Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy has been around for thousands of years as an effective healing tool. Over the centuries it has fallen out of favor for various reasons here and there, but always seems to make a come-back…probably because it works. In a nutshell,

Hypnotherapy is:

“a process which produces relaxation, distraction of the conscious mind, heightened suggestibility and increased awareness, allowing access to the subconscious mind through the imagination. It also produces the ability to experience thoughts and images as real”

A.M Krasner, Ph.D.

Because Hypnotherapy bypasses the conscious mind it is very important to allow only a trained professional to utilize this technique with you. You need to ensure that your Hypnotherapist is reputable and has very high standards and integrity. If you fall in love with Hypnotherapy (as I did) and would like to learn how to practice Self-Hypnosis, I suggest taking the Basic course with either Allan or Ruth Eastman of The Excel Center Counselling and Hypnotherapy Clinic, Red Deer. Alan R. Eastman is the Executive of the Professional Board of Hypnotherapy, Inc. a worldwide Hypnotherapist Organization.

Fascinated with the idea of helping myself to realize my own goals and dreams, I chose to allow Ruth Eastman to hypnotize me…and was so astounded by the results that I took her basic course. Thrilled with my own success I felt the need to offer this invaluable treatment to my own clients. I have included Hypnotherapy to the other offerings at my Life Review Counseling private practice in the Old Court House, 4836 50th St. (Ross), Suite 104. Sessions are by appointment only.

Just for fun…are you Right Brained or Left Brained? I found this very accurate test in “the Wizard Within” by A.M Krasner, Ph.D.:

Keep track of your answers and at the end add them up to see:

1.Think of your favorite song. Close your eyes and let it run through your head for 10 to 15 seconds… Did you focus more on:

a. the words? Or b. the melody?

2. You’re at a restaurant with a friend and he/she asks you for directions on how to get somewhere. Do you:

a. draw a map Or b. write out step-by-step directions?

3. When you buy audio equipment do you:

a. carefully analyze all the available specifications, data, and statistics, familiarizing yourself with electronic concepts important to the understanding of the spec sheets? Or

b. listen to the components in the systems in your price range and pick out one for the quality of the sound and the appearance of the equipment?

4. When you are hung up getting started on a project or working out a problem, is it because:

a. you get bogged down in all the details or don’t know where to start? Or

b. you try to do too many things at the same time and end up with your energies too spread apart, without putting your best abilities to work anywhere?

5. What kind of camera do you prefer:

a. One that allows you to worry about the picture, and not the camera – an automatic one? Or

b. A manually controlled one where you have control over the shutter speed, f-stop, flash, ?

6.

Dog	Cat	Blue
(1)	(2)	(3)

Does (1) match better with: a. (2)? Or b. (3)?

7. Are you sold on an idea:

a. after carefully reading up on it, analyzing all the aspects step by step? Or

b. if you can picture it a success, if it grabs you, or if you can get an intuitive, gut feeling that it will go?

8. Do you tend to judge a person by:

a. what he/she says? Or

b. his/her eye contact, body language, and appearance

9. When it comes to spectator sports, are you better at:

a. keeping score, remembering player averages, records, ?

Or

b. mapping out play strategies, anticipating where the action will be?

10.

Me	Ear	You
(1)	(2)	(3)

Does (1) match better with: a. (2)? Or b. (3)?

11. Do you work better when:

a. you can do the specialized work that you’re best at, analyzing it and making it all add up, without distractions? Or

b. you can see how your work plugs into the big picture, or if you’re involved in interpreting patterns and viewpoints of the whole picture?

12. How do you keep your desk, the place where you work, your hobby room, or garage?

a. it’s neat and orderly. Everything has its place. If it gets too cluttered, I can’t find anything. Or

b. it’s a mess, but I can find anything I need. If someone should come and clean it up, I’d be

13. Recall what you had for dinner yesterday. Close your eyes and remember for five seconds…Did you:

a. picture in your mind the image, the smells, and tastes of the food you ate? Or

b. recite a list of the foods the dinner consisted of, using words to describe them?

14. When you buy something to read on your vacation, do you:

a. take it along and read while others are swimming or sunning themselves?

b. end up hardly reading it at all because you just let go, loosen up, swim, or soak up the sun?

15. When you work on a project, do you prefer to:

a. get started right away, as soon as you have a feel for it – diving in and figuring that you can always plug in the gaps later? Or

b. have all the facts so that you can analyze them carefully and plan the best sequence of steps for implementing it?

16. When you put something together – like a game, a toy, or a new piece of equipment – do you:

a. carefully follow the written instructions, step by step, to the letter? Or

b. Try to eyeball it and figure out how to put it together on your own, maybe just glancing at the instructions when you get stuck?

17. Would you rather describe an object or place by:

a. writing a complete description? Or

b. drawing a simple sketch?

18. Does your mate tend to be more:

a. logical and analytical, a good talker? Or

b. intuitive and emotional, artistic?

19.

Banana	Gun	Peach
(1)	(2)	(3)

Does (1) match better with: a. (2)?  Or        b. (3)?

Scoring: Give yourself one point for each “a” answer you gave for questions 1,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12,14,16,17 & 18 plus one point for each “b” answer you gave for 2,5,10,13,15, and 19.

If you scored 10 or higher you tend to be a left-brained person; someone who uses an analytical, verbal, or step-by-step approach. You may get hung up on details, or talk yourself into a corner. Some ideas for getting yourself un-stuck when you get hung up on the details of whatever you’re working on, or in a negative-thinking rut, would be to engage in some right-brain activity: Listening to music, looking at art work, or engaging in any exercise or sporting activity.

If you scored a 9 or less you are more right-brained. You look for patterns and the big picture. You tend to process information with a visual, spatial, emotional, artistic perspective or approach. Most likely you’re a maverick and don’t like strict schedules or structured situations that tie you down and restrict you. Your moods have a definite effect on you, and you occasionally will make decisions based on your intuition. You can get unstuck from problems, such as feeling overwhelmed, by putting your thoughts into writing, making outlines of your larger task to break it down into smaller pieces, analytically dissecting the ideas or objectives in writing.

Thank You Dr. Krasner for this fun and enlightening quiz, plus the ideas to help either right or left-brained people!

Written by Diane Kinnear, MS, CCC Life Review Counseling, Red Deer, AB