As a fixture during the past two years on the track and field team, she is already an accomplished high school athlete.
For her senior year she is attempting at join the varsity
volleyball team. She practiced all
summer; spending hours on the beach working on basic skills and fitness.
Yet, the initial anxiety arrived the moment she walked in
the gym. The doubt in her mind doubled
when the coach expressed surprise in her appearance at try-outs.
“I thought you were just a runner,” the coach commented.
Would this mental adversity thwart her volleyball
aspirations? Could hypnosis help this
athlete discover the fortitude required to perform at a high level?
Last week my family enjoyed its annual trek to the Delaware
shore for a vacation. Each evening, the
city of Rehoboth Beach lights up two blocks of sand and encourages guests to
enjoy some athletic activity.
My two older sons and I make a visit to the beach for at least
an hour every night to throw the baseball.
It is wonderful bonding time and gives my wife the opportunity to get
our baby to bed.
I met this aspiring high school volleyballer, and we struck
up a conversation about how hypnosis can serve as a tool to inspire confidence and
enhance athletic performance. She
immediately expressed an interest in giving it a try with the goal of finding
balance and focus at each tryout.
A few thoughts from our impromptu hypnosis session:
--Often referred to as street hypnosis, the ability to help
a person achieve a deep level of trance and suggestibility in a public setting
presents some unique challenges. There
are constant and ongoing distractions that can interrupt flow. Hypnotizing someone on a beach (i.e. beach-nosis)
can be daunting.
--In this case, I employed a couple of focus exercises
before utilizing the heavy/light arms visualization. It was the right approach for her as she
dropped deep into hypnosis when given the sleep
suggestion. She remained relaxed and
in trance for the entire 15 minute session, going deeper with every breath and
heartbeat.
--From there, it was simply taking her through a few
visualizations designed to inspire confidence.
I have a couple of “go to” ones I use for athletes, which I then marry
up with a power word. When a person then
thinks or whispers the power word the result in a swell of confidence at the
subconscious level.
--When I saw her the next evening, she reported a much more
productive and successful second day at tryouts. In fact, the coach asked her to demonstrate
the appropriate technique for setting to the rest of the team.
Although an athlete must have skill and talent, this
beach-nosis experience serves as a reminder of the potency of confidence and
mental strength.
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| The hypnotist and his family on vacation last week. |
