Oct 20 2012

Feeling Naked Under Hypnosis: Myths and Realities – Vol. 171, Oct. 19, 2012

English: Hypnotic spiral for hypnotherapy. Eas...

English: Hypnotic spiral for hypnotherapy. Easy instant induction technique. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My webmaster was speaking to a woman he knows about the work that I do as a hypnotist. She is a person who has been in therapy for over a year. She has been thinking about using hypnosis to make more progress but has resisted thus far. Why? Because she believes that when one is in the hypnotic state, one is fully exposed, feeling naked, nothing to be left private because she will have been under the spell of the hypnotist to tell ALL!

So, let me tell you another story. A story of a client of mine that tells a totally different story of how hypnosis really works:

A few years ago I went to the Whole Foods store to find a supplement that was recommended to me. I asked the clerk where to find it. He showed me where the supplement was located. He asked me what I did for a living and when I told him that I did hypnosis he asked me for my card. A few weeks later he called telling me that he would like to come in to deal with an issue that he had with his girlfriend. By his reportage, she had done some terrible things to him putting him into a suicidal state, though he didn’t have it in him to actually follow through with his plan.

He came in for his breakthrough sessions and his tale of woe unfolded. We did all the work that was necessary for him to heal his depression, or so I thought.

A few weeks later my client called me to tell me that he lied about his girlfriend and it was indeed he who had done the nasty deeds that left him without his girlfriend. Could he come in and redo the work? He came in later in the week. We redid the work necessary where he was the one taking responsibility for his actions.

About six months later this client called me to let me know that he had found a very sweet girlfriend that had a couple of kids that he got along well with. He was as happy as could be.

I want you to realize that just because you are in a hypnotic state, doesn’t mean you have given up control of your mind. People can and do lie in hypnosis and I as a hypnotist would not know the difference. In fact, it isn’t really my job to know the difference. It is up to you, the client to be really clear as to why you are coming in to do the work, being willing to do whatever it takes to get the results that you have come in to receive. This may be by it letting go of a past relationship allowing for a new one to come in, or letting go of an eating disorder, sex addiction or just some fear that is getting in the way of living a fulfilling and happy life. With any change work “changes” are going to have to occur for life to improve.

Under the hypnotic state one is able to reach the unconscious (not conscious) material to reframe one’s thinking creating much better choices for one’s self. Indeed many times the choices found are simple enough to put into effect once enlightened as to what they could be.

So, is one being asked to become “naked” under hypnosis? I guess the answer to that question is really a matter of how much you would like to resolve your issues and move onto a better life versus keeping your problems and whining about them to get others to feel sorry for you. I can promise you this though. Most people have more than enough to whine about in their own lives and would be happy to have you be a positive force in their lives instead of a drain on their time and emotions.

Hypnotists are not in the business of listening to their clients whine. We are in the business of quickly effecting the changes necessary to the thinking and behavior of our clients so that they can be freed from whatever is bothering them, getting in the way of their living the fullest life possible. So if you want to continue to play games with your professionals, maybe seeing a hypnotist would not make much sense. However, if you are done with having your problems playing havoc in your life, hypnosis is a very good avenue to take so long as you trust the hypnotist to have your best interest at heart as well as having the requisite skill level to help you with your particular problem.

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Oct 12 2012

Thomas P. Connelly, Dental Surgeon Questions Use of Hypnosis in the Huffpost – Vol. 131, Dec. 22, 2011

Thomas P. Connelly, D.D.S. wrote an interesting article for the November 30, 2011 Huffington Post based on a patient of his asking him to use hypnosis for dental pain instead of the Procaine anesthetic injection he was ready to use that day. This lead him to do some research into the efficacy of hypnosis for his patients never having really thought about how it may be a helpful addition to his practice.

During his research he came across an article that was written about a man who was able to have his teeth pulled out without any pain with the use of hypnosis which got Dr. Connelly thinking that though this seemed “far fetched” to him, it could indeed have some use for his patients, yet he was still skeptical. With a bit more research he came across the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association which sounded very official. He read their mission statement which said:

“To provide and encourage education programs to further, the knowledge, understanding, and application of hypnosis in complimentary health care; to encourage research and scientific publication in the field of hypnosis; to promote the further recognition and acceptance of hypnosis as an important tool in health care and focus for scientific research; to cooperate with other professional organizations that share mutual goals, ethics and interests; and to provide a professional community for those complimentary health care professionals, therapists and researchers who use hypnosis in their work.”

The only problem was that this professional man was still thinking of hypnosis as that which is used in the entertainment world having people do things like “bark like a dog.” I have to tell you that I have no idea where people get this notion other than perhaps some very old movies. Considering that I have been a volunteer in many hypnosis stage shows and have studied the art of putting on hypnosis stage shows I can attest to never having been taught to have people bark like a dog. However, I do have to say that there are certainly some hypnosis stage shows out out there where one needs to be cognizant of the nature of the show and thus what you may be asked to do. Contrary to most peoples’ understanding however, everyone who is on stage is hyper aware of the suggestion the hypnotist is giving them and what they are doing. One can always decide to not follow the suggestion. I saw this happen in a stage show that I saw a few years ago with a young woman being asked to sing a song like Whitney Houston and she did indeed decline to do so.

One of the other issues that Dr. Connelly raises in his article is the truth that there is little to no regulation in the world of hypnotism here in the United States.  Just as anyone can call themselves a coach,  anyone can put out a sign saying that they are a hypnotist. Though there are certifications that one can attain, there is no legal backing to any of the certifications. So how does one know that they are working with a well trained hypnotist or hypnotherapist who can really bring the results that are desired when one is employed?

Very often in these weblogs I speak to doing some serious research yourself into the hypnotist with whom you are thinking of working. By the way let me make it clear that although there are some differences in some states in the United States regarding the actual title you can give yourself, being a “hypnotherapist” only means that a person may hold a license to practice medicine or work with mental health. In the state of Massachusetts where I currently reside and practice, the titles are used interchangeably. In other words anyone can use either title. Further, I would like you to know that just because someone has a professional license to practice medicine or mental health does not mean they know or understand how to do hypnotic technique for it is its own profession with its own knowledge base. In fact when one looks through the history books there are plenty of lay hypnotist who were able to do amazing things with their hypnotic abilities. One who comes to mind is the late David Elman who was a stage hypnotist who was asked by the doctors and dentists of his time to teach them how to use hypnosis in their practices. He and his wife spent much of the 1940‘s and 1950‘s traveling the country doing just that, using the patients of his students to demonstrate everything from how to create true painless childbirth to dealing with fear of needles.

So how does one know that they are dealing with a hypnotist who knows what they are doing? First you need to realize that there many different areas of expertise a hypnotist may have, not too different then when one is looking for a lawyer. Look for a hypnotist who has proven experience successfully getting results for their clients in the specific area of help that you are seeking by first by checking out their websites to see if they have meaningful testimonials from clients who were dealing with a situation similar to yours. The testimonial ought to talk to the presenting problem, what it was like to work with that hypnotist and ending with the successful outcome of the treatment.

Second, if you read the website and notice that the hypnotist has answered many of your questions inside their blogs or inside the general content, that would give you some idea that they have an idea of what they are talking about. You are not interested in what doctors or others have to say unless they themselves are speaking to the results that their patients received or better that they themselves have received through working with that hypnotist.

Lastly, call the office and see if you can speak directly to the hypnotist so you can get a sense of who they are and if you would be a good fit with them. With hypnotism as in any therapy it is important that you like and trust the person with whom you are working. If you are unable to speak directly with them on the phone see if you can have a free consultation to make sure that you are making a good choice for yourself.

I thank Dr. Connelly for being willing to write on this subject, one that needs to have much more discussion so the public has a better understanding of what is possible with hypnotism and with whom you ought to go to receive it.

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Oct 12 2012

Do You Fear Rejection? How About Rethinking It? – Vol. 170, Oct. 12, 2012

I have many clients who fear rejection. In fact, I just had a situation where this came up in my own dating life. I had just begun seeing a gentleman who was sweet and caring. He has a great sense of humor and an ease of telling stories and jokes. He also is a mental health professional. The only problem I had was that he wanted so much time for affection, always wanting to be close to my body. He had a need to constantly be touching me. It was to the point that there was no time for me to enjoy the other aspects of his wonderful personality or all the other activities that he claimed he enjoyed. When I brought this up he felt rejected. I told him that he was taking my message in the opposite way that it was meant based on his being rejected before. I wanted more of him – all of his great story telling and joke telling gifts. To be able to spend time with him out in the world doing things. To have that we needed to be able to do more than fulfill his physical needs even if he thought he was “pleasing me.” He thought about this for a moment and understood that it was his own “neediness and whining” that was the problem. I asked him to ask himself what he would do with a patient of his who had this problem? He said he needed some time to think about this one. He never did get back to me with an answer to that question so I let the relationship go.

It was because of this gentleman’s behavior that I made the decision to let this relationship go. So the learnings we can all take away from this situation are:

1. Take responsibility for the results of your social interactions with other people since they are responding to how you are behaving toward them.

2. Do an honest objective assessment of what you have to offer someone.

3. If you are interested in a particular person, do an honest assessment of whether what you have to offer is what they are looking for in a relationship.

4. Do an an honest assessment of whether what this person has to offer you is what you are looking for in a relationship.

The message here is simple. Is it you who is being rejected or is it you who is not being capable of giving of yourself in an inviting manner? Does this person you are with fulfill your needs in a way that allows you to feel good about your interactions? Remember, there are two people in any relationship that need to be taken in to consideration. The more we are able to be aware of this fact, the more fulfilling our relationships with others will be allowing feelings of rejection to disappear.

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Oct 06 2012

Getting the whole picture

Vol. 52, May 2007

Recently I had a client call in because she could not understand why it was that she was eating herself to death. Here she was in her late 40’s fairly healthy and with two sons who were grown and in college. She and her husband were at home with only her beloved dogs taking any time and energy away. In the past it was easy for her to go out running every day. She had been doing so ever since she was in the military to keep in shape. Yet, all of a sudden there was no interest in running. Continue reading

Oct 06 2012

Eating Disorder Treatment: Physiological Causes of Eating Disorders – Vol. 145, April 19, 2012

Do These Jeans...

Eating Disorder Treatment (Title: Do These Jeans… Photo credit: Suzy Forcella)

Over the years that I have been working with eating disorders it has been obvious that these clients have a very poor idea of how detect the normal bodily cues such as when they are hungry or full, have inability to sense their weight, as well as not having a clear idea of what their own goals are deferring to others to tell them what they ought to be doing.

There is a part of the brain known as the insula which is found deep inside the folds of the brain near the ears. It cultivates the internal state allowing for the self-awareness and emotional experiences which when combined with the external information of the body give one a realistic idea of how they look to others with being self-aware.

In the anorexic and bulimic it is this part of the brain that isn’t functioning normally. When most people feel hungry the insula is activated allowing them to sense that they need to eat. It is also true for the anorexic and bulimic that when they look in the mirror they see themselves as much heavier than the reflection is telling them. Again, the insula is unresponsive because of a low blood flowing to that part of the brain causing this abnormal response creating what is known as body dysmorphia. With anorexics all areas of interoception are involved. This is why an emaciated anorexic will look into the mirror and see herself as over weight. People with body dysmorphic disorder may have visual-processing abnormalities that distort what they see. Combined with the issues of low interoception a poor body image results according to Susanne Ryina in Scientific American Mind, April/May 2008,

If you have this issue you can increase your internal sense by practicing some form of mindfulness, staying in the present moment. Many studies in the past decade have found that by using mindfulness training the symptoms will decrease while increasing your quality of life. Yoga, which focuses you on breathing has also been found to be helpful.

Hypnosis is a wonderful way to be in the present moment even if you use it just to “trance out” feeling the wonderfully relaxed feelings one can experience while in that altered state.

If you are experiencing any issues with eating disorders with the new reports of middle aged women coming forward still battling this sometimes deadly disease, please give me a call to see if you would be a candidate to this work with to help you clear this issue from your life for good. If you are in a frail situation you will be guided to receive the medical help you require before working on the emotional foundations to a quality of life worth living. My clients with eating disorders have found that they no longer have the thoughts or behaviors of someone with the disorder some of them going back over six years now.

To begin your journey into health and well being please go to:

http://dawningvisions.com/what-are-eating-disorder-effects-and-how-to-create-a-successful-recovery-for-bulimia-and-anorexia/

There you will find out more about my services and be lead to a free download of the MP3 I created for eating disorders based on the in person sessions that I do.

If you have any questions regarding this issue or the work please feel free to call me. I am pleased to make myself available to answer all your questions. Please give me a call. My phone number is on every page of this website on the right hand side.

Note: If you would like to find out more about the insula of the brain and the problems that its dysfunction can have please read more in the article Inside the Wrong Body: A little-known sense that monitors how we feel inside can go awry, potentially distorting our body image by Carrie Arnold, Scientific American Mind, May/June 2012

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Oct 06 2012

Suffering from lack of sleep? Here’s a list of natural sleep aids to get the rest you need

sleep

sleep (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

Vol. 169, Oct. 6, 2012

Are you sick of tossing and turning unable to get any sleep? Do you think that you will never sleep again? Starting tonight you can get some better sleep awakening feeling rested tomorrow by following these suggestions.

First get in touch with anything that may be on your mind. Many times the reason that someone is not getting enough sleep is because they aren’t dealing with the difficult things, those things they don’t want to handle. Do those things and your mind will be cleared for some restful sleep.

One way to get in touch with these things that you may not even realize you are not putting off is to right before you go to sleep at night ask your unconscious mind to tell you in the morning what it is that you are not doing that if you did it, your sense of calm would come back. In the morning write these things down.

If you know what the problem is but have no idea in how to resolve it go ahead and do the same thing. Right before falling off to sleep ask your unconscious mind to come up with a solution to your problem within an hour of awakening. You may be amazed to find that you have the answer to your problem.

It is best not to have the computer or television going. This is because of the glow from the screens of the machines also interfere with being able to get your brain waves into the alpha and delta states that allow for appropriate sleep.

Here are a few easy things that you can do to ensure better sleep.

3 Hours before sleeping:

Stop eating to allow your digestive system to do its job.

Stop drinking any alcoholic beverages, This is important because though alcohol is a sedative, it interferes with the depth of sleep one gets not allowing for the rapid eye movement part of the sleep cycle. When people miss this part of the sleep cycle they tend to awaken feeling a bit groggy.

Stop drinking any caffeinated beverages including any sort of cola and especially Mountain Dew which will stimulate your system interfering with your sleep.

Stop any form of exercise 3 hours before sleep.

So what should you be doing right before sleeping?

A warm bath or shower is always good to relax yourself.

Reading a good book

Listening to some calming music

If these things ideas are not working it would be a great idea to have yourself checked out by a sleep specialist. There are many physiological reasons that one may not be getting enough sleep. Sleep apnea where one is not breathing correctly is one and restless leg would be another.

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Sep 23 2012

Centering Yourself into A Meditative, Hypnotic State – Vol. 101, May 5, 2011

Given the inflation that we are experiencing these days, coupled with the high unemployment rates, it seems that it would be appropriate to give you all a way to manage the stress that these outside conditions can cause. So, today I am going to teach you something that will very easily and quickly get you feeling centered and about as relaxed as you could ever desire to be. I learned this technique by a business coach, Max Simon, the son of David Simon, who is Deepak Chopra’s partner. Max works with people like me, who are in the business of health and and coaching, desiring to move beyond just having a practice. He teaches us how to add products and services to increase our reach and our income doing what we love. I have also engaged in two other trainings with other business coaches whose programs I am doing at the same time. I feel very much as if I were back in school, this time to learn the business of doing business, something that many practitioners such as myself never learn in our professional training. Continue reading

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