October Event: Hypnosis - a Positive Approach to Exceptional Living

A few weeks back I connected with an organization called Professionals in the City to talk about including my "Hypnotic Experience" show as part of the entertainment line-up for their New Year's Eve event.  Admittedly, I assumed this was just another one of those singles groups that organizes parties, speed dating events, vacation trips and other social activities.

Yes...Professionals in the City does those things for its more than 200,000 members and they do them well.  In fact, they organize, promote and present 1,000 events a year for adults of all ages. 

Yet, the organization also produces an eclectic mix of events designed to enhance the professional and personal success of its members.  For instance, last night Professionals in the City hosted a panel discussion entitled "How to Start Your Own Business."  It featured four exceptional entrepreneurs.

That's why I am thrilled to have partnered with Professionals in the City to create an event that will focus on the use of hypnosis as a tool to achieve positive outcomes in life -- personal and professional.  The event is scheduled for the evening of Monday, October 29th in Washington, DC and you can register here.

Plus, if you use the promotional code Hypnosis11292 when registering, you'll receive $5 off of tickets purchased in advance.

Included below is a detailed description of the event.  I hope you can attend!


Hypnosis: A Positive Approach to Exceptional Living

WHEN: Monday, October 29, 2012 from 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM

WHERE: MOCA DC Galleries 1054 31st St NW in Canal Square Washington, DC 20007-4403 Closest Metro: Foggy Bottom

PRICE: $30.00 if purchased by 5 p.m. Friday, October 05

An Introduction to Self-Hypnosis: A Positive Approach for Relaxation, Stress Management, Career Achievement and Exceptional Living

Hypnosis...it's a powerful word that defines a process that few understand. Put aside the image of a swinging watch or comedy club antics because that is not what this seminar is about.

Our speaker will explain how hypnosis can be used as a tool to relax, to better manage stressful situations, to improve well-being, to increase career or academic focus, and, simply put, to achieve more fulfillment out of life. If you enjoy yoga, meditation, acupuncture or other alternative approaches to health, then you will want to give hypnosis a try.

As part of the seminar, our speaker will walk you through a hypnotic induction process with positive visualizations so you feel refreshed, stress-free and completely energized. He'll then share the practice of self-hypnosis and how you can incorporate this approach to well being into everyday life to:

• Reduce the negative impact of stress
  
• Sleep better at night
  
• Enhance focus on the job or at school
  
• Be more patient with family and friends
  

Our speaker has practiced and taught self-hypnosis for more than five years. He performs his "Hypnotic Experience" show at community festivals, events, parties and for small groups.

Slaying Unwanted Habits with Hypnosis

At the fitness club this morning I linked up with a woman who is one of their most respected instructors.  She teaches yoga, as well as several aerobic and core muscle development classes.

We've chatted in the past about how hypnosis can be a wonderful tool to enhance the physical and emotional benefits of a consistent workout regimen.  Hypnosis helps improve focus, alleviates stress and facilitate more rapid physical recovery from exercise.  

It was perfect timing today as she had just finished teaching a class and had a few minutes to give hypnosis a try.  We set up in one of the yoga studios, and we were joined by her two teenage daughters and another woman who was in the room stretching.

What a fabulous session!  The hypnotic induction was successful as it typically is for practitioners of yoga.  They are open and comfortable with the relaxing, mediation-like process I employ and often have very creative minds.

It was the fourth woman who joined this session that I found most interesting.  She was chewing rather aggressively on a stick of gum and sported band-aids on the tips of four of her fingers.

After bringing her out of hypnosis to confirm she enjoyed the feeling, I learned during our talk that she's been under a considerable amount of stress.  To rid herself of this negative energy, she had developed a couple of unwanted habits:  1) biting at the cuticles on her fingernails; and 2) clenching and making uncomfortable movements with her tongue.

I gently returned her to the hypnotic state and encouraged her to focus on three positive suggestions:

1.  A feeling of confidence, calm and control that surges through her body whenever she feels anxious.

2.  A deep understanding that she is a wonderful mother, spouse and career-oriented professional.

3.  A wonderful sense of relaxation comparable to the soothing effects of a two hour full body massage.


Is hypnosis a cure-all for everything that plagues us physically and emotionally?  Of course not.  And this woman may indeed continue to struggle with these habits. 

Yet, hypnosis is an effective way to manage the harmful outcomes of stress and, equally important, to take ownership of her well being.  That's an important start!   

Anxiety, nerves and stress can lead to bad habits.  Hypnosis can help.  Image:  Bigstockphoto.

The Suggestion of Sleep

When was the last time you felt well rested?

For many, merely the answer to this straightforward might condemn them to yet another restless night. 

The National Sleep Foundation reports the average person needs between seven and eight hours of sleep at night.  Yet, I suspect few of us actually meet that target on a consistent basis.

A quick study of my Facebook friend updates posted between two and five AM this morning reveals six people lamenting about their inability to fall asleep. 

Lack of sleep plagues all ages.  For instance, much has been written during the past few weeks about the toll this takes on college students -- irritability, depression, ineffective study habits, drug and alcohol abuse, etc.

While hypnosis is no magic cure all it can serve as a tool to facilitate peaceful rest.  It can help a person to quiet their mind and set an expectation they will achieve a wonderfully relaxing and deep state of sleep.

In fact, this is one of the most often requested post-hypnotic suggestions I'm asked to leave a person with as part of my "Hypnotic Experience" performance.

The joy of a great night of sleep.

         

The Impossibility of Perfection

Perfection is a wonderful aspiration, right?

For many it's sought in physical appearance.  Do a Web search using the phrase "plastic surgery and beauty" and you'll see what I mean.

For others, perfection is paramount in professional or academic accomplishment, athletic achievement and/or family relationships.  I used the words "and/or" in the previous sentence for a reason.  That's because the desire to craft perfection in different aspects of life can become all consuming.

The perfect marriage...perfect kids...perfect friends...perfect career...perfect hobbies - I hear this all of the time from my friends, neighbors and people I interact with professionally.

To this my response is always the same:  "For me, good enough is good enough."

Perfection is simply an unrealistic expectation.  Its pursuit creates an unsustainable level of stress and dissatisfaction that can manifest itself in a myriad of unhealthy ways, such as restless sleep, irritability, illness, nagging physical injuries, poor career or classroom performance, etc.

In my pre-talk prior to the start of a hypnotic induction I seek to learn a bit about the person who has expressed interest in exploring emotional and physical balance and well being.  I don't probe too far, yet it is often apparent the person has set themselves up for failure and disappointment by pursuing perfection in aspects of their life.

It's not an age thing either.  Earlier this month I hypnotized a group of college and high school students who had defined completely unachievable goals for themselves in school, athletics and personal relationships.  A fair number of them expressed feelings of regret for perceived failure.

Hypnosis is a powerful tool that can help an individual let go of pent up stress and tension, and more effectively manage it in the future.

Plus, I typically encourage a person under hypnosis to embrace the concept they are beautiful, smart, energetic, confident and loved exactly the way they are.  Good enough is good enough!

Yuck!  The unrealistic journey to perfection can create stress and anxiety.  Source: CNN.com

   

Stress Mitigation is All Personal

There is a wonderful article in today's Health & Science section of the Washington Post entitled "Many Sick Kids Get the Point of Acupuncture."

Author Laura Ungar explores the use of this alternative approach to health and well being as a tool to help children struggling with chronic pain.  In the piece, Ungar references the 2007 National Health Interview Survey that found that more 150,000 children were receiving the needle treatment annually for conditions such as pain, migraine and anxiety.

A few years back I gave acupuncture a try as I experimented with different approaches to stress management.  I did enjoy the experience, yet found the process (and the result) to be more physical.  Plus, the incorporation of acupuncture into my ongoing health regimen would require ongoing trips to a specialist and the related costs.  

As a result, I gravitated to the more emotionally balancing approach of self-hypnosis.  For me, it's a better outcome and I have more flexibility in how often and when I can use it.

Ultimately, the approach you employ for stress mitigation, pain relief and emotion/physical well being is a personal decision.  On this blog I have written about Yoga-nidra and Bikram, and will soon explore cranialsacral therapy and the Alexander technique.

Do something though as carrying unwanted stress and negative energy can impact the quality of your life.

Needles stimulate pressure points for stress relief.  Source: HealthScienceArticles.com

  

Hypnotic Intersection: Focus on Positive Outcomes

In the six years that I have practiced and shared hypnosis I have come to focus my "Hypnotic Experience" performance and demonstration on four core applications that I have found to have the broadest appeal:

1.  Stress management for relaxation and emotional balance

2.  Academic achievement and test taking enhancement

3.  Athletic performance and physical recovery

4.  General entertainment and comedy

My performances this past weekend were an example of the intersection of hypnosis for entertainment, while focusing on a positive outcome -- success in the classroom.

Yesterday, I went through a basic hypnotic induction process with a woman who has practiced guided meditation since the 8th grade.  Her focus has been on establishing a healthy sleep pattern (which she has), along with general stress mitigation.

She has also shared her approach to meditation with her daughter who has also embraced its positive influence on general well being.  However, they had yet to explore how positive visualization could influence performance in school, in competitive athletics, physical health, etc.

I gave her a couple of things to consider and I suspect she'll dive into this further in private with her daughter. 

More than stress management...hypnosis for achievement.  Image:  Chapman Medical

      

One Hypnotizing Weekend

A group of exceptional students give hypnosis a try.

I was fortunate to have lined up this Labor Day holiday weekend three opportunities to introduce hypnosis to people who expressed an interest in learning how it can be used for stress management, academic excellence and athletic performance.  Here's a recap of each session:

Georgetown University's Midnight Carnival

What a wonderful event!  It was produced and hosted by two rising juniors as part of the school's welcome week for new and returning students.

Held on campus this past Friday night, Midnight Carnival featured food, games, rides and interesting entertainment -- DJ, fire juggler, pie eating contest and me (the hypnotist).

I've developed a unique approach for performances at community events, fairs, carnival, parties, etc.  Rather than a traditional comedy hypnosis show, I weave together a bit of stand-up comedy, an educational overview of hypnosis and its positive applications, a hypnotic induction for volunteers and then a set of entertaining suggestions.

Turn-out for Midnight Carnival was exceptional and I had a dozen volunteers.  I kept four on stage for most of the hour long show with two young ladies sticking it out through the end.  They went the deepest into hypnosis and were the most suggest-able.

The highlight was one of the women under hypnosis doing a wonderful rendition of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" to win the fictitious $10,000 Georgetown University American Idol competition.

I have a message in to the event hosts to see if I can get a couple of photos to post.


Helping Fix a Flawed Shoulder

The wife of a guy I play basketball with from time-to-time has had a tough go of it during the past few months due to a significant shoulder injury.  She has dealt with a couple of surgeries and is now in the middle of physical therapy, which can be incredibly painful.

She quickly entered hypnosis which allowed me to use one of my favorite visualizations - wash the pain away.  She emerged from the process energized, relaxed and focused on a successful recovery.

Amen to that!


Gathering of an Exceptional Set of High Schoolers

I very much enjoy working with young people to help them focus on academic achievement, successful test taking skills and athletic performance.  In fact, I conducted a number of informal sessions last month while on vacation at the beach with college and high school athletes.

Earlier today, a friend was kind enough to invite me to her home to introduce hypnosis to her daughter and a group of her friends.  They were all bright, smart, social and athletic.  I suspect they comprise the popular group at school, yet each acknowledged a level of stress that comes with dealing with pressures of this age.

The demonstration went well and everyone found the process relaxing, yet none of the participants actually went deeply into hypnosis.  This happens from time-to-time and is often attributed to distractions in the environment.  (In this case, there was a younger brother who raised a bit of a ruckus.)

Additionally, I suspect that because the kids are all such good friends there was a social element to the gathering that may have limited the hypnotic experience.  Next time around I'll probably sit the kids farther apart, rather than having them lounge comfortably on a couch.

Smart, stylish, athletic and popular...yet still faced with stress.