how did you get hands on experience when you first started in this business???????

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Katherine Zimmerman on April 19, 2010 at 10:06am

Here's a thought Christopher. While you're gaining confidence (which, btw, only comes from experience) tell people that you're an intern and charge them less. You won't gain "depth of experience" without doing the work and people seldom value what they receive free.

But I have to tell you this, too. In my classes the students are helping each other from their first session on. I ask every class, at the beginning of the training, if they've been helped by their fellow students -- who don't have confidence or feel as if they know what they're doing -- and it's always a 100% "yes" response.

When I started in practice the clients who called for appointments were easy to work with and I helped them easily. As my experience grew, I attracted clients with tougher issues and I helped them, too. You will grow into it.

Use some self hypnosis, too, to less any anxiety about getting started.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Katin Imes on April 19, 2010 at 11:02am

Hi Christopher -

I got started in class. There were 18 of us students, and we were hypnotizing each other every week starting in about the third week, I think. We watched the teacher do a simple induction on a volunteer at the front of the room, then we all split into break-out rooms and we ran the induction ourselves, using a script from the textbook if we wanted. Afterwards, we got feedback from the other student on our voice, manner, and if anything was jarring or didn't fit for them, also on what they liked most.

By the end of the semester, we had all hypnotized each other at least once - so that's 17 practices with different people and different inductions - and then there were a few partner practice sessions that were more in depth, with in-take interviews and a recording for taking home.

I have not found any other way to recreate or teach the confidence from that initial practice under a teacher's watchful eye. Once we had hypnotized a few classmates, we had homework that included hypnotizing one of our friends or family members each week (so starting in week 6 or so). That was another hurdle: it was one thing in class with other students that knew and loved hypnosis; it was quite another with someone who was neither of those!

Even with the homework practice folks, I always asked them at the end of the session what they liked best and how I could improve.

The confidence from these experiences was the key to me.

I hope that helps!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Pete & Lorraine on April 19, 2010 at 11:04am

When we studied fortunately Lorraine and I had each other to practice on, then a couple of friends usual stuff smoking weight etc Then we charged a small amount to work with clients most of which were successful and it grew from there via recommendations and advertising. It was a little nerve racking to start with but you get into the swing of it, as Katherine said it grows with you.
Lorraine teaches now and the students practice on each other, and I end up being the guinea pig at times :-s and we are there to help with any problems.

Pete

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Malone on April 19, 2010 at 11:42am

My initial certification class had plenty of hands on practice. In the interim period between completing the course and getting office space I would see people at their home for a nominal fee to get experience. You don't want to do free sessions because the client will perceive the service as not being valuable and won''t get as much out of it. I also used to do as many free stress reduction groups as I could to get confidence in that area of the work.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig on April 19, 2010 at 1:26pm

Welcome to Hypnothoughts, Chris.

When I started studying, I didn't have any classmates. My instructor called up her clients and various other people who frequented the wellness center where she worked, and she told them she had a really talented student who wants to practice. She set it up on a "pay whatever you want" basis.

I then went back to my hometown and put out the word through my neighborhood, and I also posted on all the various yahoo groups and social networking sites I was on. Sometimes a friend would line up a whole group of people who wanted sessions, so I'd do a little pre-talk for the room, and then they'd take turns getting private work done. Again, this was on a "pay what you want" basis.

Some people paid me in yard eggs, and some paid me in massages or acupuncture. One of the first made me a hand-carved wooden letter opener that I still use as a prop when doing street hypnosis. (Amazing thing--it gets hot, cold, heavy, light, sticky . . . )

I still get calls from some of those first volunteers, and they refer clients to me. And if I have a new (to me) technique I want a little more practice in before I charge for it, I put out the word and set up one of those group days.

As far as practicing rapid inductions, I find a street festival that will let me set up my umbrella, and I hang out a sign that says "FREE HYPNOSIS TODAY." It's a fun way to practice things I'm not ready to include in a session, and it's also good advertising.

Happy trancing,

James

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kathy Moore on April 19, 2010 at 2:13pm

I actually went through a year-long program. But, I started working with clients on a sliding scale (even $10 if that's all they could afford) 5 months before I finished my program. By the time I graduated, I was very comfortable with charging. Now, with my own students, I do a lot of demonstrations in class. Then I send out notices in my newsletter that we are looking for guinea pigs for the students. They have plenty of people to work on in class, so they are very confident by the time they graduate. Just ask James Hazelrig.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bruce Taylor C.Ht on April 19, 2010 at 4:25pm

Hypnotized anyone that would look into my eyes.

And also, Have fun.

Bruce Taylor

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Fiona McKeand on April 19, 2010 at 5:09pm

Dear Christopher,

Really good advice above (I especially like James's group idea for practising new techniques and the street festival idea, too). I was the only student in my class, but I practised different techniques on each of the tutors each day, and then I went home and practised on friends, family, friends of friends.

I didn't charge as I felt very awkward about this, but I do see that charging something (or payment in kind like the swap with acupuncture, yard eggs etc) is really important and likely to lead to better results for the client because they are not getting a freebie and, as a result, more confidence for you.

Katherine's point was very reassuring, too: that you develop confidence as you go and you generally get sent the clients you can handle.

Somebody suggested to me a while back that, if you feel awkward about charging for practice, then asking the client to make a contribution to a charity is a really good way to go. You could try that.

All the best and good luck with it!
Fiona

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Antoine Pruyssers on April 19, 2010 at 7:47pm

I started hanging around university campus, and posted notes on the billboards of the psychology department.
I went out downtown, with a camera, and just picked people off the streets, and asked them if they wanted to be hypnotized.
I gave people my business-cards, and if they had a psychological problem,.i'd fix it, as a marketing stunt.
Free subjects and some great mouth to mouth advertisement.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Calvin - The Hypnotist on April 20, 2010 at 2:15am

i dont know about anyone else on here but the key to my success is CONFIDENCE. from the moment i was trained to hypnotize people with a simple induction i was out there putting people under and acting like i was doing it for years. people only know what you tell them

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Marcello Seri on April 20, 2010 at 4:57am

Dear Christopher,
I'm still at the beginning and my experience is really of few weeks of practice.

I started with self hypnosis 2 years ago, going to a friend of mine that is an hypnotis, and then I was catched by the topic and I started reading everything I've found from Erickson, Rossi, Bandler and Grinder, Simpkins and other authors. All this books said everytime go and practice... but I had fear.

Finally I got a book of Anthony Jacquin, called 'Reality is Plastic'. This was my turning point. This book is mainly on stage hypnosis and street hypnosis but it gives you some easy techniques that are wonderful for gaining confidence and it sometimes explains that what you need is only to go out, go to the first person or group of people that you see in the street and say 'I'm an hypnotist, can I show you something?' or simply give them a hand for the first excuse that pop up in your mind and then do a rapid induction when they give you their hand. The only important thing is that you must be convinced that you are the best hypnotist in the world, even if it's your first induction. And then be prepared to utilize :)

In that case you have not to cure them or to think at them as patients but just let them enjoy the process, show them some 'magic' or mental trick like an hand stuck, compulsory laugh, simple funny hallucinations or simple jokes like that. Only tho show them the power of their unconscious.

You will find lot of people that are interested and wants to try and, even if sometimes something goes in a way that you don't expect, you will be surprised of you skills!!! And, mostly, you will enjoy this time and gain lots of confidence :)

Have a nice day,
Marcello

PS. I'm not sure if it is correct to post name of authors or books so I write this PostScriptum. Surely there are many more good products and I don't know most of them, but I've found the books and the authors that I cited really good and so I taught would be nice to share them.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Hugh Cole on April 20, 2010 at 5:24am

Have fun, be playful and then hypnotize anyone that will look into your eyes .. or talk to you on Skype, or listen to you for more than a few minutes. Don't take yourself seriously and did I or Bruce or James mention ... have fun.

Hugh Cole

Bruce Taylor C.Ht said:

Hypnotized anyone that would look into my eyes.

And also, Have fun.

Bruce Taylor

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page