Opportunity of a Lifetime

      Several weeks ago, I contacted Lisa Machenberg, a hypnotherapist at the Hypnosis Motivation Institute (www.hypnosis.edu) , to ask about conducting hypnotherapy sessions via the Internet. I received my hypnotherapy certification from HMI, and she had been one of my favorite instructors. I knew that Lisa has been offering this service for awhile, and I knew that she would be able to give me a lot of good advice and support. (She did.)

     During our conversation, she asked about my own hypnotherapy practice and invited me and a friend--who like me is also an HMI graduate and works with equestrians--to be guests on her Internet broadcast, "Hypnosis Today." This was an incredible opportunity for me. Here is the link if you would like to watch the interview: http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/video.html

     I'm pleased to say that I felt relaxed, calm, and comfortable preparing for the interview. Part of me was a little surprised at that; but only a very small part. I can still remember the lecture in which  HMI Director George Kappas explained that we (the hypnotherapists) would always know more about our topic (hypnosis and hypnotherapy) than people in our audience. He encouraged us to be confident and "own" our topic.

     Well, I kept that advice in mind as I prepared for my interview. In the weeks leading up to the show, I jotted some notes about points Lisa wanted to discuss with me. I reviewed information about horsemanship and equine behavior. I made more notes about the relationship between John Kappas's Theory of Mind, equine behavior and my hypnotherapy work with equestrians. When Interview Day arrived, I had a good breakfast, got into my car, turned on my favorite music, and drove to HMI.

     My interview on "Hypnosis Today" was everything and more that I "visualized, imagined, pictured, or pretended" that it would be. Lisa Machenberg was a gracious, informed, interested and welcoming host. Her questions provided a forum in which to describe how I have employed my hypnotherapy training to help equestrians achieve their goals communicating, working with, and riding horses.

     Lisa Machenberg's generosity, enthusiasm, and encouragement have given me a wonderful opportunity to share my work with the hypnotherapy and equestrian communities. I am forever grateful to Lisa, the philosophies and work of Dr. John Kappas, and the guidance and teaching of George Kappas and the other HMI instructors, who gave me the incredible training that motivated and taught me to do this special work .

     Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.