Index

abreactions, 19

Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM), 85

actions, taking responsibility for, 107–126

actions, 116–123

deconstruction of habits you no longer want, 114–116

life’s purpose and, 113–114

client story, 107–111

self-hypnosis process for, 123–126

stress and, 211

taking back power and, 116–123

the Truth and, 111–112

ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America), 208

Addictions: Face Your Addiction and Save Your Life (Sunder), 85

advertising

habit formation and, 45, 49–50

subliminal, 50

affirmations

inability to change subconscious thoughts, 149–150

taking responsibility for thoughts vs., 130–134

See also hypno-affirmations

Affleck, Ben, 83

AIHM (Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine), 85

alcoholism, 229–230

Alexandre (client story; paralysis), 2–9

alpha brain waves (daydreaming), 38, 92, 93, 152

altruism, purpose of, 168–169

Amanda, story of perfect child, 244–245

American Board of Addiction Medicine, 85

American Psychiatric Association, 85, 202

American Psychological Association, 72

amputations, under hypnosis, 65

anesthesia, hypnosis as substitute for, 59–62, 65–67

anxiety, 208–212

defined, 208

hypnotherapy for, 165–167, 203–205

reptilian and limbic brain and, 99

as trunk topic, 183, 185

Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), 208

archetypes, use in hypnotherapy, 72

Aristotle, 134

Ashley (HypnoBirthing story), 177–181

athletes, self-hypnosis for, 162–164

Aurand, Paul, 73, 231–232

authoritarian style of hypnotherapy, 44, 72

automatic behavior, triggers for, 52

aversion therapy, 200, 201–202

Barrios, Alfred A., 100

beauty, media and concept of, 47

Becker, Anne E., 45–46

Bernheim, Hippolyte, 66

beta brain waves (consciousness), 32, 38, 92, 151–152

Bien, George, 73

binge eating, 222, 224

blame

stress and, 210

taking responsibility for actions and, 117–123

Bowman, Chase, 226

Braid, James, 62–63, 65, 66

brain

adaptiveness and plasticity of, 89

defined, 88

limbic, 97–99

neocortex, 97–99

reptilian, 89–90, 97–99

sections of, 97–99

brain waves, 92–93

alpha, 38, 92, 93, 152

beta, 32, 38, 92, 151–152

defined, 88

delta, 21, 32, 38, 92, 93, 152

gamma, 92

infra-low, 92

measuring, 89, 92

theta (see under theta brain wave)

breast cancer, hypnotherapy and pain reduction in metastatic, 100

British Society of Medical and Dental Hypnosis, 72

Calvin (client story; anxiety), 165–167

change

conditioned behaviors in subconscious mind, 148–149

desire to create, 148

Changkakoti, Sarojini Alva, 73

Chaplin, Charlie, 134

Charcot, Jean-Martin, 66

childhood

formation of subconscious beliefs in, 152–153

lack of self-confidence in adulthood and experience in, 213–214

childhood development, 37–40

Christianity

mesmerism and, 65

sleep temples and natural healing techniques and, 64

chronic worry, Susan’s story, 127–130

cigarettes, addiction to, 153–154

Colleen (client story; weight loss), 221–225

color, imagining in self-hypnosis, 102, 104–105

communication on conscious vs. subconscious level, 110–111

competition, lack of self-worth and, 216

complaints, 136

self-hypnosis process to stop, 139–141

conditioning, 34

weight loss and, 198–199

conscious desires, aligning with subconscious beliefs, 149

conscious mind

daily affirmations and, 130–131

domains of, 9

consciousness (beta brain waves), 32, 38, 92, 151–152

cortisol, stress reaction and, 23

cost

of hypnosis recording, 16

of private hypnotherapy sessions, 16, 197, 247

of self-hypnosis, 16

counting down, in self-hypnosis, 24–25, 26–27

creativity, Edison’s hypnotic state and, 84

Cruz, Mr. and Mrs. (client story; marital problems)

cults, groupthink and, 42

daydreaming (alpha brain wave state), 38, 92, 93, 152

de-hypnosis, process of, 111, 112, 248

delta brain waves (sleeping), 21, 32, 38, 92, 93, 152

depression, negative thinking vs., 206

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), 202

diagonal, memorizing hypno-affirmations while looking up at, 173, 175–176

Diana, Princess of Wales, 83

distractions, procrastination and, 188

The Doctors (television series), 70, 201

drinking, excessive, 229–230

Druidic healing rituals, 63–64

DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), 202

Ebers Papyrus, 63

Edison, Thomas, 83, 84, 246

efficacy of hypnosis, 44, 84

study of, 85, 87–91

Einstein, Albert, 83, 134

elders

habit formation and, 43–45

learning beliefs and behavior from, 152–153

Elliotson, John, 65

Emma (client story; eyelash pulling), 203–205

emotions, limbic brain and, 98

endorphins, 163

entertainment

advertising, 45, 49–50

habit formation and, 45–50

media, 45–49

environment, habit formation and, 40–43

Erickson, Milton, 13, 44, 71–72

Ericksonian hypnosis, 44

eyelash pulling, 203–205

Facebook Live, 167

fear of failure, procrastination and, 188

fear of flying

hypnotherapy for, 11

client story, 79–83

fear of public speaking, hypnotherapy for, 11–12, 38–39, 81–82, 234–235

fear of singing in public, 234–235

Federer, Roger, 161

Fey, Tina, 68

flow state, 163

Ford, Henry, 161

Four Steps to Mental Freedom. See mental freedom

Frank, Anne, 226

Franklin, Samantha, 84–85, 86, 95, 97

study on efficacy of hypnosis and, 87–91

freedom, self-confidence and, 214–215

freedom begins in the subconscious mind, 1–2, 8–9

frequency of power, 135–138

Fressien, Wendi, 72

Freud, Sigmund, 66–67, 150

gamma brain waves, 92

Get Out (film), 68, 69, 205

giving back, 159–176

mental freedom and, 165–167

client story, 159–164

self-hypnosis process, 172–176

thinking about others, 167–171

Grace Space, 167, 197, 247

groupthink, 41–42

Guardian (newspaper), 188

Habitat for Humanity, 167, 228

habit(s)

deconstruction of, 114–116

negative thinking as, 206

power, blame and, 120

self-hypnosis process to release bad, 155–158

stress as, 209, 211

habits, formation of, 35–37, 114

childhood development and, 37–40

elders and, 43–45

entertainment and, 45–50

environment and, 40–43

subconscious mind and the familiar and, 50–52

The Handbook of Contemporary Clinical Hypnosis (Williamson), 64

Harvard Medical School, 101, 164

Helbig, Grace, 67, 68

helping others. See giving back

Hicks, Esther, 136

highway hypnosis, 48

Holistic Healing Center (New York), 231

“How Habits Are Formed and Why They’re So Hard to Change” (article), 51–52

hypno-affirmations, 23

creating, 154–155

defined, 27

for helping others, 173, 174

for increasing comfort/decreasing pain, 103, 104

for infinite gratitude, 74, 75

for overcoming procrastination, 191, 192

for releasing bad habits, 156, 157

for self-worth, 53, 54

shortening over time, 55–56

to stop negativity and complaints, 140, 141

for stress relief, 25

for taking responsibility for our actions, 125, 126

for weight loss, 238, 240

HypnoBirthing, 181–182

Mongan and, 72

story about discovering, 177–181

HypnoCoaches, 19, 63

Hypnos (god), 65

hypnosis

accessing subconscious mind and, 7, 8, 10–11

contraindications for, 21

efficacy of, 44, 84, 85, 87–91

as meditation with a goal, 18–19

as natural state, 17–18

permissive, 44

science of (see science of hypnosis)

sleep vs., 20–21

as substitute for anesthesia, 59–62, 65–67

hypnosis, history of, 59–77

contemporary practice, 71–73

evolution of hypnotherapy, 62–65

as first anesthesia, 59–62, 65–67

stage hypnosis vs. hypnotherapy, 67–71

Hypnosis and Communication in Dental Practice (Potter, et al.), 63

hypnosis recordings, 14, 16, 19–20, 21–22. See also Grace Space

hypnotherapist, 19

author’s story of becoming, 227–235

contraindication to work with own parents, 44–45

hypnotherapy, 16–17

acceptance of, 12–13

accessing traumatic experiences, 32–33

for anxiety, 165–167, 203–205, 211–212

authoritarian or paternal style of, 44, 72

for chronic worry/insomnia, 127–130

contemporary, 71–73

cost of, 16, 197, 247

discerning focus for, 107–111

evolution of, 62–65

for fear of flying, 11, 79–83

for fear of public speaking, 11–12, 38–39, 81–82, 234–235

how it works, 90

for irritable bowel syndrome, 101

for marital problems, 143–147

maternal style of, 44, 71–72

for metastatic breast cancer pain reduction, 100

misconceptions about, 12

for overeating/unhealthy eating, 199–200

for paralysis client, 2–9

sessions, 21–22

for smoking cessation, 11, 194–197, 234

stage hypnosis vs., 67–71

for taking responsibility for actions, 107–111

transformative nature of, 246–247

way to approach, 247

for weight loss, 11, 221–225

hypnotists, 19

imagination

accessing subconscious mind through, 13

efficacy of hypnosis and, 90

imagining feeling happy and calm, 25, 27

infinite gratitude, self-hypnosis process for, 73–76

infra-low brain waves, 92

insomnia, hypnotherapy for, 127–130

irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), hypnotherapy for, 101

Janet, Pierre, 66

Jill (client story; nail-biting), 29–34

Jones, James Earl, 83

Jones, Steve G., 72

Journal of Addiction Therapy and Research, 85

Journey of Souls (Newton), 226, 231

Karlen, Barbro, 226

Keeler, Vivian, 73, 181–182

Kramer, Sophia, 73

Lafontaine, Charles, 62

Law of Attraction, 131, 136, 149, 207

Liébeault, Ambroise-Auguste, 66

lies told to self, 112

life’s purpose, finding, 113–114

through past life regressions, 231–232

Light, Randi, 73

limbic brain, 97–99

limb topics, 183–184, 186–205

nail-biting, 183, 202–205

overeating/unhealthy eating, 184, 198–202

procrastination, 184, 186–192

smoking habit, 183, 192–197

Linda (client story; fear of flying), 79–83

loss of equilibrium technique, 209

Madigan, Kathleen, 68

Manchester Athenaeum, 62

Mann, Merlin, 188

Many Lives, Many Masters (Weiss), 226

marital problems, hypnotherapy for, 143–147

maternal style of hypnotherapy, 44, 71–72

math anxiety, development of, 42–43

Mayo Clinic, 84

McKenna, Paul, 72

media

habit formation and, 45–49

portrayal of hypnosis in, 68

medical community, on hypnosis, 100–101

Medical Daily (website), 51–52

meditation with a goal, hypnosis as, 18–19

Melodee (client story; taking responsibility for actions), 107–111

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus (Gray), 144

mental freedom

four steps to, 22

giving back and, 165–167

overcoming habits using four steps to, 117

reprogramming subconscious and, 147–149

See also actions, taking responsibility for; giving back; reprogramming your subconscious mind; thoughts, taking responsibility for

Mesmer, Franz Anton, 64–65

Michael (client story; giving back), 159–164

mind, defined, 88

Mind and Body Treatment and Research Institute, 84, 85, 86, 112

mind-body connection, 89

mind-set, taking responsibility for, 133

Mongan, Marie “Mickey,” 72, 181

motivation, lack of self-worth and, 217

movies, hypnotic quality of, 47, 48

nail-biting habit, 183, 202–205

client story, 29–34

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 85

Nazi Germany, groupthink and, 42

negative thinking, 185, 206–208

subconscious and, 150–151

negativity, self-hypnosis process to stop, 139–141

neocortex brain, 97–99

neurofeedback, 84, 95–97

defined, 90–91

transforming state of thinking with, 208

neurons, 93–95

defined, 89

TMS and, 96

neuroplasticity, 89, 91

neuroscience, thoughts and, 150–153

Neurypnology or the Rationale of Nervous Sleep (Braid), 66

Newton, Michael, 226, 231

Nightingale, Earl, 134

Now You See Me 2 (film), 68

obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

hypnotherapy for, 203

nail-biting as form of, 202

Office Space (film), 68

Oncology Nurse Advisor (medical app), 63

overeating, 183, 198–202

pain reduction, hypnotherapy and, 100, 101–105

palms of the hands, bringing attention to, 74, 76

panic attack, 211

paralysis, story about hypnotherapy for, 2–9

parents, contraindication for hypnotherapists to work with own, 44–45

parts therapy, 193

past life regressions (PLRs), 225–227

finding life’s purpose in, 231–232

client story, 224–225

paternal style of hypnotherapy, 44, 72

client stories, 13–14

Alexandre (paralysis), 2–9

Calvin (anxiety), 165–167

Colleen (past life regression), 224–225

Colleen (weight loss), 221–225

Emma (eyelash pulling), 203–205

Jill (nail-biting), 29–34

Linda (fear of flying), 79–83

Melodee (taking responsibility for actions), 107–111

Michael (giving back), 159–164

Mr. and Mrs. Cruz (marital problems), 143–147

Susan (insomnia; chronic worry), 127–130

pattern interrupt, 208

Pavlov’s dogs, 198–199

perfect, self as, 111, 112, 243–244

Periscope, 167

permissive hypnosis, 44

Peterson, Martin, 73

Phelps, Michael, 17

Picasso, Pablo, 38

PLRs. See past life regressions (PLRs)

positive thinking, 137–138

inability to change subconscious thoughts, 149–150

power

frequency of, 135–138

taking responsibility for actions and taking back, 117–123

thoughts and, 134

procrastination, 184, 186–192

as habit, 132, 165

overcoming, 188–189

self-hypnosis process for, 189–192

psyche, 89

Psychology Today (magazine), 50

Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice (Barrios), 100

public speaking, hypnotherapy for fear of, 11–12, 38–39, 81–82, 234–235

purpose, finding one’s life, 113–114, 231–232

Quit Smoking hypnosis recording, 197

reality, thoughts creating, 136–138

recovery rates, for various modalities of therapy, 100

reincarnation, 227

relationships, lack of self-worth and, 215

relaxation, looking up at diagonal angle and, 175–176

relaxation technique for stress, 209

religion. See Christianity

reprogramming your subconscious mind, 143–158

in action, 153–154

creating your hypno-affirmation, 154–155

finding mental freedom and, 147–149

neuroscience and thoughts and, 150–153

client story, 143–147

positive thinking and, 149–150

self-hypnosis process, 155–158

reptilian brain, 89–90, 97–99

root issue, finding in hypnosis, 115

roots, imagining growing from feet to center of Earth, 53, 56

root topics, 183, 184, 212–218

lack of self-confidence, 184, 212–215

lack of self-love, 183, 184, 217–218

lack of self-worth, 183, 184, 215–217

Rusk Institute, 4, 8

schizophrenia, as contraindication for hypnosis, 21

science of hypnosis, 77–105

brain waves, 92–93

medical community on hypnosis, 100–101

neurofeedback and transcranial magnetic stimulation, 95–97

neurons, 93–95

parts of the brain, 97–99

scientific and clinical study, 84–86

study of efficacy of, 87–91

well-known figures who used hypnosis, 83–84

Science of Hypnosis (documentary), 63

The Secret (Byrne), 115, 136

self

lies told to, 112

as perfect, 111, 112, 243–244

self-confidence, lack of, 184, 212–215

self-doubt, breaking out of pattern of, 171

self-hypnosis, 15–21, 23–24

for athletes, 162–164

cost of, 16

regular practice of, 236, 248

60-second stress relief, 24–27

speed of efficacy of, 16

time commitment for, 16

“Self-Hypnosis for Athletes” (video), 162

self-hypnosis process, 24–27

bringing attention to palms of the hands, 74, 76

counting down, 24–25, 26–27

focusing on diagonal and memorizing hypno-affirmations, 173, 175–176

for helping others, 172–176

imaging color you love in, 102, 104–105

imaging feeling happy and calm for rest of day, 25, 27

imagining gentle roots growing from feet to center of Earth, 53, 56

increasing comfort/decreasing pain, 101–105

for infinite gratitude, 73–76

noting starting stress level, 24, 26

for procrastination, 189–192

for releasing bad habits, 155–158

requirements for use, 16

for self-worth, 52–56

for stopping negativity and complaints, 139–141

for taking responsibility for our actions, 123–126

video tutorial, 26

for weight loss, 237–240

self-hypnosis scripts, 14–15, 19

self-love, lack of, 183, 184, 217–218

self-regulation training, 91

self-talk, positive, 15–16

self-worth

lack of, 183, 184, 215–217

self-hypnosis for, 52–56

Shallow Hal (film), 68

singing, fear of public, 234–235

sleep, hypnosis vs., 20–21

sleeping (delta brain waves), 21, 32, 38, 92, 93, 152

sleep temples, 63–64

smoking

change in perception of, 192–193

desire to quit, 194–195

hypnotherapy for stopping, 11, 234

replacement for, 194

subconscious mind and, 192–194

smoking habit, 183, 192–197

sobriety, 230, 236

soma, 89

speed of efficacy of various types of hypnosis, 16

Spiegel, David, 72

Spiegel, Herbert, 72

stage hypnosis, 67–71

Stanford University, 84

startling technique, 209

Stewart, Jon, 68

Stockwell-Nicholas, Shelley, 73

storytelling, Ericksonian hypnotherapy and, 72

stress, 208–212

author’s story of experience with, 228–229

defined, 208

as habit, 209, 211

reptilian and limbic brain and, 99

self-hypnosis for relief of, 23–27

smoking and relief from, 193, 194

subconscious mind and real vs. perceived, 47–48

as trunk topic, 183, 185

stress level, noting starting level, 24, 26

subconscious mind

accessing through hypnosis, 7, 8, 10–11

accessing through imagination, 13

addiction to cigarette smoking and, 153–154

blame and, 117–118

brain wave types allowing access, 152

defined, 88

differentiating between the familiar and the new, 50–51

domains and blueprint of personality in, 9

freedom beginning in, 1–2, 8–9

habits and, 35, 36

influence on conscious mind, 9–10

lack of differentiation of what’s good and bad for the individual, 50–51

life’s purpose and, 113–114, 231–232

reprogramming (see reprogramming your subconscious mind)

using hypnosis to condition, 20

ways to reprogram, 21–22

subconscious programming

elders and, 43–45

entertainment and, 45–50

environment and, 40–43

subliminal advertising, 50

suggestibility tests, stage hypnosis and, 71

suggestions, 27

theta brain wave state and openness to, 38

Sunder, Keerthy, 84–86, 94, 95, 97

study on efficacy of hypnosis and, 87–91

surgery, under hypnosis, 59–62, 65

Susan (client story; insomnia, chronic worry), 127–130

television, effect on cultural norms, 45–46

“temples of sleep,” 63

thebrain.mcgill.ca, 97–98

theta brain waves, 92, 152

hypnosis and, 19–20

theta brain wave state

description of, 92–93

early childhood and, 37–38

habit formation and, 43–44

thoughtmedicine.com, 46

thoughts

to create best life, 137–138

negative, 150–151, 185, 206–208

neuroscience and, 150–153

positive, 137–138, 149–150

thoughts, taking responsibility for, 127–142

affirmations vs., 130–134

frequency of power, 135–138

luminaries on thoughts, 133–134

client story, 127–130

self-hypnosis process, 139–141

time commitments for various types of hypnosis, 16

TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation), 84, 95–97, 208

Toastmasters, 212–213

Tolle, Eckhart, 76

transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), 84, 95–97, 208

transformation, summary of author’s, 235–236

transformative nature of hypnotherapy, 246–247

tree metaphor, self-transformation and, 182–183. See also limb topics; root topics; trunk topics

triggers for automatic behavior, 52

trunk topics, 183, 185, 205–212

negative thinking and, 185, 206–208

stress/anxiety, 183, 185, 208–212

Truth, focusing on the, 111–112

unhealthy eating, 184, 198–202. See also weight loss

victim, playing the, 117–119

video tutorial for self-hypnosis, 26

vision boards, 131

weight loss, 198–202

hypnotherapy for, 11

client story, 221–225

self-hypnosis process for, 237–240

Weiss, Brian, 226

wellness practices, 91

Woods, Tiger, 83

www.CloseYourEyesGetFree.com, 14, 19, 22, 23

Yale University, 84