Great (and Not-So-Great) Expectations

It is Friday night. Perhaps you have just completed your work week; or, maybe you just clocked in for the first of several night/closing shifts at one of your jobs. The promise of Saturday and Sunday—the weekend—looms large. Will you have time to complete all of those projects you promised your spouse that you would definitely, absolutely complete by Sunday night? Has your employer agreed to give you Sunday afternoon off so you can watch the Super Bowl with your buddies? Perhaps your boss refused to give you that day off, after all, and now you are bound and determined to remain in a foul mood all weekend so others can know how angry and frustrated you are. Or, are your friends and colleagues amazed that, yes, you are actually very happy to have to be working or on-call at work because you are thankful to have a job in the first place…and who cares about football, anyway?

Believe it or not, your subconscious mind largely determines everything that you will do this weekend, from whether you will have the weekend “off” or will be at work. The “knowns” in your subconscious mind will influence whether you get together with your best friends to watch the championship game or even know that February 2, 2014 could be a make-it-or-break-it event for some athletes. Your subconscious mind influences whether you will make a genuine effort to fix the kitchen cabinets or ultimately postpone the project another week. Your subconscious mind influences which tasty tidbits you expect to be served at your boss’ Super Bowl party: you really don’t want to attend, but you just can’t resist Domino’s pizza and Buffalo wings combination and, anyway, it would look really bad if you are the only person from work who is a no-show.

Finally, the mental scripts, or “known” beliefs and behaviors, in your subconscious mind will determine how you react to everything that occurs this weekend. A rule in physics states: “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” Similarly, over the years you have learned that specific relationships exist between emotions about/reactions to a specific, related event: If my team wins a championship, I will be happy; if it loses, I will be sad/angry/etc. If I do my best, hard work to complete a project that I promised to do for my spouse, I will feel good about this work, my spouse will be happy and this task is over; if I do not complete this job, everyone will be angry and defensive. If you attend your boss’ Super Bowl party and the food is as tasty and wonderful as you expected it to be, you might find that you will have a better time at the event than you expected; but if the host only provides chips and salsa (or any/every other dish other than the one you wanted), you will wish you never showed up in the first place.

This weekend, why not try something different to break this chain of expectations and behaviors? Before you start your shift at work, or when you get home and kick off your shoes to relax on the sofa, or before you head out to watch the big game with your friends, take several slow, deep breaths. Visualize, imagine, picture or pretend that you are doing “x” activity, and you feel relaxed and comfortable the entire time. You are focused on doing your very best at work or to complete a chore at home. You see yourself smiling and enjoying yourself as you socialize and with the people around you. Visualize, imagine, picture or pretend that you see yourself being polite and humble about the results of the game, even if your team doesn’t do as well as you had hoped or expected it to do. Since the subconscious cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality, allow this visualization exercise to create new “knowns” in your mind and become your new reality or experience.

I hope you have a great weekend!

 

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

Reinforcement for Hypnosis



Photo courtesy of Sara Fogan

I provide a CD or digital track for my clients to reinforce what
they worked on during their hypnotherapy session.

                When I work with a client, it is very important to me that the person feels relaxed, comfortable and secure about the work that we do together to help the individual achieve his or her goal. In the 21^st Century, hypnotherapy is definitely becoming a more mainstream a therapeutic modality. Nonetheless, previous myths about hypnosis being a form of “mind control” continue to linger in many people’s minds. Therefore, I provide several tools for my clients to use after they leave my office to reassure them about how and why hypnosis is an ideal tool to help them achieve their vocational and avocational self-improvement goals.

·         Get to know you. The first time we “meet” will probably be when you call me to inquire about my hypnotherapy practice and to set up an appointment. During this conversation, I take note (literally and metaphorically) of your therapy goals and presenting issue and other details about your social/emotional background so I can prepare for your hypnotherapy session.

·         Reinforcement CD. I provide a CD or digital track for you to listen to at home. This track is typically made during the hypnosis session, but I am happy to create a new or modified version at your request. The function of this track is to reinforce your goals and motivations to change unwanted behaviors. You should listen to the track before falling asleep at night. Warning: Do not listen to it while driving or operating heavy machinery, etc.

·         Provide relevant reference material. I will provide relevant articles from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute website’s digital library for you to read and keep for future reference. With your permission and/or at your request, I will also periodically send you digital links to motivational articles and/or news stories that are relevant to your hypnotherapy.

·         Maintain contact. I will maintain phone and/or e-mail contact with you throughout the duration of your hypnotherapy to answer questions and help you set new therapeutic goals.

·         Make appropriate referrals. From time to time, someone has a presenting issue that is out of my scope of expertise. As a certified hypnotherapist, I can work with you to help you achieve an avocational or vocational self-improvement goal (Business and Professions Code 2908). However, I must and will refer you for a consultation with a licensed physician or licensed mental-health worker to assess those other therapeutic needs you may have (e.g., persistent headache or other physical symptom, threaten to harm self or others). I will be happy to continue working with you to complement your traditional medical/psychological therapy if appropriate and with a reciprocal referral from the other licensed practitioner.

 

 

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

Never Say “Never”

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

I help my hypnotherapy clients to change their mental script so
they can give their subconscious mind a positive goal to achieve.

                When I was at college, my friends used to joke, “Never say ‘never’, because that is an absolute guarantee you will do what you say you will never do!” Oh, how prescient that advice turned out to be. Now, I understand why.

                The subconscious mind does not understand irony. It does not get a joke. The subconscious mind will try to fulfill whatever messages it receives. Whatever you say or think, it takes literally and conveniently ignores terms such as never, not, won’t and can’t. For example, I occasionally make the mistake of thinking or saying to myself, “I will not fall off my horse today.” Guess what? I do fall—or come very close to it. Some people might say those are examples of a self-fulfilling prophecy, but isn’t a self-fulfilling prophecy an example of a person behaving in a specific way to achieve the subconscious mind’s goal?

                When I work with my hypnotherapy clients, I teach them how to frame (or re-frame, as the case may be) their thoughts and self-talk so they are always giving themselves a positive message or suggestion. Rather than say, “I can’t be late for this meeting!” tell yourself, “I will leave five minutes earlier so I will be on time for my meeting.” Or, in the context of my first example, I now tell myself, “I am a strong rider. I can stay on my horse and have a good ride.”

Your subconscious mind will work just as hard to fulfill a positive goal as it will to achieve a negative one, so why not set it up for success, right from the start?

 

 

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

Age Regression…and Why I Don’t Use This Technique to Uncover Traumatic Memories

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

Using hypnosis to help someone remember details about a
past trauma is like pulling a scab off of the mind. 

We often see characters on television or in the movies use age regression to solve a crime or resolve a mystery in a protagonist’s life. During the 1970s and 1980s, hypnosis was used as a crime-solving technique. During this period, there was a widely held belief that all psychological problems were caused by sexual abuse. Some people theorized that hypnosis would be a useful technique to rewind a person’s memory of a traumatic incident to discover what had happened. Once this information was revealed, hypnosis could also help the person to vent out these memories and resolve his or her feelings about and reactions to the issue. Eventually, experts realized that this technique did not help either the client (alleged abuse victim) or lawyers to prosecute their cases. Memories are filled with distortion and amnesia; furthermore, a person under hypnosis is highly suggestible and becomes very eager to please the hypnotist. A highly emotional-suggestible client will infer that the hypnotist wants to hear certain information, and will duly provide those details.

In some situations, age regression is considered a therapeutic technique: to help an adult remember a license plate after a car crash or to find a personal item that he or she lost several weeks ago. I also use it as part of an imagery exercise to remember every cigarette that the person has smoked when I help a client quit smoking. However, I do not use age regression to discover (or help my client discover) information or memories that the person is not ready to address. When a terrible trauma has occurred, a person knows how to breathe, sleep, eat and eliminate. If a memory is too traumatic, the mind creates a “scab” over that memory to protect the individual from further trauma or stress. Just like you wouldn’t pull a scab off of an abrasion, I do not use hypnosis to rip a similar scab off your mind. Again, since there is no way to prove the veracity of any memories that a person regains while under hypnosis, this information would not be allowed in a court of law.

My first responsibility to my clients is to do no harm. As a certified hypnotherapist, my role is to help them achieve a vocational or avocational self-improvement goal. However, if a client spontaneously remembers a traumatic incident, I will use hypnosis to help him or her present reality more powerful than the past, and refer the person to a licensed psychologist or other medical professional for additional professional support in areas that are outside my own scope of expertise in hypnotherapy.

 

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

Duration of Hypnotherapy

 

                The duration of hypnotherapy is comparatively shorter than traditional psychotherapy, such as psychoanalysis. However, an issue is seldom resolved in just one, two, three or even four sessions. “[Hypnotherapy] is not a miracle cure,” Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D., explained. “It can relieve initial trauma in a few sessions, but it may take longer to deal with other issues.”

                My goal as a hypnotherapist is to help each of my clients effectively resolve his or her specific vocational and avocational self-improvement goal(s) in a realistic amount of time. For example, hypnotherapy for weight-control usually lasts 28 sessions; smoking cessation can typically be dealt with in six sessions. Simple problems may take less time to resolve; but for general self-improvement or lifestyle-change issues, hypnotherapy is an ongoing process that can last for years.

                I do not set limits on the amount of time the therapy will take, because these perceived deadlines can set the client up for frustration and disappointment if the process takes longer than expected. I can typically identify the true causal factor or issue that a client is dealing with during the first hypnotherapy session, even when this is not the issue the person has originally come to resolve. However, I will not try to draw out this issue and potentially cause unnecessary stress for my client until he or she is ready to address it and let it go.

For example, weight is only symptomatic of an emotional issue in approximately 20 percent of people who come in for weight-loss therapy, Kappas said. “If you don’t eliminate the cause of a problem, it could come back.”

                 

 

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

 

Just Ride the Course



Photo courtesy of Sara Fogan

Regardless of how you "place" in the show,  you are already a winner
for being willing to take on a new challenge with your horse.

 

 

                Horse show season is well under way, and many riders are devoting hours to training and preparing themselves and their horses for competition. Whether you are new to showing or a seasoned competitor, it is normal to feel nervous or have performance anxiety before you enter the arena. The key to overcoming competition nerves is to transform any negative emotions into positive ones—fear into confidence, tension into relaxation, anxiety into excitement, disappointment into joy, etc. You know how hard you both have been working to get here; this is your opportunity to enjoy the rewards of your dedication. Following are some suggestions and imagery that I give to equestrians who seek hypnotherapy to overcome show anxiety and get into a positive mindset so they and their equine partner can perform well in their competition.

·         Be sure to drink plenty of water, avoid caffeine and eat nutritious food with protein on the day of the show. Good nutrition keeps the body strong, and protein is a natural mood stabilizer. Avoid overloading on carbohydrates, which can lower blood sugar and thus influence mood and anxiety levels.

·         Tune out any negative discussion, comments and analysis about your previous rides that you may overhear. These things have already happened. They are in the past. It is time to focus on the dressage test, reining pattern, course, etc. that you are riding now.

·         While you wait for your turn to compete, take a minute or two to tap into how confident, enthusiastic and joyful you feel when you are having a very good ride. Allow your mind and body to feel the sensation of your horse’s muscles working beneath you and the fluidity of your own body moving with his. The perfect timing, cadence, rhythm, tempo and power of each motion brings a smile to your lips, and you feel a surge of confidence and excitement in your knowledge that you can and will ride like this again.

·         Once you have a good image of this experience in your mind, draw a slow, deep breath and feel the power, excitement and confidence that you have when you are riding well. Press or rub the thumb and index (pointing) finger of either hand to lock in or “anchor” these positive emotions. Release any lingering negative emotions/negative self-talk or doubt as you exhale that breath. Continue to practice this breathing exercise as needed until it is time to enter the arena.

·         Give yourself permission to allow your body to do what it already knows how to do. You and your horse have ridden these patterns or soared over similar obstacles thousands of times at home and in other competitions. Your body knows how to do each of these things, so keep your mind/thoughts out if your body’s way.

·         Allow your body to flow with your horse as you ride. As you remember to breathe in a normal, relaxed way you are becoming more confident and trust your ability to ride this test or course well. You are becoming more confident and trust your horse’s ability to do his work well, too.  

·         As you ride, focus on what you are asking your horse to do. Notice how well he is listening to your aids as your body flows with his during the event. Enjoy how you feel as you and your horse transition up and down between movements in the test, clear obstacles, etc. You can and do tune out every other sensation (sound, smell, sight) as you focus on what you are doing with your horse at during these moments.

·         Remember that you are competing in this show because you have earned the right to be there. Perhaps your trainer suggested that you and your horse are ready to take on this first horse show as a new challenge in your journey as an equestrian. If you and your horse are about to do your first Grand Prix jumping course, you know that this competition is the obvious next step in your training and competition goals. And if you are competing in a regional, state or national championship, you have also earned the right to be there through the various events you have won in the past year to qualify for this championship. Congratulations!

·         You ride because you love horses and riding, and how good you feel when you are doing what you love. You compete because you want to share this love with other people who love horses, too. Whether you bring home a trophy, medal or a ribbon, you are already a winner for being willing to take on a new challenge with your horse.

I hope these suggestions help you to relax and enjoy competing with your horse. I am not a riding instructor, and I encourage everyone to consult with a trainer or instructor to resolve riding and horse-related issues. However, I have found from personal experience as well as my hypnotherapy work with other equestrians that setting positive expectations for a good ride is the most effective way to achieve that goal. For more information about my hypnotherapy work with equestrians, please contact me via my website at www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com.

 

 

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

Break Old Habits...With Hypnotherapy!

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

During a hypnotherapy session, I incorporate my client's
reasons/motivations to change a behavior in the hypnotic script.

     Habits have a way of taking a toll on our lifestyles. The good news is that it is possible to change these behaviors. Hypnotherapy can help you replace the mental script that you currently follow (the habit you want to dump) with one that you design to help you to live the life you want to lead.

     According to John Kappas, Ph.D.'s Theory of Mind, the only two things humans “know” from birth is to react to a fear of loud noises and to react to a fear of falling. Everything else is a learned behavior or belief. The good news since you , it is have learned to do something it is possible to unlearn it—even those things you have been doing “forever” such as put off doing homework or projects until the last minute, smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, bite your nails or eat a pint of ice cream before going to bed. So long as you are motivated to change these behaviors, through hypnosis and hypnotherapy, I can help you construct a new script or “game plan” to achieve your goal.

     As a certified hypnotherapist, I may work with you to achieve a variety of vocational avocational self-improvement goals (see the Appendix page on my website for a complete list of these topics). During the course of the hypnotherapy, I use guided imagery and Neuro-Linguistic Programming techniques to help my clients find solutions and strategies to replace their unwanted habit and increase their self-confidence to make these behavior changes. Each solution is necessarily unique to each client, because it comes directly from that person’s subconscious mind, via hypnosis.

     And I will be there to motivate and support you as you let go of unwanted beliefs and behaviors to embark on your new life, unencumbered by old habits that used to weigh you down.

  

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

An Extreme Example of Environmental Hypnosis

            This afternoon, KABC-TV news reported that a neighborhood in Pasadena, California was host to a wayward black bear. Local homeowners were instructed to remain indoors while the animal settled on the grass behind a house and started to gnaw on the homeowner’s wooden fence. Meanwhile, thousands of viewers and, it seemed, the reporters covering the story, were glued to their respective television screens and monitors to watch and discuss what the bear was getting up to.

Even though most of the people who saw or know about this incident watched it unfold on their television sets, I still count this incident as “environmental hypnosis” because the object of fascination was an animal doing its thing in its environment. Also, until the police and officers from Animal Control arrived to order everyone to stay inside, the news feeds showed people standing around in their back yards with video camera/cell phone in hand, waiting to get a glimpse and, hopefully, a video of the bear. One man even crossed the street to talk to Animal Control officers about the situation. No one seemed in a hurry to get out of the way until they were ordered to go inside; but a patrol officer did seem nervous when the animal climbed over a fence and started to lope down the street. (He immediately sought shelter in a nearby Animal Control vehicle.) It was obvious that the bear was not under anyone’s “control”—staff from the Department of Fish and Game had yet to arrive to (hopefully) humanely return the bear to the Angeles Forest.

Meanwhile, the bear’s unusual presence in a local neighborhood, compounded by our very human curiosity about the wildlife that lives nearby, was more than enough to overload the subconscious mind of everyone watching the news or living nearby. Hundreds of message units flooded our minds: Whoa, there’s a bear in my back yard! What is it doing? Why is it doing that? Where is it going? How cute…I want to get a picture of it! Etc. The stage was set for a naturally occurring form of hypnosis to occur. Most people know that bears are potentially dangerous and unpredictable; we tend to be duly cautious if not outright terrified when we know that a large predator is so close. However, the context of this incredible incident overwhelmed and temporarily shut down the critical (analytic) part of our minds, literally freezing people to their TV screens or wherever they were in the neighborhood, waiting for the drama to unfold.

Any time you are in a situation where you think or know that you are becoming overwhelmed by what is going on around you, you are likely drifting into a light state of trance (environmental hypnosis). Simply say the following: “One, two, three, four, five, [Say your name]. Eyes open, wide awake.” These words will count you back up to a fully alert and aware state. Meanwhile, it is fortunate for the people in this community who may not have known this trick that police  and animal control officers were on hand to provide a powerful suggestion (command) to the residents that they stay inside until the bear could be humanely returned to the forest so everyone can get back to their normal lives tomorrow.  

 

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

Sensory-Based Communication

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

The words and metaphors you use in your speech tell
a lot about how you perceive your world.

 

                  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 hypnosis 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/.

© 2014

 

With Your Permission and Only With Your Permission, Part 2

                I could not believe it.  Sunday night, right before my (and thousands of viewers’) eyes, a random hypnotist essentially ambushed a beloved character of the television series I was watching. Bam! Right in the middle of a critical scene in the episode, the hypnotist addressed the character by name, gave a command (eye fascination) and did a rapid induction to knock him out long enough for critical elements of the plot to make sense and the storyline to move along. Following are my reasons why this scene worked—and made sense—in the context of Hypnosis Motivati­on Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D.’s definition of hypnosis and the following key elements of the plot:

1.       According to Dr. Kappas, hypnosis is “[a state] created by an overload of message units that disorganizes our inhibitory process (critical mind), triggering our fight/flight mechanism and ultimately resulting in a hyper-suggestible state [that provides] access to the subconscious mind.” The character was distraught and in a state of high anxiety when the hypnotist approached him. He didn’t want to/wouldn’t physically leave the scene, but this opportunity for temporary “escape” into hypnosis was an easy way to escape the trauma and drama going on around him.

2.       The hypnotist was calm and in control—and took control of the situation. He spoke the protagonist’s name and commanded the character to look at him.

3.       The hypnotist appeared to use a variation of the direct-gaze shock induction to hypnotize the protagonist. This is a legitimate rapid-induction technique in which a hypnotist has the person look him in the eye and supports his or her upper body during the physical aspect of the induction.

4.       The hypnotist used the key phrase, “deep sleep” that is typically employed during hypnosis. At the end of the scene, once key plot details had been resolved, the hypnotist counted the character back up to full awareness.

When I saw this scene unfold every cell in my body screamed “foul!” at the irresponsible depiction and unethical/immoral application of hypnosis. The technique that the hypnotist employed, and the context in which he used it, was in no way hypnotherapy. However, considering the protagonist’s overwrought emotional state and the activity going on around him, it was easy to understand how this scene was a perfect example of Dr. Kappas’ explanation of how and why hypnosis works. I think the inclusion of a rogue hypnotist doing a rapid induction to temporarily overwhelm the character’s already-overloaded subconscious mind was an ingenious, extra detail that will keep fans talking about this episode for a long time.

 

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

 

With Your Permission and Only With Your Permission, Part 1

                If you do not want to be hypnotized—whether you do not believe that hypnosis will work for you or you resist being hypnotized because you are afraid—you won’t be. I repeat the statement, “with your permission and only your permission” throughout the session to remind my clients that they can choose to be hypnotized and actualize their desired behavior changes. I also use my clients’ own words to reinforce their emotions, reasons and motivations for making these changes. As a certified hypnotherapist, I use hypnosis is a tool to help you change behaviors that no longer work for you and replace them with behaviors, strategies, etc. that you want and believe will improve your quality of life. During hypnosis, you are completely aware of everything going on around you. If you wouldn’t say or do something when you are completely alert, you wouldn’t and could not be made to do anything in hypnosis that opposes your beliefs, morals and ethical principles.

                 Therefore, I tend to be very critical of how and why hypnosis is depicted on television and in movies: a protagonist is “commanded” to do something that is completely out of character; the hypnotist erases and then replaces a character’s memory with a new, fictitious personal history and personality; or a person is “hypnotized” to behave in a particular way simply to move the plot along. In these scenarios, the character is completely unaware that he has been hypnotized; he just carries out the hypnotist’s bidding and does whatever needs to be done to move the plot along. Imagine my surprise that I not only bought the hypnosis-ambush of a character in a popular detective series, but it made absolute sense why this scenario worked and was believable.

                               

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

Back in the Saddle Again

Photo courtesy of Sara Fogan


Lunge-lessons are a great way to work on and improve riding
skills and rebuild self-confidence after a fall.

 

I am sure that most people—even non-equestrians—have heard the expression that you must get right back on the horse if it bucks you off. It is not about teaching the horse a lesson or proving that we won’t let him “beat us.” Contrary to popular belief, this philosophy is actually about helping riders to regain their self-confidence after a fall or other negative experience with a horse. This philosophy has even become a metaphor for picking yourself up and overcoming a challenge in various contexts (work, relationships, riding a bike). It also happens to be a perfect example of how I use hypnotherapy to help my clients replace negative associations to a person or event with a new “known” or positive association with that situation.

Few horses are malicious in that they intend to buck off or “lose” their riders. Regardless of the cause of the incident, provided you and your horse are physically unhurt and able to do continue, it is very important (psychologically) for you to get back on your horse. This is because as more time passes between the fall and riding again, your subconscious mind is strengthening the new, negative association(s) between riding, that specific horse and any negative self-talk that may be in bouncing around in your mind. You want to eradicate and replace any of those negative associations with positive ones of enjoying yourself and riding/spending time with your equine partner. You don’t have to ride fast or even very far. If you are more comfortable riding in a smaller arena than going on a trail ride, that’s fine. Do this work where you feel most comfortable—even if it is standing still with another person or your instructor holding the horse on a line. The objective of this part of the ride is to create new positive associations between your horse, being on and with your horse, feeling comfortable, being relaxed and enjoying yourself. Focus on taking slow, deep breaths. Pat your horse and reassure him that you are still there and that everything is okay. (By the way, these actions will comfort and relax you, too.)

I hope these suggestions help you to relax and enjoy the time you spend with your horse, regardless of what is going on around you. I am not a riding instructor, and I encourage everyone to consult with a trainer or instructor to resolve riding and horse-related issues. However, I have found from personal experience as well as my hypnotherapy work with other equestrians that setting positive expectations for a good ride is the most effective way to achieve that goal. For more information about my hypnotherapy work with equestrians, please contact me via my website at www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com.

 

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/.

Stop! Negative Self-Talk

 
                From time to time, in a moment of frustration or anger or even fear, we say something negative and hurtful to someone very close to us. The incident that sparked the outburst may turn out to be inconsequential, but in that instant there is nothing more important or urgent than giving that other person a piece of our mind for causing so much trouble in the first place. We can always apologize and make amends to the other person once tempers have cooled down and the issue is resolved. But, what if the person you are so mad at is you? Do you apologize for the hurtful things you have said or thought about you, to yourself?

                According to John Kappas, Ph.D., the subconscious mind works on expectation and imagination. Over time, we learn to expect others to respond to and interact with us in a particular way based on our previous experience with those individuals. We also learn to internalize the message or emotion we perceive in those interactions, which can affect self-confidence and self-esteem. No matter what the “message” is, as you hear and repeat it to yourself your subconscious mind starts to internalize and believe that message. If people in your social circle constantly bombard you with criticism and negativity, perhaps it is time to change who you hang out with. If you are the one trash-talking yourself, it is time to rewrite your mental script to be ­­­more loving and accepting of yourself.

                During hypnosis, I teach my clients simple breathing and relaxation techniques by which to dial down or even turn off the negative self-talk. I also desensitize my clients to the stimuli that typically trigger their self-criticism and self-reproach. Finally, I use therapeutic guided-imagery techniques to enable my clients to find solutions for those situations and then visualize, imagine, picture or pretend that they have successfully resolved a conflict with self-confidence and self-love.

 

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/.

Gullibility? Suggestibility? Hypnosis.

Photo by Sara Fogan

Believe it or not, the "Winnovations" sketch on
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is a great example of hypnosis.

                Periodically, Jay Leno features a segment called “Winnovations” on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. During this segment, comedian/inventor Trevor Moore sets up his Winnovations kiosk on a busy street at asks passers-by to try out one of his fabulous new inventions. For example, there is a contraption that helps your own breath to grow your hair by recirculating the carbon dioxide that you exhale in your breath into plastic tubes (the Blow-n-Grow); another mechanism increases the flavor of your food by catapulting it against a surface and into another container (the Flava-Putt); and The Brite Blast will whiten your teeth by blowing intense bursts of oxygen into your mouth.

Mr. Moore informs the studio and television audience that none of these products actually do any of the things they were created to do. However, no one on the street is told or seems to know that. One by one, they agree to test an item he has shown to them. To the apparent astonishment of the TV audience (as evidenced by laughter and some gasps), these testers are so convinced that the product worked the way they expected it to do, they even agree to endorse it.

Why do they believe him?

1.       He has authority. The inventor/vendor has a kiosk to display and market his products, he is wearing a uniform (Winnovations T-shirt) and peddles the product on a busy street in a major city. There are also video camera operators on the scene to lend authenticity to his scheme.

2.       He has a message: Mr. Moore explained what each product was supposed to do and then followed up that explanation with a logical argument about how/why the item would actually do what he promised.

3.       He overloads the person’s subconscious mind to accept what he is saying and suspend their disbelief about the product: The inventor does this by utilizing a systematic “patter” (fast talk) to convey information about his products. He uses the tone of his voice and the cadence of his speech, as well as perfectly timed head nods and facial expressions, to support and encourage the person in believing that the product is having the desired effect.

Radio and television advertisements use the same kinds of techniques to sell their wares. So do salespeople in department stores or at the mall, a card dealer in a Las Vegas Casino.  Remember, these strategies will be more or less effective—or not effective, at all—depending on your suggestibility and willingness to go along with or “buy” what is being sold.

This is hypnosis.

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/.

It’s Only the Wind... (Anticipatory Anxiety and Equestrians)

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

Your expectation (anticipatory anxiety) that your horse is afraid of something
may be scarier than anything you actually encounter during your ride.

                One of the first things people learn about horses is that these animals (can) shy or “spook” at anything and everything—but wind is Public Enemy Number One. Even if it is just an errant breeze rustling the leaves in a tree overhead on an otherwise still day, the breath catches in our lungs and our heart pounding in our chest. If a Santa Ana wind snaps a tree bough nearby, all bets are off: we instinctively prepare our bodies to make an unscheduled dismount in case (when) our horses bolt and head back to the security of the barn. We tighten our grip and/or shorten the reins (to get better control of the horse’s head and try to prevent him from looking at anything), collapse our ribcage and assume a “fetal position,” as described by Sally Swift, look down at the ground (ostensibly to choose the perfect landing spot, just in case) and tighten every muscle in the body as we prepare to hang onto our panicked steed (if we can) as soon as he takes off.

Your subconscious is likely to send these kinds of instructions to your body if your mental script and previous experience, knowledge and expectations tell you that this is how your horse will react in a specific situation. Consequently, your anticipation of a possible problem, or “anticipatory anxiety,” will virtually guarantee that your horse will act like there is really a problem because your body has told him that there is one. Here are some suggestions and visualization exercises that I provide for equestrians to override this automatic fear response so you can both enjoy the ride.

1.       Be sure to eat some protein before you ride/work with your horse to help reduce anxiety and stabilize your mood (see my blog, Nutrition and Development of Phobias, 1/14/14).

2.       Spend a few minutes practicing deep-breathing exercises before you go out to work with or ride your horse. While you are relaxing in an area of peace and quiet, visualize, imagine or picture the kind of ride you want to have with your horse. Sit up straight and tall in the saddle. This posture enables you breathe deeply and easily, which will help you to relax. It also tells your subconscious mind that you are relaxed and confident.

3.       Think about/reflect on a very good ride or time that you recently spent with your horse. Bring up the positive images and emotions associated with that experience and then anchor that association by pressing or rubbing together the thumb and index (pointing) finger of either hand. You can activate this anchor any time to remind yourself how good, enjoyable, etc. it is to ride or be with your horse.

4.       Send/think only positive images and expectations about the ride you are about to have: “I am confident and relaxed when I am on my horse. I am having a great ride.” Only use adjectives and emotions in this imagery that will increase your confidence, sense of control, etc. for and during the ride.

5.       Reassure your horse that you are in control and are your horse’s leader during the ride. Give him plenty of ­physical/vocal rewards such as pats and praise, etc. to let him know that you are there and will take care of everything; all he needs to do is listen to you and do what you ask him to do. This physical and vocal contact isn’t just for your horse; it is also a way to comfort and reassure you, and reinforce your role of the brave, confident herd leader in your subconscious mind.

6.       Practice some simple mounted exercises such as figure-eights, lateral work, etc. so you must focus on riding and interacting with your horse and your horse must focus on you (not what is going on around him).

7.       Activate your finger-press anchor throughout the ride, as needed.

I hope these suggestions help you to relax and enjoy the time you spend with your horse, regardless of what is going on around you. I am not a riding instructor, and I encourage everyone to consult with a trainer or instructor to resolve riding and horse-related issues. However, I have found from personal experience as well as my hypnotherapy work with other equestrians that setting positive expectations for a good ride is the most effective way to achieve that goal. For more information about my hypnotherapy work with equestrians, please contact me via my website at www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com.

 

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/.