By: Jerry Valley – October, 2014
I have been recognized mostly from my shows on stage on cruise ships, TV’s “20/20,” and many Fairs, clubs, colleges, resorts, corporations and more.
However, I assume that many people do not know that I am also an NGH Certified, Consulting Hypnotist having worked with thousands of clients for over 45 years. I am certified by the oldest, largest and most innovative hypnosis educational organization in the world…the National Guild of Hypnotists. I have also been certified by the AAEH, the ACHE and the ISPH. These are accredited hypnosis organizations that have been established for many years.
Now, I would like to answer the most common questions that are usually asked.
Q. Will I be unconscious?
A. No, not at all. You are aware of the proceedings much like daydreaming. Have you ever driven your car down the highway, started to daydream and missed your exit? Well, were you unconscious or asleep while you were driving the car? Of course not. It is a similar feeling.
Q. Will I do crazy things?
A. Maybe not crazy, but sometimes you will do things that you ordinarily would not do. For example, let’s assume you might not sing in public, but under hypnosis, you might just do it.
Q. What is the greatest fear of being hypnotized?
A. The fear of not being in control. That is a fallacy. The hypnotist is a guide or a teacher. When you are in hypnosis, you have the power to stop it at anytime. You remain in control.
Q. Will I tell secrets?
A. Only if you want to tell. An ethical hypnotist would not ask you any personal questions. The fact is that you will not say anything you do not want to say.
Q. Only Weak-minded people make good subjects. Is that right?
A. No. Not at all. First, let me explain that you cannot be hypnotized against your will. It must be voluntary. People from all walks of life experience hypnosis to some level. Some go into it very deeply while others stay in light to medium levels. And, repeated sessions do not make you weak-willed. Actually, hypnosis, with the proper suggestions, can actually strengthen your will power. I have hypnotized some famous athletes, a famous actress and many people that have great will power.
Q. What if I don’t come out of it?
A. That cannot happen and has never happened. If you do not hear the hypnotist’s voice for 5 consecutive minutes, you will come out of it all by yourself.
Q. Will I only hear the hypnotist’s voice?
A. No. Very often clients in hypnosis can actually hear other sounds but they completely ignore those sounds because they are focused on my voice. They cannot be disturbed.
Q. Will hypnosis work for me?
A. It will work for you if you want it to work for you. When I was featured on TV’s 20/20, John Stossel make a great statement. He said “We interviewed over 400 hypnotists and they all agreed that the hypnotist is just a guide and gives you’re the proper suggestions BUT you must have the desire for the suggestions to work.
John Stossel was right. Hypnosis works this way: The hypnotist gives you the suggestions but you must have the sincere desire for the suggestion to work. The hypnotist is a guide and you simply allow the hypnotists to take you through a most relaxation imagery like being at a beautiful lake or at the seashore. It could be any image that you enjoy and one which relaxes you enough to allow your subconscious mind to accept and follow the suggestions. Perhaps you might like to visualize yourself on the beach or at a beautiful lake etc.
Gerald Kein, a very fine hypnotist in Florida and is associate of mine, has sent in the following information:
Patients “Eavesdrop” on Surgeons
The greater use of narcotics and muscle relaxants, with the consequent lightening of anesthetics to induce unconsciousness, seems to be increasing the number of surgical “awareness episodes” say a number of psychologists and anesthesiologists. Taken together, these reports suggest that even though patients may have no conscious recall, they can actually hear operating room conversations while they are “asleep” and can incorporate such information unconsciously into their behavior and attitudes toward recovery.
We have worked with people going in for surgery so we have conferred with many doctors. Doctors have learned that even when a person is under anesthesia, the subconscious may still be listening so they need to be careful about what is said. As an example, many years ago, Harry Arons, one of the pioneers of hypnosis was called into a hospital to help a male patient who could not walk after his operation which I recall as being on his leg or spine.
Therefore, the following information is really true. Harry Arons discovered, in interviews with the nurses, that a doctor made this remark while the patient was sedated. “If he ever walks again, it will be a miracle.” Harry realized that that suggestion locked into the patient’s subconscious mind and therefore he had a psychological paralysis……not a physical one. But it was so strong that it became a physical problem until Harry Arons hypnotized him out of it and the man did walk!
As you can surmise, the subconscious mind is always aware and controls everything that we feel and do. Today, doctors and nurse in the operating rooms are very careful of their remarks so that the patient will not pick up and negative remarks or statements.
Our subconscious mind works 24/7 and never sleeps. The conscious mind goes to sleep and we are unconscious until we awaken each morning. The subconscious mind keeps our hearts beating, our lungs breathing, our kidneys working and every muscle, every nerve, every function in our bodies are under the control of this most powerful mind.
We have learned that many of our problems are not conscious problems but are emotional attachments in our subconscious minds. That is why hypnosis is so effective because we, hypnotists, work with the subconscious……………and in most cases IT WORKS.