Hypnosis – An Opportunity to Improve Your Life

Today I have the privilege of interviewing my friend, hypnotherapist John Sluga.  He’s been using hypnosis for the past ten years and has been in professional practice for over four years. If you’ve ever been curious about hypnosis, what it’s like to experience it, or just what its uses are, please read on. You may find hypnosis has the potential to improve an area of your own life.

If you had the opportunity to meet John, you’d quickly be put at ease. He’s a person who obviously and genuinely cares about helping others. He has the training and ability to assist others in making the improvements in their lives that they desire.

Karen: What are some issues that are treated successfully with hypnosis?

John: Some of the things that hypnosis has aided or can aide are:

• weight loss
• smoking cessation
• dealing with loss
• increasing focus for learning and sports performance
• eliminating bad habits
• developing good habits
• management of negative emotional issues

There are instances when a medical referral may be required, but that is determined on an individual basis as it pertains to the clients goal or goals.

Karen: Tell us, what is it like to be hypnotized?

John: Experiencing hypnosis is quite relaxing. Having experienced hypnosis myself many times, the experience is one of gradual and deep relaxation with focused concentration. Clients have felt feelings of heaviness, lightness, tingling in the extremities, a combination of some, all, or none of the feelings mentioned. The client is guided to focus on their goals and examine various perspectives to aid him or her in attaining them.

Karen: Can anyone be hypnotized?

John: Anyone who wants to experience hypnosis, can follow directions and has an IQ that is average or better is usually a good candidate for hypnosis.

Karen: Who is hypnosis for?

John: Hypnosis is for the client that is motivated to eliminate negative habits (smoking, overeating), or develop good habits (developing good study habits, developing better presentation skills).

Karen: What types of hypnosis do you use in your practice?

John: I use: direct suggestion, client centered parts therapy, positive visualization techniques, and Ericksonian techniques to name a few of the methods available to me when working with a client or clients.

Karen: What’s a typical session like?

John: Each client experiences hypnosis by following verbal instructions to relax themselves. Verbal cues are given to the client to aid in focus and relaxation. The client follows suggestions for deepening their hypnotic experience and follows that with an action plan we have previously agreed upon.

Depending on the client’s goal, regression, direct suggestion and visualization may be used along with other resources that are specific to their goal. The session lasts approximately sixty (60) minutes.

Karen: Most of us have seen either stage shows, television or movies showing people being hypnotized and doing some pretty crazy things! They’re responsible for quite a few myths about hypnosis. Please tell us what the facts are.

John: The crazy things attributed to hypnosis in the movies and television are created with artistic license as a method to move the plot line along. Generally, the facts about hypnosis are the last things considered. When a person agrees to go onstage, they are agreeing to be part of the entertainment provided. It is understood that the may be doing silly thing while on stage.

• myth: You will become unconscious.
• reality: You are awake and conscious during the entire process.

• myth:  You can be made to do things that you do not want to do.
• reality:  You can not be made to do anything against yourself or that would  endanger your safety.

• myth:  I will become paralyzed or be frozen.
• reality:  You can move anytime you want. You can open your eyes but are usually so relaxed that you do not have any need to.

• myth:  I will not be able to come out of hypnosis.
• reality:  Nobody has ever been unable to emerge from hypnosis. On occasion a client may be so relaxed that it takes a few additional minutes to emerge.
  

Karen: Are there any risks associated with being hypnotized?

John: There are no known risks associated with experiencing hypnosis.

Karen: How did you come to choose hypnotherapy as your profession?

John: I took a ten week course in hypnosis with Edwin Baron at the Chicago Hypnosis Institute in 1976. Initially I wanted to remove my fear of public speaking. As I became engrossed in the course, I met professionals in law enforcement and the medical professions who were using hypnosis to aid witnesses and patients in their respective fields. I began to use hypnosis to help co-workers and friend overcome challenges in their lives and realized that there was a need and demand for this type of service.

Karen: Do you have a specialty?

John: I focus my work as a consulting hypnotist toward aiding caregivers and families of special needs children and family members.

Clients with life challenging issues need additional resources and often do not realize that hypnosis can provide a solution to better sleeping habits, overcoming feelings of loss, managing negative thoughts and other specific issues.

Karen: What special training have you had to do this work?

John: I continually update my skills with specific workshops and specialized training. Some examples are certifications in:

Pediatric Hypnosis
Complimentary Medical Hypnosis
Client Centered Parts Hypnosis
Informed Soul Technique

Karen: You’re having a special introductory price so people can experience a session. Could you tell us about that?

John: During the month of May, I have offered the opportunity to experience hypnosis to prospective clients. This offer is relegated to available appointment slots on the remaining Wednesdays during this month of May (2009). This is an opportunity to offer my resources to clients that, otherwise, may not be able to experience the benefits of hypnosis.

Karen: Is there anything else you’d like us to know?

John: My goal is to provide my motivated clients with the best hypnotic experience in helping them attain their goals and improve their lives.

Karen: I see that working with you as a hypnotherapist is a real partnership, and that the direction of the work is always in the hands of your clients. Thank you, John. This has been so interesting!

John continues his training and is currently enrolled in Five Phase Advanced Transformational Hypnosis.

His office is located in Arlington Heights, IL. Further information can be found at John Sluga Hypnosis along with contact information.