Written in honour of French poet philosopher, Guillaume Apollinaire, for me this poem sums up beautifully how a little helping hand can overcome limiting, negative beliefs. We are in many ways the prisoners of our thinking mind, our conscious mind that judges, makes decisions and keeps us stuck in our comfort zone or in those funny, familiar, unforgotten fears, unable to fly.

As a therapist and a friend, I would like to assist as many as I possibly can to fly – to freedom, welcoming liberating freedom and claim our birthright of light, love, laughter, joy and happiness.

Although trained as a psychotherapist who was completely ignorant of hypnosis, I now fully embrace hypnotherapy and what it offers with a passion. Tapping into our mind’s power is immeasurably effective in helping us overcome emotional issues and finding the strength to accept and even welcome change. With change comes new learning and growth.

My job, if it is done well, is to put myself out of business. My work as a therapist is to teach and assist clients in removing their blocks. In doing so, they are empowered to use their inner resources and take responsibility for themselves. Therapy is not about the therapist, it is about the clients learning to do it for themselves.

In a way I hope to be a healing, empowering force that uplifts and inspires others to put fun, laughter and love back into their lives especially the love of self, treating ourselves as our own best friend instead of our harshest critic. Rather than worry about the dark I hope to be the candle that lights up and shows the way, as well as spreading warmth, humour and playfulness into humanity’s soul, remembering we are a trinity of mind, body and spirit.

I know I cannot change the state the world is in today, but if I do my bit, this may have a lasting influence in the little community where l live, play and work in. Like a stone that causes a ripple, may the ripple of laughter and happiness continue to extend outwards touching the lives around us. I would like to be that pebble that causes the ripples that causes the waves that changes the world.

If you are reading this because you are curious about trance or are afraid of the trance experience because you have seen people doing funny things on stage, then let me assure you that this is indeed a very safe, pleasant experience. And no, most of us, there might be some whom I do not know about, do not work with swinging watches.

What is hypnosis?

Firstly, let me reassure you that hypnosis or trance is an everyday experience. It has been described as “a state of relaxation and concentration at one with a state of heightened awareness induced by suggestion.” A very pleasant experience is how most clients describe it. Self-hypnosis can be learnt very easily and quickly.

Daydreaming, losing track of time when engrossed in an interesting conversation, film or book, going on autopilot – these are a few examples of hypnosis in our everyday lives.

Milton Erickson, considered to be the father of modern clinical hypnosis, said that trance is a common experience. He cites the example of a football fan watching TV. The football fan is aware of the game but not aware of his body sitting in the chair or his wife calling him to dinner.

What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is the therapeutic use of hypnosis to bring about a positive change for the client and can be divided into 2 very distinct categories.

Change usually involves:-

• Stopping an undesirable behaviour or habit
• Breaking free from limiting and negative beliefs
• Resolving internal conflicts that tugs and pulls us in different directions
• Releasing emotional pain that sometimes gets trapped in parts of the body
• Leading a more active, productive and healthy lifestyle with more energy
• Being happy, content and accepting of ourselves and others

Most of my clients have tried other means of self-help and hypnotherapy is usually their last resort. Most are pleasantly surprised and pleased when change starts to take place rather quickly.

Hypnotherapy, the use the therapeutic use of hypnosis for positive benefit can be divided into 2 very distinct categories

Suggestion therapy is a straightforward technique that is used for simple problems such as smoking, nail-biting, pre-test nerves, relaxation, public speaking etc., and requires between 1 to 3 sessions with perhaps a booster later on. This therapy is used in conjunction with creative visualisation and neurolinguistic programming.

Analytical therapy also called hypnoanalysis is used to discover the causes of emotional problems. Hypnoanalysis can be summarised briefly as the therapy of cause and effect: every effect (i.e. symptom) must have a cause. Hypnoanalysis reveals and thus removes the cause and consequently relieves the symptom.

Phobias, anxiety and panic attacks, mild depression, lack of confidence and self esteem respond well to hypnoanalysis.

The use of analysis in hypnosis dramatically speeds up therapy and results can be achieved in a matter of weeks rather than years as in the case of conventional analysis.