Synthesis

I'm really excited about how everything is evolving with my healing practice.

I've know for a long time that hypnotherapy would ultimately be an important part of what I do. I just didn't realize how naturally it would integrate with the Reiki.

Now at the 'professional hypnotist' level of certification, I have to perform 100 hours of documented hypnotherapy sessions outside of many class hours to earn the 'certified clinical hypnotherapist' title.

I've got a long way to go, but I'm off to a good start. Thankfully, some of my regular Reiki clients have been open to my hybrid Reiki/hypnotherapy work. I've gotten terrific feedback, too!

These experiences have made me realize how just how valuable my extensive background as a professional writer is going to be to the evolution of my practice.

Over the past 15 years, I've interviewed hundreds and hundreds of people about their lives and careers for stories in various publications. I've learned how to make people feel relaxed and comfortable about opening up, and I've greatly enhanced my intuition about the right lines of questioning to pursue.

All that experience is paying off because the interview is the first part of a hypnotherapy session. The client tells me the issue they'd like to work on, and I get them to tell me all about it as a confidential listener.

Then I take a quick break to compose some related affirmations to suggest verbally to their subconscious mind during hypnosis.

If you've read through this blog, it's pretty obvious that I love affirmations. I like to call them "Happy Thoughts."

And I'm just delighted that all my years of drafting PR spin and fluff (sounds like a laundry cycle) have turned me into such a natural at writing these. My hypnotherapy teacher and fellow students have commented on this gift.

I could be the next Louise Hay of Happy Thought writers!

So after the interview and composition of around 10 appropriate affirmations, I get clients on the table and start with a short hypnotherapy induction (circulating relaxation throughout their body, counting down from 5 to 1, etc.) to get them into a deeply relaxed alpha state (a suggestable state).

Then I begin giving Reiki with the suggestion that their body take all the energy it needs to heal deeply on all levels: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritual. I've not been surprised at all that people tend to pull much more Reiki through me after that suggestion.

Then I continue on with the Reiki session, following my intuition about appropriate times to give verbal suggestions during the session. I'm actually silent for most of the session.

I'm finding that as I work on particular parts of the body, the perfect-seeming suggestion often pops into my head (sometimes completely different or significantly more polished than the ones I'd planned on). Sometimes it even feels like my guides are feeding them to me.

I might also give suggestions involving visualizations designed to improve their energy flow.

Sometimes a simple suggestion can generate an instantaneous physiological response. For example, a lot of people carry tension in their necks, which feel superhot when I work on them. I've found that simply saying something along the lines of "all the muscles in your neck going loose and limp" immediately changes the energy for the better.

While I've got a lot of training and experimentation ahead of me, the healing possibilities of hypnosis combined with energywork is seeming pretty boundless! I once ran across a Website for a center somewhere offering "Reikinosis." That's not what I want to call my services, but I like the concept!

During my sessions, I bring clients out of the hypnotic state feeling freshed after I finish providing Reiki. Then we go over the affirmations that resonated most with them.

After they leave, I make an audio recording of the induction and those suggestions. I send or give the recording to them later so that they can listen to it on their own to deepen the reprogramming in their subconscious.

I recently worked with one woman on the issues of feeling empowered to stand up for herself as well as following intuitive/spiritual guidance. She sent me the nicest note later:

"I have to tell you again that I think that hypnosis was really good for me. I've had several instances and situations hit me in the face with the 'standing up for myself' issue, as well as one thing after another of clearly reading guidance. I was already heading down that path but I think the hypnosis just kicked it into high gear! Like I said originally, it was no coincidence that I was led to you so strongly!"

Please note: I continue to provide sessions that are pure energywork. Sometimes adding in the hypnosis is the right way to go; sometimes I feel guided otherwise. I would never try to force hypnosis on someone who wasn't comfortable with it.