The Art of Authentic Living

How Does Hypnosis Work? 
    The relaxed state of hypnosis is key in changing thought, behavior and in some cases biological behaviors.  Our brains spend most of the day in a beta frequency.  This is when we are alert, awake, and going about our day. Each day, we take in a vast amount of information; our subconscious forms, and/or reinforces, behavior, thought, and/or physical models based on how we interacted throughout the day. Rarely do we take time, other than sleeping, to relax our minds. 
     Hypnosis works at the alpha frequency of the brain.  This is a relaxed state of consciousness between waking and sleeping.  By working at this relaxed frequency, suggestions are more readily assimilated by the individual. 
     The American Psychological Association has this explanation: “Hypnosis is a therapeutic technique in which clinicians make suggestions to individuals who have undergone a procedure designed to relax them and focus their minds. 
     “Although hypnosis has been controversial, most clinicians now agree it can be a powerful, effective therapeutic technique for a wide range of conditions, including pain, anxiety and mood disorders. Hypnosis can also help people change their habits, such as quitting smoking. Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology” 

How Long is a Hypnosis Session? 
     A session is 90 minutes in length.  Occasionally, a session may run a bit longer because of what is revealed.  I suggest that you allow a 2-hour window for our time together.
    Contact for the current rate.  The balance is due when you book your appointment online; I also take credit/debit in my office at the time of your appointment.
    Because the session is lengthy, if you are more than 10 minutes late, there will not be enough time to adequately address your concern.  (You are also responsible for paying full price for late cancellation or not showing up, as stated in the Terms & Conditions). 

Free Consultation? 
     I offer a free, 15-minute phone consultation if you have questions that you’d like answered prior to booking a session.  Please use the email on the Home Page to contact me. 

Will I Cluck Like a Chicken After Hypnosis? 
     If you do, it won’t be because of your hypnosis session.  No one can make you behave in any manner you don’t want to, or make you believe something you know is false.  It is a misconception that you are “under the complete control” of a hypnotherapist. You continue to be you, even when you choose hypnosis to modify your behavior and/or beliefs. 

How Does a Hypnosis Session Work? 
     After a brief conversation, I induce you into a relaxed hypnotic state. Working together, we identify several moments that are important to the formation of the belief, or habit, you’ve chosen to address.  We then reframe your relationship with those moments in a way that empowers you, rather than those moments having power over you.  While you are still in hypnotic relaxation, I make a recording that is specific to what was discovered, and your desired outcome.  Before you leave, we have a brief wrap-up talk.  After you’ve left, I convert your recording to and MP3 and email it to you. 

Can Anyone be Hypnotized? 
     Roughly 10% of the population is unable to by hypnotized.  There are a variety of reasons for this: some might be biological in nature (Alzheimer’s, etc.); some individuals may have a mental issue for which hypnosis is not recommended (schizophrenia, etc.); alcohol and certain drugs will impact the efficacy of the session; other impediments might have to do with formative memories.  There is no way to know if you’re part of the 10%, until you have participated in a hypnosis session. 

     Even if haven’t achieved your desired results with hypnosis in the past, there is a strong possibility that hypnosis will be beneficial for you, especially when you work with a qualified professional you trust. 

Will I Fall Asleep? 
     No.  If notice that you’re drifting into sleep, I’ll lightly tap your brow while asking a question. Your participation is needed to obtain your results.  That said, some people have fallen asleep during the recording section of the session, which is an appropriate time to do so.  At the end of the recording, I bring you out of the hypnotic state. 

Will I Remember It? 
     Yes.  The session will not alter your memory of events.  However, you may find that your new perspective/understanding of the issue being addressed may color how you reflect on those events. 

What Does it Feel Like? 
     When you are in the hypnotic state, you feel safe and profoundly relaxed.  As moments of your life are examined, you feel safe to experience your emotions. 

What Issues Can be Treated with Hypnosis? 
     Hypnosis has been proven to have a positive impact/influence on a wide spectrum of behavior and medical issues.  Depression, smoking, weight management, anxiety, PMS, pregnancy/labor/delivery, PTSD, work performance, sports performance, asthma, IBS, and pain management to name a few.  (There is a synopsized list on the Resources page, if you’d like to read a few of the studies documenting the efficacy of hypnosis in a variety of populations experiencing differing issues). 

How Fast Does Hypnosis Work? 
Every individual is different (as you know), so the effects of your session can be felt immediately, or they may be gradual over time.  There are three ways I’ve noticed clients experience change: 

• Immediate.  As soon as the session is finished, clients say they feel significantly different than when we started.
• “That didn’t work at all for me.” These clients state they felt no change whatsoever, and since the hypnosis session was unsuccessful, they simply decided to change their behavior on their own, with great success.  (The key thing to note in these instances is that prior to their session, the were unable to change their behavior “on their own.”) 
• Gradual.  These clients felt slightly better at the end of their session, and a few weeks later noticed that they were no longer engaging in the behavior/thoughts that were addressed in their session.  An example of this is a client who wanted to give up sweets… a couple of weeks after the session, this individual noticed they had been walking past the pastry case at the grocery store without experiencing any of the habitual, strong desire previously felt.  It’s an “A-HA!” moment. 

How Do I Know Hypnosis Works? 
    As mentioned above, each individual experiences change differently.  At the end of a session, some clients say they feel lighter, freer; some experience a stronger sense of self; most report that “something shifted.” Generally, clients know their session was successful when they experience the stimuli that previously unnerved them, and discover they are enjoying the freedom of their desired outcome. 

How Long Does Hypnosis Last? Is it Permanent? 
     The hypnosis I practice is geared toward lasting change.  Permanence is up to each client.  If you listen to your recording daily for at least a month, you can anticipate a noticeable and/or permanent shift in the issue you chose to address.  If you don’t listen daily, your change may take longer, or may not be as lasting as you’d like.  Additionally, if you never listen to your recording, you may revert to old patterns. 

Does My Hypnosis Session Require Maintenance? 
     Yes, it does.  After your session is finished, you’ll receive an email with an MP3 recording reinforcing your desired, positive outcomes. It is important for you to begin listening to this recording the same day as your appointment. 
     Because it takes between 18 and 66 days to change a habit, you’ll need to listen to this recording once a day for a minimum of 21 days for lasting results.  You can listen to the recording as you’re falling asleep each night. Doing so easily incorporates/reinforces your changes.  Your brain will process the information as you drift off to sleep. 

Can I Listen to My Recording More Than Once a Day? 
     Yes.  Make sure that you are in a safe, quiet place where you won’t be interrupted for approximately 15-20 minutes (the length of your recording plus a few minutes to become fully aware at the end of the listening).  Because this recording takes you into a hypnotic state, do not drive, operate machinery, or undertake any task while listening. 

What is My Involvement as a Client? 
     Your participation is required for the success of the hypnosis session.  You’ll be in a deeply relaxed state, but still able to respond to my questions.  Your mind knows exactly what events shaped your current belief/habit, and the significance you attached to those moments, whether you consciously remember them or not. By relaxing and allowing your mind to drift to those scenes, you ensure that the new understanding/perspective of what was in your life, is easily incorporated and also allows the reinforcement of your stated goals from our session. 

Will I Be Reliving Episodes of My Past? 
     You will not relive any moment of your past. I want you to approach revisiting scenes in your life the same way you re-watch a movie or TV show you’ve seen a couple of times, and you find yourself noticing things you’ve never seen before. I do not believe in “reliving” any moment of a client’s past.  My opinion is that you’ve survived it once, and there is no rational reason to put you back into any upsetting moment of your life.

What Happens if the Session Becomes Too Intense for Me? 
     Addressing emotional issues can sometimes feel overwhelming.  I provide a safe, nonjudgmental atmosphere you can relax completely in, whether we work online or in person. 
     If you appear to have a very strong emotional reaction to what is discovered, I will remind you that you are watching these moments, not reliving them.  I will also direct you to pull away from the intensity of the scene and review it with a detached perspective.  Your safety is most important to me.  If it becomes necessary, I will bring you out of hypnosis. 

Are There Any Side Effects? 
     Immediately following your session, you may need the use of the restroom, or get a drink of water.  You may also experience some disorientation or light-headedness due to the biochemical restructuring taking place in your brain.  I do not allow you to drive till I see demonstrated proof of your return to full awareness. 
     Occasionally, there is an adjunct issue that is discovered.  An example of this is a case study of a client wanting to experience joyous abandon on stage while dancing.  After her session (and when she danced alone on stage), she experienced joyous abandonment.  Her hypnotherapist stated “you trust your partner” in the client’s recording.  The client did not experience the joyous abandonment she was seeking while dancing with her partner, because she discovered she did not trust her partner.  In this example, the client did receive what she was seeking, AND discovered a secondary block to her desired outcome. A second session was scheduled to address the issue of trusting her partner. 

Do You Offer Support? What Kind? 
     Before your session, I email you an MP3 that will familiarize you with my voice.  This recording is very brief, and reinforces a successful paradigm regarding your session.  I recommend you listen to it at least twice before we meet, more if you’re experiencing tension or trepidation.  The mind loves what is familiar, even if it is detrimental to you.  Change is unfamiliar: even when change is highly desired, there can be misgivings.  This recording helps with those feelings, and because it does not induce hypnosis, it can be listened to at any time. 

I also have a free recording on focused breathing you can download off this website. 

     The day after our session, I send a follow-up email to see how you’re doing.  Depending on how your session went, I may do one more email to check in.  If you need further support, I am available via email. 

In some instances, I will assign a bit of homework to help foster your changes. 

Additionally, I have listed books, videos, studies, and professionals on my Resources page you may find helpful. 

Licensed and Insured? 
     Yes, I am both. 

Myths Explored 
Penn Gillette, of Pen& Teller’s show “Bullshit” said he regrets making the episode on Hypnosis, because the more they researched hypnosis for the episode, the more they found it was a beneficial and legitimate paradigm for helping people. (I looked for a link to the episode, and it’s been removed from most sites, but you can purchase it on IMDB) 

Since 1910, movies have depicted the nefarious use of hypnosis to coerce people into doing what they otherwise would never agree to, or to render them into a state of perpetual immobility.  The latest movie to do this is “Get Out.”  While entertaining, it is simply impossible for your mind to accept such suggestions, unless you are desirous of doing so. 

Cults are another place where people believe hypnosis is used to facilitate loss of personal identity.  This isn’t true.  While cults do utilize a variety of coercive methods to gain control, the least effective would be hypnosis, because no one can make you do or believe anything, whether you’re in a relaxed physical/mental state or not, without your agreement. 

There is an episode in the TV show “Friends” where Chandler uses a hypnosis tape to quite smoking, and begins to exhibit feminine traits as a result of one of the suggestions.  The only way this would take place, is if Chandler was happy with acquiring those traits.  At the very end of the episode, when Joey has replaced part of the tape with his suggestions, Chandler wakes up and refuses the suggestion ~ Demonstrating that no one can make you do anything you don’t want to do. 

Hypnosis on stage is all about agreement, demonstrated by the sentence, “Can I have a volunteer?”  By volunteering, the individual has agreed to receive, and act on, the suggestions that temporarily alter their behavior. Most “volunteers” are wanting to be the center of attention and entertain the crowd. Depending on the show, you may be watching professional entertainers pretend to be hypnotized.”