Placebo Hypnosis

Excerpt from ABC News Medical Unit by AUDREY GRAYSON

In a survey of 679 general internal medicine physicians and rheumatologists, researchers from the National Institutes of Health found that about half of the doctors admitted to prescribing placebo treatments without informing the patient.

I find this very interesting because to me it proves that doctors understand the power of the mind.  And they use it to benefit their patients.

It’s the old saying, what the mind expects to happen tends to be realized.  When you know something is true as opposed to I “think” this is true, or I “hope” this is true you will experience a much different outcome.

If you’re convinced that the little blue pill will fix your ills, most of the time it will regardless of what it is.

Hypnosis Trance

What is a hypnosis trance? To me it’s a redundant term. At the time of this writing I don’t see a definition in Wikipedia. If I gave it a definition it would be the different stages of hypnosis. For instance light trance, medium trance, deep trance, etc.

More importantly is how can it help someone. I remember reading about the great Dr. Erickson and how he used to view films of ancient ritual dancing by an indigenous people from a faraway place. He would view the film for research and pick out the people that were really in trance and the ones that were following the leader or playing like they were in trance.

He would say it was quite easy. The ones in a trance had no wasted muscle movement, everything was streamline and fluid. Like a finely tuned athlete that is at the top of their game. Every thing is on automatic pilot. The conscious mind doesn’t interfere at all because the inner program works perfectly. This is a hypnosis trance that can serve us well.

The ones that don’t serve us well get our attention. Like smoking or nervous eating or nail biting. A trance going on outside of our conscious awareness that needs improvement or changing..

You can always use a hypnosis trance to arrange this program to serve in a more positive manner.

Group vs Private Session

I’m asked this question all the time on the phone. Is a group session as good as a private session. At first glance the question might seem obvious but there are times when both will work just as well.

For example, a good thing about a group is people can feel more at ease when they are with a friend. Regardless of what you see on Youtube, the more relaxed you get, the better session you’re going to experience. If you’re new to the world of hypnosis, during your first session you may not feel totally relaxed because of various reasons. Too many to go into in this article but bottom line, if you’re a little apprehensive, the conscious mind may have a little trouble giving up control. Of course the job of the hypnotist is to discuss any questions and misgivings you may have. But sometimes time gets in the way.So in this sense you can first attend a group, experience what it is like and later do a private session.

The downside of a group is everyone is different. There is no way a hypnotist is going to zero in on everyone’s problem and find a way to reprogram the unconscious mind. Again, not enough time. So a general induction for a general problem and hopefully everyone’s bad habit routines are touched on and new healthy habits are installed.

I welcome both kind of sessions. An ideal situation with a small group of 3 to 5 would be a general talk and induction and then a quick session with each individual so a specific induction and game plan can be developed.

Of course there is nothing like a private session for one on one focused attention.

My TV the Hypnotist Part 1

Sometimes I think my TV is just as good at hypnosis as I am. In fact I know it is…

When I’m asked what hypnotism is, part of the answer that comes to mind is a TV set.
(I think the term now is home media center or wide screen but you get the picture.)

One part of the definition of hypnosis is: critical factor bypass. This means “if” the conscious mind with all its ability to question and judge information presented to it is bypassed. The subconscious/inner mind is then susceptible to a suggestion.

Lets’ take one analogy and compare it to your TV… if you’re watching a commercial with a funny script, say someone in a compromising position, doing something funny, etc. while you’re occupied with being entertained there will be an announcer telling you how great there product is, the benefits, what it can do, be sure to look for it, it goes on and on….how many of these suggestions got in while you were distracted?

Do you sleepwalk like a robot and go immediately to buy the product? No

Are you still protected by your conscious mind? Of course.

The point here is a seed is planted and like a suggestion or a positive statement that you say to yourself over and over. If this suggestion is repeated enough and you’re in the market for it, guess which product you’re going to be drawn to? The one from the commercial or the one with a limited advertising budget?

Now this is just one example of many.

To be continued…

Napoleon Hill Directing the sub-conscious

Jasbales on Youtube has posted this dated video of Napoleon Hill. He is the man that wrote ” Think and Grow Rich”. What I would like to focus on in this rare video is how he talks about controlling your own mind and the advantages of doing this.

I would like to break it down further and apply it to something like ” being smoke free” for example or “losing weight”. Not that the bigger picture that he talks about is not important but sometimes when you use your own mind to overcome bad habits, this can be a stepping stone to the larger picture.

Writing things down for example is an excellent way for the inner mind to get it’s blueprint. As I tell all my clients, “you know what you don’t want, tell the inner mind what you do want”. Armed with this information the inner mind starts finding solutions to a pressing problem like smoking.

To find what you do want you have to use your imagination. This is an important key to hypnosis. The inner mind responds, whether the concept is real or imagined. Think about this for a moment.

If you can see, feel, hear, smell what it would like to be smoke free, or be at that perfect weight , this is the new you. The you of the future, and by using hypnosis you can speed up this process to where you are thinking “from” the future, not “of it”.

What happens during a session?

At the beginning of your visit you will fill out a short intake form. I will need to know if you are presently under a medical professionals care and if there are any health issues that may interfere with the session. We will then discuss your particular issue in more detail. Also, we will talk for a while about hypnosis, so I can alleviate any fears or misconceptions you might have.

I have found that once people are better informed about hypnosis and how the session works, they understand that they will be relaxed, alert and in control. The techniques I use to induce relaxation and bring about the desired changes are based on the individual’s needs. The session normally lasts from 1 to 2 hours on the first visit. Follow-up sessions, if needed, are usually shorter.

Small Groups

Small Groups Welcome!
Sometimes people feel more comfortable when they are with a small group. Being comfortable is a main objective when experiencing hypnosis. While some clients require individual sessions, there are cost savings available in group sessions. You can experience positive results on such topics as smoking cessation, weight control and stress control while learning self-hypnosis in group sessions. Call or email for rates.

All Hypnosis is Self-Hypnosis

Nothing happens in a hypnosis session unless you are in full agreement. There has to be a bond between the hypnotist and the client. Think of it as a contract in which you as the client will do what is asked to facilitate the session for a positive outcome. In this process you will start to realize what hypnosis is and how you are really the one in control. The hypnotist actually becomes a guide to keep you on the path to where you want to go. After awhile you will discover that you can do self-hypnosis anytime. I usually work this into sessions as we go along, so you will learn the techniques that are right for you. Of course there are situations where you will need the experience of a skilled hypnotist to keep you heading towards your goal.

You can discover new ways to stay centered and stress free with your own self-hypnosis program. I can make personal audio CD’s specifically tuned to your needs. Contact me for details.