When it comes to finding a good hypnotherapist, it’s much the same as anything else. You need to use the resources at your disposal and apply a certain amount of common sense along the way.

As a professional, there’s no greater compliment than a referral. If someone recommends me to another potential client, it’s because they’ve had a good, positive experience in working with me and their therapy has been successful. That’s indicative that I’m doing something right. From the potential client’s perspective, it’s immediately comforting to be referred to someone. It’s like some of the research has already been done for them.

But even with a good referral, there are other considerations, and anyone seeking to connect with a hypnotherapist should take appropriate measures in assuring they are working with the right hypnotist.

Sourcing them out shouldn’t be very complicated. You’ll likely be able to compile a starting list from browsing the internet. I would then encourage clients to get informed, and compare services. For instance, you might find several hypnotherapy clinics in your area, and not be able to identify any differences at first glance. You should investigate their inner workings just a bit. It’s okay to telephone them and ask questions, just conduct a little fact-finding mission.

Consider things like whether the hypnotist is a full-time professional or whether they are just sort of moonlighting at this activity. Do they have an office or are they working from their living room? What about the services they offer. Is he/she making unrealistic promises? Are their rates suspiciously lower than average? Check out credentials and qualifications. Are they a member of professional association, a reputable one?

These are a few examples of the sorts of things you can investigate, but a lot of times, your judgment will come straight from your gut feeling. If you can visit and possibly meet a therapist in person first, you may find that all the other variables are irrelevant because you felt you had an instant connection with that person, and you would be very comfortable working with them.

If you do get a chance to meet a hypnotherapist before you decide to work with him or her, you can investigate their approach, and see if you are comfortable in how they plan and execute their work.

Personally, I have no set pattern of conduct in place. Sure there are general procedures which help me get the therapy started on track, but after the initial orientation, I like to think that I’m flexible and adaptable enough to customize my therapy for the specific unique needs of each of my clients.

Initially, I like to spend time chatting with a new client so that I can identify their cause of concern, or what it is they want to achieve. Then I investigate their willingness or inclination to work together as a team. I also like to get their impression of hypnosis before we start, so that I know what I’m working with in terms of myths or beliefs, etc. It’s important to go into this with realistic expectations so I need to get some indication of what the person has in their head in terms of expectations.

After that initial process, it’s more about the specifics of that client. We can start to explore the problem. This process is really about having the client take a look deep inside himself. It’s important at this stage that I am extremely flexible, because I don’t want to lead the client in any way. It’s their own personal journey, I am just a facilitator.

What people usually expect when they first come into it, is a brief chat of a few minutes, then a typical session including an induction, deepener, suggestion, and then bring them back. They will typically expect a few minutes of chatting afterwards. That’s normal and it’s very common practice for most professional hypnotherapists.

There’s nothing set in stone in terms of approach or technique. There really isn’t a set prescription for a specific problem. Even if I have two clients with the same problem, I wouldn’t apply some sort of generic therapy. I would treat each case as an individual case, because it is. What works for one client might not at all work for the other, so it’s imperative to be open and flexible and adaptable.

Interpretation skills are extremely useful and important here as well. I want to be able to make a determination based on what I interpret from what the client has told me. I want to hear what they’re telling me and also read what they aren’t saying. I need to determine the best course of action for that client based on what I believe, and what I determine from them.

The best quality in a good hypnotherapist is likely his or her ability to be flexible and apply a treatment that is as unique as the client in from of him.

Most of us live our lives hungry, hungry for love, attention, praise, success. But no matter how much we take in, it’s hard to be satisfied and feel full. We may get what we need momentarily, but then before long we’re craving more. It is easy to spend each day waiting for tomorrow when we will get what we dream of. Most think that tomorrow they will arrive arrive at their goal, find a new job, have good weather, or finally, magically, meet the love of their life.

But when tomorrow comes it’s another day, just like this one. Unless we know what this day is, and how to live it fully and truly, the fulfillment we dream of never comes. In Zen this is called being a hungry ghost- someone at a banquet who eats and eats, but is still unable to taste the food, feel full or be nourished by it.

The good news is that we can learn to eat, digest and be nourished by all that comes to us. Zen practice is about stopping the merry go round of our minds and heart.

We take our attention off the prizes we think are waiting for us, off being good enough someday, and realize we’re good enough now. At this very moment we are that which we seek so fervently.

How To Take The First Step

Stop For A Moment

Practice is about stopping. We stop our usual way of running,moving, chasing, fixing, thinking, doing and take a breath. Just a simple breath, just like one we take every moment of our lives, but pay no attention to. The first step is to take charge of our focus and pay attention to what’s going on now,right here, under our eyes, to this very breath.

Without this precious breath and the one that follows it, we would not be anywhere. Strange, isn’t it, how we take this breath for granted. What else do we take for granted? It’s worthwhile to look and see.

Exercise: Paying Attention

Consider for a moment what you pay attention to all day long. What seems important to you, what do you take for granted and hardly attend to at all? Write it down. Do not judge your answers. Be honest and simple. As you keep track all week long, you’ll be amazed at what claims your attention, what you give your life force to.

Most of us spend our lives paying attention to the dreams created by our racing, scheming minds. We allow this Monkey Mind to rule us. The monkey mind is the mind that hops from person to person, job to job, desire to desire, thought to thought. It always wants more, never feels good and doesn’t now how to say thank you.

It chatters endlessly and is an expert in spoiling, judging and criticizing everything. Sometimes it is very loud in our lives. Other times it settles down. This monkey mind pursues that which has no value and doesn’t know how to find that which it is yearning for.

In order to fill our hungry hearts, we must learn how to recognize and dissolve this monkey mind, to take our attention away from it, to turn our focus to what counts.

Exercise: Stop The Monkey Mind

Spend some time getting to know how the Monkey Mind is operating in your life. Much of our misery is caused by IT. The first step is becoming aware. We need not hate, reject or try to get rid of it, just to recognize what’s going on. This recognition takes its power away. As we learn to make friends with this part of ourselves we help it to settle down and take its proper place. As you pay attention and stay in the present, little by little you will be returning to your original self. This is the part of yourself which knows the truth, is kind and filled with clarity. As this part of you grows, everyday life and the struggles it brings, will become transformed. Life will become fresh and new possibilities will come to you all by themselves.

Cc/author/2007

Life is like an ocean. The waves may be very calm one day and the next day there may be a storm. Life is not like a mountain that remains steady forever. Right from our childhood we find the times changing. Sometimes everything looks going perfectly. Otherwise everything goes wrong. Why and what to do about this?

Some of us call this our fate. They accept that whatever happens is destined. Such people may be very calm. Some of those who believe in fate are also very inactive. They accept whatever comes their way without making any effort to fight the situation. Certainly one can believe in fate. But that should not stop us to act positively? How to act in tough times?

1. List out all your assets. Some of us think that they are left with nothing when tough times come. But that is not true. You may be facing the toughest time, but you are alive. That is an asset. If you are healthy, that is another asset. If your family is supporting you, that is one more asset. You have friends? Add them as your assets. Write down everything you have as an asset. This kind of list gives us positive inspiration. We feel that all is not lost. That is very important. To come out of the hopelessness is the first major step we should take during tough times.

2. Make a list of all the problems that you are facing. Divide that list in small problems and big problems. Look at the list again and find out which problems may be ignored for the time. Find out the problems that must be tackled. Begin with small problems from that list. As you solve one after another problem, you will see your confidence growing. Tough times test us our attitude. We must fight them out.