I remember that soon after graduating as a #rtttherapist, I was offering free sessions of #hypnotherapy to people. Why?
Because I wanted to have a solid practice base before I started charging for my services.
I loved how efficient RTT is, and I wanted to be of service to people, to show it off.
I was gaining experience, they were getting rid of unhealthy habits, getting self-confident, less anxious. Win-Win, right?
So, I was expecting people will be all over my offer.
Not so much! Why?
I quickly realized people are not comfortable offering their mind for another person to control it. Because, yes, indeed, that’s what most people think when they contemplate #hypnoisis.
*Don’t make me cluck like a chicken
*Don’t implant a secret code word in my head that will later activate me as your personal slave
*Don’t make me bring you coffees every morning
*Don’t put me to sleep
*Don’t make me eat onion thinking it’s apples
*Don’t take control of my mind
I was amazed by the level of concerns people had around me hypnotizing them. These were people who knew me and (I expected) trusted me.
But it was not about me, it was about the image they were associating with hypnosis. The distorted image movies like “The Hypnotist” present, or the stage hypnotism where the public and the hypnotist are all in for entertainment, going to ridiculous scenarios at times to pay the show.
None of that is #hypnotheraphy!!
So, before even starting to get worried about my shaky voice as a novice, or some occasional stuttering, I have taken a cold shower and understood my work will start with demystifying hypnosis.
This is why, before going into fancy stuff like #Neuroplasticity and #epigenetics, I always start with the simple things, with what hypnosis is and what is not.
Because, if there is a must for a person to allow being hypnotized, that one thing is feeling SAFE.