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| Photo courtesy of Microsoft |
From
time to time, I am invited to do a presentation about hypnosis and my work as a
hypnotherapist. Over the years, this has become one of my favorite outreach
activities because I have an opportunity to introduce and dispel common misconceptions
about a therapeutic modality that can literally transform your life.
I
cater each presentation to appeal to my expected audience. For example, if I am
doing a presentation for high-school or college students, I will explain how hypnotherapy
can help them increase self-confidence, prepare for exams and improve study
skills. If I am addressing business executives, I describe similar benefits
that include increasing self-confidence to improve decision-making skills,
preparation for presentations and improving communication with colleagues.
In general,
however, these presentations follow a similar format to how I handle a first
hypnotherapy session with a new client. Since I include hypnosis and
guided-imagery demonstrations in my presentations, if my audience will include
anyone under 18 I always send a parental release form to be distributed and
signed by the kids’ legal guardians a few days beforehand. Adults in the
audience must sign a disclosure of services (release) document to participate
in these exercises.
To start the
presentation, I define what hypnosis is and explain how we naturally enter this
state at least twice every day (i.e., half an hour before drifting into sleep
and half an hour after waking up in the morning.) In addition, I provide examples
of various uses of hypnosis, such as stage presentations, anesthesia for
surgery, pain management, habit control, etc.
Next, I explain
John Kappas, Ph.D.’s Theory of Mind and the concept of suggestibility to
prepare (and reassure) my audience for the hypnosis exercises we will do later
in the demonstration. I want everyone to appreciate the power of their
subconscious mind and conscious mind to facilitate or hinder desired behavior
changes. More important, I want my audience to understand the mechanism by
which hypnosis can help them to overwrite old mental scripts to help them change
their behavior or beliefs and achieve their stated vocational and avocational
self-improvement goals.
Similar to how I
conduct an actual hypnotherapy session with a client, I do the hypnosis
demonstration at the end of my presentation. This exercise includes an
induction to the hypnotic state followed by a relaxation/imagery journey so the
participants can experience hypnosis. To conclude the presentation I count them
back up to alert and aware state and answer questions about my work as a
hypnotherapist.
If you are
interested in a similar presentation for you and your colleagues, please
contact me at (661) 433-9430 or send e-mail to calminsensehypnosis@yahoo.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/.
