As a hypnotist, I get to meet a lot of new people. One of my favorite moments of meeting a new person is when I tell them I'm a hypnotist, because I get all sorts of hilarious reactions. A lot of people develop a sudden inability to look me directly in the eye, and one person even argued with me about whether I was a hypnotist! I always get a good laugh out of it.
But what I enjoy even more is how curious most people are. They have a lot of questions and I'm always happy to answer them. What I've found out though, is that a lot of people suffer from what I like to call "The Scooby Doo Effect". Remember Scooby Doo? Every episode there was a different "Creep of the Week" that Scooby and the Kids had to catch. And sometimes the villain would use hypnosis to get other people to commit crimes for him. In fact, the opening scene of the theme song was always a spiral with some staring eyes!
Because of this, a lot of people think that hypnosis is some kind of mind-control. They believe that I, as the hypnotist, do something to you, the client, and then make you stop smoking, lose weight, quack like a duck or whatever. And this, of course, is problematic because it leads to the view that hypnosis is a quick fix, one-and-done solution to all of your problems.
And yet, the reality is that hypnosis is a tool. It's a useful tool, it's a powerful tool, but it is still a tool. Tools have to be put to use and, moreover, tools work best when used in conjunction with other tools to create a finished product. You can't build a house with just a hammer.
Now, I get it. This can be disappointing for some people to hear. And it may cause some people to turn away from hypnosis as an option. And yet, I'd like to suggest that it's actually empowering. We are defined by the choices we make in life. Hypnosis is a tool you can use to help you choose better options for you. And, at the end of the day, you can be proud knowing that you made the change. You achieved the goal. You are the hero. You aren't dependent on me or any magic bullet to help you get what you want out of life. In fact, the very act of going into hypnosis is a choice you make. I can't put you into it. I can only guide you there.
Which means I'm not the hypnotist.
You are.
Because hypnosis doesn't work.
You do.