The Most Powerful Words in the Universe

I am continuing to suspend in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone, and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE! 

 

(This blog was originally posted on February 15, 2018)

 

 

Photo by Rick Hustead

 

Author and designer Karen Salmonsahn wrote, “What are the most powerful words in the universe? The ones you use to talk to yourself.” This is so true.

I previously explained the potential destructive or negative power of our own words in my blog titled Don’t Believe Everything You Tell Yourself. As I complete a course about hypnosis and the Law of Attraction, it seemed worthwhile to address this topic again. This time, I will take a more positive approach.

If you write affirmations each night or morning, you are already familiar with the power that a sentence or two can have to influence (and manifest) a positive change in your life. Of course, it isn’t just the words that do this. You must also believe in the power of those sentiments and your ability to quiet that annoying voice of self-doubt and skepticism that lives in the subconscious mind. If you have ever had to do battle with (turn off) that kind of chatter, you know how hard it can be to remain confident, optimistic and believe in your ability to achieve your goal.

To get into the right head space and attitude to accomplish your goals, it is important to focus on the positive thoughts/beliefs and encouraging feedback. If you notice any negativity creeping into your subconscious mental script, acknowledge the presence of the thought and return to positive imagery about the successful outcome you are working toward. For example: “Thank you for bringing this to my attention, but I don’t need you anymore.” Directly acknowledging a negative thought this way actually negates its power and influence over you, because you are no longer distracted by it. Thinking or verbalizing this sentiment draws a metaphoric line or boundary around the focus of your energy (intention), which negativity may not cross. Even more important, the act of thinking or saying “no” to and shutting down unwanted thoughts or belief systems strengthens self-confidence and your belief that you can accomplish your goals.

How is that for power?

 

Special Offer:

Hypnotherapy to Release Weight

Hypnosis for weight loss series: $1,250 for 10-week series. (This is a $250 savings!) The $200 fee for the first session will be included in this rate only when the package is purchased up front. Book this package before June 30, 2023, to lock in this price as my rates will be going up on July 1, 2023.

*May not be combined with any other offer. Not redeemable for cash.

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. Sara has been voted the Best Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California, four years in a row (2019-2022). For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/

© 2023

 

 

Don't Believe Everything You Tell Yourself

I am continuing to suspend in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone, and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE! 

 

(This blog was originally posted on December 12, 2016)

 

Photo by Rick Hustead

 

 

I addressed our human tendency to believe too much in terms of what we see/hear in social media in my blog titled, Think It All Through. Today, I will tackle the most powerful source of influence of our beliefs and behavior: our own mind.

The subconscious mental script that dictates most of our activities started to be written long before we became aware of—let alone noticed—when we act a particular way or why we do what we do. The more we reinforce (repeat) those beliefs and behaviors, and the more we are rewarded socially or emotionally for them, the stronger they will become. However, that doesn’t mean they are true or right.

For example, if you generally received praise for your efforts and encouragement to solve a problem or resolve a conflict, and reassurance and emotional support to overcome a disappointment, you are likely to repeat these actions in similar situations. Conversely, if your efforts to succeed were met with derision and discouragement to undermine your current and prospective future success, you are more likely to internalize and believe these negative messages.

It doesn’t have to be this way. To paraphrase a beloved Native American parable, everyone has a “good” wolf and a “bad” wolf inside that is constantly fighting for control. The good wolf is confident and self-assured; it wants to do the right thing and do right by others. Conversely, the bad wolf lacks that self-confidence; in fact, it is insecure and self-loathing. It has no respect for others or itself and would just as soon cause pain and discomfort than share joy and opportunity. Ultimately, the winner of this fight will be the one you feed.

In my blog titled It’s Just a Thought, I explained the benefits of dismissing outright all of those negative messages that you do not want or need to incorporate in your current mental script. This is essentially controlling what you think and the ideas you allow yourself to entertain. Instead, practice imagining or visualizing what you/it would look like to experience that success you are working so hard to achieve. What kinds of words do you want and need to hear to actualize this positive outcome, and practice saying and thinking them until they replace that negative chatter. Believe that this positive outcome is possible because you realized the old way of behaving not only doesn’t work for you anymore, but it has triggered actions and beliefs that can only help you succeed.

 

 

April Promotion: Hypnosis to Stop Smoking! $800 for six, weekly sessions lasting approximately one hour each week. This is a $100 savings! (A la carte sessions cost $150 each.) In addition, I will waive the $200 fee for the separate First Session if you purchase and book the six-week package up front.

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. Sara has been voted the Best Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California, four years in a row (2019-2022). For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/

© 2023

 

The Most Powerful Words in the Universe

 To minimize risk of exposure to and spread of the COVID-19 virus, I am temporarily suspending in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. However, phone, Skype and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE! 

 

(This blog was originally posted on February 15, 2018)

 

 

Photo by Rick Hustead

 

 

Author and designer Karen Salmonsahn wrote, “What are the most powerful words in the universe? The ones you use to talk to yourself.” This is so true.

I previously explained the potential destructive or negative power of our own words in my blog titled Don’t Believe Everything You Tell Yourself. As I complete a course about hypnosis and the Law of Attraction, it seemed worthwhile to address this topic again. This time, I will take a more positive approach.

If you write affirmations each night or morning, you are already familiar with the power that a sentence or two can have to influence (and manifest) a positive change in your life. Of course, it isn’t just the words that do this. You must also believe in the power of those sentiments and your ability to quiet that annoying voice of self-doubt and skepticism that lives in the subconscious mind. If you have ever had to do battle with (turn off) that kind of chatter, you know how hard it can be to remain confident, optimistic and believe in your ability to achieve your goal.

To get into the right head space and attitude to accomplish your goals, it is important to focus on the positive thoughts/beliefs and encouraging feedback. If you notice any negativity creeping into your subconscious mental script, acknowledge the presence of the thought and return to positive imagery about the successful outcome you are working toward. For example: “Thank you for bringing this to my attention, but I don’t need you anymore.” Directly acknowledging a negative thought this way actually negates its power and influence over you, because you are no longer distracted by it. Thinking or verbalizing this sentiment draws a metaphoric line or boundary around the focus of your energy (intention), which negativity may not cross. Even more important, the act of thinking or saying “no” to and shutting down unwanted thoughts or belief systems strengthens self-confidence and your belief that you can accomplish your goals.

How is that for power?

 

 

Special Offer! Free, 30-minute Phone/Zoom Consultation

This month, I am continuing to offer a FREE, 30-minute phone or Zoom consultation. This is a great opportunity to learn about hypnosis and how and WHY it is such an effective modality to help achieve your vocational and avocational self-improvement goal(s). Call/text me at (661) 433-9430 or send an email to calminsensehypnosis@yahoo.com to set up your free consultation! 

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. In July 2019 and in September 2020 she was voted the Best Hypnotherapist in Santa Clarita, California. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2021

 

 

Sensory-Based Language

(This blog was originally posted on January 22, 2014)

 

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

 

                 No pun intended, but the way we use words to share thoughts and ideas is so expressive of who we are and how we take in our world. We communicate what we perceive, and we use specific words and terms to illustrate how we perceive the information we are sharing. According to Neurolinguistic Programming, we all have a preferred way to express or represent ourselves when we communicate. Following are descriptions of the different sensory representational systems.

·         Visual: This person primarily takes in information by seeing and how something looks. He or she looks up and is comfortable establishing eye contact. He or she needs to see written information or instructions to something and will use metaphors such as, “I see what you mean” to convey understanding during a conversation.

·         Auditory: This individual processes information via auditory cues and can learn by hearing and listening to instruction. He or she will use expressions like, “The message is loud and clear” or “another way to say that.” This person is comfortable memorizing sequences and is very sensitive to the speaker’s tone of voice and the words the other person uses. However, this individual can become overwhelmed by stimuli and may avoid eye contact (focusing on another stimuli) in order to listen to and understand what is being said. This person will use metaphors like, “I hear what you’re saying” to convey understanding during a conversation.

·         Kinesthetic: A kinesthetic person learns and memorizes something by rehearsing or “walking through” a scenario. This person tends to make physical contact with the object of discussion or another person in the conversation as a way of reinforcing what he or she is learning. He or she will use metaphors like, “That meeting completely slipped my mind.”

·         Auditory Digital: An auditory-digital individual focuses on whether something makes sense in order to learn and understand a concept. This person will use language like, “That’s logical” to indicate that he or she understands (or not) the principle being discussed.

During each hypnotherapy session, I pay careful attention to the words my clients use and which metaphors they choose when they speak. I know that the way they use language paints a picture of how they perceive their lives and where they are in the process of replacing an unwanted behavior. This information helps me to create the ideal hypnotic script by which I can communicate with their subconscious mind and help them achieve their goals.

 

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® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2015

 

The Parataxic Distortion Response

(This blog was originally posted on March 4, 2014)

 

 

 

                Imagine that you are having a conversation with your partner or spouse about your plans for the weekend. The conversation is relatively banal until the other person casually mentions that you still haven’t replied to the neighbor’s invitation to their party on Saturday. “Are we going or not?”

Bam! It’s like someone flipped a switch in you. Just like that, the joking mood and light-hearted banter evaporate in the heat of your sudden, apparently inexplicable rage: “Why are you asking me? You sound just like my mother. Why can’t you ever make a decision about what to do?”

Or, you are watching a movie in happy, relaxed silence when your companion starts whispering (loud) comments about the film in your ear. Another person in the audience glares at you and hisses, “Sshhh!” even though you haven’t said a word. You are furious that you have been blamed for the disturbance—especially because this incident is so like that time you were punished for talking during silent-reading period at school (twenty years ago), and you didn’t say anything then, either. Your companion, who is indifferent to the other movie-goer’s annoyance and oblivious to the memory it has triggered in you, is hurt and confused because you barely speak to him the rest of the night. Didn’t you like the movie?

                These are examples of the parataxic response: a reaction to a subconscious memory that is totally unrelated to the person or incident that you are responding to. Anything from the tone of voice in which a question was asked, a facial expression or the specific words that another person used could trigger this reaction. The power of this emotional response are likely to take the person responding this way by surprise, not to mention the unintended target(s) of this reaction.  

 

 

 

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® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2014

Where Does Suggestibility Come From?

Photo courtesy of iCLIPART

Words, tone of voice and body language influence suggestibility
from a very young age.

As I described in my previous blog (“Emotional and Physical Suggestibility,” 12/27/13), “suggestibility” refers to how we learn and process information. According to Hypnosis Motivation Founder John G. Kappas, Ph.D., we get our early suggestibility from how the primary caretaker (usually the mother) takes care of and interacts with us during early childhood (birth up to age 5). Words, tone of voice and body language create suggestibility, he explains.

For example, Mom says, “Clean your room, and then you can go out and play.” The physically suggestible child learns that Mom says what she means and means what she says: there will be no playtime until the room is clean. However, if Mom is inconsistent and does not always mean what she says or say what she means, the child learns by inference and will develop physical suggestibility. For example, Mom does not follow through with her demand that the child finish cleaning his room before being allowed to play: he fusses and cries until she finally relents and allows him to go outside to play. This child will develop emotional suggestibility. He will learn by inference and metaphor, constantly looking for hidden messages or meanings in each interaction or experience: “I know what you said; what did you mean?”

Although the primary caretaker is very influential in terms of developing a child’s suggestibility, other people in the youngster’s life also influence this learning process. Peers, teachers and others impact the child’s suggestibility between the ages 6 to 9. Children also become more critical and discerning from age 8, Kappas advises. Between ages 9 to 14, the secondary caretaker (usually father) also influences the child’s suggestibility.

 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/.