On a windy Saturday at a pumpkin patch with my family, I had a fortuitous encounter with a random gentlemen. My friend Debbie introduced me to…hmmm…I’ll call him “Joe”. “He does hypnosis”. “Oh reeeeeeally”, I said.
I have had quite a history with the practice of hypnotism, hypnotherapy, what have you. Since I was little I have been riddled with a bevy of irrational fears. Some have kept me from living my life to the fullest, I believe. As I was on my quest in my 20’s to “find myself” as many of us do, I went to many therapists and some hypnotherapists…of course, all claiming to be able to “cure me”.
The first issue is always…”are you ABLE to be hypnotized?” You can recall that scene in Good Will Hunting when he is introduced to one therapist after another to deal with his “issues”, as he pretends to be in a trance and then begins to lyricize “Afternoon Delight”. Unlike Will, I always go in with an open-mind, but perhaps TOO open. I wonder, maybe I want it too bad and therefore there is a “block”. Oh who knows. Some say that there is a part of us that may not always WANT to get better – that we cling to our fears as protection mechanisms. Perhaps.
Anyhoo, it’s been a while since I went to therapy and I kind of came to a place of acceptance with my issues. When you hit 40- years old, in so many respects of your life, you get to a point where you go, “This is me. I know what I am. I have to learn to just deal”. We can be just so spent with trying to “change”. But perhaps fate brought this mystery man into my life. Oh what the heck, I’ll give it a go.
After a lot of nervous, awkward chatter (mostly from my end), I asked “Joe” for his card and said I’d call him to set up an appointment. He just seemed sooooooo confident that whatever ailment, he had the miraculous solution…in just one session. Eh. Ok. Whatever.
Hmmm, maybe I’ve become a little jaded. Well, I figured it can’t hurt. Unless this man is going to get into my subconscious and make me cluck like a chicken or worse turn me into a Scientologist or something, I’ll go for it.
In setting up our meeting, “Joe” needed some information from me. I emailed him an exorbitant amount of information regarding what I wanted to “work through” and my past history with hypnotism. I’m sure I disclosed plenty more than he needed, but hey, I wanted to be thorough. I’m not one to hold back.
“Joe” met me at my sister’s apartment (too many distractions at my house). I laid on the couch as “Joe” began to recite the “script” to guide me into full relaxation. From there he recited “suggestions” to, hopefully, foster the changes I was seeking within myself…most importantly facing my fears.
So…did I get “hypnotised”? Who’s to say. I did feel half-awake, half-asleep. I told him that I felt sort of drunk – You know, when you are sort of passed out, but you can still hear everyone and you are kind of conscience? Oh you don’t? (yeah, right!) Ha, ha, ha!
Most importantly…did it work? Well, I guess I won’t know until I am faced with a fear. So I shall sit and wait…
…to be continued….
Well, for what it’s worth, in my case, it did not work. But “Joe” has requested that I keep trying. I think the problem is that I am, in fact, NOT hypnotize-able. My mind is too scatty. I can’t seem to quiet my mind. I get so easily distracted by the slightest noise or smell, etc. It’s hard for me to sleep at night because I have millions of things swirling in my brain. In order for a hypnotherapist to be effective, they really need to speak to your subconscious. You need to be able to really let go and allow yourself to be in a state of relaxation that I am just not able to achieve right now. Maybe when Hayden’s away in college and I’m retired.
xo
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