How cute is this? Hypnosis is definitely sweeping the world by storm!

moar funny pictures 

Whoa! This week has probably been the one in which I have learned the most so far (but I'll likely be saying that each week because there is so much to learn!) Since my last post, I have had a second supervision session with Omar and my dad, I've also conducted my second session and third sessions with my weight loss client, AND I've recorded another spot on my dad's podcast (check out the family resemblance on Calbanyan.com). It’s been quite an educational whirlwind and I’m really glad that I now have not only the Ghada videos to watch and learn from, but also the new Loretta videos. The Loretta videos include all of the pre-hypnosis interviews and how to seamlessly include 7th Path™ into the sessions, so they act as a great example of how to do a hypnosis session from start to finish.

I was pretty nervous going into my AR session, filled with doubts about whether or not she would revivify and whether or not we’d get to the ISE and do the work we needed to do. From the supervision I learned a great phrase that helps the client to stop remembering and start revivifying, “Great, now step into the picture as if it were happening all over again.” That way the client will start to feel and experience it rather than remember it and that regression will be more powerful and accurate. Additionally, I learned that if the client keeps saying, “I feel bad,” then make sure to ask clarifying questions so that you can get to the primary emotion. So many times therapists try to regress on the wrong feeling then the regression turns into a mess.

We also discussed which emotions each phase really deals with. Phase II deals with fear: some event where the child felt like his or her life was at risk. That fear then translates into “What is wrong with me that no one wants to save me?” Then Phase III deals with anger: anger against the people who have done them wrong, and finally Phase IV addresses the guilt that the client has inside and that is why the therapist facilitates the internal dialogue amongst the client’s parts. Knowing which emotion was the primary emotion of each phase really helped me when I was in the session so that I could be sure that the client was addressing what she needed to get through and move forward.

For myself, I think that my Age Regression session was a little shaky. She had some trouble revivifying and therefore was skipping around a bit in her teens before finally regressing to her childhood. However, once we reached her childhood, she was smelling and seeing and feeling all the sensations of the moment and I was convinced that she was revivifying. Her ISE was very simple, just a moment when she had been left alone in a crowd when she was a baby. She dealt with the fear, then we worked through the event using ICT and then went through the SSEs. After the session she was really surprised because she had cried and she doesn’t normally let herself cry, so she was convinced further that the hypnosis was working.

The next session was the clincher: Forgiveness of Others. The eight word induction and WHAM! We had pillow pounding! We had name calling! We had crying! It was fantastic!

Not to sound like I enjoyed the violence, but it felt so rewarding to have her go through the experience and come out smiling. A lot of the confidence I had in the third session really came from having the time to watch the Loretta videos and write down some of the good one-liners that my dad used to control the forgiveness in the Round Room. At one point, Loretta tries to defend her mother while she is supposed to “be” her mother, so he says to her, “I’m not talking to you Loretta ::taps on her forehead three times:: Olivia, did you ever love your daughter?” I loved that line! I was so afraid that my client would try to do the same thing, so I wrote it down on my outline and highlighted it so I’d know exactly what to do if that situation arose.

There is just so much to learn! I am spending a ton of time at the moment going over my outlines and scripts and the Banyan Online Supervision CDs and all the videos and my notes making sure that the session will go as smoothly as possible. I’m sure it gets easier as I get into the swing of things, but the forgiveness work has got me hooked! I’m excited for my FOS later this week! I’ll be sure to keep you posted!

Make sure to check out the newest Hypnosis, etc. podcast on Calbanyan.com - I'm a special guest host!

    I have just finished up my very first week as an intern hypnotist at the Banyan Hypnosis Center and it has been filled with information! All my life (ok, since I was 11), people have asked me what my parents do, I have been able to say with a smile, "Oh, nothing too interesting. They run their own business." Which was always followed with, "Really? What kind of business?" This of course was my favorite part, "Hypnosis." The response was always something like, "OMG? Really? That is so cool! Have you ever been hypnotized? Is it real? Does it work? Can you hypnotize me??" Of course, at this point I'm thinking to myself, "Wow! Your dad is an accountant? That's so convenient! Does he do your taxes? Do you really have to give that money to the government? Can you do my taxes? Since one's employment is clearly based on genetic coding that we are born with, this is an obvious question." Thankfully, after this past week, I can now smile and say, "Sure... Press on my hand, close your eyes...SLEEP!" Well, something like that, I'm still working on my instant inductions ;)

    Seriously, though, I learned a lot this week about some of the often overlooked parts of a hypnosis session: the pre-hypnosis interview and note taking.  The pre-hypnosis interview is very important because it is the hypnotist's opportunity to learn more about the problem than what is filled out in the intake forms. It is the time to ask about any past hypnosis experiences to know if the client is going to be a "blow-down" or if he is going to be a bit of a challenge (ie.10+ session stop smoker). It is also the time to speak with the client about what changes he wants to make exactly - aim for 3-4 changes, anything else is likely to be overkill and too much to cover, and to determine the benefits (7ish) so that they can be incorporated into the Direct Suggestion. The pre-hypnosis interview is also important for the client because he may have something that he feels that he needs to share with you. At this point, it is important to listen actively and paraphrase key points throughout the conversation, but remember to take it with a grain of salt and not to pay too much attention to what the client thinks is the ISE or SPE, because you'll get to the root in Age Regression. 

    In regards to notes taken before, during, and after the session, it is important to use notation that can be understood by someone else if examined for any reason. Don't just use chicken scratch and assume that in a week, when you look at the file next, you'll be able to understand all of that notation. Make not of any successes (and failures, if any) that occurred during the session like Time Distortion, Eye Lock, Arm Catalypsy, Lost Numbers, etc. Also make not of important milestones in the session: ages regressed, who was forgiven, any agreements etc. This information is useful for yourself in the next session, and if the file is ever called to the courts. 

    After watching a couple of videos of pre-talks and direct suggestion, on Thursday, it was finally time for me to apply what I had learned to a real-life client. After spending hours practicing the scripts aloud to myself and taking notes on exactly what to cover, I was ready (or as ready as I was going to be). My first client came in for weight loss, so she first  filled out paperwork and watched the pre-talk videos on hypnosis and the secret language of feelings, then I welcomed her into my office for her pre-hypnosis interview. During the interview we went over her weight chart (she's only 24, so it wasn't all that long), the benefits for weight loss, which behaviors she'd want to change and I gave her a copy of The Secret Language of Feelings to help tie in the emotional work with weight loss.  (I forgot to ask her about specific dietary changes she wanted to make - Oops!) Then it was time for the hypnosis!

    I took her into hypnosis using the Banyan-Elman Induction, then used the convincers of Eye lock and time distortion and went on to the scripts. I feel like it overall went pretty well for my first session. Of course I forgot a few things like asking permission to touch her and really personalizing the scripts to her exact benefits (Man!  There is so much to know!), but now I have one experience under my belt and I can go on to impove from here.

    I will be sure to update again next week to go over tomorrow's AR session (I'm kinda nervous!) and what I learn from supervision on Wednesday. Have a great week!

Wow, I can't believe that I am about to have my first session this afternoon! I am seeing a client for weight loss and I have been continuously shuffling around scripts so that I can deliver the best Phase I that I can. I'm planning on using High Road, Low Road and combining it with changes that she'd like to make like more exercising, eating in only one place, checking to see if she's hungry, etc. I am so excited (well, and nervous...) wish me luck!