This valuable free hypnosis information is complimentary for now. We do this because the International Hypnosis Federation wants you to learn hypnosis is extremely exciting. It is a powerful and natural tool that you can use to better yourself and others. Dear reader, enjoy the following articles and share them with your friends:
WHY HYPNOSIS IS THE IDEAL INTERVENTION by Linda Otto, C.Ht.
For many years I have been asked a group of repetitive questions aimed at getting started in a hypnotherapy practice. There are many good, qualified hypnotherapy instructors available that provide an excellent foundation in hypnosis training. However, far too often new and beginning students only get the adequate training essential to providing good therapeutic work, but that is where the training ends. To ensure a successful career in hypnosis, there are many areas needing to be addressed other than the initial hypnosis training. It is my sincere desires to provide some valuable information to the recently certified and beginning therapist with the hopes of helping a new career get off the ground.
The founder of the International Hypnosis Federation, Dr. Shelley Stockwell, shares her famous thirty-second self-hypnosis technique. Use it to feel wonderfully refreshed and to achieve your goals. It takes only thirty seconds to visit your inner mind. While you’re there why not have a chat with your all-knowing inner self?
To do Stockwell’s Zap, you say the word “blue” three different times and each time, you give yourself another assignment. Here’s how to zap yourself (you’ll pleasantly “dis-zap-pere”for thirthy seconds.). Enjoy!
This amazing system works on a principle popularized by hypnotist, Dr. Moshe Zwang and is called Palm Therapy.
To eliminate an unwanted behavior, you will be pressing on two specific point of the hand. We choose the left hand because it is cross-wired to the right or emotional brain.
Hypnosis-Birthday Instructor: "How can you lower your stress level?" First Expectant Father: "Prayer?" Hypnosis-Birthday Instructor: "Anything else?" Second Expectant Father: "How about sex?" First Expectant Father: "That’s what I’ve been praying for!"
In Spanish, to birth is called dar la luz or to give light. Throughout time women give light and bring forth life to miracle babies from their miraculous bodies. Birthing is naturally pain-free when you honor your innate instincts to relax, anesthetize, and do what it was intended to do. During pregnancy mom gives her body over to the small person inside of her. Your body has its own natural epidural. Mothers who use hypnosis are awake alert and happy.
Pregnancy brings a new mother, many feelings and emotions. No matter how many children you have this expectant little one is a completely new and individual gift from God. In pregnancy you literally have a baby factory going on inside of you. Your body and your baby have perfect timing as you develop, grow and flow with this natural experience.
Natural Hypnosis birthing sessions prepare you for all the miraculous changes that take place inside you for your baby’s well being. It puts your mind and body in harmony for an easy and joyous birthday. You bond with your sweet baby.
This is a certainly a special time for you and your family. Natural Hypnosis Birthing trains your companion, family and friends to be a support team for you and your baby during the sacred time of pregnancy, labor and delivery.
During birth you relax profoundly and any discomfort is experienced as sensation; making your birthing experience sensational. Because hypnosis birthing requires little or no invasive drugs or medical procedures, you’ll be aware and completely in control. Natural Hypnosis Birthing can be done at home, in a birthing center or in medical facility. Visit a hypnotist in your area to help you with your happy birthday. The International Hypnosis Federation has a wonderful referral list. With just a few sessions you’ll be in the driver’s seat of a pain free and joyous birth experience.
Everything in life is involves the power of the suggestions you give yourself or another.
In business as in life you don’t always get what you deserve - you get what you negotiate or suggest. Think about the last time you negotiated with someone; a friend, a loved one, an employee, a sales person, a customer or a vendor. Hypnosis is the art of persuasion.
ANYTIME YOU EXCHANGE INFORMATION WITH INTENT OF ESTABLISHING A CHANGE YOU PERSUADE, NEGOTIATE and DIRECT THE MIND.
Suggestion is one of the keys that opens the door to a successful in life.
Good Citizen, the following hypnosis facts are offered for your edification and elucidation:
Hypnosis is a legal self-regulated self-help, alternative wellness modality that uses the mind’s natural ability to create a positive attitude that supports life, joy, goals and health care. It reduces stress and relaxes the nervous system. Hypnosis is fun and easy to learn and belongs to all of us. Hypnosis or self-hypnosis came with the package of your consciousness. You regularly hypnotize yourself with self-talk. You can easily learn to hypnotize (or de-hypnotize) yourself or another in less than ten minutes and can learn from exceptional books.
Call me at (310) 541-4844 and good things will happen for YOU; this is an advertising anchor that connects YOU to ME. I am your own personal friend, Dr. Shelley.
Think of the smell of baking cookies. Does it remind you of mom? Think of a special song (“our song”)? Does it bring a person to mind? Throughout your life, mental associations affect your mood, action and reaction. Some associations make you feel confident and good; others lacking or bad.
Anchors are so automatic you may be clueless that you’re using one. Meditation and prayer uses auditory anchors to access relaxation. Repeated words or sounds of mantras and chanting open the door of trance. Later, these sounds “anchor up” the same mind state. A smile is an excellent anchor. So is taking a deep breath. The word “sex” anchors up all sorts of associated thoughts doesn’t it! You get the idea.
Does coming home and opening the front door trigger a sprint to the bathroom?
Excerpts from Shelley’s book, Hypnosis: How to Put a Smile On Your Face and Money In Your Pocket.
The world’s first doctors were shamans who embraced physical, emotional and spiritual energy as one. A shaman was a spiritual healer who assists others to awaken deeper states of consciousness and soul searching. These states focus upon living in celebration, releasing discomfort or blocks, restoring wellness and becoming enlightened. Shamans have been known as witch doctors, medicine men, medicine women, mundunugu, hunas, ducuns, exorcists, magicians, sorcerers, warlocks, witches, dowsers and those who do voodoo. Some use negative hypnosis by instilling fear forms that only they can remove. This negative hypnosis has become the basis of some modern religions as well.
(Blame it on Ormond McGill) by Mary Elizabeth Raines, CH, CI
Not long ago I presented an afternoon of back-to-back hypnosis talks at a health fair. When the day was over, I found myself stuck with that dubious perk of my profession: a sack of leftover, slightly used lemons.
What are you supposed to do when life repeatedly hands you lemons? This is something they don’t teach in hypnosis classes. Instructors, take note!
Figuring one can only drink so much lemonade, and at the same time being in the process of writing a cookbook, I created a recipe [following this article] specifically for those yellow globes one ends up lugging home after giving a hypno-demo. But what, some of you may be wondering, do lemons have to do with hypnosis?
Though often denigrated as fakery or wishful thinking, hypnosis has been shown to be a real phenomenon with a variety of therapeutic uses -- especially in controlling pain.
"You are getting sleepy. Verrry sleepy ..."
A waistcoated man swings his pocket watch back and forth before the face of a young woman seated in a Victorian-era parlor. She fixes her gaze on the watch, tracking its pendular motion with her eyes. Moments later she is slumped in her chair, eyes closed, answering the hypnotist's questions in a zombielike monotone.
Everyone has seen a depiction of hypnosis similar to this one in movies and on television. Indeed, say the word "hypnosis," and many people immediately think of pocket watches. But it is now much more common for hypnotists simply to ask a subject to stare at a small, stationary object -- such as a colored thumbtack on the wall -- during the "induction patter," which usually consists of soothing words about relaxation and suggestions to concentrate.
But is hypnosis a real phenomenon? If so, what is it useful for? Over the past few years, researchers have found that hypnotized individuals actively respond to suggestions even though they sometimes perceive the dramatic changes in thought and behavior they experience as happening "by themselves." During hypnosis, it is as though the brain temporarily suspends its attempts to authenticate incoming sensory information. Some people are more hypnotizable than others, although scientists still don't know why. Nevertheless, hypnosis is finding medical uses in controlling chronic pain, in countering anxiety and even -- in combination with conventional operating-room procedures -- in helping patients to recover more quickly from outpatient surgery.
Only in the past 40 years have scientists been equipped with instruments and methods for discerning the facts of hypnosis from exaggerated claims. But the study of hypnotic phenomena is now squarely in the domain of normal cognitive science, with papers on hypnosis published in some of the most selective scientific and medical journals. Of course, spectacles such as "stage hypnosis" for entertainment purposes have not disappeared. But the new findings reveal how, when used properly, the power of hypnotic suggestion can alter cognitive processes as diverse as memory and pain perception.
IHF MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO SEEK TO LIMIT THE PROFESSION OF HYPNOSIS:
1. HYPNOSIS IS A LEGAL STAND-ALONE SELF-REGULATED PROFESSION
Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy are not a subset or component of any other modality. While some licensed practioners may use hypnosis to complement their practice, hypnotherapy has a much wider scope. Hypnotherapists provide complete helpful unique therapy to individuals and/or groups.
2. CONTROLLING SEPARATE PROFESSIONS VIOLATES ANTI-TRUST LAWS
Legislation that attempts to take away a person’s right livelihood and put money in the pocket of members of any private organization violates anti-trust laws; one company does not have the right to control an entire industry.
3. HYPNOTHERAPISTS AND HYPNOTISTS HAVE A STRONG CODE OF ETHICS
Over 35 national & international organizations qualify, educate & certify hypnotists and hypnotherapists. Each organization has standards, ethics and most adhere to the educational requirements. The International Hypnosis Federation (IHF) is a proud member of the Council of Professional Hypnosis Organizations (COPHO www.copho.com), founded September 23, 1989 with over 20 member organizations representing in excess of 20,000 hypnotists throughout the United States and Canada. Many IHF members also belong to AFL-CIO (Hypnosis Union No. 472).
4. NO CONTROLLING, SELF-SERVING CONTROLLERS ALLOWED
No private organization has permission to take your right to use hypnosis away from you. Nor shall any organization mislead you to believe that they are the only valid organization.
5. FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS
Every person has a 1st amendment right of freedom of speech and has the right to hypnotically influence or motivate others.
6. HYPNOSIS HELPS PEOPLE TO BE LOOK AND FEEL THEIR BEST:
Clients set and accomplish goals to: Be Aware, Be at the Top Of Their Game, Birth With Ease, Be Creative, Do The “Right” Thing, Gain Control Of Thoughts, Get A Grip, Get High With Their Higher Self, Deal With Challenges, Eliminate Stress/Fear/Pain/Bad Habits, Energize, Be Happy & Healthy, Make Good Choices, Make More Money, Manifest Dreams & Goals, Heal Hurts, Lose Or Gain Weight, Motivate & Be Motivated, Stay Optimistic, Organize, Persuade, Relax, Self-Controlled, Socially Adept, Spiritual, Sleep Well, Stand Up For Themselves and their truth and much more...
7. HYPNOSIS IS WELL RECOGNIZED
Hypnosis as many other modalities used by International Hypnosis Federation practitioners is recognized by the US Department of Education’s Classification of instructional programs as “Hypnotherapy-hypnotherapist” 9CIP 2000, 51.3603, and as a “legal profession” by the office of Administrative Law Judges Law Library as “Hypnotherapist”.
The ancient principles of balance and harmony still apply & relate to us all. Feng Shui recognizes energy of your home and garden. It helps you understand your personal energy and how it relates to your environment.
In your busy world blessed events, traumas, obstacles, and challenges affect your energy and how you see yourself. Feng Shui calls upon the five elements, fire, earth, metal, water, and wood, that also associate with distinct characteristics, colors, and shapes. Finding the elements that are predominate at the present time are the dominate ones depending on the life stages and experiences of the individual life style now. We assist in bringing that flow of connection between self knowledge and self expression. You create that special style for that spirit of being..... to identify ....reflect.... who you really are their essence and release to be in your own power your CHI. Learn to be your own master.
As Dr Shelley said, "Master of your mind; be a Mastermind"
Feng Shui brings mental balance and harmony between your physical presence and your personality. Bringing the Eastern principles of Feng Shui, and combining with the Western holistic approach of wellness you are elevated to a new level.
This is the story of a brave and adventurous band, gathered from two continents by Shelley of Red. Strangers at first, we quickly bonded because we had a most important mission in common. As promised, Jon of the Hat was waiting for us at the Cairo airport. Our luggage oddly disappeared when we boarded a bus, but the gods were smiling upon us. We joined the hordes of tourists who infested the hotels and attractions of this mysterious land.
Hypnotherapy for Students with Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficits
Have you ever tried to wake up your child who just didn’t want to go to school?
Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and/or Specific Learning Disabilities find themselves in circumstances of anxiety in school. Every day. These students need to know strategies to help themselves become peaceful and relaxed. Restless and bored students win from learning techniques that help them relax their minds. Guided imagery in the classroom empowers students with feelings of calm and discipline. Hypnotherapy sessions from a therapist for students have been used to treat hundreds of behavior disorders, worries and anxieties, and even pain and discomfort. Middle school students especially respond well to hypnotherapy and have had amazing results.
Breathing Techniques, hypnotherapy and guided imagery can help the ADHD and learning-disabled student to master their behavior in the classroom and at home. A teacher or therapist can guide a group of students or a student can receive individual sessions. There are amazing CD’s for sale that contain specific words and music to create positive therapeutic imagery. The images used stimulate the imagination and can have a real influence on overall student performance. The student’s brain recognizes images as if present. The pressure of standardized tests can even diminish.
As a middle school teacher, college professor and hypnotherapist, I found the best way to begin breathing exercises is to lead the students in a guided imagery before starting. This routine seemed to calm them down and to relax their energies in the afternoon. At times, the imagery would stem from literature recommended by state standards, such as Tuck Everlasting, Esperanza Rising or The Egypt Game.
Students enjoy an exercise we call “The Journey Within “where we see in our mind's eye our Inner Garden. We think about the garden’s foundations and what we want them to be like. Do we have a strong foundation in place upon which to build the rest of our garden? If not, what more needs to be done?
Adolescent Stress
Today’s families are under constant worry from an assortment of problems. Students are often anxious and not able to self regulate. There are many fears that can plague students such as fear of the potential danger in our schools today. Some adolescents can find moving to a new school or classroom, having to make new friends, handling bullies, falling behind in a subject, and being teased for being the “wrong” height or weight embarrassing.
For students with learning or behavior deficits, the struggle to belong and rejection by peer groups become especially hard in middle and high school. Helping students learn to self regulate is a first step in the process of behavioral change and helping the brain recover from the effects of stress and trauma. These changes lead to more success in adolescent lives and in the lives of the adults with whom they live.
The majority of my students and adolescent clients resist the breathing and imagery at first, although the payoff is enormous. One student insisted that it wasn’t necessary and that she didn’t have enough time in her day after school to do breathing. She would,”rather struggle with homework”. Then she went through the divorce of her parents, and had such trouble coping that she couldn’t even drag herself out of bed. Terrified and bewildered, my student started her imagery exercises and, in a few days, found that she could face school again. After that, whenever she was in an overwhelming state of grief or so distracted that she couldn't focus, she would ask me to lead her in an hypnotherapy exercise.
Some students feel practicing guided imagery or hypnotherapy will conflict with their religious beliefs. These students are told imagery is a pathway to discovery that any of us can use, regardless of our religious or spiritual beliefs.
My hyperactive students sometimes say, “I’m too restless and busy to learn to be quiet”. After convincing them to just do the breathing or come to hypnotherapy sessions for a month, they find they are more productive, less distracted, and have fewer disagreements with their parents, siblings and peers. Their grades start improving. They are friendlier and more generous to others, so their social lives tend to improve.
Results
Guided imagery, breathing and hypnotherapy seem to ground restless adolescents, transforming their energy from chaos to productivity. By cultivating balance, especially in the classroom, their parents and teachers seem to appreciate these students and that makes everyone happy.
Being chased is one of the most commonly reported dreams of all time. Some believe that it is actually coded in our genetic memory from a time when our survival depended upon escaping from predatory creatures. So in modern times, when a person is under stress, is it possible that these primal memories are coming up in our dream symbols?
When we are under stress the fight-flight-or-freeze response is triggered in our adrenal system. This explains why we wake up with a pounding heart and covered in sweat from any scary dream, and especially from dreams of being chased.
The details of the dream story, the creature, person or object chasing us may vary between individual dreamers, but the basic theme of being chased is the same.
Our ancestors may have been running from scary animals, but the things we are running from today are more likely to be scary emotions, such as fear of not having enough money, feeling threatened by something or someone, or feeling overwhelmed by what’s going on at work or in a relationship. Even an illness or health crisis can be something that feels very literally life-threatening, and something that we are trying to run away from.
Dreams are a reflection of how we are feeling at the present moment. They are messages from our subconscious mind, knocking on the door of our conscious mind to get us to pay attention to something important that we have otherwise been trying to push aside, or have not had the time or energy to deal with. It doesn’t mean this thing is really ‘going to get you’, but simply that it feels a bit overwhelming at the present time and that it might be important to pay attention to.
If you have a dream of being chased, just acknowledging that something feels overpowering or scary in your life can be half the battle. Then taking some time to pay attention to whatever it is, dealing with it and taking care of your self in the best way possible, can help to alleviate these dreams.
Mimi Pettibone is a Hypnotherapist and Dream Interpretation expert in Seattle, WA. Visit www.TheDreamDetective.com for more information about dreams. If you would like to unravel the mystery of your dreams, call 206-328-6464 or email
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to set up a private consultation.
" . . . and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us . . ." How many times have we, who have grown up in the Christian tradition, recited these words from the Lord's Prayer? How often do we stop and contemplate what it really means, "to forgive" or consider the ramifications if we do not forgive. To some, these words are only words, said by rote, without any substance. To others, forgiveness is conditional on their judgement of another's actions. Since forgiveness is often interwoven in religious dogma, those who have been or are alienated from the church avoid it.
What is the definition of "to forgive", the root of the word forgiveness? For starters, it is a verb, which implies action. Webster's New World Dictionary defines this verb as "to give up resentment against or the desire to punish; excuse." If we follow the meaning of "to excuse", we come up with "to release from an obligation; to permit to leave; to liberate." In Roget's Super Thesaurus, our current vernacular offers "wipe the slate clean, let off the hook, and let bygones be bygones" as synonyms for "to forgive."
Forgiveness, then, is a process of releasing our hold on past emotions, thoughts, and deeds. If these emotions are negative and full of resentment, we are, in essence, trading pain for peace. In this process, there is an inherent catharsis - in the release, there is liberation. Samuel Clemens so appropriately summed up forgiveness as "The fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it."
What is the importance of forgiveness - is there anything to this beyond its religious implications? For starters, modern medicine has proven that forgiveness plays an important role in our health. The Simontons', in their ground-breaking cancer research, (Getting Well Again) have demonstrated that an individual who harbors resentment towards another increases their stress level each time they recall the source of their resentment. When the individual recalls the event, they "relive" that moment, reviving all the emotions and feelings surrounding this event. Chronic stress places an unnecessary strain on the human body, releasing excess adrenalin and placing the biochemical system in a state of imbalance.
Often, individuals direct anger or blame towards another person, perhaps feeling that the "other" is responsible for a certain wrong, i.e. a boss overlooked a person for a promotion. Or, the individual may have responded to a situation in an unsatisfactory manner.
These initial incidents probably involve stress; however, if the stress is not discharged and the individual holds onto the negative emotions associated with these past occurrences, resentment develops. Each time the person replays the scenario, they experience the same stress originally felt with the past experience. Resentment is a "long-term re-stressing process."
As the Simontons' discovered, stress has a direct, debilitating effect on the immune system. If the past wrong is not released, or forgiven, the individual continues to bombard his limbic system with tension and stress, further depressing the body's defences. If the immune system is sufficiently weakened, serious illnesses, such as cancer, can develop.
It is therefore important to let go of grudges and make peace, if not directly with the other individual, at least with the memory. If you hold a negative internal representation of another then you are affecting your own internal processes and emotions. The release of guilt is in alignment with one of the prime directives of the Subconscious Mind: Since the Subconscious Mind is a highly moral being, if it thinks it needs to be punished it will create disease. Therefore, a regular purging of guilt via forgiveness promotes the health of the body and the mind.
Often, forgiveness may appear to be a very difficult thing to do, even though it may benefit both physically and mentally. It is easier to say that the "other" is bad rather than to clear up that part of you that feels bad. Blame, guilt, and self-hatred are all symptoms of unreleased anger towards others and one's self. Another barrier to forgiveness is the belief that what we did was so special that it is unforgivable. What we must realize is that when we forgive, we are forgiving the person, whether it is another or ourselves; we are not condoning the actions involved.
When we continue to engage in resentment, it is as if we are playing tug-of-war with what was. The past holds one end of the rope and we are pulling on the other end in the present. As soon as we let go of our end of the rope, all tension disappears. Forgiveness works in the same manner - as soon as we forgive, we immediately release all tensions, guilt, hurt, and negativity. In essence, we have transformed the past, as forgiveness is the great release from time. When we forgive, what was disappears.
When there is unwillingness to forgive, memories are kept alive that no longer exist. These memories act, then, as punishment for something that is not real. Essentially, it is the ego that wants us to feel separate from our true selves, as punishment is a form of separation and judgement.
Perhaps we need to find out if there is a part of us is willing to forgive - if there is some part that is willing to release the past, then that part can be cultivated. Often, through hypnosis or self-hypnosis, we can rescript the past by imagining a different response and outcome to that situation.
One of the best exercises we can perform is ”Forgiveness - Free Yourself Now" exercise: "Ho'oponopono" is a Huna technique of letting go of personal history and releasing emotions specifically. The Hawaiian Kahunas, or priests, used it for Hawaiian family therapy. "Ho'oponopono" literally means, "To make right times two." This ancient Huna technique offers a paradigm for contemporary therapy as it addresses the release of guilt in a powerful and effective way. It is also an active way to forgive others without condoning their actions.
The Kahunas believed that everything is connected via "Aka" chords, which transcend space & time. "Aka" connections are created either by the touching of someone or created mentally, i.e. by thinking about someone. An "aka" connection is like a radio wave length of electricity flowing in a circuit between sender and receiver.
When we interact with people, we automatically create connections. Sometimes these connections are empowering; more often, these connections create a circuit of energy that does not support our personal magnificence. For example, one of the strongest connections we may have is with our parents, whether they are alive or not. We might feel guilty because we did not follow the career path that our parents chose. By holding onto this guilt, we form an image of ourselves as being a disappointment to our parents. If this image is less than favorable, it affects our neurology and holds back our magnificence.
It follows that what is inside of our selves will effect the way we behave. Thinking about the part of you that's your mother will usually elicit behavior similar to your mother, whether that is nurturing or counterproductive. An interesting concept that explains this phenomenon is that, in quantum physics, reality is non-local. Like frequencies will attract to like frequencies at a quantum level.
So, if we hold onto grudges and guilt, blaming others for our misfortunes, we cannot be totally magnificent and we tend to attract similar feelings. For we cannot be totally magnificent unless images we have of others are totally magnificent. This follows the Hermetic Law of Correspondence - if we heal self, we also heal the universe.
The process of Ho'oponopono focuses around "cutting" these aka connections in a gentle, healing, and forgiving way. By "making right times two", we are releasing our "less than magnificent" image of our self along with the image of the person(s) who originally evoked this image.
The guided imagery exercise
Find yourself a quite, comfortable place to sit or lie down. Ensure that this is your time, free of interruptions. Allow yourself at least 15 minutes of quality time. Close your eyes and take several deep, cleansing breaths.
Once you are completely relaxed, imagine a stage like one that is in a theater. Invite all people, living or deceased, that you feel "connected to”, onto this stage. As each person steps onto this stage, you mentally ask him or her "will you support my magnificence 100%?" Look for congruency in their answer. If the response is yes, then thank them and let them exit the stage; if their answer is no, then healing is required.
To heal and release, ask the ones that answered "no" to remain on stage. At this point, invite a white light that is the "infinite source of Love and Healing" to envelop all of those on stage. State that your intention is to ask for forgiveness. Imagine the many "aka" chords radiating out from your solar plexus and head; Imagine that your body is surrounded by four laser like blades of silver white light. Imagine that these four laser like blades of silver white light are rotating counter-clockwise. Now, "cut" the Aka connections with each one on the stage with the image of four large blades of silver white light that surround your body. (This aspect of the process frees you from obligations and connections. These connections are cut to heal a reference point i.e. image you have of any abuse or a nagging parent, disloyal friend, etc.) As the connections are cut, send all on the stage into the white light that is the "infinite source of Love and Healing".
When you feel that the healing is completed, usually when only the white light is present and the stage is empty, gently return to awareness of the room.
A nightly forgiveness and releasement using the Ho'oponopono process can help do regular house cleaning before any negative thoughts take hold.
As the Course in Miracles teaches, "There can be no form of suffering that fails to hide an unforgiving thought, nor can there be a form of pain forgiveness cannot heal." So, we can see how important it is to release and forgive, as the seeds of unforgiving thoughts can grow into major problems. Yet we have the tools to prune back this growth, even to transform the very nature of the original seed thought. All it requires is a willingness to forgive.
So, you want to be a forensic hypnotist? It sounds cool; the stuff movies and TV shows are made of, right? Often, to describe what something is, we must explain what it is not. Forensic hypnosis is not a power that one possesses to use some “golden lasso” to get a serial killer to confess. Typically, a forensic hypnosis session involves a willing witness or victim. “Willing,” meaning the person volunteering is motivated to tell the truth. In investigations we find people that want to help, but at times they can have motives contrary to finding the truth.
When searching for the truth, often investigators are confronted with untrustworthy or blank memories. Investigators and detectives around the world have closed cases or placed them in the cold case file for want of information. Many times, the case remains dormant while time passes and no new leads are found. A new lead may come about, but often it is vague and hard to confirm. When a forensic hypnotist is asked for assistance his or her goal is to refresh memory if possible. Any information gained from a forensic hypnosis session must be corroborated by an independent investigation. Strict rules exist involving the ethical standards of forensic hypnosis. The professional forensic hypnotist should not misrepresent his/her credentials, training or experience.
When conducting the pre-hypnosis interview and the forensic hypnosis session, the welfare of the witness or victim comes first. No matter how crucial the information to be elicited may seem, the subject’s welfare is the primary focus. If the hypno-investigator feels that the session may be harmful to the witness, the session may need to be postponed or cancelled entirely. Rapport and trust are crucial to the relationship of the hypno-investigator and the subject undergoing hypnosis. This may begin with talking about hobbies, likes and dislikes of the subject. This can be important in assisting the hypno-investigator as to how to conduct the session and give him/her insight into the personality of the witness or victim. When speaking of confidentiality of witnesses Martin Reiser, Ed.D, the Father of Investigative Hypnosis states: “Information learned from an investigative hypnosis session has the same status as other investigative material. Generally, this information should be kept in confidence with the usual legal and professional exceptions.”
All forensic hypnosis sessions should be recorded. Marx Howell, retired Texas Department of Public Safety Inspector and premier authority on Investigative Hypnosis says the session should be recorded from “hello to goodbye.” Whether it is audio, video, or both, the session should be fully documented. It is a common practice to have both. Many hypno-investigators have two video cameras operating during a session, in case of malfunction.
Howell is adamant that all equipment should be tested and tested again to ensure everything is operable. Another point Howell stresses is that everyone in the room should be identified by name, position, agency and purpose for being present during the interview. Often, composite artists, lead case investigators and advocates for the victim may be present during the interview. However, this is at the discretion of the lead investigator and the hypno-investigator at the time of the interview.
This is a brief overview of what is involved in the field of forensic hypnosis. Later articles will include the “nuts and bolts” of what increases the chances of success. Undoubtedly, the reader of future articles will find that hours of training, practice, experience and a multitude of considerations for each session must be addressed. The purpose here is to merely inform the reader and give a cursory view of what is involved.
References
1. Hibbard, M.A., Worring, M.A. (1996) Forensic Hypnosis: The Practical Application of Hypnosis in Criminal Investigations. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas Publishing, 1996. (p. 3-5)
2. Reiser, M. Ed.D., (1980). Handbook of Investigative Hypnosis. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 79-53215 (p. 60-61)
About the author:
Mike Augustine is a Chief Investigator for his county's district attorney's office. He has 20+ years of law enforcement experience, 15 of those have been in investigations.
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