Unforgettable moments in the practice of hypnosis …
The short stories below are true-to-life quotes from my clients. My gratitude goes to each of them for their candor and sincerity. We may tackle life-altering traumas and tragedies, together however, we laugh so hard tears are gushing from our eyes, we fold in half holding our ribs, hold hands and hug, and, one step at a time, through laughter and tears, we transform adversity into advantage, recover our strength, our freedom, and soar higher than we ever imagined possible.
Way Out of the Box
“Genvièv, understand me, I’m a red neck dude. When I get stressed, I jump out of a perfectly well-functioning airplane for God’s sake. That’s how I handle stress relief. Hypnosis … this is way out of the box for me… The only reason I’m here is because I’m stuck. Nothing else worked and I don’t know why. I told my wife: I spoke with this French lady. She is going to be doing hypnotherapy with me. My wife responded: Well … Good luck with that!”
Doctor’s Orders
“My doctor requested I made an appointment with you because I’ve been suffering from anxiety for years. This is why I’m here, but I’m very worried. My husband and I have loved each other for 25 years. We are best friends and partners. We couldn’t imagine life without each other. I haven’t been able to sleep since my doctor requested I see you. If you work with my mind, I will no longer have the same mind. That means my husband might no longer love me. Do you think it is possible for my husband to still love me, even if I have sessions with you?”
“Let me ask you this: do you think your husband would still love you if you became happier with your life, more relaxed? If you recovered better clarity of mind? If you felt content and at peace more often?”
“Well, of course he would!”
“Well then, there is your answer.”
Marriage Vows
A few years ago, a beautiful, elegant and educated young woman from the UK came to consult with me and asked:
“Genvièv, my husband would like you to hypnotize me so I no longer notice his affairs and our marriage remains undisturbed. How should we go about doing this?”
We focused instead on rebuilding her sense of self-worth, self-esteem and poise.
Mind Robbery
During a public gathering, a client who had recently visited my office for a consultation shared:
“I had always been under the assumption that if you went to see a hypnotherapist, you might not come out of their office with the same mind you had going in…” The audience burst into laughter.
She continued: “I’m relieved to tell you, I went to visit Genvièv last week to learn more about what she does, and I still have the same mind today that I had going in!”
You of All People
“I have become so calm and clear of mind since our session, it’s been startling to those around me. My team and employees at work have been trying to pull my strings to get me to react. Still, I remain completely calm, simply observing and processing what’s happening around me, and taking correct actions.
My team ended up coming to see me and asked: “What’s going on? You don’t even get mad anymore!”
I explained: “I went to see a hypnotherapist to get this under control. I felt it was in the best interest of the company and myself, so I decided to do something for myself and for the benefit of the company. It really helped me. I don’t understand how it works, but it does work.”
They looked at me startled: “You, of all people, went to see a hypnotherapist?!”
“What?” I responded. “Would you like me to revert to my old self?”
“No, of course not!” they exclaimed. “Keep doing what you are doing!”
All She Did Was Talk to Me
“Genvièv, I am flabbergasted. So is my wife.
I don’t understand it. How can you spend 40 years, incapable of quitting an addiction, no matter how hard you try or what you do, and in one session, walk away not wanting to have anything to do with it anymore? I haven’t even thought about it since our session! Whenever I try to think about it, the sound of your voice comes to my mind, this blue peace, shaped like an octopus, covers everything and I feel really calm…
My wife asked me how you did this. All I could say was: I haven’t the first idea! All I did was sit in a chair and listen to her voice. The only thing that was strange was the fact it felt like 15 minutes, but when I opened my eyes, two hours had gone by!”
What Have You Done to Me?
“Genvièv, chocolate chips cookies used to be my all-time favorite thing. Something I simply could not resist. Yet, since my first session with you last week, everything has become so different. I find myself attracted to fresh fruit and veggetables, good proteins, soups. The typical culprits to my weight goals are no longer an issue.
My 9 year-old daughter baked cookies last night. When I got up this morning, they were laying on trays on our kitchen counter. A week ago, I would have eaten a few right there and then, taken some to have in the car, and more to eat later at work. However, this morning I looked at them and they just seemed like blobs to me. I felt no inclination whatsoever to have any at all. Instead, I grabbed a glass of water and left for the day!
What have you done to me? You better be careful to what you say to me today!”
To learn more about how hypnosis can help you retrain your brain, visit the following link: Hypnosis in Portland, Oregon.
GENVIÈV ST. CLAIR, Fellow and Former President of the Oregon Hypnotherapy Association, is an award-winning Board Certified Instructor with the NGH.