Can You, as a Hypnotist, be hypnotized

I've spoken to some hypnotists (Cht's) who tell me that they cannot be hypnotized because they either can't relax another for another hypnotist or because their mind won't allow them to trust another hypnotist enough. Can You, being a Hypnotist yourself, allow yourself to be hypnotized by someone else? And, if so, how deeply do You go under?

Smiles... I want to thank everyone who has replied to and become a part of this discussion.... I asked this question because I am, and have been, a hypnotic subject for years.... I go so deeply into trance that most of the time I am unaware of anything going on around me... In fact I'd swear I'd fallen asleep during trance... Of course, the results of each session have convinced me that I truly do go deeply...
Through hypnosis I've experienced childbirthing, pain tolerance, relaxation, weight loss, time regretion,etc.
I started learning more about being the hypnotist rather than the subject.. I haven't done many trances... and the few I'ved done were dealing with weight loss. In fact, I myself have lost a considerable amount of weight through hypnosis. When doing a trance, I find myself in such a relaxed state I can almost feel what the subject is. When hearing someone else do a trance I find myself either zoned out or going under with them.
Personally, (and because of my own experiences) I find it's been helpful having been (and still being) the subject.
And to answer the question privately written to me in an email..... Yes.. I truly do believe (and know) hypnosis is real...

Favorite

0 members favorited this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Karen Lockman on March 21, 2009 at 5:54pm

The only people I can let go for are my teachers. Jerry Kein can drop me like a rock with a breath or a look, but just about anyone else.... no way. I've had some of the best training in this country, and I analyze what others do against what I've been taught. It's unfortunate, but reality.
Karen

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sherry Joy on March 21, 2009 at 5:57pm

I can relate to that Karen. Knowing some people who have been 'hurt' by unethical hypnotists, it's important to be cautious... especially if you're a 'good' subject.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chris Stanton-Cook on March 21, 2009 at 7:41pm

Hello Sherry

I wouldn't be doing hypnosis if I could not be hypnotised.

Who will I allow to hypnotise me? That is an entirely different matter and I do, as Karen mentioned, measure others against myself and my teachers. For those I trust and who are skilful and I can go very quickly to a moderate trance level and further with deepening techniques. There have been other times, before and since my formal training, that I have come out of trance because of the actions of the hypnotist either being unskilled or taking me down a pathway not of my liking or both. I have not had the displeasure of meeting an unethical hypnotist but I'm sure they are out there.

I am sure that every client has the power of control over whether or not they enter into trance and the depth of the trance. The hypnotist will also impact on their journey through the ability to use their knowledge skillfully. As practicing or trained hypnotists I believe we have even more control because we understand the process.

It is a trust issue and as all hypnosis is self hypnosis we need to trust our guide. Without that trust the rapport necessary for effective hypnosis will not be there for me.

I find using another hypnotist for my personal work to be far better than using my own recordings or self guided sessions. It works for me and I enjoy it because we both understand the desired outcome and I don't have to be semi conscious of what I am doing, as I am when in a self run session, when I have a trusted hypnotist working with me. Withe my pre-recorded sessions I often find my mind racing ahead because I know what is coming, can be amusing or frustrating or both depending on what I am trying to achieve.

Take care and may you have happy hypnosis sessions in the future.

Chris S-C

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by the grumpy hypnotist on March 21, 2009 at 7:42pm

Perhaps your colleagues would have better luck with being hypnotized via audio recordings? That might cut down on analytical interference, because after the initial listen or two, the distracting curiosity about the techniques being used may be satisfied. (Depends on the audio of course --- personally I go very "deep" from some of Igor Ledochowski's work, and Robert Monroe's programs would take me to La La Land long before I even knew that it was hypnosis)

Come to think of it, are these "Cht's" saying that they have literally never been hypnotized, even been in self-hypnosis? Then I have to wonder, how they can claim to be hypnotists with any sort of integrity? How can they possibly hope to be effective hypnotists if they do not have experience with what it feels like?

Unfortunately, I think that what you are describing is more common than not, because of the way the training industry churns out certifications to anybody with a pulse and a personal interest in the subject. Think about it: what kind of training program "certifies" someone in an area of study that is fundamentally experiential... when the student has never personally experienced it??? At another level, that probably also means that the "certified instructor" in that program lacks the skills necessary to elicit that experience in the student. What a sham.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chris Stanton-Cook on March 21, 2009 at 8:12pm

Agree with your comments entirely.

What a poor way to develop trust in this fantastic and growing industry by having hypnotists, who I presume are seeking to hypnotise others, saying they won't allow someone to hypnotise them.

How would you view doctor who said he wouldn't let another doctor diagnose and prescribe treatments for him because he didn't trust doctors? It would not leave you very confident about the medical profession.

This, to me, is a blight on the profession and I have to question what experiences they had that made them so mistrustful that they can't find a nearby hypnotist to work with them.

The better able you are to enter trance the better able you are to transfer that to your clients.

Take care the grumpy hypnotist and may you find happiness in every trance.

CSC

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Lockman on March 21, 2009 at 8:22pm

It's not trust in the industry or the technique of hypnosis..... it's trust in the individual and in their abiilities. Many self-proclaimed hypnotists have not had the training to really do the essential transforming work of regression to cause and changing the perception. They just read pretty scripts and do lovely visualizations and attempt to help with copiing techniques, which doesn't really find the cause and change perception which then changes the response. I guess I know tooooo much. Karen

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sherry Joy on March 21, 2009 at 9:17pm

Hi Chris :-)
To me hypnosis is like teaching.... It's good to know both sides... By experiencing both you learn more and can react and act accordingly. Thank you for your reply Sher

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sherry Joy on March 21, 2009 at 9:23pm

Hi grumpy
It was a discussion amongst a group of us in a chat room.... Several of the hypnotists stated that they weren't comfortable going under.... As for their integrity; I don't believe it shows a lack of integrity, I consider them to either be subjects who just can't relax or focus... Integrity isn't based upon not being able to go under... Personally I feel they are losing out.... I used to have two hypnotists I 'relaxed' with often... I'm a deep, responsive subject; fortunately having experienced many different areas in hypnosis. Hoping one day to find one in my area and enjoy and reap the benefits I used to experience.....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sherry Joy on March 21, 2009 at 9:25pm

Chris and Grumpy.. i would agree that something happened orrrrrrr something was done to achieve a level of distrust.... Sadly they will never know the benefits... Personally, I would like to know the person hypnotizing me has had experience as a subject

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sherry Joy on March 21, 2009 at 9:28pm

lol Karen... I don't believe you know too much... I think you've had experiences to aid in your decisions....
Also, I much prefer a vocal trance... text is much like reading a book..... Although I must admit, much to my surprise, I've reacted well to text trancing with a trigger

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chris Stanton-Cook on March 22, 2009 at 12:42am

Hello Karen
You can't know toooo much and I wish everyone had the apparent thirst and passion for this profession that you have.
Great comments and I agree with all you've said in this discussion and I hope some of the CHt's who are missing out find someone they can trust and experience some great hypnosis.
I have a concern that as hypnosis is still viewed by many as handing control of your mind to someone else that when people who are trained in hypnosis publicly say they won't allow themselves to be hypnotised that it perpetuates the misunderstanding of what hypnosis is. This does nothing to increase level public level of trust in this industry.
As a profession of course there are going to excellent performers and less than excellent performers and the client should always satisfy themselves that the hypnotist can do the job in a safe and proper way. They should take time to get to know the hypnotist and also find friends and associates who may have undergone hypnosis for a referral so that they are not going to get script readers.
As grumpy says it is largely experiential learning and it takes time to become really good.
Take care and have a great year.
Chris S-C

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Susan French on March 22, 2009 at 6:09am

I go into hypnosis everytime I hypnotize someone. I've been hypno'd by other hypno's if I like them and trust them.

I've gone as deep as I can go: ron eslinger, for back pain I was experiencing

Susan
www.hypno4success.com