I have heard the term “Lay Hypnotist” and completely reject it.
As an interesting aside, I looked in two dictionaries, the Webster’s New World Dictionary: Third College Edition and, and Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Edition 15, before turning to the internet to find a definition of the word, “lay.” According to National Guild of Hypnotists would stand for being called a “lay hypnotist.”
Certainly there are lay hypnotists, a group of which is made up primarily of hobbyists who casually study hypnosis just out of personal interest. But when the term is most commonly used, it is not these individuals of which others are speaking. Rather the term has been misused and regularly applied to professionals who use hypnosis to help others in their legal practices across the country and around the world. These professionals are often of state licensed schools such as ours. The label of “lay hypnotist,” is most likely to be used by licensed professionals who want to distinguish themselves from hypnotists and hypnotherapists who are not licensed. This is an improper use of the term.
Since hypnosis is most appropriately used to help normal everyday people with normal everyday problems, being licensed as a psychologist or physician is simply not an issue. Furthermore, such licensure does not in any way determine the quality of hypnosis or hypnotherapy that a particular client will experience, or the outcome that they can expect from such services. This is because there is no licensed profession in which hypnotherapy or hypnosis training is ever provided as a regular part of their education. In fact many such professionals have had to seek training outside of their own licensed profession from the very people that they label “lay hypnotists.” I know this is true because I have had many such professionals go through both our NGH Hypnotherapy Certification Course and our Advanced Hypnotherapy Training Course.
So, the idea of calling non-licensed professionals, “lay persons” should be considered a statement made out of ignorance. I for one have studied hypnosis and hypnotherapy extensively, and have received certification from the NGH as a Hypnotherapist, a Board Certified Hypnotherapist, and also carry the title of Fellow of the National Guild of Hypnotists. Although I am not licensed, I also have a BS and MA in Psychology. I have written books and taught on the subject for years now. Should I accept the label of “lay” anything? Should any professional hypnotist or hypnotherapist? Not if they have taken up serious study of the subject and have been properly certified by a respectable organization.
In my opinion, if ignorance of the proper usage of the word “lay” is not at issue, then applying such labels to professional hypnotists and hypnotherapist is designed solely to make others feel or look superior to those who are true professionals in the field of hypnosis.
I say that it is time that Professional Hypnotists and Hypnotherapists around the world wholeheartedly reject this demeaning term and proudly state the truth, we are a profession. Wake up! We have been a profession for quite some time now.
Cal Banyan
www.HypnosisCenter.com
In a recent email a hypnotherapist who had purchased my 5-PATH® Distance Learning Course asked me about something that I said in that video, “We never let our clients fail.” And, then went on to say, “You also insist that we need somnambulism to do true age regression work. I find that only about 9 our of 10 of my clients are reaching that level of hypnosis. Do you always get your clients to that level of hypnosis? If so, please let me know what I am missing. I am working with a client for a social fear and have spent three sessions with him but have not been able to move on to age regression because he does not pass the tests for somnambulism. Your input would be appreciated”
In answer to your questions; first let me clear up the statement, “We never let our clients fail.” What I am talking about there is our need to help the client feel confident in you, hypnosis and him or herself. This is why 5-PATH® trained hypnotherapists realize that they need to avoid tests in which, if the client fails, he or she will be aware of the failure. Awareness of the failure would decrease your client’s confidence. This why we use covert testing in order to find out what level of hypnosis is obtained. This is also why we avoid using suggestibility tests, because if we do then we are using overt testing strategy in which the client will be aware of failure if he or she does not pass a certain test. Failing a suggestibility test also reduces your client’s confidence in his or her ability to use hypnosis. That would certainly be called getting off to a very bad start! So learn and use covert tests such as the ones that I spoke of in class.
Now on to your question about increasing your ability to guide your clients reliably into the deep state of hypnosis called somnambulism. I believe that my odds are better than 90% but not much better, maybe 95 to 97%. Remember that hypnotherapy is always a dance, with you in the lead and your client following. If your client does not follow your lead then you will not have a dance but rather a wrestling match! When wresting match occurs you will not get somnambulism and perhaps no hypnosis at all. If you find yourself in such a wresting match, then you need to find out what is missing for that individual. You need to ascertain from your client what he or she needs to hear from you in order for him or her to fearlessly follow your instructions instantly as you give them.
It is my experience that everyone of normal intelligence who is not mentally ill can go into hypnosis and benefit from hypnotherapy, so long as he or she really wants to make the changes that you are working on with him or her, and if she is completely free from fears and misconceptions about hypnosis. Can you arrange this 100% of the time? No, but you can come close.
So remember, If your client has not been completely cleared of all fears and misconceptions regarding hypnosis and hypnotherapy then your pre-talk is not done, not matter what you have done before hand. After all, the goal of a good hypnosis pre-talk is to remove all of those fears so that the hypnotic induction and deepening technique that you choose will work reliably.
I hope that helps you out,
Cal Banyan
www.HypnosisCenter.com
In a few days I am headed off to Singapore! Yes, life is good when you get to make these kinds of excursions. For the last 5 years I have gone to Singapore one or twice a year to teach our National Guild of Hypnotists Hypnotherapy Course with 5-PATH® and 7th Path Self-Hypnosis® (our mind-body-spirit approach self-improvement). Between the courses that I teach in Singapore and the USA I have certified Hypnotherapists from at least a dozen countries. Hypnosis and hypnotherapy is not just an American phenomenon. In fact in a conversation I had yesterday with Dr. Dwight Damon, the President of the National Guild of Hypnotists, the NGH has now certified Hypnotherapists in over 50 countries!
Where there are people who want to help others, there are people who are interested in learning about using hypnosis to do just that. These people come from all kinds of backgrounds and all kinds of professions. There are the psychologists, counselors and other professionals who are looking at broadening the scope of their practices by adding hypnosis, while being more effective with their existing clientele. There are those who want to leave their existing professions and become a full time professional hypnotherapist or hypnotist. And, finally there are the hobbyists who are mostly interested in the phenomenon of hypnosis for its own sake, finding it simply irresistible, and studying it for the pure enjoyment of it. These students are all welcome, in my classes in Singapore, or the USA.
But, somehow the classes in Singapore are just a bit more interesting for this American. The classes are filled with students from wider cultural perspectives and faiths. The students of my classes in Singapore come from all over Asia-Pacific Area and the Middle East. This wonderful mix makes these classes more colorful and exciting, especially when they learn and practice my mind-body-spirit form of self hypnosis. Imagine this, the Christian, the Jew, the Moslem, the Sikh, the Buddhist, the Taoist, and other faiths all practicing a spiritually based form of self-hypnosis together. Yes all involved in a spiritual practice together. It happens every time I come to Singapore. It is a wonderful and hopeful sight to behold. (Click for course information.)
I learn a much from them as they do from me, maybe more.
If you live in the Asia Pacific or Middle Eastern parts of the world let me encourage your to join our Asia Pacific Hypnosis Group on Yahoo. All others would probably like to join our Talk About Hypnosis Group on Yahoo. See you there!
Cal Banyan
www.HypnosisCenter.com
I am rather new to this profession having only begun working full time in field since July 1996, a very small amount of time compared to some of the great names in our profession. Before that, about 9 years ago, I was psychotherapist, using a purely psychological model to help my clients. Two wonderful things have occurred since leaving the work of a psychotherapist, and switching to hypnotherapy. I would like to briefly share them with you now. Perhaps I will convert one or two psychotherapists and I write.
The first wonderful thing is that I am getting a whole lot more done and the process of helping clients to become successful is much less frustrating. In “the olden days” when I spent hour after hour, week after week talking with my clients the process was slow, even painfully slow and often tiresome or even frustrating. That has all changed so profoundly. As a talk therapist I was taught to spend the first 2 to 4 sessions, or even 6 sessions doing an intake, setting goals and building rapport with my clients. Now as a hypnotherapist I am usually done with my work in 4 to 6 sessions. Now I feel a sense of accomplishment in every session. It was the best professional decision I have ever made.
The second wonderful thing that has happened is the incredible personal growth that has occurred in me. I have found this process of hypnotherapy to be an incredible journey for both my clients and myself. As I guide them through the 5-PATH® Hypnotherapy process I get to see how the mind really works, how it is motivated by subconscious and unconscious expectation of pleasure and pain, along with long held, repressed emotions of the past, mostly painful sensations that were generated from perceptions made so long ago. Working with my clients they have taught me. I learned what I call The Secret Language of Feelings (discussed in my book by the same name). This knowledge has provided me with so much insight into myself and the human condition that I can only look back with a sense of profound gratitude.
On another topic, please check back because I am about to broaden the team of writers. I will soon be introducing you to some experienced hypnotherapists who will be regular bloggers. I look forward to their contribution!
Cal Banyan
www.HypnosisCenter.com
Hello Jerry,
Congratulations on opening your blog at http://omnihypnosis.blogspot.com/2005/03/welcome.html!
I just opened this blog a few days ago myself. I look forward to reading the posts. I’m sure that the posts will be both interesting and informative.
I hope you will post often because I know that we will all benefit from you sharing your knowledge and your passion for hypnosis.
Thank you for all you do. You are my biggest inspiration.
Love and friendship,
Cal Banyan
www.HypnosisCenter.com
What is the truth about hypnosis? Is there a “truth” about hypnosis? What is hypnotherapy? These are but a few of the questions that will be asked and answered on this educational adventure into the exciting topic of hypnosis.
Check back often!
