Client: "I completely forgot about smoking"

Last week a client of mine (and 35-year, every day smoker) was kind enough to do a brief interview with me about her experience since using my Stop Smoking Hypnosis program a little more than four months ago. I have to admit, her feedback was impressive... even to me!

I'll have a full audio interview with her posted this week, but in the meantime, here are a few of her very own words in print:

"I was a die-hard smoker. I never really thought I could quit.

I was hoping and praying that this would work. I just didn't know how easy and effortless it was going to be... just completely effortless.

I kept thinking 'I'm forgetting something... I don't know what I'm forgetting, but I'm forgetting something.'

I didn't even think about smoking. It didn't even enter my mind. Within a week or so, I truly forgot about smoking. It was just amazing. It was a miracle.

It's been four months and I know I'm never going to smoke again. I don't even think about smoking... it's the last thing on my mind. It's just not a part of my life anymore."

Jan Madajewski
Flowery Branch, GA

Top 3 Hypnosis Myths

Pretty much everyone who's never been hypnotized has at least one of these worries on the mind. So, without further ado... let's destroy some myths!

1. You Lose Control When Hypnotized

This one comes mostly from watching comedy hypnosis shows. People in the audience see people on the stage doing such ridiculous things (like my rendition of Britney Spears' "Hit Me Baby, One More Time" while hypnotized on stage in Las Vegas in '07)... they think "Well, they would NEVER act like that if they knew what was going on!"


Hypnotized high school students during one of my shows

Well, well... let's hold on there just a minute.

Yes, it's true that, while hypnotized, people do things they wouldn't otherwise do. However, they will only do what they feel is appropriate given the situation. For example, you behave differently when you're around your best friend than you behave in an elevator, right? Most people do. Being hypnotized makes you feel very comfortable and relaxed, which allows you to goof around and take things less seriously. It also allows you to focus on what the hypnotist says, while forgetting about problems or distractions.

Sounds terrible, right? Ask me again why I do this for a living...

2. You Forget Everything You Do Under Hypnosis

Sometimes in the comedy shows, the hypnotist will suggest people forget what they did on stage. Pay special attention to the word "suggest." It's not a command. If the person chooses to accept the suggestion, they can forget most of what happened. Basically, it can be like a dream... that while vivid, disappears from awareness upon awakening.


This hypnotized subject remembered everything, and he wasn't a bit upset!

However, most of the time, you'll remember every detail. I know I do... and I've been hypnotized on stage many times. I've also spoken with people who volunteered during my own comedy shows, and they are usually surprised at how much they remember.

Hypnosis isn't like going to sleep at night. It's more like daydreaming. So yes, you can forget things... but it's not required.

3. Some People Can't Be Hypnotized

A Stanford Psychologist named Ernest R. Hilgard did some studies on hypnosis in the 1950's, and one of the conclusions he came up with was that certain people were "unhypnotizable." Not that his studies were ill-intentioned, but the findings ended up being a statement about the hypnotist, not the subjects being hypnotized.


Stanford psychologist Ernest Hilgard (left)

There's a famous story about psychiatrist and hypnosis pioneer Milton H. Erickson, in which he takes three subjects described as "unhypnotizable" by Hilgard and very quickly puts them into a trance.


Psychiatrist Milton H. Erickson

The induction used by Hilgard in his experiments on "hypnotizability" was a slow, monotone voice on a tape recorder. Naturally, some people responded to it, while others did not. This is why some people don't get hypnotized during comedy shows. This is also why, with a trained hypnotherapist, anyone can be hypnotized very easily.

The trick is to have enough flexibility as a hypnotist to notice how the individual is responding and alter the induction accordingly. When that's the case, anyone can do it... but only if you want to!

The key thing to remember about hypnosis is that it takes place though cooperation, not control. You don't "give up" anything and no one can "make you" do anything.

Now go watch The Manchurian Candidate (the original version) and have yourself a good laugh...

Lose Weight, Not Sleep

I wanted to share an eye-opening story with you that could help jump-start your weight loss.

A recent client of mine responded extremely well to hypnosis. Immediately following her first session, her eating habits improved. She began eating smaller amounts of healthier foods... even planning her meals in advance due to her intense travel schedule and the amount of time she spent on the road in hotels.



Week after week we worked together on various aspects of healthy eating and exercise, and each time she reported feeling better and overall, excellent results.

There was just one problem... she wasn't losing any weight.

To her credit, she maintained a positive attitude. After all, she did realize that she was feeling better, and that her choices were completely different than before.

Once in a while, I'll run into a client like this. What I've learned is that there are often other aspects of one's lifestyle that can have an affect.

I asked her about her workload, and she replied that during the past couple months, she was working 14-16 hour days. Furthermore, she was only sleeping 2-5 hours per night.

Having read many articles and scientific studies that demonstrate a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain or obesity, I suggested that she begin sleeping at least 7-8 hours per night. Now, this wasn't easy, but she did it.

One month later, I saw her again. At first, she spoke about how her last week had been a bit more stressful, and that she could have done a bit better with her food choices. Then she calmly mentioned that, during the previous month, she had lost 11 pounds!

Here are just a few recent articles about sleep and weight loss:

Snooze and You'll Lose: Rest Can Be a Secret Weapon
Sleep May Be the Critical Factor for Weight Loss and Health
Sleep Loss Contributes to Weight Gain

Being healthier is about more than just taking in fewer calories. Your body needs nutritious foods, plenty of water, sunshine, fresh air, rest and sleep. Make these key changes in your life and your body will heal itself... in addition to shedding any excess weight.

You've got nothing to lose but... well, you know.

Video: Hypnosis for Public Speaking

Hypnosis FAQ: "Will I Lose Awareness While Hypnotized?"

This video is taken from my stop smoking hypnosis seminar on World Hypnotism Day - January 4th, 2009. Here, I talk briefly about the state of hypnosis and what it's like... and how you remain aware of what is happening throughout the process.

Podcast: What's a Session Like?

In this short podcast, I talk about what you should (and shouldn't) expect during a typical hypnotherapy session.

Enjoy-

FAQ - Why I Became a Hypnotherapist

How I Became a Hypnotherapist

On the day that would eventually change the course of my life, I was already well on my way to a successful career in television. I took a job with CNN a few months after graduating from the University of Miami, and a short time later, I had my first opportunity to work in front of the camera. Even though it was a small division of the network, I was actually on CNN.



On this particular day, I was home (in Michigan) for the holidays, visiting my best friend Steve, whom I've known since the first grade. While waiting for him to get ready so we could head out for lunch, I browsed a bookshelf and came across a small paperback book on self-hypnosis.

Curious (and wanting to kill some time), I picked it up and read a few pages. At that point, my only experience with hypnosis had been a couple stage hypnosis shows I'd seen in college.

My First Experience Being Hypnotized

As soon as I returned to Atlanta, I bought myself a book on hypnosis for beginners. After trying self-hypnosis a couple times on my own and being unsure of how much it had "worked," I found a reputable hypnotherapist and made an appointment. I asked him to make a tape of the session so I could use it to practice self-hypnosis at home, and he did.

As you have probably guessed, I had a very positive experience that day. I had never been so relaxed and so clear-headed in my life as I was after that brief, 90-minute session. I began to see and experience things in entirely new ways.

I listened to my tape every day, often more than once, and before long I didn't need a tape at all. I was able to sit down and hypnotize myself in minutes, which gave me poise and clarity whenever I needed it. I was now able to be calm, relaxed and in control during stressful times when others around me lost their cool.

I was so impressed by how well hypnosis worked for me that I decided to change my direction in life. I read every book on the subject I could get my hands on, and then went to school for some hands-on training. With hypnosis, I had found my calling. I had a passion for it. I still do.

While I was in training, I was instantly amazed to discover that the things I was learning to do actually worked. Before I even graduated, I had helped a friend quit smoking, helped rid a classmate of a lifelong phobia, and gained more control over my own eating habits than I ever had before. Everything I learned had a purpose. Everything I learned was useful.

One of the first questions people ask me is "Does this stuff really work?" The answer is a resounding "yes. "

Free and Independent

Everyone has problems. Everyone has stress. Everyone could use a way to relax and see things from a new perspective. Hypnosis and hypnotherapy provide that opportunity for every person: the opportunity to gain more control over their minds, their behaviors and their lives.




I never became dependent on my hypnotherapist. In fact, he gave me independence. He made it easier for me solve my own problems. My goal is to do the same for every client with whom I am fortunate enough to work.

Sincerely,

Sean Wheeler