I get a ton of questions about hypnosis.  There is a lot of interest in the “mystery” of it all.  Can it help with this or that? What does it feel like?  Will you make me bark like a dog?
The reason many people feel skeptical is probably an experience at a stage show at a bar, or in a movie.  I am not saying none of that is true or accurate, I’m just saying that is not what hypnotherapy is about.  An ethical hypnotist is not interested in making you bark like a dog or get your secrets out of you.  I want to teach you how to use your subconscious mind to empower yourself. 
What does it “feel” like?  That is different for everyone, but it is also the same for everyone.  Some people feel the “drop” very clearly.  To me it feels like an exhale.  Like my entire body exhales, feels heavy and relaxes.  I lose time.  An hour feels like 5 minutes.  Waking feels a bit groggy at first and then a clean feeling of exhilaration.  The suggested change tends to be gradual.  Sometimes I remember the suggestions made by my hypnotist, sometimes not.  Sometimes I question if my subconscious mind did the arm raising or other convincers suggested by my hypnotist, but the truth is, I couldn’t do some that those things as smoothly and effortlessly as it happened.  I’ve tried, and there are movements that happen when it is done intentionally, that are not present when the subconscious mind does the work.  It is interesting.  Mystical?  No, it is just amazing how the subconscious mind work and how powerful it can be.
Can it help me with this or that?  It doesn’t even matter what “this” or “that” is, the answer is YES.  But here is the caveat….it isn’t magic!  Some desired changes take time and several sessions.  Each person is different so what one person does in one visit can take another person multiple visits.  Sometimes there is “homework”.  If the client doesn’t do the homework, the results may not be what the client hopes for.  It is like any other self-improvement journey; you must WANT a solution and you must be willing to invest in that solution.
If all the people that express interest in hypnosis followed through with appointments, we would need hundreds of hypnotists.  There would also be a multitude of changed people.  Everything from weight management, to stress management to smoking cessation.  Hypnosis works for those who WANT a change and are willing to participate in the solution.  It isn’t magic, but it is amazing!

​Building your dream, one thought at a time
 
Construction is finished, the space to heal has been created.  There will be tweaking here and there, but the back-breaking labor is behind us.  Now the work of healing can start.
But how did this come to be?  How does anyone have the motivation, the support, or the funds to “build” a dream?  It is interesting to contemplate.  Some may say its luck; others might think it takes a nefarious act to get that “lucky”.  Perhaps I was the BIGGEST skeptic when this all started, but I wanted to learn about holistic nutrition, and this was part of the certification!  But then this certification had me doing some hippie dippy, new aggie (I thought), exercises regarding dreams and the power of positive thinking. 
My MO, when something seems too good to be true, a “I’m going to do this, but only to prove it is horse feathers” kind of attitude.  I don’t usually voice that, but it’s there, in the back of my mind.  We did vision boards, affirmations, positive thinking exercises.  I did them, because that was the assignment and in the same place my doubt resides, so too does my eternal optimism.  When I would read the comments from other students it was sometimes frustrating, and I was often very judgmental.   Frequently thinking either I was defective, or they were embellishing their experiences. 
So here is how the homework became a catalyst for building my dream.  This was the result of thoughts, even if you think it is a coincidence.  One week we would do a vision board and we were to meditate on it daily.  I did the vision board and meditated on it for awhile.  Side note:  At this point we were not getting a paycheck.  We went 10 months without a paycheck.  My boyfriend was selling cars, equipment, etc. just to pay bills for two households. 
One week we were to do affirmations.  Write them and affirm them daily.  I did the assignment, hoping it would work, but not believing it.  Obviously, I am affirming abundance and prosperity and that looks very unlikely at this point.  But I am doing my homework.
Writing and speaking gratitude was another assignment.  I’m scared to death about finances, but I do the assignment.  I write and speak gratitude to our home, our family, our animals, our finances being resolved in a positive way.
Then, around the holidays, I got notified of a windfall of sorts.  This was the result of a lengthy family matter and was an absolute shock.  No one knew this was going to happen.  The timing, the amount, the obvious connection to the work I was doing….it was astounding.  Again, you can call this a coincidence or happenstance, that is fine.  I KNOW, this is because the Law of Attraction is real.  What we speak is what we create.  It creates a ripple, good or bad, it ripples. 
My dream to build and open a healing space was created by thoughts, prayers and blessings.  No more, no less.  If your life is headed in the wrong direction, TURN AROUND.  Change your mind! Do it even if you don’t believe it!  Do it if you don’t want to!  It is a powerful thing, the power of thought!