Why, Why, Why?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig - HypnosisAustin on November 14, 2009 at 7:16pm

In a weight clinic taught by Shelley Stockwell-Nicholas, I uncovered and dealt with several underlying ideas that had affected my size.

One was that I am the spitting image of my dad, who was overweight for most of my life. We addressed that with direct suggestion.

The other was the ridiculous notion that healthy, slender, beautiful people are so absorbed in their bodies that they can't be smart or spiritual. I addressed this first by doing a conscious reality check--I thought about the many smart and/or spiritual people I know who are are also slender, healthy, and beautiful. I realized that my best friend from college was very smart, thin as a rail, and a champion athlete. Then I reinforced this realization in trance, and came up with an exercise mantra: "I am smart, slender, spiritual, and svelte."

Oh, the other thing that came up was something I did in the third grade. Our class was asked to think about what we wanted to be when we grew up and then draw pictures of ourselves dressed for that profession. So the boys who wanted to be policemen drew their grown-up selves in uniform, and so on. It was actually a pretty good covert visualization/future pacing method.

But I wanted to be an actor, and I had no idea how to portray that. Then I remembered my parents watching TV and mentioning that some actor was wearing a fat suit. Ah, ha! I had something that actors wear. So I drew a picture of my grown-up self in a fat suit!

Kathy Moore helped me by leading me through a trance in which I unzipped the fat suit and burned it on a pyre after saying goodbye and thanking it for doing what I'd asked when I was a child.

Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on November 14, 2009 at 7:34pm

Aw, James...I see that little boy drawing that picture! Good thing he knows something different now.

It's amazing how childhood impressions last. My family didn't spend much on clothing when I was a kid and I remember that my pants were always too short and my shirts too snug. During a regression session with my mentor I suddenly realized that I was of a normal weight when I was a kid; all my life I thought I was a chubby kid, but it was that my clothing was too small!

Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig - HypnosisAustin on November 14, 2009 at 7:54pm

Aw, Kelley, I'm glad you know now what you didn't know then!

It's weird how self-image works. When I was a freshman in college, I thought I was rather overweight. Now when I look back at those pictures, I see my goal weight. It's all relative, huh?

Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on November 16, 2009 at 6:54am

My own weight reduction goal is about 20-25 lbs. This is extra weight that I have carried around for the past 10 years or so. I have been STUCK at my current size and something has prevented me from moving in even a 5 lb increment. It is frustrating, especially when I feel I need to model good health as a hypnotherapist and as a black belt in karate!

I believe whatever weight a person feels STUCK at, similar emotions exist. We all have our own particular and personal reasons for gaining and keeping extra weight, and I also think we can all also respond to a variety of motivations and changes in mindset and behavior. It's a matter of finding the right ones for the right size!

What do you think about the different challenges of someone wanting to release 20 lbs as opposed to someone wanting to release 100 or more?

Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on November 27, 2009 at 1:31pm

Often, clients report that they are attracted to certain unhealthy foods because of their associations with loving people or times in their lives. I have found that suggesting the client create new memories and associations with healthy foods can be helpful in replacing this attraction.

One client's adult children took the suggestion to heart and made him a cookbook, complete with photos of himself and his kids enjoying healthy dining together. It was a great idea and now he seeks out wholesome choices when he wishes to "bond" with his kids through food.

Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig - HypnosisAustin on December 4, 2009 at 8:44am

Kelley--what a great idea about the picture book!

I have a friend who clings to her unhealthy Dr. Pepper habit despite knowing how bad it is for her. She readily admits that it's because her father used to take her out for DP. It was their special time . . . I've offered to help her rewrite those memories in a way that preserves the attachment to her father without the unhealthy habit, but she isn't ready for that.

James

Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on December 15, 2009 at 4:30am

Hi Group,

Like most, my intake form lists a selection of issues the client can check, from weight issues to anger management, etc. When a client ONLY checks off weight issues, where do you go from there? I have actually had clients specifically state that they DO NOT wish to experience regression (not a problem for me) or any other emotionally painful approach.

I have found that connecting with the Inner Self or Child and/or Parts Therapy are relatively safe methods to address emotional cause, but am looking for others that will respect the client's wishes.

Thanks, Kelley

Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on December 15, 2009 at 4:32am

Hi James,

Perhaps you could find a "Dr Pepper" sleep shirt or blanket for your friend. She could cuddle in it instead of the soda "pop"!

James Hazlerig said:

Kelley--what a great idea about the picture book!

I have a friend who clings to her unhealthy Dr. Pepper habit despite knowing how bad it is for her. She readily admits that it's because her father used to take her out for DP. It was their special time . . . I've offered to help her rewrite those memories in a way that preserves the attachment to her father without the unhealthy habit, but she isn't ready for that.

James

Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig - HypnosisAustin on December 15, 2009 at 6:53am

I think you can discuss underlying beliefs with the client without actually getting into regression. It may take a little longer, as you're doing it in the conscious state, but a lot of people can recognize underlying beliefs that affect their weight. Then you can use hypnosis to help change those underlying beliefs.

If the client is totally unaware, you can always make a suggestion that the creative part will point out these underlying beliefs in a gentle way between sessions.

You might also use ideomotor response to test for harmful underlying beliefs.

Kelley Woods said:

Hi Group,

Like most, my intake form lists a selection of issues the client can check, from weight issues to anger management, etc. When a client ONLY checks off weight issues, where do you go from there? I have actually had clients specifically state that they DO NOT wish to experience regression (not a problem for me) or any other emotionally painful approach.

I have found that connecting with the Inner Self or Child and/or Parts Therapy are relatively safe methods to address emotional cause, but am looking for others that will respect the client's wishes.

Thanks, Kelley

Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig - HypnosisAustin on December 15, 2009 at 6:54am

Hmmm, good suggestion. And I like the pun.

Kelley Woods said:

Hi James,

Perhaps you could find a "Dr Pepper" sleep shirt or blanket for your friend. She could cuddle in it instead of the soda "pop"!

James Hazlerig said:

Kelley--what a great idea about the picture book!

I have a friend who clings to her unhealthy Dr. Pepper habit despite knowing how bad it is for her. She readily admits that it's because her father used to take her out for DP. It was their special time . . . I've offered to help her rewrite those memories in a way that preserves the attachment to her father without the unhealthy habit, but she isn't ready for that.

James

Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on December 17, 2009 at 7:51pm

Thank you, James, for the suggestions. I actually recently had this situation and it resolved itself (I should have known). As many of the imprints and unhealthy patterns were instilled during childhood, Gestalt chair therapy gave the opportunity to address the responsible party. The child emerged spontaneously and addressed the adult in the chair and healing followed. The client never even realized a "regression" had occurred! Marvelous...wonderful...beautiful

James Hazlerig said:

I think you can discuss underlying beliefs with the client without actually getting into regression. It may take a little longer, as you're doing it in the conscious state, but a lot of people can recognize underlying beliefs that affect their weight. Then you can use hypnosis to help change those underlying beliefs.

If the client is totally unaware, you can always make a suggestion that the creative part will point out these underlying beliefs in a gentle way between sessions.

You might also use ideomotor response to test for harmful underlying beliefs.

Kelley Woods said:

Hi Group,

Like most, my intake form lists a selection of issues the client can check, from weight issues to anger management, etc. When a client ONLY checks off weight issues, where do you go from there? I have actually had clients specifically state that they DO NOT wish to experience regression (not a problem for me) or any other emotionally painful approach.

I have found that connecting with the Inner Self or Child and/or Parts Therapy are relatively safe methods to address emotional cause, but am looking for others that will respect the client's wishes.

Thanks, Kelley