Becoming a Hypnotist

Sharon and I have been members of the same yahoo group for awhile now, but I'd never really had the chance to chat with her. This changed when she started holding a weekly chat about hypnosis. I've always been fascinated with anything paranormal so I couldn't wait to attend. As I watched her and those she had already worked on discuss their sessions, I couldn't help but want to learn more about the whole process she went through to be a hypnotist and what lead her to that choice. I hope you enjoy what she had to say....

Jamie B: Alright, Sharon. Let's start with some background. How long have you been interested in hypnosis? What sparked that interest?

Sharon: I have been interested in hypnosis most of my life. My father had a friend who could do hypnosis and there was this mystic about it that attracted me, but we I never got him to do it to me. My parents were leary. I then went to a hypnotist after Desert Storm, so in 1991. He did some behavior modification that worked well and almost immediately.

Jamie B: What made your parents leery?

Sharon: They thought he could control our minds. We were teenagers and they suspected the worst. You have to know my parents. I am 51 years old, so we are talking 32 years ago maybe. Times were different. Hypnosis is not so mysterious anymore. We understand how it works.

Jamie B: That's true.

Sharon: I was interested in hypnosis because I found myself displaying behaviors that I did not understand and neither did anyone else.

Jamie B: Tell me a little bit about that session after desert storm, if you don't mind. Why did you feel the need to go? What did it do for you?

Sharon: The session in 1991 worked so well that I felt hypnosis held promise for changing behaviors. I met a friend there, who I got very close to over the 6 1/2 months I was there. This is fairly normal when you are in an off the scale fear situation. I could not get this guy out of my head. It was distracting me from everything else in my life. So I thought I'd give it a try. I could not get any peace because I missed him in my life. I knew this was inappropriate behavior, and we were going to be friends but not as close as seeing each other every day. I came out of the session and the obsession was gone, literally. I was better and could function so much better.

Jamie B: How did you come about studying hypnosis yourself?

Sharon: I really wanted to do hypnosis after that session, but never found a school that I trusted to teach me what I really needed to know. Then I got the notice that Sylvia Browne would have a hypnosis training center starting. I would definitely trust going there. I had already read about half of her books and knew her philosophy. It is expensive, much more expensive, than other schools, but I felt I'd get so much from the class, and it would be an experience for me too. I had to go and found the money to do it.

Jamie B: Tell me a little about the school and what they do there.

Sharon: Well the school was amazing. I was there for the 2nd class and there were 15 other people in class, so 16 total. The first class was 30 people and they felt too much, so they made them smaller. We meditated every day, were attended by 3 ministers of Novus Spiritus, almost all the time, and we learned Sylvia Browne's technique. We saw many films of Sylvia doing hypnosis and really got a sense for how much healing this type of hypnosis could do .

Jamie B: Can you describe the teachnique a little? How it's taught?

Sharon: Well it is done with much love and spirituality. It can be only behavior modification, but the true healing occurs in the past life regression. The looking at of past lives and cell memories that are currently effecting this life is at the core of this technique. So if you have a life where you died from falling from a cliff, and in this life you are afraid of heights, that might be a cell memory left over from the past life. What we do is offer a client the opportunity to go back and look at that life realistically, and release that cell memory and the pain associated with it. We are taught to write the script. We practice on each other and volunteers. We are also taught how to protect ourselves from the negativity that is an occupational hazard if we are not careful. We do a lot of group meditations and we did a group regression where we went to the other side to see passed over loved ones.

Jamie B: What methods do you use to protect yourself?

Sharon: Well surrounding ourself with the white light of the Holy Spirit, but also clearning the room and ourself of negativity. We can pray, meditate, or just ask. All the meditation and practice actually brings up your intuitive abilities and connection to God. I personally wear a cross that makes me feel protected no matter what I'm doing.

Jamie B: You have a website that you use to serve people looking for hypnosis. How do you manage to help someone who is far away?

Sharon: I have a self-hypnosis type of CD that has my regular script on it so a person can listen to it and do their own past life regression. I am hoping to have some behavior modification, like weight loss and others to add to my list soon. Anyone can actually use the CD and it will work, but some have to do a little more meditation to relax enough and allow themself to be open to it.

Jamie B: How long did it take you to learn how to do hypnosis and what kind of tests are involved in getting certified?

Sharon: The course is 2 weeks long and you get a graduation certificate at the end if you pass everything. Then when you get back, you are required to do 30 in-person hypnosis sessions under the direction of the ministers/instructors at the Sylvia Browne Hypnosis Training Center. They have your keep records of your sessions and the barter or donation you get. So it's like training period, where you don't charge full prices, anyone can get a session for a barter or donation of any kind and it helps hone your skills. You have a few papers to write and submit your package to them. And if everything is in order, they will certify you with 100 more hours. The graduation will get you membership in the National Guild of Hypnotists, Inc.

Jamie B: How easy is it to hypnotize a person?

Sharon: If is very easy if you know how. Most people will get relaxed enough just by using some guided imagery and the sound of your voice. I use music as well because I like it.

Jamie B: What are some of the misconceptions about hypnosis you've heard?

Sharon: Some people are very tense as a rule and have the occasional block, but even those will come up with some great information and healing if they allow it. Well people only have stage hynposis in their mind sometimes as how it works, and that is certainly incorrect for most hypnosis. I don't ask people to cluck like a chicken...I do healing hypnosis and it is a lot more serious. People think I will be controlling them, not true. The client is always in control. They are aware of everything that is going on. People think they can't ever get that relaxed. Also not true. Even the most nervous person can because hypnosis is as safe as sleep, so if you can sleep, you can experience hypnosis. I also don't think people know it is a lot like mediation.

Jamie B: How do most people you've encountered react when they find out you do hypnosis?

Sharon: Some are very happy to meet me. Others don't seem to think it works. They have a friend, who tried to quit smoking for example, and he did not stay quit. Well I can hypnotise you many times and if you don't want to quit, then you will not. It requires the person to commit and want the healing or behavior modification.

Jamie B: Thanks, Sharon! This has been very interesting getting to learn about hypnosis and how one gets certified to do it.