I started going to Rita's hypnosis sessions a couple of months ago. Hypnosis has always been an interest and fascination of mine, and while my hypnosis track collection over the past decade needs its own hard drive, I figured a real live hypnotherapist could help me make lifelong changes on a whole new level.
"If you stick a knife nine inches into my back and pull it out three inches, that is not progress. Even if you pull it all the way out, that is not progress. Progress is healing the wound, and [you] haven't even begun to pull out the knife." -One of my favorite quotes which is also applicable to the healing world.
Many of us go through life with a knife stuck in our back, and while over the years, we have gotten used to the pain, and have found ways to deal with it, the fact is, there still is a knife, along with the constant dull pain, dissatisfaction, and burden that we carry around as a result of not dealing with our deep rooted issues. We can dress it up and pretend like it's not there, or we can become self aware, take the knife out, and start to heal these wounds within. Well what's special so about hypnosis when you can sit in a chair and talk your head off to a psychiatrist for an hour, take their prescription drugs, turn into a zombie, write a check, and call it a day? This model of drugged talk therapy simply does not work. I've tried it, and it causes more destruction and feelings of hopelessness than healing. How many times have we consciously known the right thing to do, and yet something deep within us causes us to repeat the same behaviors over and over? We can consciously and intellectually talk about our problems till the the world ends, but nothing will change unless we get to the root of the problem. Hypnosis deals with the subconscious directly- it goes to the root where all of our destructive emotional and habit patterns are stored and makes changes.
But just as the quality of a Zumba class depends on the instructor, the quality of hypnosis and healing depends on the hypnotherapist. When I booked my consultation, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would the hypnotist understand my issues? Would I have to hold back to avoid being judged or pretend like it was working even if it wasn't? Would this person really understand healing and how it works or would they be focused on the clock and dollar bills? In my first conversation with Rita, it was clear that I had struck gold. She is not only a hypnotherapist but also a Reiki healer as well. Someone who has a multidimensional understanding of a subject can approach a problem in many different ways, and tailor the specific method to the client. Everything she said in the consultation was authentic and in alignment with what I knew about healing. Most people don't get so lucky. She was also straightforward about expectations and said that I would have "homework" to do, since ultimately "I" am the one in the driver's seat doing the work. This week, my homework was to go out and make mistakes so I wouldn't be paralyzed from fear of the outcome and would have the courage to always take action. I can see the scene now, "My hypnotherapist told me to go out and make mistakes so that's why I'm on this date hehe"
Her sessions are fluid, intuitive, and have a spontaneous quality to it. Rita takes the time to talk with you about your progress first, and then figures out what she will work on during that session. Conducting a hypnosis session is truly a talent. She usually does an induction for relaxation, and starts painting imagery and words that works on the subconscious mind. After all, the subconscious understands imagery best- the stuff dreams are made of.
Have all of my 2 decade long problems disappeared as a result of 2 months of hypnosis? No. But there are definite shifts that have created adjustments in my behavior, my focus, thinking, and habits whenever I'm faced with difficult situations. And having a gifted healer like Rita to check in with on a weekly basis helps to hold me accountable for working on myself, rather than letting things slide over time. Sometimes, we we feel low, we look for other things that vibrate at the same low level. We eat junk, we gossip to a toxic person, we consume disturbing stories on the news or media... What if you had that one person that week you could align with, who is vibrating at a healthy level, who is focused on your healing and happiness? How much of difference would it make to turn around and move in a different direction? If you need to make some serious changes in your life, have tried and failed with drugs and talk therapy, or have even hit rock bottom, and are open to a new way of healing, try District Hypnosis.
P.S for the superficially inclined: Going to a hypnotist carries much less of a stigma than going to a therapist or a "shrink." One looks new agey, mysterious, cool, and cutting edge, and the other just looks like you're a basket case looking for drugs. Take your pick. read more