Three days ago I went to a hypnotherapist (nhs registered) as I felt my workouts were rubbish, I was being lazy/complacent and unfocused during my training. work was taking over my life and I was letting my health suffer forit.
I spoke to Mr Hypno on the phone and over email for a few days before my appointment and we found out what the root cause of the problem was (which I won't go into).
Anyway, I drove to his office which was in a plush gym in the city center and had my quick induction. I got there at 1300hrs and left at 1500hrs. I only remember about 20 minutes of it.
I went in thinking i wouldn’t be able to be hypnotised because a)he was exactly what yo would imagine a hypnotherapist would look like and b) I was like an excitable puppy what with all my questions and random lickings.
I was on a comfortable couch and had to answer some very candid questions, I explained about my interest in sports psychology and also my use of visualisation and key words when I worked out o which he seemed quite pleased.
We started with some very basic lead ins, all the time with me biting my lips to stop myself from laughing. Honestly, could you not laugh with some bald dude all dressed in black telling you to look into his yes then 'sleep'?
So whilst ninja hypno went on in his sing songy voice I thought about the money I had wasted and the taunting greg would administer after the session. I was told to imagine helium balloons tied to my finger tips, nodding on commands and imagining my arm as one long strong piece of metal that could not be bent. At first I was just doing what he told me because I didn’t want to be rude and because belly laughs would have pissed him off then... ... ...nothing.
At ten to three I heard '3, 2 and 1, awake and back in the room' and suddenly I was. I tried to remember what had happened and couldn’t. Just small fragments of images, vines climbing up pillars and the colour green. I was a bit disorientated coming back and almost forgot who he was and where I was.
I started laughing, not in a rude way but because I felt really good, peaceful and centred, also because I had walked in a sceptic and had really enjoyed it.
He took me into the gym and that feeling of peace and ability following me in there.
He also implanted a suggestion to sleep deeply that night and I did have one of the best sleeps I've ever had.
The next day: this weekend has been a hell of a two days. I've been on a kettle bell training course in leicester (sp?) and every time I've been working out I’ve been more focused, more dynamic, a lot more confident and able to lift more and better that I previously could. I'm really looking forwards to tomorrows gym session with greg to see what the differences are. When I am working out I feel like my concentration has been honed to a singular sharp point, like a specialised tool. I'm very calm and the rest of my peripheral vision is almost blanked out to let me concentrate on what I'm doing. Its very difficult to explain so maybe gregster can give some third party testimonial after tomorrow.
I would totally recommend using a hypnotherapist but finding a trustworthy one and one that is certified by the NHS is difficult. It is pricey but if he’s good you only need the one session. I did get some tool to take away with me to practise and some mp3 sessions to work with. I also got a courtesy call the next day to see how everything was.
It's interesting - a few friends have used hypnotherapy, with different results. I know one gave up smoking immediately (and I mean immediately and is still a non-smoker decades later!),and another said that it was fantastic for relaxation. Others were less successful, but maybe it is something to do with being willing to use the process.
What sounds good about your bloke is the work beforehand. As in many things, what presents itself is not always the root cause and taking time to look at that is probably vital.
@ fenix - unfortunately mr problem was a bit more deep rooted than that but gave me cause to identify why I'm a workaholic, (apart from my adhd). @claudio - a lot of it is willingness to participate but the results are clear testiment to its effectiveness. I honestly dont know why more athletes / people use hypnotherapy. I'd love to be hypnotised again, I dont think I;ve ever been that relaxed. I was given a physical trigger for that sense ofcalm and relaxation which also works.
I was hpynotised years ao to give up smoking. It makes you feel good, and makes you determined to do x, y or z. However, I lasted about 7 weeks. My smoking cessation nurse told me a few months back its pretty normal for the effect the wear off after 7 or so weeks. Obviously people differ etc etc. I do remember straight afterwards I wasnt a smoker and there was absolutely no question I was having a cigarette. Its would be extremely powerful if its something you could do frequently (££££). There is also a woman at work who has seen a hypnotherapist on many occasions to help her with her fear of flying. I think it helped a bit, but as far as I remember she hasnt been on a plane.
