Local Hypnotists

By Paul W Howard

 I cant tell you the number of times Ive heard about this technique and that technique that students have learnt on their hypnotherapy course. However, do these techniques make them good therapists? Of course they dont.

Most hypnotherapy training classes rely far too much on a myriad of techniques that the students in turn come to rely on. The belief is set up that there is a particular technique to solve a particular problem. Nothing could be further from the truth. In point of fact most techniques when adapted and personalised can be used to resolve most problems.

The trouble with most hypnotherapy training is that the student tries desperately to match the clients issue to the techniques they have learnt. This is a totally ineffectual way of training hypnotherapy students, and leads to ineffectual hypnotherapists. Hypnotherapy students need educating in how to THINK like a therapist, not training in how to ACT like a therapist.

To be an effective hypnotherapist you need to understand what a clients subconscious is trying to achieve with the problem behaviour. Until this puzzle is solved the hypnotherapist will have little or no chance of resolving the problem, no matter what technique they use. Therefore a deep understanding of the motivations and perceptions of the subconscious as they relate to the client is not only important but also critical to the education of the therapist. Any hypnotherapy course that does not take account of these needs is training the student to fail.

The training environment is another area where many hypnotherapy training schools fall down. Quite often the training is conducted in a single room where all the practical work is done as well. This is obviously not conducive to a genuine therapeutic environment, or for the concentration of either party involved. I have heard of training schools who conduct their lectures in hotel rooms and the practise sessions are sometimes held in the bar or public areas; always ask the question before embarking on a hypnotherapy course, and if it is being held in a hotel be cautious.

I have been particularly astonished to learn that some so-called hypnotherapy training is conducted in mega auditoriums, with several hundred students being asked to practice their therapeutic skills in the middle of the auditorium with so called assistants offering impromptu advice to maybe 20 or 30 people; the noise was described as being akin to a hall full of turkeys gobbling in nervous anticipation just before Christmas. On the upside I have heard it is a good place to meet future clients, as most people arrive calm and go home nervous wrecks. It brings a new meaning to the concept of touch therapy. Obviously having proper breakout rooms where the students can work one to one is far more professional, and allows the students to get the maximum out of the practicals.

Another important area is preparing the future hypnotherapist to deal with real clients. With most hypnotherapy training schools the first real client the student will encounter is after they are handed their diploma and told, Congratulations, you have passed. The first client a hypnotherapist sees is a very nerve wracking time. The client will not have been screened to ensure their suitability etc; so when you take a nervous hypnotherapist, an unknown client in an unsupervised environment, it is a recipe for disaster. I have known many a promising career halted at the start because of a very negative experience.

When we train hypnotherapists we intersperse their training with real clients that are screened by us to ensure suitability. We are always on hand to supervise in case there are any issues beyond the capabilities or experience of the student. This ensures that the student has the best chance of having a positive experience in their first few sessions, and helps them to build their confidence as an effective hypnotherapist. The sessions are conducted in proper therapy rooms to ensure the clients and the students get the most from the experience.

Another area of concern is, are the trainers practising hypnotherapists themselves? I know of a number of courses being run by trainers with very few client hours under their belt, or others whose sole income is from training new hypnotherapists. The old adage, those who can, do, those who cant, teach, seems to apply here. There is a simple way to check, just ring up and ask for a therapy appointment. If they no longer see clients, or they can get you in immediately, thats a fair indication that they either only train or that they see very few clients. The problem here is that if they are not seeing many clients they are unlikely to be up to date with their skills, or worse still they may not be attracting repeat clients, which probably means they are not very effective as therapists themselves. They might be able to talk the talk, but can they walk the walk?

Paul Howard is a trainer and practising hypnotherapist at The Surrey Institute of Clinical Hypnotherapy in Wallington, Surrey, UK. He can be contacted ve the website at www.sich.co.uk. The Surrey Institute of Clinical Hypnotherapy run intensive and weekend diploma courses thoughout the year. Their courses are always done in small groups and the diploma is externally accredited by The National Council for Hypnotherapy - The premiere hypnotherapy governing body in the UK.

The Art of Meditation from Past to Present Times
By A. Thomas Perhacs

 The word meditation is derived from Sanskrit word Medha which means wisdom. People have diverse impressions about what meditation is. To some it refers to an activity monks do, sitting in far off lands, high up in the mountains. Yet there is a simple answer to the question what is meditation.

Meditation a refined approach to life. It is a way of leading life. Meditation is a practice that can help people cope with both medical problems as emotional and other problems like stress, fear and anxiety.

Other important points to note about meditation are:

1) There is evidence to show that meditation has been practiced by mankind for ages. And it goes beyond the barriers of religion. For example, in Hinduism, meditation has been in existence for the past 5000 years. From this ancient origin, it has come a long way and its principals are practiced globally by millions of people.

2) In Buddhism, it has always been a central concept for spiritual development.Gautam Buddha the founder of Buddhism obtained enlightenment through meditaion.

3) In Christianity, mediation is at times associated with prayer and the study of scriptures. It is deep rooted in the Bible, asking followers to practice meditation principles.

4) In Islam, a follower is expected to pray five times a day. These prayers are a way to concentrate and meditate on Allah the almighty.

Thus, there are many types of meditation activities and hence many benefits from the meditation. Meditation has positive effects on body and mind. Plus there are physical benefits including lower blood pressure and better functionality of the lungs.

Meditation also increases consciousness needed to live a meaningful and a satisfying life. It helps people attain better concentration.

And documentation of these effects are now available, with more than 1000 studies conducted by 200 universities, the prominent among them being the University of Chicago, Harvard Medical School and Stanford University.

Back to Basics with Meditation

To feel over worked and stressed is an obvious out come of today’s modern life style. This is often due to unhappiness, impatience and frustration - all having a slow and negative impact on ones health and well being in general.

One may also feel that it’s difficult to find the time to learn and practice meditation. But in reality meditation, the practice leaves people with more time to devote on the real positive issues in life, by clearing the mind from unwanted negative thoughts.

A very simple breathing meditation can be very helpful for beginners. This takes about fifteen minutes and has magical effects on the body and soul, bringing about a positive change in a personality.

In fact, breathing meditation forms the foundation of a higher stage of meditation which is called as transforming meditation. A place ideal for meditation has to be calm and quite.

The person meditating can be seated in the traditional cross legged manner or in any other fashion which is comfortable. Use of a chair is also fine. It is important to be seated with the back straight, so that one is always alert and does not feel sleepy.

A slow deep breathing is done. The idea is to concentrate just on breathing, and not to allow any distractions that would make the mind and thoughts wander.

A. Thomas Perhacs, is an Expert Author on Covert Persuasion & Hypnotic Influence. He has just released (2) two new books on Hypnosis & Mind Force Secrets. To Claim Your 1 hour audio seminar, report & Video Series go to: http://www.mindforcesecrets.com

Find Hypnosis Doctors In Your Area

female hypnotists

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.