosis audio or large as in a personal tragedy.

My feet are cold, red in certain spots, and I feel like I am twenty times older than I really am as I sit here trying to enjoy the warmth of my Earl Grey green tea. Just as I start to get comfortable, I will shift my legs and brush a foot across the cold, hardwood floor. Such gesture send a renewed sense of “why did I think it was a good idea to wear three inch heels yesterday?” Ah, the vanity. 

I had watched a rerun of Sex in the City on Thursday night. I see those women and how nonchalantly they wear their high-heels for all occasions. I think to myself “I could do that.” And do that I did yesterday. I slid my fragile toes into a pair of somewhat forgotten, basic black heels and began my day. I am sure they were fine while I sat, my legs crossed and clothed in stockings. Then there was the whole, rebalancing that I had to adjust to, and that is when the pain began. In my rush, I had not thought to bring my normal loafers (some time this winter loafers seemed like a better choice). I walked the city blocks, teetering on throbbing toes and paced during my hypnosis sessions (sometimes just sitting seems unproductive during a session and I find standing up or leaning against the doorway to be more satisfying to my thought process). At one point, while doing traditional suggestion work hypnosis, somewhere along the way (which I truly cannot remember when it happened), I slipped off the offending perpetrators of pain, and continued on in my stocking feet. I realized I had done this when my client, who in the moments after the awakener, suddenly asked my why I seemed shorter. How embarrassing to have to search for where I had kicked off my shoes. 

This has lead me to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe I need a new pair of shoes - flats, but something a little more stylish than anything that resembles my loafers. With that in mind, I have been perusing http://www.jildorshoes.com/, which has a wonderful selection of cool and hip shoes (and not just crazy, if not dangerous ones for those trying to satisfy the Sex in the City urges - please learn from my discomfort. LOL). In looking for something more stylish, I am gravitating to the charms of the tory burch reva line of shoes. They are like ballet slippers with a bit of a bottom surface, but what better way to glide, gracefully through my sessions (and keep my shoes on) than with pseudo dance shoes. What sets Tory’s style apart for me is her use of bobbles and such. She utlizes her logo, two fancy letter Ts that form a bit of a cross design to decorate an otherwise simple shoe, transforming it into something unique.

So, that is it, my Esoteric Saturday. Sometimes a woman has just got to talk about the vanity of being professional. It cannot always be all hypnosis tools, experiences, gaming, and hiking - sometimes she just has to indulge in shoe shopping. I hope my male readers will bear with my humanity.

Location: Maynard, MA
Cyber Location: www.moodstreams.com

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

I’m a full-time practicing Consulting Hypnotist, and that includes running my online business, www.moodstreams.com, where I sell soundtracks for relaxation, meditation, and hypnosis that I produce myself.

2. Do you specialize in any type of hypnosis? 

I’d say my specialty is dealing with anxiety and stress, and helping people build confidence.  Of course, I also do smoking cessation and weight management as an important part of my practice. My inductions use the soothing power of sounds, particularly nature sounds, to help people to reach their deepest level of relaxation.

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

I don’t do group sessions, as a general rule.  I believe that one-on-one sessions are so much more effective in creating a client-centered experience.  I can respond and adjust to my client during the course of a session, and that enables me to create a tailor-made experience that really works for my client.

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

I use self-hypnosis and meditation. I consider them to be one and the same.  I use it to promote physical healing in my body, by consciously directing my body’s healing resources to troubled areas.  I also use it for confidence, mental clarity, and for pain control, such as for an aching back.  I think everybody should do some form of self-hypnosis or meditation. It takes time and discipline, but it works!

5. Describe your hypnosis office or work setting.

My office is in a natural health clinic, and the environment we have created here is very comfortable.  It is more like a floor in your home than a typical clinical setting, and that helps clients to feel at ease.  Our waiting area has tea, and plenty of books to browse.  Many first-time clients are nervous about being hypnotized, so a comfortable setting really helps them to relax.

6. Describe a typical day in your life.

I guess you could say there are several types of “typical” days for me! On days where I see clients, I’m in the clinic a few hours before my first client to get the place up and running.  That includes everything from turning the heat on, to boiling water to make tea, to setting up my audio equipment for the sessions. For my first-time clients, I will do an hour-and-a-half session that includes a pre-talk.  My returning clients will receive a 45-minute session.  I also produce relaxation soundtracks for my online business, which are based on nature sounds that I record.  So some days I’m outside in the beautiful wilderness of New England making recordings!  How many hypnotists get to do that!  And then I spend a few days working in my home studio to edit and produce the soundtrack.

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

I am a Certified Consulting Hypnotists, and I received my training through National Guild of Hypnotists.  My instructors were Jerry Valley and Tommy Vee, two of the best, in my opinion.

8. Most fabulous hypnosis technique you use?

I have enabled clients to achieve past-life regression through the use of the “library” technique that I developed.  Basically, I ask a deeply hypnotized client to imagine their entire history as a vast library of encyclopedias, where each volume represents one lifetime.  If they are able to see more than one volume (indicating that they have lived many lifetimes), I can ask them to proceed backward from the volume that represents their present life to any previous lifetime.  When they open a specific volume, they will be able to see all the important events from that lifetime.

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

Nothing too awful, fortunately!  But I’ve learned that with first-time clients, testing for a light depth of hypnosis (using eye catalepsy) is more than sufficient.  I used to get cocky and test first-time clients to medium levels (using number amnesia), but if they failed the test, the session would go awkwardly after that!  Now, I only test for medium depths if I’m absolutely certain they’ll pass.

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

To clients: choose a hypnotist who makes you feel comfortable and who expresses concern for your issue.  You’ll find yourself more willing to succeed, both for yourself AND for your hypnotist.  

To hypnotists:  Don’t bother acquiring excessive certifications just so you can add more suffixes after your name!  Most people don’t know what these suffixes mean, and won’t be impressed by them.

Do this, do that, go here, go there, meet with so and so, and on and on it goes. Life. Wow. It can be amazingly busy when you least expect it. I was intending to sit down with you and get involved in some wonderfully hypnotic subject, but I find myself more rushed than I had hoped. When this happens my brain for writing turns mushy.

But what I do have time to do with more coherency is help out a fellow blogger. When I recently did David Mason’s hypknowsis.com Affirmation Method one thing that came up was the idea of community. It was a broad category that you could put your affirmations, but I found that my piles of affirmation did not really fill up this category. I suspect this blog goes well into that category, but I can always do a little more. 

So, I am going to try to be a little more communal (this will be a slow process). And to start out, I am going to make you aware of a blog called confozzled.com, written by Carly. It is described as a:

Personal blog of a twenty-something woman living in Rhode Island. Topics include music, disabilities, digital art & photography, pets, computers & technology.

Anyway, she did a post a few days ago called how would you support your favorite blogs? In this, she discusses her own blog revenue for February, but she is also doing a blog survey on the subject. She needs to get more feedback, and even though you might be here at the transparent hypnotist for hypnosis interest, please consider helping her out. Hopefully she will consider doing an update post that averages her responses.