Q: Are there people who should not be hypnotized?

Medical doctors and mental health professionals may indicate that hypnosis is contraindicated for a number of conditions, including: Although hypnosis has seen some amazing results over a wide spectrum of conditions, hypnotherapy is generally an adjunct therapy and is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric care.

Question 1

Okay, "Non sum qualis eram", what does it mean?

Accepted Answer

"Non sum qualis eram", it has become sort of a tag line for Hypnotechs. It's taken from Horace's Odes, Book 4, 1:

Non sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cynarae

Which means: "I am not as I was in the reign of good Cinara."

Shortened to "Non sum qualis eram", it translates to "I am not what I once was."

It's fitting on several levels, I am not who I used to be, I've changed a lot over the years. But it also applies to anyone seeking to use hypnosis for change. Once you try hypnosis to change something you have been wanting to change, you will no longer be who you used to be either.

Question 2

What is hypnosis?

Accepted Answer

Hypnosis is a focus and imagination. Usually, relaxation is part of the clinical experience, but it's really a secondary benefit.

The Scottish surgeon James Braid coined the term "hypnotism", then later he sought to change the name to ""monoideism"", but the name had already caught on. He changed his mind on the name because as he researched it, he found that "hypnosis" had a lot less to do with "hypno" (Greek for "sleep") than it did with focus.

In a hypnotic trance, the noise in your mind stops and you are able to focus with crystalline clarity on the voice of the hypnotist and the suggestions being made.

Question 3

Do you take insurance?

Accepted Answer

I do not.

I'll be honest with you, I looked into it, briefly and it looked like a mountain of paperwork, especially with the changing insurance landscape these days. Maybe there's an easy way to do it and I will figure that out down the road. In most cases, the rates I charge would have to be dramatically increased so that the insurance companies could get their cut and I could cover the time for all the extra overhead. In one example, that increase would have been FIVE TIMES my normal rate. I just can't justify that.

For now, it's cash, check and pretty much every major credit/debit card you might carry.

A number of my clients have reported that they are able to submit reciepts from Hypnotechs to their insurance company for reimbursement under the "alternative medicine category". If you choose to try that, all the information you should need is on my credentials page, license number, location and so on.

Question 4

Who can be hypnotized?

Accepted Answer

Anyone who wants to be. If you can pay attention and follow instructions, you are going to go under. The "depth" of the trance may vary with the natural ability and experience of the subject, but hypnotic trance is natural and we all slip in and out of it daily even without a hypnotist being present.

Question 5

What should I look for in a hypnotherapist?

Accepted Answer

That's a question that is so important that I dedicated an entire page to it.

Please see the Choosing a Hypnotherapist page.

Question 6

Where can I experience "street" hypnosis?

Accepted Answer

In person, it's like running across a musician or a street magician. Fairs and festivals, boardwalks, events, beaches, malls and other public places are becoming regular haunts for street hypnotists.

Barring running across a street hypnotist in person, YouTube has a lot of videos. As with anything on YouTube, some are great, some are interesting, some are fake and some are completely inexplicable.

Question 7

Are there people who should not be hypnotized?

Accepted Answer

Medical doctors and mental health professionals may indicate that hypnosis is contraindicated for a number of conditions, including:

Although hypnosis has seen some amazing results over a wide spectrum of conditions, hypnotherapy is generally an adjunct therapy and is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric care.

Question 8

How do I know you are qualified to help me?

Accepted Answer

That is a great question and probably the most important one in this FAQ.

There are a lot of people out there claiming to be "hypnotherapists". In Washington, the Department of Health has some very specific rules about who can use that title, but in most states, it's completely unregulated.

I recommend you view two pages on this site:

Choosing a Hypnotherapist and Education and Credentials while you are researching this subject.

Question 9

Is there anything that you won't work on with a client?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I've got an open mind, but there are limits. If you are already lower than your ideal weight range and you want to work on weight-loss, I will suggest to you that we work on body image instead. If you insist, I won't be able to work with you.

Otherwise, I am open to a wide range of things. I won't do anything that I feel will endanger your health, sanity or well-being, or that of another. I won't do "past lives" or anything else that crosses the line into the mystic or metaphysical. I just don't have the temperament for it.

I don't have a lot of hard limits. Ask. I promise that the worst I will say is that I am not interested.

Question 10

Does hypnosis work best on someone with a "weak" mind?

Accepted Answer

Nothing could be farther from the truth. The more intelligent and imaginative you are, the better subject you are likely to make.