Allow yourself to take a deep breath
and as you gently exhale,
drift back to when snow drifted high...
illuminated by stars in the black frosty night...
with a soft jingle of sleigh bells in the distance.
Drift back to a time...
when you knew reindeer could fly.

Now step in from the cold holy night...
into a room bathed in a welcoming glow...
warmed by a cheery fireplace.
Air thick with the scent of peppermint...
cinnamon and pine...
a carol plays on a silvery music box.

In the center of this room...
you behold with the eyes of a wondrous child...
a magnificent evergreen...
its branches lit by tiny candles...
an angel of silk and lace floats above...
and beneath its boughs, among the gifts...
a toy drum, a porcelain doll,
and a baby in a manger.

Now close your eyes, and experience...
the wonder, peace & joy...
of a child on this night...
Knowing these feelings...
are forever a part of you.

Copyright 2007 John Bittner,
Ocotillo Hypnosis, Chandler, AZ

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

I just realized that Oscar Hammerstein wrote a great affirmation for overcoming fear:

Whenever I feel afraid
I hold my head erect
And whistle a happy tune
So no one will suspect
I'm afraid.

While shivering in my shoes
I strike a careless pose
And whistle a happy tune
And no one ever knows
I'm afraid.

The result of this deception
Is very strange to tell
For when I fool the people
I fear I fool myself as well!

I whistle a happy tune
And ev'ry single time
The happiness in the tune
Convinces me that I'm not afraid.

From The King and I

The last two verses, in particular, seem to me to be very apropos to the process of hypnotherapy.

John B.

Ocotillo Hypnosis, Chandler, AZ

I had a question about this, so I thought I'd create a new blog entry for the response.

The Free Hypnosis Clinics I mentioned in my previous blog entry take place at the school, SWIHA, where I did my certification training. The students in the Hypnosis Certification program are required to participate in about 40 hours of work in the clinic in both therapist and observer roles.  The school publicizes the clinic in a variety of ways, so there is diversity of problems represented in the clients that attend.

I did additional Free Clinic work at the school as part of an advanced course in Past-Life regression and in the Advanced Hypno Clinic where we conducted group sessions.

It's a great experience being able to work in such a setting. You get to practice your skills, while being exposed to the personal styles of your fellow students and benefitting from their comments and suggestions.


John B.

Ocotillo Hypnosis, Chandler, AZ

Last week I did a session with a client having a needle phobia. If you saw this former Marine, you'd say he has no reason to fear anything, but his fear of needles was real. He told me that while in the Marines that whenever he needed a shot or have blood taken, he'd get four of his friends to hold him down in order to get through it.

Although he himself had no recollection, his mother told him that he first exhibited this phobia on a visit to the doctor at the age of four. I won't go into details here, but on the surface, his reaction then provided a strong indication as to the nature of the ISE. Like most untreated phobias, it has become more severe as time goes on progressing to sewing needles and thumb tacks.

I had tried to get him to come to the free hypno clinic where I was training last June, but he was wary. I apparently got through to him though. He told me he had been thinking about it and had realized that his fear was keeping him away from doctors.

I guided him in to trance. Despite the temptation to regress him to the ISE, I decided to do only direct suggestion that session. I used the Wall of Fear script by my certification instructor, Linda Bennett. Like most of Linda's wonderful scripts, it is simple metaphor that hits all the right points. Its basic structure is:

1. Have the subject visualize his fear as a wall blocking his way.
2. Have the subject glimpse over the wall to see safety on the other side.
3. Have the subject realize that he possesses the means to go through the wall.
4. Have the subject go through the wall.
5. And on the other side, have the subject destroy the wall.
   

After I emerged him, he was unable to conjure up a fear of needles, but the real test has yet to come. You'll have to wait with me to see if he wants to do the regression work.

John B.

Ocotillo Hypnosis, Chandler, AZ

http://www.ocohypno.com

 

Just found this space and look forward to being part of the community.  I'm off to a session now, but why not check out my website in the meantime?

Ocotillo Hypnosis, Chandler, AZ