Was I in a hypnotic trance or was I just asleep?

Normally the question I get asked by a potential client is “what if I can’t relax enough?”, or “what if I am one of those people who can’t be hypnotised?”
Lately however the question has been “what if I fall asleep?”
With that in mind, I decided to write this blog post.

During my ‘prelim chat’, I generally tell clients at the beginning of their first session that they can view this as taking a light nap. I pause, letting that comfort them, and then I qualify it, by saying that it is not a real sleep, it just feels like that.

My clients breathe very deeply and often snore during my sessions. Are they asleep or are they in a deep trance?
They’re in a deep trance.
How do I know this? (particularly as I work mostly by Skype and phone)
Because they immediately wake up when I say 5, after quietly stating beforehand, that “on the count of 5, you will open your eyes, refreshed and alert”.
If that person was asleep, he wouldn’t wake up mid-snore, simply because I said ‘five’.
I led him in there and I led him back out.
The same goes for hypnosis audios. If you come out on command at the end, then I’d say you were in trance. (Unless of course, there was some loud noise near you that occurred simultaneously as the hypnotist told you to emerge

Sometimes clients think they’ve been asleep when actually, they achieved a deep trance* And during this trance, their subconscious was focused on my words, so much so that they followed my softly spoken suggestion to ‘emerge’ when I uttered a certain number.

Another reason I know my clients were in trance is the feedback I receive after the first session. They start manifesting the changes they wanted, usually the very next day.

What if you do fall asleep? Well, most hypnotists will say that it won’t work if the client falls asleep. I can understand why they say that. We need our clients to process what we’re saying… However from my personal frame of reference I cannot say that it won’t work. I have only had two clients fall asleep, one (ironically, an insomniac), and the other one was a smoker. Both undoubtedly fell asleep and I had to take additional measures to wake them up. (Both woke up within a few minutes’ of the end of the session by the way.)
In both cases, they were successful. They got the results they wanted! You can read Dan (the former smoker’s) testimonial on this page >>
That one was astonishing, because to eradicate a long term addiction, a person needs a series of sessions for reinforcement.

*The depth of hypnotic trance can vary with each person. Some clients feel disappointed if they remember hearing a hypnotist’s throughout, however it’s important to note that any level of trance is sufficient to make changes (e.g. make/break habits). You may be aware of every word I said in hypnosis, yet the positive changes you desire still take place. With all clients in that category, they have naturally gone deeper every session.

My tendency is to take clients quite deep, and they generally have no recollection of what I’ve said. That’s my personal choice, because I am often dealing with people who have spent many years going to behavioural psychologists and medical professionals without achieving the results they wanted. I find it beneficial in those cases, to put them into a deeper trance, because there is anxiety on their part as to whether or not this (“the last ditch attempt” as they call it!) will work and of course there is a lot of tension associated with the language of that context, as they will have discussed (and probably been criticised and nagged about) the ‘issue’ every day for years.

If you have any questions about whether my hypnosis with NLP-based coaching by Skype or phone will help you, feel free to email me to set up a free 10-15 consultation by phone or Skype. If I believe my services will help you make that change you want, I’ll tell you, and if I don’t, I’ll tell you that too!

Best wishes to all reading this,
Louise

Louise Goddard, BA Hons, M.NLP, CHt

Click here to read newspaper articles on Louise Goddard >>

- Licensed Master Practitioner of NLP (certified through the Society of Neuro-Linguistic Programming)
- Certified Hypnotherapist (certified through the American Board Of Hypnotherapy)
- Certified Hypnotist (trained and certified by an NGH Certified Instructor)
- Certified Life Coach
- Certified Communications Skills Specialist
- Certified Weight Loss Coach

WHO CAN OR CANNOT BE HYPNOTISED?

Louise Goddard, coaching and hypnosis by Skype or phone at www.schoolyourmind.com

Who can be hypnotised?

Most people CAN be hypnotised. And, in my opinion, the most important element is willingness. People love to say that they can’t be hypnotised but really, it’s a case of ‘won’t’ rather than ‘can’t’. The client needs to be willing to use hypnosis.

During the initial free phone or Skype consultation I do with prospective clients, I check for the following things:

~ whether they expect it will work.
~ whether they want it work. I’ve italicised ‘they’ because it’s important that the person calling me wants it to work, instead of, for example, their partner, spouse, work colleagues want them to do it.

Can you be hypnotised?

My answer is usually ‘yes’ if you can answer ‘yes’ to the following two questions:
Can you follow simple instructions?
Do you want to be hypnotised?

Who cannot be hypnotised?

~ A person unwilling to be hypnotised. If someone doesn’t want to use hypnosis, then of course they won’t be hypnotised. Hypnosis is a powerful tool but it does rely on your willingness to use it.
~ A person who is drunk.
~ A person with extremely low intelligence, typically scoring an IQ level lower than 70
~ someone who has no rapport with the hypnotist or hypnotherapist. While this isn`t always included in the list, I`m going to add rapport as a factor. It is helpful to have a good or reasonable rapport with the person who is about to hypnotise you. You need to be comfortable with that person as they’re going to guide you into relaxation.

Who should not be hypnotised?

~ People who are better served by going to a psychiatrist, psychologist or physician. Hypnosis isn’t intended as a replacement for psychiatric or medical care.
~ people who suffer from epilepsy are often advised not to use hypnosis. As always, if you have any concerns regarding such conditions, you should consult with a doctor.

What can’t hypnosis do?

~ Hypnosis will not `make` someone accept new ideas or behaviours that are in conflict with their personal values.
~ There is a common misconception that those with ‘a strong will’ cannot be hypnotised. Go back to the `willingness` point above. Can`t strong willed people want to make changes?
Many people call me and say `how are you going to make me quit smoking ? I`m very stubborn.` Again, go back to the willingness factor. I always ask them if they want to quit and if they`re willing to work with me and use hypnosis to do it.
~ Hypnosis cannot be used to control someone else’s mind, or their actions. We can only control ourselves, our responses to situations, events or things heard/read.

People who say that they tried hypnosis and couldn’t be hypnotised

When people say that they went to a hypnotist and `nothing happened`, I ask them what they expected to happen and I invariably find that they either hadn`t been adequately informed or hadn`t understood what to expect, ahead of the session – they`d erroneously adhered to their belief that they needed be unconscious, and / or like a zombie in a movie. It is helpful for prospective clients to be carefully and repeatedly informed of what hypnosis is and is NOT and to realize the potential for positive and empowering effects. Personally, I find it beneficial to reiterate briefly what to expect before every session, even with clients who `know the drill`.

An additional note:

Everybody is in a hypnotic state at some point of each day. By this I mean, a state where we’re doing things but not needing to concentrate consciously on doing it as it’s a familiar activity. I don’t just mean vegging out in front of a movie – a person can even be in a state of hypnosis while running. For example, during the spring and summer, i.e. when the track is visible in the parks here in Canada, I run 4 or 5 miles every other day in one of the beautiful St Lawrence parks. I do roughly the same route each time, and at the end, presuming I don’t need to move out of the way for slow moving SUVs filled with people who prefer to experience the park by looking out of their truck windows, I actually have no recollection of having done my run. I look at the stop watch on my cell phone and know I must have done it by looking at the time passed, but I only remember starting it! That’s because I don’t need to be consciously aware of where I’m running. I’ve done it so many times, I can run it ‘unconsciously’ i.e. just allowing my unconscious to guide me. (If a truck has to go by me, then my conscious mind needs to become alert again so I can move out of its way.)

For all you runners out there, I would like to add that running is a great way to use self-hypnosis to come up with solutions or ideas. Just start your mind on that route as you start your body on the running route by asking some questions in your internal voice (check my blog entry on my website on internal questions and how to word them for the maximum efficacy).

If you’re interested in finding out in what areas of your life hypnosis could be used, have a look at my list on this page: http://www.schoolyourmind.com/caniusehypnosisfor.html If you see something that applies to you (or perhaps I should ‘when’ and want to learn more, you are welcome to set up a complimentary phone or Skype consultation with me.

All the best,
Louise Goddard
Certified Hypnotherapist
Licensed Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming
Website: www.schoolyourmind.com

Question Your Questions

Louise Goddard M.NLP, CHt http://www.schoolyourmind.com

Adjust the questions you ask yourself so they HELP YOU rather than HINDER YOU

We have an internal voice. And in that internal voice, we ask ourselves questions as well as make statements. Let’s take a simple example of a question we might ask ourselves in our internal voice:

Why can’t I…?

What can you assume from this question?

There’s something for you to do and you cannot do it.
What do you think your ever-obliging subconscious will do with this? As we’ll explore in the early chapters of my book, the subconscious has no judgment – it accepts everything you tell it as truth, so rather than seek the answer that’s best for you and your circumstances, it will sort through for reasons to support the assumptions in order to answer your question.

You can’t do it because of x, y, z.

By choosing to ask this type of negative question aloud or internally, you are creating these two assumptions in your mind. Whatever you tell your subconscious, it accepts it as truth and directs its focus accordingly. Whatever we focus on, coupled with strong feelings, tends to manifest. Question how you ask questions!

Since this is the case with negative questions, it is also true of positive questions.
We’ve looked at one simple example of what I term ‘a negatively-based question’. Let’s take a look at what I would call ‘a positively-based question’:

How can I do this quickly?

What are the assumptions here?
There’s something to do. It can be done quickly.

Your mind obediently searches for answers. As with the previous question, it will sort through its resources for reasons to support the assumptions in order to answer your question.

You can do it quickly by ……

Some more specific examples of unhelpful questions I hear people utter:
Why can’t I lose weight?
Why can’t I meet a man/woman who is right for me?
Why can’t I make him/her/them understand where I’m coming from?

That’s enough negative examples. I think I’ve made my point.

It takes the same amount of time and effort to ask a positive question as a negative one, so the next time you ask yourself a question aloud or internally, stop and consider this: is it helpful or unhelpful; is it empowering or disempowering? How can I adjust my internal questions so that they direct my thinking and creativity down a positive path?

Here are some examples of positive questions:

What’s the best way I can solve this problem?
How can I quickly resolve this issue?
How can I meet Mr Right/Ms Right?
Where can I meet Mr Right/Ms Right?
How can I connect with likeminded people?
How can I communicate my idea easily?

Your mind will search for answers to whatever questions you ask. You have the capability of lateral thinking, of creating ideas – unlock that potential by asking your mind the right questions. Keep asking questions till you’re happy with the answer.

Best wishes,
Louise Goddard

Louise Goddard, BA Hons, M.NLP, CHt
Confidence Coach, Master of NLP, Certified Hypnotist
Coaching and Hypnosis by ‘phone and Skype!
Website:

Fall asleep faster

Lying awake at night? Get to sleep with a hypnosis download www.schoolyourmind.com

We all know that getting a good night’s sleep is vital… Sometimes it’s easier said than done. I’ve created something to help. Last night I uploaded two GET TO SLEEP hypnosis downloads. You can go and get them now from http://www.schoolyourmind.com/insomnia.html

40 seconds on Positive Thinking

Louise Goddard Confidence Coaching www.schoolyourmind.com

Positive thinking gets positive results. I expect you’ve heard that before.
Positive thinking works because positive thinkers dwell on what they want. They then gravitate towards what they want. Always think/dwell/ponder/dream about what you DO want.

We gravitate in the direction of our dominant thoughts. I can go into this in depth during my phone coaching sessions, so for now, simply put, think about something and you’ll move towards it. Even if you’re thinking about something you don’t want, you will move towards it. Your mind moves towards things not away.

How many times have you said, ‘I mustn’t forget that’, then you do? By saying that to yourself and thinking it, your mind moves towards forgetting. You get a picture in your mind of forgetting. It’s easy to change though – tell yourself to remember it and you’ll have a picture in your mind of remembering it. As a result, you’ll be much more likely to remember it.

Only say things to yourself or about yourself that you want to come true.

Warm wishes,
Louise Goddard
NLP Master and Hypnotist

NLP Coaching and Hypnosis by phone or Skype

“The liar’s punishment…”

“The liar’s punishment is not in the least that he is not believed but that he cannot believe anyone else.” ~ George Bernard Shaw.

Remind yourself of this quotation whenever you are tempted to expend valuable energy refuting a person’s false accusations or insinuations.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of unsubstantiated false accusations from someone who barely knows you, be aware it says nothing of your character, but speaks volumes about theirs.

Notice I said ‘unsubstantiated’… If you always operate with integrity, honesty, and compassion towards others, false accusations or insinuations will bounce off that force field of positivity surrounding you that I had you visualise and fully associate with during ULTIMATE CONFIDENCE -> http://www.schoolyourmind.com/getconfident.html

Also featured on that audio: while acting with ethics and compassion in all areas of your life, learn then to interpret people’s negativity, hostility and un-constructive criticism as a cry for help, rather than a reflection of your character or ability. Not everything is about you. People view things through the filter of their own inner happiness and self-esteem.

By the way, my inspiration to share this with you comes from observation of a variety of comments on people’s newsfeeds on Facebook. Very often we have large numbers of ‘friends’ in our network whom we have never met, nor even spoken to on the phone. I occasionally see people jumping to conclusions on some seemingly well-intentioned posts, yet they may know little or nothing of the person they’re denigrating.

It’s valid for any area of life though – not just Facebook. If you spend time and energy defending every unjust comment made by family or co-workers, you’ll have less left for what really matters. And to be frank, if someone makes inaccurate comments about you without any facts to back them up, they will keep saying it or thinking it, no matter what you say, until they choose otherwise. Just ‘be’, rather than say, tell or try to convince. Remember, we can only control ourselves, not others.

~ Louise Goddard NLP Master & Hypnotist, http://www.schoolyourmind.com

‘The Touch Of The Master’s Hand’ By Myra ‘Brooks’ Welch (First published in 1921)

The Old Violin original painting by William Michael Harnett in 1886, hangs in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, a gift of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mellon Scaife in honor of Paul Mellon 1993.15.1

‘Twas battered and scarred and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.

“What am I bid, good folk?” he cried.
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar … now two … only two …
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?

“Three dollars once, three dollars twice,
Going for three” … but no!
From the room far back a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow.

Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet,
As sweet as an angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”
As he held it up with the bow.

“A thousand dollars … and who’ll make it two?
Two…two thousand, and who’ll make it three?
Three thousand once and three thousand twice …
Three thousand and gone!” said he.

The people cheered, but some exclaimed
“We do not quite understand …
What changed it’s worth?” and the answer came:
” ‘Twas the touch of the master’s hand.”

And many a man with soul out of tune
And battered and scarred by sin
Is auctioned cheap by the thoughtless crowd
Just like the old violin.

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul, and the change that is wrought
By the touch of the master’s hand.

O Master! I am the tuneless one
Lay, lay Thy hand on me,
Transform me now, put a song in my heart
Of melody, Lord, to Thee!

According to many sources, in 1921, Myra Brooks Welch heard a speaker address a group of students. She said she became filled with light, and ‘Touch of the Master’s Hand’ wrote itself in 30 minutes!” She sent it anonymously to her church news bulletin. She felt it was a gift from God and didn’t need her name on it. Its popularity spread and several years later, the poem was read at an international religious convention – “author unknown.” A young man stood up and said, “I know the author, and it’s time the world did too. It was written by my mother, Myra Welch.”

‘Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. I have helped many people from all over the world transform their lives, their happiness, when they thought it impossible. I was looking for an analogy for my coaching and happened upon this poem.

How is this an analogy? The violin in the poem was first deemed to be of little worth. You may currently have a low sense of self-worth, or perhaps you only lack confidence in certain situations, whichever is the case, this is reflected in how you think/feel/behave. The good news is that this can change – and change quickly – with the right coach. And, Hypnosis reinforces all the good stuff covered in your coaching sessions.

Interested? Great! Send me an email and we can arrange to have an informal chat. You can tell me what it is you want to change about yourself and I can tell you how NLP coaching and hypnosis can help you.

By the way, my work is done over Skype or over the phone so it doesn’t matter where you are in the world.

‘Looking forward to hearing from you,
Louise Goddard
NLP Master and Hypnotist

Louise Goddard Confidence Coaching and Hypnosis,
By Skype and ‘phone
Website: http://www.schoolyourmind.com