Thanks for the homework suggestions.
Cal

I like recommending homework too but I am a bit cautious about it in the sense of being careful not to imply that failure to do homework will negatively impact results. or that it’d be used as excuse for blaming the client. I know sometimes people will offer guarantees that are dependent on a client following homework that the hypnotist assigned — that seems weak to me. ah well

Anyway for ppl who say they don’t like to read, i sometimes mention audiobooks or podcasts as alternative… so many people have iPod or CD players in cars but never considered listening to anything besides mindless radio.

I also like to recommend videos online for some clients, like videos about how the brain works, especially the ability to change brain functioning (elasticity), because I think it makes it easier for clients to separate their “self” from a problem, as the “problem” can then be viewed as a matter of certain brain processes which can be optimized or otherwise modified.

PS. Rocky is a fantastic metaphor with a surprise twist esp. for people who are fearful of failure, because of a little-noticed aspect of the ending: Rocky did not win the fight! But almost no one remembers that, because it really did not matter.

PPS. Another movie metaphor i like to use is Gandhi… because most people now think very highly of him of course… but if you think about that movie (and his life), he spent much of it being hated and criticized and attacked by millions of people, for doing what he thought was right. In fact he was so despised that someone shot him in the end. So that goes to show a client who is fearful of criticism that no matter what, people will criticize you, even if you’re the Mahatma!

PPPS. Now that i think about it, another upside to the Gandhi movie metaphor is if a hypnotist helps a client experience forgiveness, then watching that movie could reinforce that whole experience, since that movie could be seen to be all about true forgiveness (not condoning or tolerating oppression or hurtful behavior, but not letting it turn you into a self-defeating victim full of anger and vengeance).

Hey thanks Cal and Elronn for another stimulating podcast!