Hypnosis is focused concentration. It is a natural state we go in and out of several times a day. Most people are not aware of this true definition of hypnosis. Some examples of natural hypnotic state include:

• Watching a movie and focusing so intensely that you are not distracted by external sensation
• Being at dinner, reaching for the salt and so engrossed in a friend’s story that you stop yourself in mid-reach
• Driving a car and day dreaming
• Reading a good book and not hearing the kids playing in the next room

Another word for theses states of being is trance, and the trance state varies in depth. Hypnosis is a word that has many negative connotations and yet it is a natural and totally safe opportunity to focus inward. A therapist can stimulate the trance state, but only with the individual’s agreement. If you are not in agreement with moving into a trance state, you will not get there. And you will only go as deep as you desire. No one can make you go there.

Alternative Labels for Hypnosis include:
• Guided Imagery
• Guided Meditation
• Deep Relaxation
• Visualization

As a Clinical Hypnotherapist, I help clients intensely focus inwardly while deeply relaxing. I believe that there is all you need to help you “be the best you,” within your own subconscious. The therapist can guide you in accessing your own power to heal from within.

Because your consent is the cornerstone of allowing yourself to go to this deep level, your trust in the therapist is extremely important. Without trust, your subconscious will block you from accessing important and often immediate transformational information.

There is a great misconception to hypnosis and that is while in a state of trance, you are unaware of what is going on. This is absolutely not true. Just like when watching an enthralling movie and you block out the phone, or the kids next door you may not consciously be aware of the possible distractions but if the kids came in the room with a bloody lip, you would immediately stop what you are doing. It is the same with being hypnotized. If the hypnotist asks you to do something that is out of alignment with your wishes, you will immediately be fully aware.

Everyone’s subconscious mind has a natural protective ability. For example, another hypnotherapist tells a story of before he became a hypnotherapist, he was going to one and while in the deep trance state, she told him to update his look by shaving his beard and moustache and getting rid of his glasses. He was not in agreement with directive and suddenly was fully alert and told her that that was a wrong thing to do. I could not agree more, it is wrong and unethical to direct clients where it was never their intention to go. Luckily your subconscious protector, sometimes called “the overseer” is always at work.

Another misconception is that you won’t remember. Many times people will say “I wasn’t hypnotized, I remember everything you said.” Unfortunately, there is no signifying bell that goes off telling you “now you are hypnotized.” Most of the session will be remembered.

After a session with my clients, we do a review where I go over my notes of what happened and my assessment. By going over what occurred, most people then recall any missing details.

Hypnosis Helps With
Hypnosis helps with many issues some of which include:

• Stress
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Fears and Phobias
• Sleeplessness
• Grief and Bereavement
• Career Guidance
• Pain
• Relationships


Hypnosis is natural and completely safe. While some results may come in the first session, it may take several sessions depending upon how deep the pain and your ability to open yourself to the process and to the therapist. As long as you are able to trust your Hypnotherapist and your desire is in agreement with your deepest self, you will see results. There is great healing available from within yourself, we all have it. You can access it yourself through meditation a good hypnotherapist is simply a vehicle to open this access to your highest self.

I came across a lovely story yesterday, thanks to my lovely hubby, Dennis.  We were researching which judges in our area to vote for. 

Dennis found a story on You Tube about this judge that actually touched my heart deeply. 

This is not about who to vote for but a story about Justice Evelyn Stratton.  It is called her Violet Moon Story about her parents who were missionaries. 

Trust me when I say, take a 7 minute break and get inspired by hearing her story!

Justice Stratton's story is a very good story that exemplifies the Pay It Forward principle.  Another word many use to describe this is Karma; however, many think of karma as if you do something bad it comes back to you, but karma is neutral.  Karma can also be described as "What You Sow, So Shall You Reap."   In other words, what you do, think and project, good or bad, comes back to you.

Unfortunately karma does not always show itself in a logical cause and effect manner.  Sometimes it is years between the action and the effect.  This makes it more difficult for people to learn.  There is good reason for this though. It is part of the reason we come into this world.  It is one of our lessons we wanted to learn.  

It is a gift to realize that what you give to the world, be it in your thoughts, feelings and actions, comes back to you.  Thus, you are ultimately always either uplifting yourself or harming yourself.

I also want to share with you a beautiful group here on Gaia called Power of Success through Divine Love.  If inspirited, please feel free to join us at http://pods.gaia.com/powerofsuccess

From a counseling perspective, of course our past affects our current state of being.  Those things in our lives that have traumatized us can create deep long lasting responses.  Just as someone who has been abandoned by a loved one, this abandonment will rise up when a similar feeling occurs in the present moment. 

For example, say as a young girl, Lisa's father left her family or died.  This may leave Lisa with a deep fear of abandonment.  This fear and hurt if left unresolved will pop up in very negative ways for Lisa.  Like if a friend calls to cancel a date, these old feelings may make Lisa overreact or become depressed.  So to say the past affects us if left unresolved is accurate and profound.

No matter what your belief in past lives is you can still heal from Past Life Regression Therapy.  Think of it this way.  The sub-conscious mind, also known as your higher self, is always guiding you; whether you choose to listen or not is another issue.  The sub-conscious can use imagination and metaphors to provide you with the answers you need to gather deeper understanding of yourself and your motives.  So you can think of Past Life regression as just imagination.  It doesn't matter.  By going with the imagination and just allowing thoughts and images to flow to you, amazing revelations can occur.  These revelations can have lasting effect on your present and future state of being.

While I personally have always believed in past lives, I use to think there was no use for those memories.  Since working with clients and Past Life Regression, I realize the depth of healing that can occur from these memories.  Just as, quite often the past experiences (this life or others) affect our current, deep healing occurs by acknowledging the past. 

Past life memories can also be thought of as creative imagination, your subconscious's ability to bring up issues and create metaphors for growth and healing.  Just like dreams can be metaphor or other types allowing your subconscious to speak to you. 

Your subconscious is your true self, your highest self, your Soul Self.  You can tap into your subconscious on your own by meditating, praying, listening inwardly, and hypnosis (the deep state of relaxation and focused concentration).  Practice helps.  You can access healing much more quickly with practiced meditation.

I respect all points of view.  For my clients, it doesn't matter if they believe it to be real, what does matter, is that healing and change occurs in this life and moving ahead.  This takes being open to the experience, even if it is viewed as just imagination. 

Don't get caught up on words and semantics, just evaluate from the standpoint am I behaving and feeling different, better, than I was before the session.