#18 – HYPNOTHERAPY CERTIFICATION

The Adventure – Getting my Hypnotherapy Certification

Are you one of those people who know that ‘mind control’ is a part of hypnotherapy?

At the very least, I’d imagine you’d think so based on most perceptions of ‘Stage Hypnotism’.

But what they didn’t tell you is that all those mind-controlled zombies who are clucking about the stage acting like chickens or passionately kissing a complete stranger KNOW EXACTLY what they are doing.

After all, there is absolutely no mind control with stage hypnotism. Or hypnotherapy.

And sorry to break it to you, you aren’t having something ‘done to you’ either.

The fact is, when hypnotized, you wouldn’t do anything suggested by the hypnotist unless you wanted to do it. And if you accept the hypnotist’s suggestion, you’ll do what they ask of you. If you don’t, you won’t.

So why do people forget what they’ve done?

If the hypnotist suggests you ‘forget’ everything that just happened, and you accept that suggestion, you will forget. And if you are reminded by your friends or family, you may vaguely remember for a moment or two, then forget again.

It’s sort of like a ‘Get out of Jail FREE’ card.

But hypnotherapy is not stage hypnotism. There’s no humiliation in front of other people, no supposed mind control. It’s private and it’s one-on-one in a controlled setting for your comfort.

Interesting Factoids about Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis has been around for thousands of years.
All hypnosis is self-hypnosis.
Hypnosis is derived from the Greek word ‘hypnos’ meaning sleep.
The record for the longest hypnotic sleep was 8 days by hypnotherapist Peter Powers.
Hypnosis can remove the feeling of pain.
It is impossible to get stuck in a trance state.
Hypnotherapy is a process of self-improvement, not entertainment like stage hypnotism.
The alpha state is the hypnotic state.
You go into a hypnotic state every single day – throughout the day. Whenever you turn on the television or drive from point A to point B (and wonder how you got there) – or even when you close your eyes to go to sleep – you slip into the alpha state.
The Esdaile State – or hypnotic coma state – is where a patient is so deeply hypnotized that they are incapable of accepting a physical suggestion. James Esdaile created this ‘coma state’ in order to perform surgeries on patients in India without the use of anesthetics (none were available). His success rate dramatically increased by 50%. Patients did not feel pain, but instead, were in a state of euphoria.

Myths & Misconceptions

Hypnotists have ‘special’ and mysterious powers. I wish…then I’d really have a superpower.
The only people who get hypnotized are weak-minded. Not true.
When hypnotized, you can be told to do something against your will. Nope – you are always in control.
You are having something ‘done to you’ when in hypnosis. No – anything that gets done to you is done by you.
You are asleep or unconscious when in hypnosis. Not true. In fact, you are consciously aware at all times.
You’ll be able to remember every single detail of your life under hypnosis. Wishful thinking.
You will reveal your inner most secrets when under the hypnotic spell. Not true.
You will be stuck under hypnosis if a fire or something dangerous was to take place.

Attack of the Franken-Breasts!!

You’d be surprised to find out how I altered a particular body part through hypnosis.

That’s right – I significantly altered the size of my BREASTS.

I was asked by my friend, hypnotherapist Derek Shelton, if I would join in on his study group which could potentially alter the size of women’s breasts. I told him ‘No thanks, I’m happy with my breasts just the way they are.’

Then he said the magic words that captured my attention…

“But it will relax you.”

Oh. Okay, I’m in. Lift class, please.

And within 7 weeks of the 12 week program, I quit the program because my breasts lifted between 3 and 4 inches. I actually started calling them Franken-Breasts – and my friend Derek Shelton – Dr. FrankenShelton.

It occurred to me that if I could actually change something physically, so dramatically, on my body – just by listening to words on a recording – what else could hypnotherapy do??

This was the number one reason why I became a certified hypnotherapist. Think of all the interesting experiments I could try out. I am only limited by my imagination…and it’s a damned good thing I’ve got an ‘interesting’ imagination!! *insert diabolical laughter here*

In case you were wondering, I did get VERY relaxed during the hypnotherapy study. Loads of suggestions to ‘relax’ and ‘feel fantastic’…and I did. The ONE NEGATIVE side effect to the lift program (which makes sense) was that my breasts did increase by one cup size. Why a negative side effect you wonder? Well, anyone who knows anything about decent bras knows that they cost a lot of money.