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What IS the big deal with Hypnosis? Isn’t it just a bunch of woo-woo?

by | Nov 13, 2019 | Blog

Is hypnosis real?

This has to be hands down, the number one question I am asked. And in response I have a question (or two) for you. Have you ever slipped off into a day dream? On your drive to school or work do you realize you are there before you know it? During either of these situations have you worried “what if?” or “how will I?” or maybe you were imagining a perfect date. It doesn’t really matter you see, because you have already experienced hypnosis.

Hypnosis is simply a state of focused attention where the analyzing, critical factor is less active, and acceptable, selective suggestions are being received. Perhaps you may have noticed you get really great ideas just as you have deeply relaxed, before falling asleep, or maybe while taking a run or drive. You simply became focused in your activity and the critical factor is not dismissing your creative thoughts before they can ‘bubble to the surface’.

The beauty of hypnosis.

When in the hypnotic state we can take advantage of the overtly critical part of the mind stepping back and help people change long standing habits. You see, once we develop a habit it becomes a part of the belief system in the subconscious mind. Then when some of us try to consciously change that habit, the critical factor jumps in the way and says “Oh, no. Don’t think you’re going independent on me. We’ve always had a cigarette in the car on the way home from work. It makes us feel good. You just won’t have a good evening if we don’t have that cigarette,” because that is what the subconscious mind BELIEVES. The critical factor protects the ‘status quo’.

In hypnosis you can stop smoking, end cravings, become more positive, let go of self-limiting belief, even get pain relief. You see, the area of the brain that is active in hypnosis is where all of the subconscious information is ‘tallied up’ so to speak before the critical factor influences conscious decision making. Hypnosis really can change your life.

Can I be hypnotized?

There are countless articles and papers and so on that address this issue. Everyone’s mind is unique. There is no way to measure if any 2 people enter the hypnotic state in an identical time, pace, or manner. What I can tell you is this: if you are of normal intelligence, and you can follow directions, you CAN go into hypnosis. Period. If your hypnotist has done a good job of answering all of your questions and preparing you for your session it will be easy.

Real Stories of Office

by | Nov 13, 2019 | Blog

What it looks like from the inside

Everyone always wants to know what takes place in the hypnotist’s office. Don’t you? All those secrets no one talks about. Got your attention? Great!

Well I’m not here to spill the beans on my clients, but rather myself. The reality and truth of starting a business while continuing to work a full time job. In my reality I am the primary bread winner, health insurance provider, and financial planner in chief. I’m not the type to ditch my job and jump all in on my new (not so new really) entrepreneurial adventure. Yes, freedom is the goal. But not without income security.

It is impossible to explain the freedom (and sobriety)  that comes from knowing you are your boss. Juggling office hours, business goals, public image and revenue are ALL your responsibility.  But yet there is the liberation of knowing that you DECIDE. Not your boss. You. Because you are the boss. And when you have found your passion, mission and talent that meets the needs of others. It’s all worth it.

It takes work

I sit here on break at my J.O.B. typing this up, as it is where this post struck me. It’s probably going to meander a bit. But that’s the point. This is life when you’re and entrepreneur and have other responsibilities. When my first practice was getting off the ground I put in 40 hours at my J.O.B. and another 20-40 (on evenings and weekends) building my business. Seeing clients, researching, watching and reading hours of  online information learning how to grow my business for pennies on the dollar. Going into debt to start a business is not my style.

That’s why I took everything I learned in Connecticut and started out of the gate here in Mississippi using those same tools. One thing I have done differently this time was invest in myself as an entrepreneur. My time is valuable and I knew that many things in ‘cyber land’ had changed and it would take me many, many man hours to figure it all out. So I invested my time and money in Marie Forleo’s B-School. I am still in the implementation phases (and seeing success already), but I can’t wait to share what I have learned.

Many people pitch their solutions in a way that makes it seem as though hypnosis is a profession where you can be fully booked overnight. While that may be the case for someone who has no other obligations and full weekdays to network and grow the business as opposed to someone like me who currently only has office hours 1.5-2 days a week, one fact remains: IT TAKES WORK. Whether you throw all your money at it just to see what sticks, or you’re like me and are frugal with your dollars, you’re gonna have to work for it. I won’t lie to you. Whether it’s time or dollars, SUCCESS AIN’T FREE HONEY.

Website building, social media presence, in-person networking, public speaking engagements, and telling everyone you know about WHY you want to help people becomes the objective. 5 years ago I was busy telling people about my ‘what’, only to learn it’s my ‘why’ people are actually buying. Add the struggles of learning a new website platform. I REFUSE to pay someone thousands when I know with a little perseverance it is something I can learn to do. Staring at the computer screen until I couldn’t see and using a few words that probably made the screen blush may have been involved. But I did it.

Learning how to communicate your ‘why’ in a way that drives organic traffic to a converting website is the golden goose. I’ve learned about ideal customer avatars and what makes them so important.  It’s important in communicating your ‘why’. People who don’t connect with your ‘why’ aren’t your customer. Don’t waste time trying to convince them. Don’t take it personal. Smile and keep on working it where it will pay off. Those who understand the ‘why’ will book an appointment for the ‘what’ of your business. You have a purpose and a passion. Just like I do. Share it.

Hypnosis is an obscure answer

When I opened my practice in January I had an idea of where I wanted my practice to go and a few ideas of how to get there. But I was so overwhelmed with how much I wanted to get done, it was difficult to prioritize and maintain focus. The answer was a ‘no-brainer’ for me. At the first opportunity I booked sessions with my mentor for hypnosis. After the second session the clarity was amazing and I was on my way. I’ve been able to advance my business while maintaining a balance between my J.O.B. and farm life without beating myself up over the little things.

Most people have no idea about the far reaching benefits of hypnosis. In my local area people are surprised when I answer their questions about how hypnosis can help ordinary everyday people. Then they are even more surprised when I tell them I am on target to go half time at my J.O.B. by September. It’s surprising to them that there are many people out there who know about hypnosis and desire to use it to change their lives. The smallest change can have  major impact on someones life. And yet, just like everything else in life, it’s not for everyone.

This is Our Time – Hypnosis for Pain Management

by | Nov 13, 2019 | Blog

Sally* worked at the physician office next door to my practice in Connecticut.  She had surgery in the past, even sedation. And every experience was awful. Sally would get nauseous, she vomited and just could not take any pain medication. She had a surgery coming up. And by anesthesia standards, it was high risk for nausea vomiting, and a fairly painful surgery. She was planned to be admitted for 23* just for pain management.  This was a needed surgery, but not one that Sally looked forward to.

2 weeks before her surgery, she stopped by my office and asked for my guidance. I gave Sally a relaxation CD I had made, and told her I would arrange for her to have intraoperative suggestions played via headphones in the operating room. 2 days before her surgery, she stopped by my office and exclaimed, “Oh my gosh! I don’t know why I did not listen to that CD the last 2 weeks! I have not been sleeping and finally listened last night and I slept like a baby.” I told her to continue listening. During her surgery she had the intraoperative suggestions.

The result? She only needed 1 dose of pain medication. No nausea. No vomiting. Period. She wrote a glowing 1 page letter to the CEO of the hospital because it was the first time she had EVER had a positive surgical experience. Imagine being able to help hundreds of people this way EVERY YEAR!!

This is not an unreasonable goal. Right now we have an opportunity like never before. The prescribing practices for pain medications is restricted. Sometimes to the extreme. Addiction is a problem. But real people, without addictions, suffer from pain and are caught in the middle. I am not speaking of at home prescriptions only, but some hospitals are taking it to the extreme as well. Professional hypnotists are a part of the solution to this problem.

Let me share with you a story I read in a healthcare Facebook group I am a part of. The original post was quite lengthy, but I will abbreviate it here:

“I am a physician, and my grandmother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer… I went out to California to be with her when she had surgery. The surgery was for palliative (decreased pain and suffering) reasons only. After the surgery she was transferred to hospice. 48 hours after her surgery, all narcotics were taken away. Even though she just had surgery AND was on hospice. I watched in horror as my grandmother spent her last days in pain.”

Imagine if this physician had known about hypnosis. Imagine the difference in this woman’s transition at the end of life had the hospice staff been aware of hypnosis. This physician and her family could have had a completely different experience. The patient could possibly have passed peacefully.

You know the mind is powerful. Like me, you have witnessed it first-hand. You have a skill that can help people change their lives. We have a skill that benefits others, and we need to let the world know.

Pain is a unique niche for hypnotists. Some basic facts should be understood. Pain is a very personal experience. It is subjective. Thoughts and beliefs play a major part in perception. This makes hypnosis about more than just hypnotic analgesia. It is important to address these beliefs AND issues like sleep, energy and mood.

When working 1:1 with clients I use a thorough pain assessment to get a mother lode of information. This helps identify the beliefs that need to be addressed and provides information to help individualize hypnotic patter for the client. The assessment is also a part of confidently creating a hypnotic session plan.

Working with groups can be effective as well. Schedule pre-surgery workshops and allow the group to use the pain assessment to gain insight into areas they can control to have a better experience. Train them in self-hypnosis, the relaxing breath and make sure they understand the power of self-talk. Introduce yourself to local surgeons to get referrals right into this group. People who used some form of pre-surgery relaxation or suggestion, or suggestion during surgery did better than 89% of the control group in a study—taking less pain meds and having less nausea. That’s impressive. I would take those odds!

Pain management hypnosis is rewarding. Imagine becoming the local physicians’ ‘go to’ person for their patients. If pain management hypnosis interests you, join me for a free Masterclass “4 Pillars of Effective Pain Management”. It is going to be 45 minutes packed full of information. I hope to see you there. Click here to sign up.

Pressure Cookers and Hynosis

by | Nov 13, 2019 | Blog

I blew up a pressure cooker. Yep. You read that right. The darn thing just blew. And. It. Was. An. Epic. MESS.

Why would I blow up a pressure cooker? Well, it sure as heck wasn’t my intent. You see, pressure cookers are a staple cooking pot in the southern US. I was 13, and it was my job to get dinner going before everyone got home. My mom was in the hospital and my brother Barry and I were sitting at the kitchen island while the pressure cooker was working away on the stove.

What does blowing up pressure cookers have to do with hypnosis?

It had butter beans, BUTTER, BACON and water in it. We were distracted by homework (yeah, right) when the cooker started to make a funny noise. All of a sudden I knew something was NOT good. My brother and I dove behind the wall when the thing blew. Well, the lid didn’t blow off, but the pressure relief valve blew out and there was a hot, steaming geyser of buttery, bacon fatted water spraying all over the ceiling. I grabbed a towel and threw it on top. Quickly I called my grandmother for help. She just laughed and said, “you forgot to turn the heat down, didn’t you?”

Well, everything that has happened in your past doesn’t simply go away. The memories and the EMOTIONS attached to those memories are stored in your subconscious mind.  Sometimes those are emotions that we were not allowed to express. Most of us heard as children that we were to be ‘seen and not heard’, ‘boys don’t cry’, and ‘it’s not ladylike to be angry’.  So what did we do? We stuffed those feelings down. They never got expressed.

Do you know someone ready to ‘blow’?

Fast forward to sometime in the future, and there you are working away. The boss comes in and gives you some feedback on a project. You’re feeling unappreciated, undervalued. And this is not the first time. So you stuff it, because you love the work you do and really need that pay check. More feelings stuffed down, tucked away in that subconscious mind.

Then you get the weekend off. It’s a Saturday, and you decide to take the kids out for some fun. Maybe the park or for ice cream. The kids are having fun and get loud. Traffic is heavy. You’re getting irritated and really don’t know why. You can feel yourself beginning to boil. Determined to have a great day with the kids you tell yourself to knock it off. Now you’re getting frustrated with yourself. Arriving at your destination, silently frustrated, you admonish yourself for feeling this way. Time with the kids is precious. Next thing you know one kid has teased, pushed or hurt the other ones feelings in some way and that’s it. YOU EXPLODE. Red faced, nasty tone, raising your voice to the kids for just ruining a perfect day. Why did she have to be such a brat to her brother? She is so selfish, and petty.

Hypnosis can help you release the anger.

This is what happens when we can’t address things as they happen, OR find a satisfactory response to defuse the feelings. They build up over time and eventually they ARE going to express themselves. In a moment of regret, all the pain of the past comes pouring out onto that kid. It was an overreaction. But the damage is done. And if something is not done to release all of the emotion from the past in a meaningful and positive way, it will happen again.

These feelings can be neutralized in a positive and meaningful way creating change in your life. And it may not be simply peace of mind you gain. Dr. John Sarno, MD relates many inflammatory and somatic pain conditions to “repressed rage”. When you have suppressed anger all of your life, it WILL find a way out. With 5-PATH® hypnosis and 7th Path© Self Hypnosis you can turn down the heat on the pressure cooker in your mind and decompress. What are you waiting for? Call today and book your sessions 769-241-0888.