(This blog was originally posted on May 14, 2014)
Around
this time last year, an equine dentist examined and floated my horse’s teeth.
Just like people, our animal companions need to have their teeth examined
and/or cleaned to ensure that they are able to eat and digest their food. More
important, these check-ups can prevent a tooth infection from spreading to the
gum and into the bloodstream, which could be deadly. Looking back on the
afternoon, I considered the many different things that I and other people do to
prevent physical, emotional, social and practical problems from arising. What
motivates us to take these precautions?
In the autumn,
many people get a vaccination to prevent getting the flu later in the season.
They start drinking more juice, taking vitamins and eating well to stave off a
winter chest infection. When they have a cough, fever or running nose, they
usually don’t need much persuasion to see a doctor and, if necessary, pick up a
prescription for medication to relieve their discomfort. When we move to a new
neighborhood or change jobs or schools, many people make some kind of gesture to
create a social or professional alliance. My dad used to give a loaf of
home-made French bread to new neighbors who moved into a home on our street; I made
chocolate-chip cookies to share with my colleagues when I started a new job at
the magazine. People who play contact sports usually don at least some kind of
protective head gear to safeguard against concussion; many also wear other
kinds of body armor to protect their limbs and chest. In each of these cases,
the person makes a conscious decision to behave in a specific way that will
protect or safeguard his or her well-being.
The decision to
seek hypnotherapy to achieve a vocational or avocational self-improvement goal
is also a conscious one. Even though I use specific techniques to access a
client’s subconscious mind to effect the desired behavior change, the person must
first make a conscious decision to seek this therapy. In addition to their
desire to quit a habit that is interfering with their life right now, many
people seek hypnotherapy to help them change a behavior that they fear will
cause a bigger problem for them later on. For example, when I work with people
to stop smoking or lose weight, their primary motivation to change their
behavior (smoking or over-eating) is often to improve their health. Perhaps the
person is at risk of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, and a doctor has
advised that the best chance of increasing his or her longevity is to start
following a healthy lifestyle. Others may want to increase their motivation,
because procrastination has resulted in their missing deadlines at work, or
failure to get their car in for a scheduled service caused more serious
mechanical problems on the road. Many times, even after they achieve their stated
goals, people want to continue with the hypnotherapy to help motivate them to continue
to follow the new behaviors that have improved their lives.
Hypnosis and
therapeutic guided imagery are effective, natural and drug-free techniques
through which you can achieve these and other self-improvement goals. Whether
you are ready to embark on this journey for the first time or just want to
fine-tune the new behaviors or skills you have been working on to avoid
temptation, I am here to help you achieve them.
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
