The Transparent Hypnotist

Hello.

You have reached Ellie Blunt, the transparent hypnotist and I am out of the office for a few days.
Stay tuned and keep reading. The schedule for this week is as follows:

• Tuesday, December 23 - You Always Remember Your First Time with Kate Beaven-Marks
• Wednesday, December 24 - The First Time with Pete Hummon
• Thursday, December 25 - Ellie’s Thrice is Nice - Relaxing Meditations for a Peaceful Christmas
• Friday, December 26 - 10 Questions with Dan Elliott
• Saturday, December 27 - Esoteric Saturday with Terry O’Brien

photo by Immanuel Giel, Wikipedia Commons

Her name is Bojana, which she tells me is as common in her homeland of Serbia as Mary or Jennifer would be in the US. Her English is quite good but she apologizes for it anyway with a nervous laugh.

We talk for a little bit to help settle her down. I keep an eye on the Skype window, though, to remind myself that while it may only be early evening for me it’s well after midnight in Serbia. Soon enough Bojana seems to be relaxing a bit. It’s time to begin.

The induction goes well.  I can hear her breathing slow and deepen and her verbal responses take on that dreamy tone that confirms she’s making good progress.  We transition into a brief deepener, a countdown disguised as a walk down a corrider inside her mind (an image I shamelessly borrow from Terence Watts).  And then, because Bojana had asked for this session because she was having difficulty reaching beyond a moderate trance depth on her own, I move on to my favorite deepening exercise, which I learned from Brian David Phillips.  The method involves having the client imagine a control panel with three large knobs or dials, each of which is set to zero now and has 10 positions.  The client turns the first knob him/herself, going twice as deep with each click; I turn the second, sending the client three times deeper with each click; and we turn the last one together, going five times deeper with each click.

We get as far as the sixth click on the first dial, then suddenly Bojana stops me.  “I’m sorry,” she says.  “I hit the wall again and came out.”  She sounds frustrated and apologetic at the same time.

“It’s perfectly okay,” I tell her, staying in voice, and before she can pull herself out completely I talk her back into trance.  She wants it, so it’s not very hard to get her heading back down, but obviously a change in tactics is in order.

Erickson teaches us to use what the client brings to us.  Bojana had brought a wall; okay, why not?  I tell her to gently allow herself to approach the wall, close enough to touch it, and describe it to me in detail.  It’s old, she says.  Huge.  Made of big, rough stones, like the wall of a castle.  Which gives me an idea.

Every castle, I explain to her, is equipped with secret exits so that the ruler can escape in an emergency or sneak soldiers in to recapture a fallen stronghold.  I suggest that she feel around the wall, looking for that faint seam or loose stone that, when pressed, causes the secret door to open.  We’ve already established that this is her wall, her castle, so she has every right to enter.  Bojana feels around for a minute, poking and prodding the wall, and sure enough she discovers a small hole concealing a button.  Pressing the button causes part of the wall to open.

Bojana steps inside.  Today’s goal has been achieved.

<MR>

Good morning!

More on the title in a moment.  First, I feel a duty to carry on in Ellie’s Monday tradition by calling out some hypnosis news from the past week.

The Good

From livingstondaily.com comes a story on a Community Health and Fitness Fair hosted by the Hamburg Kiwanis Club.  It’s coming up this Saturday, November 1, so if you live near southeast Michigan it might be a good chance to introduce some people to the benefits of hypnosis.

New Scientist (sorry, it’s a paid article) posted a piece on 10/15 which, from the abstract I can see, looks very positive about the increasing uses of hypnosis in conjunction with medicine.

And from NaturalNews.com, you can read about how hypnosis is being used to help children and teens who suffer from dyspnea, a disease of the airway, lungs, or heart.

The Bad (as in cool)

From Ben-Gurion University of the Negev by way of medicalnewstoday.com, there’s a short piece about a study in which hypnosis was used to induce synesthesia — that is, one sense triggering another in odd or interesting ways.

Along the same lines, Wired reports that another group of psychologists have used hypnosis to give people the ability to see numbers as colors, which is also a form of synesthesia.

Which brings me to …

The Weird

A hypnotist friend of mine sent me a missive that’s been circulating around the ‘Net recently and accuses Democratic Presidential candidate Barak Obama of using Ericksonian covert hypnosis techniques to “override the voters’ rational judgment” and compel people to vote for him in the upcoming US Presidential election.  Included with the email was a 67-page PDF that discusses what “covert hypnosis” is, talks a little about Erickson and his methods, and then goes on to detail several speeches of Obama’s and point out the embedded hypnotic commands.

To a degree the piece is interesting because, when you peel away all the alarmist rhetoric about subverting the democratic process and the gross overstatements of how universally and irresistibly effective these techniques are, the document does illustrate some habits and behaviors that may partly explain how Obama was able to rise from relative obscurity to his present position in just a few years.  Whether he uses these techniques deliberately and with malice aforethought, as the document author claims (and I can’t help but imagine the writer adjusting his tin foil hat every so often while typing it all out), or whether they are habits he learned and uses unconsciously, Obama is definitely skilled in the arts of persuasion.  And while I remain among the undecided as far as my personal vote goes, the whole thing does have me thinking:  if I had a job where my success depended on persuading 535 other people, each of whom has his/her own and probably conflicting agenda, to do things my way, wouldn’t it help to have Erickson’s natural ability?

<MR>

Though Spring is the traditional time for cleaning and renewing, I find myself more and more preoccupied with thoughts of retooling.  Some of those thoughts are focused on my practice, such as my recent decision to begin accepting credit cards.  Others involve doing a ground-up redesign of that vital current-day marketing tool, my website.

I blame Scot Giles.  The presentation he gave at this summer’s NGH Convention on how he uses technology in his practice riled up my inner geek.  Rev. Giles describes his method as an ideal micropractice — meaning he uses technology as much as possible so that he can avoid hiring staff and spending his time on things other than working with clients, resulting in lower fees for the clients and more effective use of his time.  In addition to learning about Rev. Giles himself, his practice, and his background, clients who visit his website can also book and change appointments (including viewing what times are free on his calendar), fill out his intake form, download his Client Bill of Rights and other interesting and important documents, even obtain some free sample MP3 sessions.

By comparison, my site is a series of fairly plain HTML pages that I maintain using a copy of Dreamweaver so old that it still bears the Macromedia name and logos.  I do have a few downloadable files including a couple of MP3s, but nothing near the level of service and sophistication that Rev. Giles shows to the world.  Which, considering that in the day job that pays my bills I happen to be a pretty serious IT geek, is starting to bother me a bit.  Hence the urge to retool.

As I look around, though, most of the hypnotists’ sites that I find are much closer to mine in terms of functionality than to Rev. Giles’s.  Mostly static pages describing the hypnotist’s approach, answering common questions and misconceptions, discussing the various applications of hypnosis.  A few include a Client Bill of Rights (something NGH strongly encourages) and a form for sending email to the hypnotist.  A number of them offer CDs or downloadable recordings, either as free samples or with a shopping cart system for accepting payments.  Which leads to my Sunday Question for you all …

How do you use technology — particularly with regard to your website, but also in the office — to help manage and promote your practice?

<MR>

My first introduction to hypnosis
by Kate Beaven-Marks

Photograph by net_efekt

How a work colleague brought hypnosis into the conversation, I cannot remember, but, at some point, whilst chatting and drinking coffee, he said he “did hypnotherapy” and that it was good for relaxation…

Relaxation sounded ideal, as I was facing some oral surgery (bone graft) and was a little ‘concerned’ (okay, getting really nervous!) in the days leading up to it.

So, two days later, at 8pm on a cold rainy Thursday night, I arrived at his consulting room. I don’t know quite what I was expecting. All I knew about hypnosis was what I had seen on TV, which was Paul McKenna (stage hypnotist in the UK in the 1990’s) and I SO was not the type of person to be doing silly things (think ‘tense, reserved and highly analytical’ and that was me). I was beginning to wonder what on earth I was doing there.

Well, the consulting room was about 10ft x 10ft, cream painted walls, with an oak bookcase, filled with odds and ends, photos and a couple of candles, three chairs (one a recliner), a blue rug and a pine cupboard (containing case files – I found out later). There were several hypnotherapy qualification certificates and a couple of pictures, one of a candle (yes, great for eye fixation inductions) and one of a beach scene (good for ‘seeding the imagination’). It has changed since, but I can still picture it as clearly today as I saw it then. I guess that was my first example that images laid down at times of great stress are often very vivid to recall!

A detailed case history took about 40 minutes, and then he started to talk about hypnosis, and talk, and talk…I think by the time he finished I had a great overview from the history of hypnosis to the techniques of the current day. Looking back, I think he was waiting for me to relax, but my right hand was still firmly gripping my left wrist and I was just as tense as when I had walked in. I still didn’t know exactly what to expect…..

Anyway, he gave me the option of ending the session or ‘doing some work’. Surprising myself, I said we would carry on. So, I was asked to recline back in the chair, uncross my ankles and rest my hands on my legs… and then he said I could keep my hands crossed if I wanted (so I did) and then close my eyes….

About forty minutes, one classic permissive induction and staircase deepener down marble stairs into a sunken garden and two metaphorical stories later, I opened my eyes when I was told to and proceeded to indignantly argue that he wrong about one of his stories. About three minutes later than that, I paid my money and was ushered out of the door.

I can still remember driving home feeling ‘spaced out’. I know now that if I go into deep hypnosis I tend not to wake up fully unless there is lots of energy in the awakening.

As to the finger marks on my arm the next day… well the rest of me may have relaxed beautifully, but that death-grip hold on my wrist had stayed throughout and left me with some clear finger marks on my wrist and forearm… The spaced out feeling also stayed with me, all of the next day and gradually disappearing over the weekend.

Fortunately, the relaxation also stayed with me. On the Monday my blood pressure and pulse were the best they had ever been. Amazing really as it was the morning of my surgery!

The surgery went well and I spent my recovery time reading all about hypnosis. That first session and every subsequent session I have experienced, have been great learning experiences. All the good and useful techniques and tips enhance my own practice. Anything that doesn’t work as well is also worth experiencing to know how to avoid potential pitfalls with my clients.

From the very first session, I can reflect and know:

1. If your client has a body position going into hypnosis then it can stay like that throughout. So the classic feet uncrossed, flat on the floor (if not reclined), hands relaxed and apart all have a sensible basis.
2. Make sure your clients know what to expect if they have never experienced hypnosis before.
3. ALWAYS make sure they are fully, fully wide awake if they are going to drive home.

What still surprises me, having been hypnotized hundreds of times during classes when training and later when ‘playing’, is that I never got that ‘spaced out feeling’ for three days again and no two hypnotic experiences have ever been exactly the same, even with the same hypnotist and pretty much the same words.

That first session was the start of a fascinating journey which has not only improved my health and well-being and changed the way I think and act, but has given me the ability to help others every day.

Photography by lorenzo cuppini // busy

Well, I am taking my rose colored glasses and going out into the world again. This time rather than reclusing, I am going to merge, blend and lose myself in the crowd. For those who read this often, you know that I am ever one to get restless (seems like once a month) and need a change of pace.

But, that does not mean you need a vacation from me or at least the transparent hypnotist. I have a week or more of fun planned to keep you entertained.

Beginning tomorrow, Kate Beaven-Marks’s will share her first experience with hypnosis.

The Friday 10 Questions will be with hypnotist and radio personality Mark Darlington.

Esoteric Saturday will be covered by Mr. Hypno-media himself Terry O’Brien.

Then Michael Raugh will have the blog until October 29.

After that? There maybe a few surprises still lurking in the guest postings…

Again please feel free to comment. I will either have open commenting while I am gone or someone will release them for me.

And you never know, I’ll be lurking in the shadows and catting around…

When Ellie mentioned a couple of weeks ago that she was considering taking credit cards in payment, it struck a chord with me.  I was pondering the same option.  Unlike Ellie, though, my driving issue wasn’t the problem of billing clients I’ve already seen.  I looked to plastic as a potential way to ensure that clients who book a session will actually show up.

Smokers seem to be the worst for this.  I’ll get the phone call, go through my “sales talk” about the effectiveness of hypnosis for breaking the cigarette habit, and book an appointment.  A distressing amount of the time, it ends there — appointment time comes, the client doesn’t show, and almost uniformly the contact number I have goes unanswered.  Are they having second thoughts?  Was I insufficiently reassuring in the phone call?  I don’t know; what I do know is that I rearranged my life (because I practice part-time, at home) and allotted two hours to someone who didn’t keep their end of the deal.

One answer, which many hypnotists and other professionals use, is to have a policy of charging clients something — either the full fee or a fixed amount — if they fail to cancel within 24 hours and don’t show.  Such a policy has no teeth, of course, unless you have a way to get payment in a way other than in person.  Which led me to investigate the possibility of accepting credit card payments.  After much looking around, including the firm Ellie mentioned in her post, I settled on New England Payment Systems (they offer a special rate and terms for NGH members) and signed up.  In a few days I’ll have a shiny refurbished credit card terminal in my home office and will be able to offer my clients the option of MasterCard, Visa, or Discover if they like.  And, if I collect the necessary information in advance, I can adopt a no-show charge policy.

Which leads to a question … in fact, to The Question.  I’d like to get your feedback on what policy you have, or what policy you would use in my position.  My inclination is toward something like this:  New clients are required to provide a valid MasterCard/Visa/Discover at booking.  If a client fails to keep an appointment without canceling 24 hours in advance, a $50 no-show fee will be charged to that credit card.  The no-show fee may be applied to a rescheduled session within 30 days of the missed appointment.

So please, give me your thoughts:  What policy do you have, or would you have, for charging clients who fail to keep an appointment without canceling in advance?

(And thanks, Ellie, for allowing me to co-opt the Sunday Question today.)

<MR>

Photography by melisdramatic
(This is not Micheal’s family family - just an illustration for the post)

by Michael Raugh

It was Labor Day weekend, so as usual the clan Raugh gathered to put flesh to fire and enjoy the delicious results.  This year the gathering was at my house in Laurel, MD.  As an extra treat my brother John was in town with his wife and family to join us.

Various bits of beasts were grilled and enjoyed.  As day turned to evening we sat around my family room catching up and playing with my brother’s adorable daughters, ages three and 11.  So I was a little off guard when John’s father-in-law, Harry, turned to me and asked, “So you hypnotize people, huh?  How does that work?”

Hypnotists get that question, or a variation on it, often.  I rolled off my standard nonchalant answer, but instead of settling the question, it begat more:  how do you know if someone is in trance or not?  What can you do with someone when you hypnotize them?  How do you learn to do that?  And then, from Harry’s wife, “Can you show us how you do it?”

I fumbled for an excuse, but before I could put it to words, a family friend who was with us volunteered herself, took a seat in the corner camp chair, and announced she was ready to be hypnotized.  Okay, I figured, why not?  I dropped into voice and did a simple, permissive, Ericksonian induction followed by the famous balloon test.  Her arm rose gracefully and I let Harry push down on it to feel how rigid it was.  Harry was so impressed that when I brought my friend out of trance he took the camp chair and said, “I gotta try this.”

In for a penny, in for a pound, right?  So I did a Dave Elman induction on Harry and gave him a self-induction trigger so that he can go back into trance whenever he pleases.  Next, John’s 11-year-old daughter wanted to try; I did an instant induction, dropped her safely into the camp chair, and demonstrated the Brian David Phillips “happy finger” technique.  That led to more mini-sessions with my son Ben, Harry’s wife Sue, John’s wife Barbara … everybody wanted to play.  The highlight of the evening was probably when Alex, my 3-year-old niece, climbed into the chair, held out a finger, and asked me to make it a happy finger.  I obligingly stroked her finger and Alex completed the game by closing her eyes and pretending to be asleep.  Did I mention she’s adorable?

By the time everyone had had their turn it was after 9pm.  We said our goodbyes, which were heavily laced with appreciation for the fun they’d had in their brief trances.  My family has known since early in my training that I was taking this path, but this was the first time I’d practiced it openly in front of them.  It was fun.

Today’s tale takes place a few months after yesterday’s.  In that time I had begun to make my own recordings for reinforcement of my work with Marcia.  Being new, I had her listen to them first to make sure I wasn’t doing anything stupid.  Marcia told me I had a talent for coming up with good suggestions, and that I should consider getting training.

Like a kid with a new toy, I was excited about the possibility of learning to become a hypnotist.  While I waited for the beginning of the semester to begin that training, I eagerly bought books and read them and practiced on myself.  And I talked hypnosis with my friends, coworkers, anyone who seemed interested.  What I hadn’t done yet, though, was actually try to induce a trance in anyone else.

Then one evening a coworker, her teenage daughter, and I took in an improv show in Arlington.  After the show we sat around, waiting for the crowd to clear, and my friend mentioned to her daughter that I was learning to be a hypnotist.  “Oooh!” was her response.  “Would you hypnotize me?”

My first instinctive reaction was panic, of course.  Here?  With all this noise and all these people around?  But then I remembered a rapid induction I’d seen Marcia demonstrate, and it seemed foolproof.  The trick, I realized, would be to project confidence — act as if I’d done it a hundred times before.

So I stood the teen in front of a chair, feet together, stood a little bit too close, and had her look into my eyes.  I took my thumbs and traced the upper outline of her forehead, starting in the middle and working out and down past her temples.  Sure enough, as my thumbs crossed the temples her eyelids fluttered — I pulled her sharply toward me and gave the command to “Sleep!”

Sure enough, her eyes closed and she fell into me.  I caught her, still pouring suggestions into her ear to relax, let go, etc. — they may have been as much for my benefit as for hers — and guided her into the chair.

It was a short trance, basically just a down and back up with a few suggestions for energy and alertness for the drive home (Marcia taught me even before my training started to always give suggestions for a positive experience).  She came up on cue, grinning broadly and feeling great.  Her mom, my coworker, was impressed.  So was I, of course.

That adventurous nature, the willingness to play and experience new and cool things, is one of the reasons I love working with teens.  My first time introduced me to that.

<MR>

It was a dreary, gray, miserable Saturday morning … or maybe it just seemed that way to me as I drove down the highway to the home office of Marcia Proctor, a lady I’d corresponded with over email but not yet met.  A virtual stranger.  A hypnotist.

She met me at the door, led me to her consulting room, and listened while I told her a rambling tale about a dying marriage and various related crises.  I remember telling Marcia that what I hoped she could do was give me a way to draw the emotional poison, so I could deal with things without going (further) off the deep end.

We talked about hypnosis:  what it is, how it works, what it can and can’t do.  I actually knew a fair amount because I’d had an interest for a long time, but hearing her confirm what I knew and add to it was comforting.  And then came the induction … a short, gentle, permissive induction that is one of my favorites to this day.  Marcia has a great voice; in just a minute or two I was drifting on it, hearing but not quite following the stream of soothing words.  I nodded repeatedly, though I wasn’t quite sure sometimes what I was nodding about.  Something about a ring gesture with my finger and thumb, and letting tension and frustration and anger drain through it.  Yeah, right.

And then I was back, not really sure how much time had passed, not really sure anything significant had happened — after all, I more or less remembered everything Marcia had said.  Surely I wasn’t all that hypnotized, right?

“Go ahead,” she told me.  “Make your finger ring.”

Right, the finger ring.  I remembered that.  So I touched my thumb and forefinger together in a circle, and gently rubbed the tips together.  And I felt it — that sensation of stress and tension draining away, and at the same time calm and peace and contentment flooding in to take their place.  I did it again, and again, while Marcia watched my face and grinned.  Six tons of emotional weight dropped away in a few moments, just like that.

I left Marcia’s office with my shoulders up, my head high, and my spirits soaring.  For the first time in weeks I felt as if I had a say in how my life would unfold.  I was thinking clearly and in command of my feelings instead of the other way around.  That proved to me the amazing power in every person’s mind and showed how a good hypnotist can teach someone to focus that power and use it for good.

It was an awakening.

<MR>