The Transparent Hypnotist

 
Photograph by you-did

Somewhere on some bookshelf of my past, there is a NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) handbook. It is a hardback, well-kept, and treasured. I can see it sitting on the bookshelf and could walk right over to it, coffee in one hand, and pull it out of its resting spot with the other hand. I would like to do that now so I can have a lucid discussion of another handy tool called Eye Movement Integration(tm), but alas, the book is not on my current shelf. I move my eyes up and over as I recall that the bookshelf was in a totally different location from where I currently live or work and that book, where is that book? It is not in the box sitting next to the bookshelf, the one with all the books that will not fit. And for this moment I am desolate. 

Anyway, no point in dwelling. Someday the book will show up again, but that does not help me with today’s posting. Yes, Eye Movement Integration(tm) is indeed the theme, so I will have to go it alone without the book. Are you finding yourself looking back to the 10 Questions with Rebecca Batts and wondering where the reference to EMI was mentioned? No, it was not from Rebecca (whose favorite technique is progressive relaxation and visualization - we can talk about that another time if you would like). I was reminded about EMI in an article I mentioned yesterday on overcoming fear.

EMI as defined by the Free Dictionary (medical) is:

therapy in which the practitioner directs a client to recall a traumatic event, while leading the individual to move the eyes in a particular set of patterns to bring about healing and release from the trauma.

EMI originated in the work of Connirae and Steve Andreas in 1989 and has its foundation more in NLP than hypnosis. It continued in its legacy with the help of Danie Beaulieu, who wrote a book called Eye Movement Integration Therapy: The Comprehensive Clinical Guide. When thinking about eye movement in relation to NLP work, many of us tend to think of it more as a way to monitor another’s thought process, using it an an evaluation tool, rather than as one that is more therapeutic. EMI is the later and is based on the idea that eye movement accesses all the various sensory systems (could we call this reflexology of the eyes?). Guiding the eye movements of the client, the practitioner is able to help the client connect all the senses. With traumatic events, EMI practitioners believe that such occurrences are isolated in a person’s life, which causes all the problems both in actual neurology and thoughts. By incorporating eye moments, all the sensory systems are accessed. Though the event remains in the mind of the client, the goal is to lessen the emotional impact of it.

So how does EMI work?

The client thinks about the fear and responds to it by creating a statement that is the direct opposite of the fear, a statement that encompasses feelings of safety and security. Then the client thinks about the the source of the trauma (the event itself) or the root of their anxiety. As the client thinks about this, the practitioner slowly moves their fingers in front of the client’s eyes and has the client follow the slow movement (2).

The process has been well-described on Interlink, the National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists:

Finally, change occurs during the EMI procedure because there is a five-way division of attention as the client is being asked to concentrate on the numerous facets of the intervention collectively. First, the client is being encouraged to wrap him/herself in a sense of competence/security which is remembered, accessed and anchored from a past personal experience. Second, he/she is being asked to watch an imagined “younger” self going through a representation of the problematic experience on an imagined movie screen. Third, to bear in mind a desired positive belief and any positive learning the client discovers and wants to preserve into the future. Fourth, the client is being instructed to follow the therapist’s finger, or target, as it is being moved across the plane of the client’s face. Fifth, the client is being asked to scale his/her level of discomfort as a Subjective Unit of Distress (SUD) repeatedly.

Sources:

• Eye Movement Integration Therapy: The Comprehensive Clinical Guide
• (1) NLP Comprehensive book review by Dr Graham Dawes
• (2) NV Daily

Photograph by nflorence2012 (such time en-route)

Mmmm. Champagne in bed with a side of black coffee. Blueberry pancake smell wafting through the house. This was my Valentine’s morning. No commercialism. No store-bought high-fructose corn-syrup products to threaten the weight loss (we will not talk about the two slices of pizza we had for dinner last night). It is always a nice way to celebrate love (mind you we do this at least once a month - maybe not the champagne, though it figures into many of the celebrations of life - winning small grants, contracts, publications, the whole shebang of living). So no matter if you are celebrating February 14 in all its glory, believe it is a greeting card holiday, or are just letting the day go by without a second thought, it does not matter. Celebrate the day and everything good it brings (for those of you who are depressed, just give it a try…think of three things that make the day more pleasant, even if it means celebrating a comfortable pillow to hug at night, a warm blanket, or even a month-long supply of anti-depressants). I know - easier said than done…but hey…it is worth a shot (I have dealt with my own depressions and find thinking of three good things a day is a real boon in getting balanced again).

Anyway, I am going to take it leisurely today. It had been my hope to unveil a new audio on this occasion, but it has been put on the back burner for a little while until it can have my full concentration. Instead, I am going to send you to another site for a heart centered meditation. It is extremely simple to engage in and today, out of all the days in the year, anyone can use a good pampering of the heart. So, please take a moment and take care of your heart with this heart centered meditation.

Source: http://www.freemeditations.com/heart-centered-meditation.html

Art by nflorence2012

I am traveling again, writing this after having spent the night on a sagging mattress and with temperatures being six degrees cooler than suits my comfort level. Grrrr and grumble, a most grumpy me. Maybe there is coffee. Maybe not.

As I bundle up in blankets to type this, I realize I have given much thought to Michael’s comment he left on my Sunday post about heartfelt wishes using the same principle as the Law of Attraction. Yesterday, when I was warm and comfortable, I was very much into the whole idea of a benevolent universe (I say this in a flakey, surface sort of way) and bristled a bit at the comment that the Law of Attraction is “bunkum.” Today that same comment makes me smile.

I have to disagree and agree with Michael because I do not think there is any clear-cut answer about the existence of the law of attraction and how things work around us. I disagree with the idea of just tossing it out as malarky. I think it is all in one’s own belief system. It is like religion, some people believe in one thing, others in another.  For some people the idea of the law of attraction gives them hope and a positive attitude that can do things like turn around how they view life. Potential becomes evident. But I do agree with Michael in the sense that the law of attraction is not about just putting your desires out into the universe and they just happen. This can lead to terrible disappointment. I do believe that like attracts like, but like can also attract its opposite. So, you have to be really careful. On most days, if you go about with positive intentions and work towards your goals also in a positive manner, you can definitely attract positive energy. But then sometimes the universe steps in and offers you a lesson. It may seem very contrary to what you desire, but I think there are times when the universe says, “Are you sure about this? If so, prove it.” We are then forced to show our true heart’s desire. Are we serious about making the change?

And as a fan of hypnosis, it is a path wherein we choose to make changes and work towards manifesting what we desire, staying strong through the challenges and temptations. So Michael, thanks for your thought provoking comment!

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

Sedona. Land of opened mindedness, land of holistic healing. These are the things I think about when I hear the word Sedona. It is like a mecca that beckons, yet I have to actually visit there.

But one can apparently have a little piece of this pie through the Sedona Method. It is definitely a sister modality to positive change, NLP and hypnosis, and it may not be as far away as a modality. It sounds very much like an emotional freedom technique or practice (thought I do not know if tapping is involved). With it one deals primarily with releasing negative emotions and increasing positive ones. Components of it stress goal achievement (for you Secret fans out there, the Sedona Method is touted as how to use the secret in everyday life). This is through gaining higher self-esteem and confidence, increasing inner peace, freedom from emotional challenges, finding and acting with courage, and improving bad habits.

There is a Sedona method the secret guide available for your perusal (and mine). The web site is informative and gives several hints on ways to release emotion. You can also get a free insiders guide, DVD, CD, MP3 and a subscription to the Sedona Method Success and Well Being Newsletter.

I suspect there might be some ideas there that would be helpful in inductions or sessions. Maybe another tool for the skills tool box?

Just thinking about the idea of romance (from the dental post) makes me smile (now that I can since I had the tooth refilled. LOL). Yet, it seems to be a topic that does not always make for the warm and fuzzy. The topic is often one of utter frustration for many and a lot of times even the problems behind weight loss, smoking cessation and even nail biting all to boil down to a lack of romance or lost feelings. Sometimes I think romance can be a lot like Crack (from what I have been told about Crack). You are always looking for that original, powerful hit. You get involved in the beginning of a relationship and the passion and romance is intense and amazing, then it wanes, and the tricky relationship time flows before you in a river of either monotony or free form. Unlike Crack, though, I believe it can be recaptured.

So, The Capitol of Romance has it right on the web site about How romance powers great relationships. This site offers interesting tips and information on how to maintain romance and passion in a relationship. The theory is that if one maintains the romance, the relationship can be long-lasting wonderful. It is a conglomeration of articles and information all pertaining to this elusive art of the relationship with the idea of healing through romance. Brilliant! How easy it is to be lulled into an ordinary life when there is a part of each of us that craves more. We want that alive feeling, the empowerment of it, the specialness. And it is never really lost, but obscured by other factors.

It is an interesting idea and an incredibly valid one. This is where regression hypnosis could really shine, helping people revivify or re-experience those original feelings. A reminder of sorts, perhaps?

Another nippy morning, still Fallish, though.

There are several counselors who occasionally read these pages (huge welcome) and I have begun to wonder, how many of you utilize hypnosis is your practice? Or perhaps, how many of you utilize elements of the hypnotic process into your practice but do not call it hypnosis? This is not written in a confrontation voice, just so you know. There are several wonderful tools within hypnosis that seem like they would be good in a counseling setting.

On the counseling front, I find it interesting how many people who come to me for hypnosis also really want counseling. I have even been asked if I would do sessions without hypnosis. All I can do is laugh and tell them I can recommend counselors, as that is not my forte. It is then that they will ask questions of hypnosis. Can you use it to help control anger? Can you use it to help with various issues of infidelity? Can you use it to help with marital relationships? And ultimately, depending on the circumstance, the answer is yes.

But there are those, who just really need counseling to even get to a point where hypnosis could truly help. I have had one such inquiry from a gentleman in California. So, I looked up marriage counselors in the San Ramon area or Marriage Counseling East Bay. And this is when I realized my criteria for recommending potential counselors and therapist (other than credentials, licenses and certifications) is that they have to sound positive, be a positive example, have empathy, and the more personal experience is good (realize these are just my standards). Such an example would be East Bay Couples Counseling in California. Jay Slupesky, the therapist, has an interesting background in that he was in electrical engineering. After having his own bouts of marital issues, he sought help. Not only did this help him, but he decided to dedicate his practice to helping others with similar problems. Now, I do not know him and I am basing this off of his web site, but it is enough to know that I would give him a try. (There is interesting psychology here into why one would chose one type of marketing over another).

The other thing that it really important, I think, is what sort of counseling one offers. One that seems conducive to hypnosis is solution-focused brief therapy. This is what Jay practices. It is therapy that is based on creating change (change is ever present, a constant) in the present and future, and does not focus solely on the past. Involving visualizing a potential future, the therapist helps the client plan and make steps to attain this. Seems a perfect match for hypnotic processes.

Many of of us in the hypnotic arts chose hypnosis as opposed to being a therapist for many reasons. It is not a long-termed-based solution, but more immediate. We do not have to spend years in schooling. We do not have to know about therapy in general. But the more I delve into it, the more important psychology seems. I know many hypnotists who are constantly reading about hypnotic techniques, yet I often find the more background I have in various psychology schools of thought, the more helpful I am towards my clients.

Any thoughts?

A few days ago I had an annual doctor’s appointment (it went well, so no horror or sad stories about to enter into the mix here). As usual, the doctor asked me how the hypnosis business was going and I told her it was just fine. Then she told me something that deeply pleased me, but startled me as well.

First, you have to understand that my practice is amongst the area of the Bible Belt in the US. This means that sometimes telling people you are a hypnotist becomes a challenge, as does marketing. There area is transient enough that there are several open minds around, which is a very good thing. So slowly but surely hypnosis is being more accepted. I already work with a few doctors, but it was after nurturing the relationships (a lot). There are still several doctors in my area who know little about it and do not want to learn more.

So, I was a little taken a back when my gynecologist mentioned that she wished she was younger so that she could go back to school and learn a combination of acupuncture and hypnosis to help women have an easier time during labor. Her medical internship was in the New England area, and one of the doctor’s she studied under used the combination. She said it was amazing the difference between birthing experiences the women who used traditional methods verses acupuncture and hypnosis.

The people I traveled with recently are a creative lot. So, when it came to group guided meditations, my themes often involved unlocking creativity and such. But what I really noticed was the imagery that was enhanced by place or space. The stories, poetry and sketches that came forth from a simple guided meditation say at the Cadillac Ranch in Texas were astounding. While others were doing artistic endeavors afterwards, I continued meditating and seeing where the subject of the location would take me inwards. Still, I am processing all of it and what I learned about myself.

As I am contemplating a trip back to the UK, I noticed that the British Museum has an exhibit called The First Emperor: China’s Terracotta Army. These are literally an army of terracotta statues that were buried along side the First Emperor from Xi’an, China. Tickets are going like mad, so I have heard. But how fabulous they would be for a meditative exercise. I suspect, though, that it might prove difficult to do so at the museum with hundreds of people being shuffled through. And I have no pull there to get special dispensation. LOL.

In discussing this idea with my companions, another idea surfaced. Why not actually go to the actual site? Why not see the 8000 (plus) statues where they were discovered in Xian, China. There would definitely be something spiritual about this, probably interesting energy, and being surrounded by this archaeological find would resonate a deep cord in many of us.

Here’s the fabulous thing, dialaflight.com is currently offering a few side trips from the UK to China for just this sort of thing (not sure about the meditation part, but just to see them in their natural environment). They have an affordable package that includes a three night stay in China (they have longer options available) that would be perfect. I have always wanted to visit China, but perhaps now I can satisfy my craving for England, and seeing the Terracotta Warriors in their natural glory in the Orient. Life is exciting.

Well, I am working at home today in honor of Labor Day. How about you? It is a simple kind of day, as I have opted out from the exotic coffee and am going for a regular cup of 8 O’clock brew.

Do you do Yoga? I do, though probably not as much as I should or would like too. It really goes quite nicely with the hypnosis lifestyle. Do you like that, hypnosis lifestyle? It is all about mind discipline or consciousness. From proper three-part breathing, to meditation, to finding the tolerance of a pose while various parts of the body are active and others are not. You learn what the body can do and what it should not do - honor the body.

Last week, we were doing a simple forward bend from the hip crease (so you bent over with a flat back as opposed to curving the back) and our yoga teacher had us open our eyes (I am very guilty of doing much of my yoga practice with eye’s closed) and look at the world from this new perspective. Sounds very simple, I know, but it was profound as well. It was the idea of acclimating ourselves to seeing the world a little differently and how we fit into this new perspective. I suggest you try it (you do not have to do the yoga part, just carefully bend over, have your legs spread just a bit, and look through your legs at the world upside down). It is an odd thing, but the idea of just looking at things differently is powerful. It is what we do with hypnosis. We change our perspective to make something better within and it changes our relationship with the world.

It might even make for a good exercise in general, especially when one finds one self potentially caught in a way of thinking that is not productive. Just change your perspective literally and go from there…