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If you are unable to attain your goals, you may actually
be hypnotizing yourself to fail! Here are 3 ways we
psychologically sabotage ourselves. Firstly, our
subconscious will want to repeat the behavior with the
strongest emotional charge associated to it. We will
tend to do what we feel like doing or what feels most
familiar whether or not it is good or bad for us. So
often we invest more feelings in worrying about the
problem and then switching to being in denial that the
problem even exists. That is why bad habits are so hard
to break.
Secondly, as Emile Coue once said, "when imagination and
reason are at war, imagination always seizes the day."
This is how our greatest fears tend to be realized: we
allow our imagination to stray into all that could go
wrong. We usually do not consciously invest our
imagination and feelings toward the solution, keeping us
stuck in bad habits.
Thirdly, the subconscious mind does not respond to
negative thought. Telling yourself what "not" to do is
like trying not to think of a pink elephant, trying
"not" to smoke, or trying "not" to eat French fries; it
brings up the wrong file in the subconscious mind. That
is why negative motivation strategy often fails. The
subsconscious mind likes to be inspired.
HYPNOSIS IS NOT SLEEP! In hypnosis, you are more
consciously in control of your emotions,
imagination, intuition, and conscience. You can begin to
intentionally associate stronger feelings to your goal
and not to the unwanted behavior. Just as an athlete
gets "psyched up" to win, in hypnosis you are better
able to imagine your success and emotionally motivate
yourself to take action in a positive way without
fear or guilt. Winners do not win by running away
from failure. Fear and guilt are stressful and unhealthy
motivators for change anyway! And who needs more stress
or fear? Decisions made out of stress or fear are not
good decisions. Realize you are going to go into
hypnosis everyday anyway. You can either hypnotize
yourself to succeed or hypnotize yourself to fail. The
choice is yours!
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It is not sleep, but a natural, normal, relaxed and
focused state of attention characterized by:
-
Feelings of well-being
-
Increased muscle relaxation
-
Increased pain threshold
-
Predominating Alpha brain waves
-
Diminished ability to vocalize
-
Flashback access of stressful or positive memories
-
Literal, childlike understanding of ideas
-
Ability to accept new ideas and beliefs about yourself
if they are sufficiently emotionalized and not in
conflict with your values.
Simply put, hypnosis is either interactive guided
imagery or applied meditation toward a specific goal
while in various levels of a trance state.
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"How
do I know if I can be hypnotized?"
There are only three types of people that cannot be
hypnotized:
-
A person in a psychotic process or with a thought
disorder
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A person with a low IQ
-
A person who really does not want to be hypnotized
The truth is: all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.
Three conditions must be met for a person to benefit
from hypnosis: the person must agree to be hypnotized,
participate in the process with their full attention and
be able to use their imagination or improvise.
Actually, hypnotizability is a sign of intelligence and
was used extensively by such brilliant artists as Aldous
Huxley and Mozart. Learn to navigate in that
"in-between", dream-like state, which is part of the
normal repertory of human consciousness, and you will be
amazed at your hidden abilities and strengths! In a
private 1:1 session, it just becomes a question of how
deep are you willing to go in the presence of another
person. Most people readily outsource their daily trance
to the biggest hypnotizer of all time: television. And
with 60% of TV commercials about junk food, it is no
wonder why so many Americans are overweight. To find out
more how hypnosis will help you Release Weight
using positive imagery
click here.
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"What does hypnosis feel like?"
It feels like in the morning when you hit the snooze
button on your alarm, and you are aware of yourself
lying in your bed with eyes closed, not quite asleep,
but not quite awake either. The subconscious is the seat
of intuition and creativity; that is why some writers or
painters do their best work in the early morning. Their
subconscious is closer to the surface then, especially
after dreaming in REM sleep. (REM often occurs in
hypnosis.) Even with eyes wide open some people go into
"highway hypnosis" and drive right past their exit.
Generally, you can feel hypnotic relaxation in your body
in some way; either your limbs will feel heavy, like
lead or light and tingly, almost numb. (You don't need
to get hooked up to some silly "biofeedback machine" to
learn this about yourself!) Sometimes a good indicator
of deep hypnotic relaxation is experiencing slight
twitches in your body as your nervous system "reboots"
and you shift to abdominal (parasympathetic) breathing.
Recognizing these sensations is the best biofeedback you
could ever have!
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"Is
hypnosis dangerous?"
Absolutely not. Hypnosis was approved by the
Council of Mental Health of the American Medical
Association in September of 1958 as a safe practice with
no harmful side effects. To date, no one has been
seriously hurt with hypnosis. Those concerned greatly
underestimate the ability of the subconscious to protect
us; it contains our very survival instinct. The only
dangers are in misconceptions promoted by fundamentalist
religious leaders who wish to frighten and disempower
their followers. Fear and ignorance have caused more
people to hurt themselves and/or others, even while wide
awake, than would ever occur as a result of a clinical
hypnotherapy session.
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"Can
I be made to do things against my will or could I be
raped?"
Absolutely not. You could never be made to do
anything against your will or contrary to your value
system. For young people, peer pressure is much more
dangerous! You would not unknowingly reveal your
deepest secrets either; it is even possible to lie in
hypnosis, which is why legal testimony using hypnosis is
not permissible evidence in a court of law. A person
will only act upon suggestions that serve them in some
way or reinforce an expected behavior, anything else
their subconscious will just ignore. Most people develop
these misperceptions from seeing or hearing about a
Stage Hypnosis show, which, you must understand, is done
for entertainment purposes only.
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"How
does Stage Hypnosis work?"
To watch my video
click here. In order to
"hypnotize" a person into performing silly or bizarre
behavior on-stage, the circumstances must warrant the
behavior, like in a first year acting or improv class.
The charismatic or "kingly" Stage Hypnotist takes the
stage with much flourish and a microphone, sets his
agenda in motion in front of an inquisitive audience and
relies on the emotionally charged atmosphere to motivate
his "subjects" to conform and act out his "commands". It
is all done in the name of good fun; there is much
laughter and clapping present to spur on the silliness.
But the Stage Hypnotist most certainly does not have
"control" over the participants. He or she is giving
adults an excuse or permission to act silly, and they
take the bait.
Remember, the Stage Hypnotist always asks for volunteers
(no, they are not planted) and usually the volunteers
have seen a show before so they know what to expect.
After the initial hypnotic induction the Stage Hypnotist
will then reinforce compliance by asking all
noncompliant volunteers to leave the stage as he
rearranges the chairs. The people left up on stage are
having all the fun, while the rest of the audience
grapples with the projected fear of embarrassment or
losing control. That is why the Stage Hypnotist does
little in the realm of educating the audience on how it
all works, thus creating a state of surprise,
wonderment, and awe (like any good magician can) because
their agenda is to book more shows, not to help people.
So essentially he is actually hypnotizing the
audience into thinking he has magical powers.
Take for example, the guy onstage who is hypnotized to
think he is given x-ray glasses that supposedly enable
him to see through people's clothing. He opens his eyes,
peers into the audience, and starts smiling from ear to
ear. Is he really seeing nude people? Of course not! He
sees the woman in the front row cover her breasts with
her arms in fear, and it is hilarious! So who is really
hypnotized?
Clinical Hypnotherapy differs greatly from Stage
Hypnosis in that it serves the client's agenda
exclusively and does not serve to promote the illusion
that the Clinical Hypnotherapist possesses "magical or
occult powers". Most importantly, remember this: if
you really believe you can change or heal yourself, you
can! And a good Hypnotherapist can help you achieve
your goals more easily. To choose from the list of my
Clinical Hypnosis Programs
click here.
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"Is there
any difference between Clinical Hypnosis and Medical
Hypnosis?"
No there is not. Medical Hypnosis is Clinical Hypnosis
and vice versa. The US Department of Labor makes no
distinction, a hypnotherapist is a hypnotherapist. Some
medical professionals are using the term "Medical"
Hypnosis so they can simply charge more for the same
service. I would recommend checking how long the person
has been in the practice of hypnotherapy and whether or
not they teach self-hypnosis or record personalized
sessions as part of their practice so you can get your
money's worth whomever you choose.
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"How
do I know I've been hypnotized?"
As you allow yourself to become absorbed in the imagery,
you will experience a distortion in your perception of
time. 30-40 minutes will seem like 5 minutes. Feelings
are more accessible while entranced, as well as memories
from long ago. This sets the stage for the experiential
learning process. As your awareness phases in and out,
and thoughts parade on by, there may be parts of the
session or CD you won't remember consciously, but your
subconscious will. (People who fall asleep while
watching TV often start dreaming about what they are
hearing on TV.) You will awaken out of hypnosis with
very pleasant, somewhat euphoric feelings of well-being.
Remember that hypnosis is a normal, natural state of
mind, not a state of being unconscious or drugged, so
don't expect a radical, unnatural change in awareness.
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"How long
will it take before I notice a change?"
In one session, you can expect to become more relaxed
than you are right now. That in itself can be a big
change! If you can agree that the ability to
intentionally relax yourself is an important first step
towards improving your health and mental focus, then in
one session at least you will learn how to do that.
The inherently hypnotic and creative "positive imaging"
process helps lift your goal out of the ineffectual,
hazy, "just a concept" realm and focuses your goal into
a decisive aim. Hypnosis can bridge that gap between the
head and the heart, making your goal much more
emotionally compelling, since information or logical
thought is not what is lacking.
Depending upon the intensity of your session or the
number of times you have listened to your CD, (you
should expect to listen to a reinforcement CD for at
least a month), you will notice suggestions for the
desired behavioral changes spontaneously popping into
your conscious mind almost immediately. Your
subconscious mind will attempt to prompt you out of your
old patterns with these cues. In other words, your
conscience will "wake up" to the habit. This is the
first step in reprogramming yourself. Next, it is up to
you to get real with yourself and consciously act upon
these new cues. "To be or not to be, that is the
question", wrote Shakespeare. In many respects,
hypnosis is about being more awake, but in a
relaxed, low stress way. (Ever notice how just talking
about a weight problem usually creates lots of tension
and anxiety? For more information about how hypnosis
will help you to Release Weight calmly
click here).
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"Does hypnosis weaken the will?"
Absolutely not. You will not develop a dependency
on the Hypnotherapist, either, since hypnotherapy is at
best a short-term, goal-orientated therapy. These
misperceptions are sometimes expounded by unenlightened
Yoga teachers, which play upon some people's fear of
loss of control; they do not understand that hypnosis
is in fact a tool to gain more self-control and can
actually help improve and deepen one's meditation
practice!
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"What if I don't wake up?"
You would simply fall asleep, and soon wake up like
after a nice nap. (If you think about it, I would have
to store all the people that didn't ever wake up in a
warehouse or something, which by now would have been
discovered, and you'd have heard about it on the tabloid
news shows!) Falling asleep during hypnosis probably
just indicates you are stressed out and could use more
hours of sleep in your life. For more information on how
using hypnosis to manage stress will work for you
click here.
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"Can
hypnosis make me want to eat right or stop smoking?"
When a person asks me this, I question their desire to
change. Hypnosis cannot make you want do something that
you really don't want to do. A person could not be
hypnotized out of the blue to run a marathon, unless
they already were a runner. Hypnosis is a tool, like a
hammer. You don't expect the hammer to drive the nail in
for you by itself. But it is a whole lot easier using a
hammer than just using your hand. There is no easy
substitute for making efforts. In other words, hypnosis
could give an athlete the mental edge that could make
the difference between a bronze and a gold medal. It's
all about focus, aim and how you choose to motivate
yourself.
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"Why
not just use the patch, gum, 'Zyban', or 'Chantix' to
quit smoking?"
My question to you is: what happens when you stop using
the patch or the drug? You will tend to relapse because
you haven't made any real changes subconsciously where
your Habit Center resides! Remember, don't think that if
you are "addicted" to nicotine that you have no choice
in the matter. Many, many people have come to see me
after failing with the patch and then have succeeded
using hypnosis. That's because hypnosis is
self-empowering, while considering yourself totally
addicted is not. The "addiction model" is what
weakens the will, not the substance itself! Have you
noticed how expensive the patch or gum is? Nicotine
"addiction" is good business! You'll just keep coming
back for more. And 'Zyban', FYI, is not new, it is a
repackaged anti-depressant, AKA 'Wellbutrin', which may
in fact cause the very symptoms it is supposed to 'fix':
anxiety and nervousness! Also bear in mind that millions
of people on anti-depressants still smoke, they don't
suddenly stop craving nicotine by taking a pill! It's
just not that simple. I question the wisdom of
chemically manipulating a person's dopamine levels or
messing with the brain's pleasure center. From
Wikipedia: "Pharmacological blockade of brain dopamine
receptors increases rather than decreases drug-taking
behavior. Since blocking dopamine decreases desire, the
increase in drug taking behavior may be seen as not a
chemical desire but as a deeply psychological desire to
just 'feel something'." People still do things out of
habit that they don't enjoy. How is the
chemically-treated new non-smoker supposed to derive
pleasure from other activites like walking that would
help them stay a non-smoker if they are dulling their
pleasure center with a drug? It is no wonder there is
such a dismal success rate with these products (20-30%).
And according to recent article covered by the
Associated Press, the FDA is investigating reports
suggesting "increasingly likely" links with the new
anitsmoking drug 'Chantix' and "depression, agitation,
and suicidal behavoir." For more information on how my
Stop Smoking NOW!™ Program will work for you
without the need of harmful medications
click here.
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That depends on several factors, including the nature
and depth of your problem. General self-hypnosis CDs
will give you only general results. I have found that
individuals do better when they are treated as
individuals, so I think you’ll agree that the
personalized approach is better. Also, there may not be
a good Hypnotherapist in your area, in which case my
personalized, custom made audio session CDs are the
second best choice. To order your Personalized Session
CD, the instructional,
secure order forms can be found
here.
If you think your problem necessitates a private
session, shop around; in order for you to feel safe
enough to seek resolution of the underlying cause(s) of
the problem, you must feel your Hypnotherapist listens
to you and understands your needs. You must also feel
comfortable about your Hypnotherapist's techniques,
level of experience, and professionalism. You must also
like the sound of their voice. If you live in the SF Bay
Area, and would like to set up your FREE 1/2 hour
consultation
to learn more click here.
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For the average person, this is not a concern at all.
False Memory Syndrome can possibly occur only when a
poorly trained therapist (usually a Psychotherapist)
uses hypnosis with an emotionally unstable client to
supposedly "uncover" repressed memories. The unskilled
therapist asks leading questions in an effort to
"uncover" theorized child abuse, or find "proof" of the
therapist's own conspiratorial notions of satanic
rituals, or UFO abductions. This can confuse the
unstable client and is serving the therapist's agenda,
not the client's. The average person would quickly begin
to suspect something was inappropriate and simply either
terminate the hypnosis session by opening their eyes or
not return to therapy afterward.
Generally speaking, hypnosis should not be used with an
emotionally or mentally unstable person anyway. A good
Hypnotherapist is trained to refer such a person to
another Mental Health Professional. Make sure your
Hypnotherapist is currently certified by a
well-established hypnotherapy certification association
(and therefore accountable) like the
American Council of Hypnotist
Examiners, and has had at least 200 to 300
hours of specific training in hypnosis. Bear in mind
that having an advanced degree in psychology or medicine
may give a practitioner the right to claim that they can
do hypnosis as part of the services they offer, but that
is no guarantee that they have had specialized training
or adequate experience in the holistic art of
Hypnotherapy.
In fact, the most well documented case of False Memory
Syndrome occurred with a very manipulative American
Psychiatrist who also put their emotionally unstable
patient on powerful psychiatric medication and used
coercive techniques in "psychotherapy" to forcefully
suggest the patient had experienced something in
childhood they had not. (It was later revealed that the
Psychiatrist needed support for their pet theory of
wide-spread satanic rituals taking place in America so
they could write a book about it.)
Throughout the ordeal, which lasted over the course of
several years, the patient periodically expressed their
disbelief, only to be overridden by the MD (or "Medical
Deity") and prescribed more brain-numbing medications.
It took a great deal of time, constant duress, and the
use of powerful drugs for the Psychiatrist to establish
this false memory syndrome in their patient, which was
very painful for the patient, but ultimately not
permanent. Although this makes a great tabloid news
story, it could never happen in short-term, goal
oriented Hypnotherapy, even with a poorly trained
Hypnotherapist. As far as memory serves us, no two
people have the exact same memory of the exact same
event that actually did happen anyway!
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"NLP" or Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a generic form
of hypnosis and one of many techniques that a qualified
Hypnotherapist may use. Don't be fooled by fancy
words. Often those who exclusively practice NLP do
not have the in-depth training in hypnosis techniques as
does a ACHE Certified Hypnotherapist. ("Interactive
Guided Imagery" practitioners fall in the same
category.) NLP is a useful tool in building rapport with
friends or potential sales clients, but without
traditional hypnotic inductions, in many cases it does
not attain the hypnotic depth that profound inner
healing necessitates for longlasting results. Also, "Hypnoterapist"
is a legally recognized profession by the US Department
of Labor, "NLP Practitioner" is not.
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To find out more about hypnosis and view a list of
recommended reading,
click here.
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