The Power of Imagery

(This blog was originally posted on February 21, 2017)

“Imagination is a place where all the important answers live.” – Joe Meno

Photo by Rick Hustead

I use imagery in every hypnotherapy session. Let me tell you why.

• The subconscious mind does not know the difference between fantasy and reality, you can practice in your mind those new beliefs and behaviors you want to adopt before you try them out in the real world. Therefore, once you have imagined doing something—as far as your SCM is concerned—you have actually done it.

• Imagery of nature scenes/being in nature is a great way to release stress and tension. Many people experience a deep sense of relaxation and state of calm when they are in nature. Virtually any natural environment—at the beach, in a mountain forest or desert, or near a body of water (moving or still)—brings a sense of calm and comfort that can be difficult to match in our daily lives. The opportunity to take a mini-vacation to one of these scenes during a guided-imagery journey can be just what you need to rejuvenate and feel re-energized to complete a task at work or resolve a problem.

• Through imagery, you can access problem-solving skills and resources that you have used before to help you overcome a similar situation and conquer the current setback. The theory behind this practice is: If you have overcome ‘X’ before, your subconscious mind knows how to use these skills to succeed, again!

For more information about how therapeutic guided imagery in hypnotherapy can help you achieve your vocational and avocational self-improvement goals, please contact me at (661) 433-9430 or send an e-mail to calminsensehypnosis@yahoo.com.

Special Offer!

Save 15 percent on all a la carte (individual) phone and Skype hypnotherapy sessions, including the 2-hour introductory First Session!

*This offer may not be combined with other promotional discounts/session packages and is not redeemable for cash. Offer expires on April 30, 2020

 

In light of the current CDC recommendations 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 and Skype consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN available! 

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 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/.

© 2020

Don't Believe Everything You Tell Yourself

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

Photo by Rick Hustead

Recently, I addressed our human tendency to believe too much in terms of what we see/hear in social media (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, practicing 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.

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/.

© 2019