My interest in hypnosis and the mind began very early, during my childhood in Hawaii. My wise and wonderful parents understood the importance of a good education. They enrolled me in an excellent private school (even today I regard it one of the best schools I’ve ever heard of). Because of the school’s unique educational philosophy, we started studying about the brain and the mind as early as first and second grade. The subject fascinated me from the very first class, and I quickly decided that I would be a brain surgeon when I grew up. But when we moved on to study psychology and human thoughts and emotions, I realized that it was the mind, not the brain, that intrigued me.
When I was sixteen, I left Hawaii for Oregon, where I live now. But I never lost my initial fascination with the mind, or gave up my goal of helping others to profit from what psychology has taught us about ourselves. I have just recently finished 150 hours’ training as a clinical hypnotherapist, and am fully certified by the Professional Board of Hypnotherapy, an international professional organization headquartered in Alberta, Canada. I plan to specialize in pediatric hypnosis and pain management.
What makes hypnosis so fascinating and important? The most stunning lesson I learned at school in Hawaii is that one short phrase—a few words—can have an indelible impact on someone’s life, how they live it and who they are.
Here’s a positive example we’ll all recognize: a child hears someone they admire and respect give them praise. Perhaps a parent, a teacher, a family friend tells them they are smart or resourceful or wonderful. Children are deep in the process of learning who they are. They accept such information from those they trust as the truth. The phrase will go deep into their mind, repeating itself over and over like a mantra, until it becomes a core part of their reality.
Unfortunately, the same is true when a child is exposed to phrases like, “You are stupid, worthless and good for nothing.” When children hear messages like this from adults in authority over them, the negative message burrows deep into their minds, below the level of conscious thought. And whether such a phrase (or suggestion) is positive or negative, it will have an enormous future impact.
Children who have absorbed positive core beliefs about themselves have the tools to create their own happiness. They will feel pride, self-esteem, and a positive self-image. They will instinctively reject negative influences, will shy away from destructive behaviors, and will not be drawn to friends who make poor choices. In fact, their positive attitude will attract other positive people, creating the opportunity to forge complete, fulfilling, positive long-term relationships and, ultimately, a fulfilling and happy adult life.
Children who have been programmed with negative core beliefs, however, will have the opposite experience. If a child that truly believes deep down inside that they will never be able to do anything right, or that they are stupid or worthless, how can they ever find complete happiness? They will believe they do not deserve success or love; they will surround themselves with people, behaviors and things that validate those negative feelings. Just as happiness attracts happy people, negativity, self-hatred and pain draw people who are themselves unhappy or even predatory, and a cycle begins, moving the child even farther away from happiness, and eventually towards destructive, artificial happiness stimulation.
Even more amazing is that most likely the conscious mind isn’t aware of what has happened or what is still going on. The unconscious mind has a complete record of every experience a person has ever had. The conscious mind recalls things, many things--but generally not word for word as the unconscious mind does. So the person, now grown up, will obey the suggestion without any memory of having received it. When, through hypnosis or counseling, we take the mind back to that moment of the negative phrase, we can allow the person to see how illogical it is. The results can be astonishing! The negative experience can be re-experienced and given a positive interpretation—and the person’s life can turn in an entirely new direction.
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