3 Shades of the Hypnotic Experience

Recently, much of time has been spent on a set of one-on-one sessions with individuals interested in how self-hypnosis can help them make positive changes to their personal and professional lives.

One person desires more focus on the job.  Another seeks peaceful sleep.  A third hopes to quell teeth grinding.

In the next few weeks, I’ll return to a group setting with three interesting and unique performances.

Self-Hypnosis 4 Love

Hosted in partnership with DC Global Adventurers

Tuesday, February 12 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Chevy Chase, Maryland (Metro accessible)

I’ve established a wonderful relationship with the organizer of this social group and partnered with her in January on a similar event attended by nearly 20 of her members.  Here’s a recap.

The hypnotic induction and process I’ll use at this event is more personal than my standard performance.  In fact, it’s extremely close to how I approach an individual session.  The cost to attend is more than 50 percent less than I typically charge for a one-on-one meeting.

The Hypnotic Experience

Hosted in partnership with 20s and 30s Going Out Group

Friday, February 22 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Chinatown, Washington DC (Metro accessible)

With nearly 18,000 members, the 20s and 30s Going Out Group is one of the most profile social organizations in the Washington, DC area.

This performance will focus more on the entertainment aspects of hypnosis, yet I’ll incorporate a discussion about the power of positive visualization to achieve health and well-being, and to make meaningful life changes.  The event organizers anticipate more than 50 attendees.

The Power of Positive Visualization

Hosted in partnership with the Welcome Club of Northern Virginia

Thursday, March 7 from 11 AM to 1 PM

Reston, Virginia

I’ll be the featured speaker at the monthly luncheon held by this organization of professional women.  I plan to discuss the use of hypnosis as a tool to better manage stress, achieve balance and find greater fulfillment in life (professionally and personally).  

This is an invitation only event, so please call me at (301) 538-8100 or Email m.russell.hausman@gmail.com if you have an interest in attending.  

A group of volunteers at my "Hypnotic Experience" show at Bradley Farm in Herndon.

With the sleep suggestion, they instantly drop into a wonderful state of hypnosis.

"I Can't Be Hypnotized", She Thought. Or Could She?

In mid-January, I partnered with a social group called DC Global Adventurers to host an event entitled “New Year, New You: How Self-Hypnosis Can Help You Say True to Your Resolutions.”

Nearly 20 professionals attended the event to learn about the power of positive visualization, and experience a hypnotic induction.  You can read my recap of the event here.

One of the participants was enthusiastic about the soothing and relaxing comfort of hypnosis, yet she had trouble maintaining a trance in a group setting.  She bobbed in and out of the hypnotic state, and at times opened her eyes to compare how she was feeling with the others in the room.

I was pleasantly surprised when she reached out to me a few days later to arrange a one-on-one session.  We agreed to meet-up this past Saturday for what turned out to be an exceptional experience.

Here are a few of my impressions:

--Like most people who are attracted to hypnosis, she is intelligent, career oriented, active and athletic, and confident in her physical appearance.  She radiates energy, strength and comfort.

--Yet, I’ve also found these highly charged and successful professionals find any weakness (real or perceived) to be unacceptable.  For her, the flaw is an inability to maintain a high level of focus and attention on a particular task.

--Ironically, I have struggled with a comparable issue in my persona and professional lives.  Although never formally diagnosed, I consider it a slight case of ADHD; not severe enough to medicate, yet still limiting.

--As we began the induction she wasn’t convinced she could actually be hypnotized.  Admittedly, it did take some time to get her focused on concentration and visualization.  After the initial induction and a deepening process that lasted about 30 minutes, she began to immediately respond to my suggestions.  There was no doubt about whether she was hypnotizable.

--In my post hypnotic suggestions I focused on two guiding principles: 1) a positive feeling about hypnosis and a realization that she could easily return to this state during future sessions; and 2) a strong sense of clarity and focus on work-related tasks.

What was the outcome for her?  It may be too early to tell as the meaningful change through hypnosis can take time.  I’ll keep you updated when I receive feedback.

UPDATE, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013

In an Email exchange with this woman, she shared the following about the positive outcome from this one-on-one hypnosis session:

"I feel good focus on my job ..positive and for sure feel more productive.  Thank you so much once again!"

Hypnosis can help a person maintain a high level of focus on the job.  Image:  Scoremoresales.com

 

Taming the Shadows of Our Mind

Our subconscious lays in the shadows of our mind.  It influences our thoughts, perceptions and emotions.  It's there when we decide to take action, shaping how we respond to situations.

The subconscious even emerges in unexpected places – such as our dreams.  Or, in the case of a woman who I worked with this week, in the form of nightmares.

Highly intelligent, driven and an accomplished attorney, this woman is no push-over.  She takes life challenges head on, and does a remarkable job managing family, parenting and career.

Yet, at times when she closes her eyes at night she is met by unexpected nightmares.  We didn't dive into their specific content, yet she explained they awaken her and leave her so shaken she is often unable to return to sleep.

Could hypnosis be an effective tool to help her enjoy a more peaceful and restful night?

Like many professionals in the areas of law, accounting and finance that require a high level of critical thinking, it took some time to get her into a deeply relaxed hypnotic state.  I guided her through a primary induction and then multiple deepening visualizations over a 45 minute period.

Even when she instantly and willingly responded to the “sleepsuggestion," she refrained from acting on other basic hypnotic suggestions (i.e. heavy hands, blank mind, etc.).  I even showed her a photograph of what she looked like in a hypnotic trance as a visual reinforcement of its effectiveness. 

Yet, I was comfortable enough with her level of relaxation and focus to introduce three post-hypnotic suggestions:

--Positive feeling about the hypnotic process to encourage the use of self-hypnosis

--Overall relaxation and stress management

--Feeling of confidence, comfort and warmth when getting ready to sleep at night

The next day we exchanged text messages and she shared the following: 

“Just about to text you.  I slept well!  Feeling low stress.  Thank you so much!”

Are the nightmares now in the past?  Well...that's still something she will need to work on using self-hypnosis and positive visualization.

Like the other aspects of her life, she is empowered now to manage this challenge.  That is the promise and value of hypnosis.

Nightmares can result from an eager and anxious subconscious mind.  Can hypnosis help?  Photo:  Fanpop.com.

Hypnotized Celebrities

My wife is a smart, sassy, caring and career-oriented.  Each day I recognize how blessed I am to have her in my life.

Like all people though she has her vices which (in my opinion) unfortunately include reality television and celebrity gossip.

So...with my wife in mind I share a link to this brief article from OK Magazine that reports on Duchess Kate's use of hypnosis to improve her appetite during her pregnancy.  The article also lists other celebrities who have turned to hypnosis as a tool to improve well being and/or alter undesired behavior, including:

Princess Diana
Kevin Costner
Bruce Willis
Jessica Alba
Ellen DeGeneres
Orlando Bloom


The singer and actress Mandy Moore is also a practitioner of hypnosis to improve confidence and comfort when performing.

Duchess Kate, practitioner of hypnosis.  Photo:  JustJared.com

Teeth Grinding Stress - Can Hypnosis Help?

In the six years since I began to introduce others to the soothing, calming and healing affects of hypnosis I have come to realize we all have issues.  In our personal lives.  In our careers.  And in how we view ourselves.

Here’s a recent example.  This past week I shared the hypnotic process with a woman who works in the health and wellness industry.  She’s a fitness junkie and an active practitioner of Pilates, yoga, cardio exercise and weight training.

Her physical beauty is just part of her story.  She is personable, intelligent, focused in her career and, as a result, in a job she loves and finds fulfilling.

It’s all perfect, right?

Not quite.  Like all of us, she deals with stresses from multiple sources – some new, others long-standing.

She has a strained connection with a close family member.  She has been in difficult romantic relationships.  She works in an industry that can be unstable at times.

Soothing visualization is a part of the hypnotic process.

As I have written about on this blog, stress is negative energy our body often seeks to remove through physical outcomes.   

We could have trouble sleeping at night.  Our immune system might become compromised leaving us open to illness.  We may develop chest pains or tightness of breath.

For her, the physical outcome is grinding teeth.  It happens often and especially at night.  And, creates an unfortunate and self-perpetuating cycle of grinding…which leads to anxiety…that generates stress…which causes more grinding.

Can hypnosis help unwind the cycle?

In my approach, an introductory session walks a person through a hypnotic induction to make sure they are comfortable with the process.  I focus visualizations and suggestions on general stress relief and self confidence.

Yoga practitioners tend to be excellent hypnosis subjects because of their ability to focus.  This woman was no exception as she dropped quickly and deeply into a wonderfully relaxed state.

We didn’t address the teeth grinding, yet I had her come out of hypnosis feeling positive, confident and in control of her surroundings.  Here is what she wrote to me in an Email exchange the next day:

“It was so wonderful to meet you! I feel great…I plan to use what I learned yesterday in the yoga class I am about to take.”

After some research on Hypnothoughts (an online community of hypnotists), I sent her a couple of examples of how positive visualization has helped people overcome teeth grinding.  They’re included below. 

I’ll update the blog if we meet up again to take this issue head on.

Example 1:  My hypnotherapist had me relax my jaw muscles, then double it, and again double it, (I was drooling at this point) and gave a very direct suggestion that my jaw and mouth stay that relaxed while I sleep. I've had great results though during times of extreme stress I notice tightness. I then reintroduce the relax suggestion with self hypnosis.


Example 2:  When I married my husband I had to find a quick way to "cure" bruxism. He ground his teeth so badly every night I couldn't sleep. Every 3-4 weeks he had to get his dental appliance either repaired or replaced.

Since I was really new to hypnosis I did a very easy direct approach, "Every time your teeth touch while you are sleeping you will immediately relax your jaw and mouth muscles". Yes, I now know I didn't address the cause, but one session and 3 nights listening to his tape fixed the problem. Once every 3 to 4 years I notice a little grinding and put the tape in the player. Usually one night is enough reinforcement.

We have been married going on 17 years. The only unhappy person is the dentist who actually called to see why Herb had quit coming for fixes.

Exploring Self-Hypnosis with DC Global Adventurers

“This was a great introduction to the group. Thank you Nejla for organizing this meet up. Thoroughly enjoyed it!”

Comment from an attendee

I have a life plan.  It is flexible.  It evolves and shifts.  It focuses on my physical, emotional and spiritual points of fulfillment – marriage, parenting, family, career, mentoring and caring for others.

“Hypnotic Experience” was born from this plan.  It’s what brought me to the Friendship Heights Village Center on Tuesday evening.

I was fortunate to have connected with Nejla Routsong who founded and directs an 1,100 person Meetup group called DC Global Adventurers.  Unlike other social groups that focus solely on single-centric activities (i.e. bar trivia, Karoke, etc.), Nejla creates unique and health-oriented events, such as nature retreats, meditation and yoga.

Together, Nejla and I co-hosted an event entitled “New Year, New You: How Self-Hypnosis Can Help You Say True to Your Resolutions.”  Sixteen members of the group braved a rainy, cold and unpleasant evening in Washington, DC to attend.

Here are a few initial observations from the two hour event:

1.  Consistent with past events I have hosted or participated in, the people who seek new approaches for improvement tend to already lead exceptional lives.  The group this evening was professionally oriented, altruistic and socially conscious.

Plus, it was a stunningly attractive group of people.  Different looks and different cultural backgrounds, yet I suspect each attendee is someone who is noticed when she enters a room.    

2.  Notice I wrote “she.”  That’s because 15 of the 16 participants were women.  Again, that is right in step with what I have found in my other group sessions. 

During my introductory remarks, I acknowledge that in my experience practicing and teaching hypnosis I have found that women put more pressure on themselves to be perfect in all aspects of their life.  This self-induced intensity can create stress-related issues and negative outcomes.

I wrote about this issue last year in a blog post I titled the “Impossibility of Perfection.”

3.  I do my best during the pre-talk to set realistic expectations about the hypnotic process, what it feels like to be hypnotized and anticipated outcomes.  Yet, there is often a sense of disappointment in the experience from some attendees when they realize it’s not magic.

Hypnosis is refreshing, relaxing and incredibly positive for most.  Yet, there’s no loss of self or time.

I now tackle this issue head on by encouraging each attendee to incorporate self-hypnosis into their daily routine for a two week period.  Will they achieve a more positive outlook?  Can they sleep better at night?  Display improved self-esteem?

You bet.  While the changes may be subtle, they are real and meaningful. 

Positive change is in each of us already and hypnosis is merely a tool to re-shape how we subconsciously view ourselves and the world around us.

When a person comes to this realization I feel a tremendous sense of fulfillment.  It’s all part of my life plan.

Sleeping Well with Hypnosis

Hypnosis can help ensure a peaceful and productive night of sleep.  Photo:  20minutestodeepsleep.

From time-to-time, I will connect up with a person for an impromptu hypnosis session.  We’ll be talking about health or injury recovery, and my experience using hypnosis as a tool for physical and emotional well being will come up.

This type of informal, five to 10 minute introduction to hypnosis is merely designed to quickly take someone through the process and demonstrate the power of positive visualization.  I keep the post-hypnotic suggestions simple and focus on two related areas:  1) general stress relief; and 2) healthy sleep.

Why sleep?

It is because a restful and peaceful night is the time for the mind and body to repair, recover and prepare for the next day.  And most of us simply don’t get enough quality sleep.

Let’s view the word “quality” as the most important one in the last sentence.  The reality is that some people simply do not have the time for seven to nine hours of sleep a night. 

Consider corporate CEOs as an example.  This recent article published by Business Insider addresses head on the lack of time most corporate leaders have for rest.  

Your time must be as productive and beneficial as possible.  And that’s where hypnosis can help.

Message me by Email at m.russell.hausman@gmail.com if you’d like to learn more or sign up for the seminar I am co-hosting tomorrow evening in partnership with DC Global Adventurers Meetup Group.  Here’s a link:

http://www.dcadventurers.com/events/96318522/

I’m confident the event attendees will have a wonderful night of sleep on Tuesday evening.

Keep Your New Year Resolution with Positive Visualizations

This past Saturday morning I pulled into the parking lot at Bethesda Sport & Health Club to be greeted by row upon row of cars.  It was so jammed that I was forced to make the trek to an off-site public garage to secure a spot.

Welcome to the post New Year's health club with its throngs of newly signed members who are trying to make good on their resolution for improved fitness.  Although the parking inconvenience was an irritant, I am comforted by the fact that many of these January health hounds will toss in the towel on their well-being commitment in just a few weeks.

Come February, weekend parking at the Club will no longer be such a challenge.

It shouldn't be that way though.  For many people, the process of following through on New Year's Resolutions (i.e. better health, smoking cessation, career advancement, etc.) requires a shift in thinking at the subconscious level.

That's the focus of an event I am co-hosting the evening of Tuesday, January 15th in Chevy Chase, Maryland in partnership with a social meetup group called DC Global Adventurers.     

Entitled "New Year, New You:  How Self-Hypnosis Can Help You Stay True to Your New Year Resolution," the event will bring together a group of professionals to discuss their resolutions, and then experience how hypnosis can be used as a tool to maintain focus and motivation.

I plan to use a hypnotic induction similar to the one I employed during the "Hypnosis for Exceptional Living" event I presented in November with Professionals in the City.  It's an incredibly relaxing process with a couple of positive visualizations designed to instill feelings of strength, confidence and self-esteem.

I've included below more information about next week's event, including a link to the registration Web page.  I encourage you to join us or contact me directly at m.russell.hausman@gmail.com or (301) 538-8100 to arrange a one-on-one or small group session.


New Year, New You:  How Self-Hypnosis Can Help You Stay True to Your New Year Resolution
Friendship Heights Village Center
Chevy Chase, Maryland
Tuesday, January 15 - 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Cost:  $35

Location is metro accessible - Red Line (Friendship Heights)

A hypnotic induction in action from my performance at Bradley Farm Haunted Mansion festival in October 2012.

Prison Yoga Proves Its Value

Here is an exceptional article and set of photographs published by the New York Times about the practice of yoga in correctional facilities.

Finding a Center in Prison


My initial reaction was so anti-Zen.  Why is the city of Richmond spending tax payer money to teach prisoners yoga?

After reading the article and a bit of reflection, the answer to that question is clear. 

Four Take-Aways from New Year's Eve Hypnosis

Wonderful volunteers and an engaged audience enjoy "Hypnotic Experience."  That's me wearing the vest.

The last time I was awake and coherent at 3:30 AM was more than 20 years ago in college. 

Yet, that was the time on the clock when I rolled in last night after my performance of the “Hypnotic Experience” at a New Year’s Eve party at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC.  It was a fabulous party sponsored by Professionals in the City, an organization that has hosted me at events a couple of times during the past year.

While I have performed “Hypnotic Experience” at community festivals, fundraisers and private parties, this was my initial shot at a marquee event on New Year’s Eve.  I consider the evening a success, but I also came away with some valuable lessons learned.

1.  Get a clear understanding prior to the event of the dynamics and logistics. The audio/visual requirements for Hypnotic Experience are modest, however I had assumed the hotel would provide a sound system.  Bad call by me. 

Thankfully, my contact at Professionals in the City was able to score an extra wireless microphone and speaker from one of the performing DJs.  Without it, the show would have been sunk.

2.  At a large event with many entertainment options, expect multiple interruptions during a performance.  Good news…there was healthy interest in the Hypnotic Experience show and I had a wonderful group of volunteers.

Bad news…the door in the back of the room was constantly swinging open during the show as new people came in.  The frequent interruptions and distraction made it difficult to get the volunteers to a depth of hypnosis that they would accept even the simplest suggestions.

3.  Entertainment plus guests enjoying alcohol equals hecklers.  This was a first for me and it was only an issue at my late show at 12:30 AM.  There were no audience issues during my earlier 10:30 PM performance.

My response was simply to ask a couple of people to leave the room once they became belligerent.  Thankfully, they did so, although not without creating a scene.

4.  Be flexible and go with the flow.  It quickly became apparent the environment was not going to allow for any of my volunteers to act on hypnotic suggestions.  As such, I dropped the entertainment aspect of the show and focused on the use of hypnosis to achieve positive outcomes in life (i.e. stress management, self-esteem, career advancement, etc.).

The volunteers emerged from the process feeling refreshed, energized and, most important, positive about hypnosis.  I had a line of people after each performance asking for my card.

Explaining the sleep suggestion.  Note one of my volunteers to my right in hypnosis.

The first show of the evening attracted a great crowd...and no hecklers!

Featured performer on the London Stage at Professionals in the City NY Eve Gala.