Burlington Hypnosis

Paul on WBZ radio

Radio host invited Paul Gustafson to talk about hypnotherapy on WBZ’s Nightside with Dan Rea.

Video: Self-hypnosis reduces narcotic use

David Spiegel explains how self-hypnosis can greatly reduce pain and narcotic use.

I see many smokers who are struggling to quit. Initially we talk about their smoking history, past attempts to quit and any health concerns for themselves or if they know someone whose health was compromised by smoking.

Smokers are very quick to say they hate smoking; they hate the smell, the cost and don’t like the fact that they have to go ‘somewhere else’ to smoke.

A recent client said she was at a family function and a couple of cousins were also smokers. The routine was for them to step outside and chat while they smoked.

The client had already come for her first of two office visits and had been listening to MP3 of her session daily at home. While recounting this particular smoke break story, she said it was very different from previous times. ‘We were standing in the cold next to the chimney to the back side of the house. I remember feeling so stupid because I was freezing to death and isolated from the rest of my family just to smoke.’

She spoke at length about how, in the past week, she became much more aware of the absurdity and certainly the health risk of smoking. I reminded her how hypnotherapy enhances mindfulness, we become very careful thinkers and impulsivity fades. This was likely why she saw this situation in a new light.

I asked her why she ever smoked in the first place, what was the upside? If she was so eager to condemn the cost, stink and health risk what could she possibly be getting from smoking.

She said ‘I guess I just want to smoke.’ To that I asked her to drill down into the ‘want’ a little more. Could she logically want something that checked off the cost, stink and health boxes? She paused and then responded with an emphatic ‘of course not’.

I asked if it made sense that the ‘want’ was just a habit that had taken on a life of its own out of simple repetition? That made sense to her.

Then I asked if it also made sense that by continuing to repeat the relaxing process that reinforced a comfortable smoke-free transition could fix the problem? She just smiled and nodded. After our chat we did her hypnotherapy session and she left the office feeling very focused and confident.

I routinely engage in these types of conversations with clients prior to initiating a hypnotherapy session because it helps them sort through all the details on a subconscious level. Once the session is concluded clients typically are much more focused and confident about moving forward to healthy change.

By: Paul Gustafson

Hypnotherapist Mentoring Program

With over 20 years’ of clinical experience I have developed a multilevel approach including a therapeutic in-office/remote client experience, digital session recording, MP3 file sharing, cable TV show production/editing, SEO, blogging and social media distribution.

This approach has supported a lucrative, self-sustaining, private practice that allows me the freedom to do the work I was meant to do. No advertising, promotions or discounts.

Clients are routinely surprised by the high quality intro videos emailed to them prior to initial appointment. They also appreciate the live session recordings and being able to access them on any smart phone.

Consistent positive client experience is the result a blended audio tapestry of soothing music, binaural beats and nature sounds with creatively effective, deep-trance hypnotherapy sessions. Sessions are mixed live into audacity, converted to MP3 format and end up in client’s in-box before they get home. mentoring sign

The key to top shelf search engine prominence requires a steady stream of information of value. This includes a professionally designed, key word optimized, WordPress website and consistent quality content posting.

Google values video. I post narrated info videos as well as client testimonials edited from my cable access TV show. All posted content includes appropriate key words and is automatically distributed to social media.

My 6-class mentoring program for new hypnotherapists helps practitioners establish a solid professional foundation so you too can do the work you were meant to do. [more]

Class 1: Finances, regulations, pc skills, website
Class 2: Getting started, conducting office visits/sessions
Class 3: Blogging, search engine optimization, reviews
Class 4: Equipment, music, recording, file sharing
Class 5: Narrated video production
Class 6: TV show production, Q&A

Hypnotherapist Paul Gustafson RN CH offers a 6-class mentoring program for new certified hypnotherapists interested in taking the fast track to professional success. Paul incorporates high-end audio and video along with creatively effective sessions which offers eager clients consistently positive results. [more]

Paul’s multilevel approach includes a dynamic client office experience, digital recording of client sessions, MP3 file sharing, cable TV show production with search engine optimization, blogging and social media distribution. [contact]

12 Reasons a mentor is important

1 Mentors support growth

Mentors encourage and enable another person’s professional or personal development. A mentor can help focus their efforts by setting goals and giving feedback. As a result, companies that want to build employees’ skills often create mentoring programs. The mentors’ knowledge can help train and create a high-quality and productive workforce. Employees appreciate workplaces that encourage development, as it can demonstrate that their employer values them and wants to see them grow.

2 Mentors serve as a source of knowledge

Mentors can provide specific insights and information that enable the mentee’s success. For example, they offer instructions on how to perform particular tasks or develop useful skills. Individuals starting their career can benefit from such guidance, as it helps them feel comfortable in the role more quickly. For example, a mentor can help a person starting a business learn how to develop their initial business plan and budgets.

3 Mentors can help set goals

A mentor can help their mentee set personal or professional development goals. For effective goal-setting, they can create SMART goals—specific, achievable, relevant and time-based. These goals can help focus the mentee’s efforts and make it easier for the mentor to track and assess progress. They may identify smaller tasks in pursuit of a larger objective to develop specific skills or meet particular priorities.

4 Mentors maintain accountability

A mentor helps hold their mentee accountable for their goals. By tracking progress, the mentor helps the mentee stay focused and on track towards completing them. It can also ensure that the mentee does not forget about the goals they have set. Knowing that someone else is watching can serve as motivation, as the mentee likely does not want to let the mentor down by failing to meet goals.

5 Mentors offer encouragement

When the mentee finds themselves struggling to perform their job or reach a goal, they can turn to their mentor for support. This encouragement can motivate them to keep moving forward despite challenges. A mentor can also identify and express their mentee’s strengths to instill confidence in them. Having a strong sense of confidence can make the mentee less likely to give up on their goals.

6 Mentors help make connections

A mentor can help build their mentee’s professional network. When the mentee identifies professional or personal goals, the mentor can connect them to potential opportunities or individuals who can help them. As the mentor typically has more industry experience or a higher-level career, these connections can be valuable for career advancement.

7 Mentors are willing to listen

When an individual has ideas, they can use a mentor as a resource to discuss or try them. The mentor can provide unbiased advice or opinions using their relevant knowledge and experience. With these insights, the mentee can better understand what steps to take and whether to pursue the idea or walk away. Similarly, a mentor can also listen and advise them on daily concerns, such as workplace conflicts.

8 Mentors serve as a trusted ally

Trust represents a core element of mentoring relationships. The mentee must trust that the mentor has their best interests in mind and will provide accurate and honest guidance. The business world can also be competitive, so they need to rely on one another to keep confidential information private when necessary. Communicating regularly and following through on their promises demonstrate two methods of establishing trust in these relationships.

9 Mentors can offer constructive feedback

A trusting mentorship relationship enables honest feedback. By establishing trust, the mentee understands that constructive criticism aims to build their professional growth rather than make them feel bad. Mentors can identify weaknesses and advise them on ways to improve. Because this is a professional relationship, the mentor plays an objective role. Meanwhile, a friend may hesitate to identify the mentee’s weaknesses because they do not want to appear critical.

10 Mentors provide guidelines

For individuals just starting their career, a mentor can help set guidelines on professional expectations. For example, they may clarify the priorities of the role and proper workplace behaviors. These guidelines can help the mentee establish appropriate work habits that enable them to focus and perform their job successfully. These effective work habits can help them be more productive and impress their supervisors.

11 Mentors have relevant experience

When possible, individuals should choose mentors who have the experience relevant to their profession or goals. When mentors convey their successes, the mentee can use them as an example to strive toward and copy the steps they took. Mentors can also share the mistakes they made along their journeys. The mentee benefits because they learn lessons about the mistakes’ negative impacts but do not have to suffer the consequences themselves. Learning about these experiences can also help prepare the mentee for the challenges they can expect to face and provide demonstrable advice on how to overcome them.

12 Mentors are a free resource

Mentorship typically occurs due to networking or company programs, so mentors do not seek payment. They offer to serve this role because they genuinely want to help the other individual grow and establish a more authentic and personal connection. The lack of payment also opens up mentorship for all types of people, rather than restricting this resource to only those who can afford it. (Indeed.com)

Hypnosis, counselling or CBT?

When trying to address a psychological issue, such as a phobia, there are different methods used for treatment. This can be confusing to some who want the best treatment to help alleviate their fear or put their condition in its proper place. Understanding which type of treatment is right for you starts with an understanding of what hypnosis, counselling, and CBT do and their differences.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis has been around for many centuries and has been used to address all types of fears, unwanted behaviors, and reactions by going straight into the mind. A person under hypnosis will be trained to react differently to a specific behavior. For example, if a person suffers from anxiety, hypnosis will plant subconscious suggestions that alter the reaction to the feeling of anxiety which result in a person not suffering from the constant state of fear.

Counselling

This is a traditional form of therapy that is primarily designed to identify the source of the unwanted feeling or behavior, so the effect is lessened, and the person can retain control. In addition to identification, counselling provides methods for the patient to address what is unwanted and focus on other areas so that it can be changed in a more positive direction.

Counselling has been a primary means of addressing fears and behaviors in millions of people around the world. Sometimes, it may be combined with CBT or hypnosis to help augment the effects.

CBT

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely used practices in the mental health profession. The essence of CBT to develop effective coping strategies for those who are afflicted with beliefs, thoughts, or attitudes that need be changed to lead a healthier lifestyle. For example, a person who suffers from anxiety and uses CBT will be taught methods or behaviors that curb the effect of the anxiety.

Unlike hypnosis which reaches directly into the mind, CBT is built on training the mind to react differently when the fear or symptoms are being felt. CBT is an action-oriented approach that is designed to curb the unwanted fear, behavior, or symptoms so the person can then remain in control.

Differences

The differences between hypnosis, counselling and CBT are considerable even though they seemingly use similar methods. Traditional counselling deals with identification while CBT is more along the lines of building up new habits or reactions to successfully deal with the unwanted fear, attitudes, or behaviors.

Hypnosis is like CBT in terms of applying different responses, but the method is far different in that it implants suggestions directly into the mind. This means that the reactions are automatic and can be reinforced when needed. Hypnosis can be performed by a therapist or self-induced using the proper methods.

An example of the differences is quitting smoking. While counselling will find the reason why you smoke, CBT will prescribe training to help you avoid smoking. Hypnosis will implant suggestions that have you turn away from lighting up a cigarette.

Finding the right choice between hypnosis, counselling, or CBT means understanding their strengths and differences, so you can make the best-informed decision. In many cases a combination of all three processes may be used to solve the problem.

By: Biodun Ogunyemi