K9 Hypnosis

I had the opportunity, some time ago, to demonstrate a rapid induction on a canine subject in a state of acute panic. The demonstration was so compelling and effective, the vet handling the animal stared at me stunned and offered me a job on the spot.

It was a quick, radical induction. In less than three seconds, the subject went from an uncontrolled state of panic, with two people struggling to restrain him, to a complete state of somnambulism, where he remained for fifteen minutes solid, until I brought him out. This enabled both the medical team to proceed with their intervention quickly and effortlessly, and the canine subject to receive medical attention peacefully and painlessly.

While he was checked, probed and administered shots, his tissues did not flinch or react in any way, confirming he was in a state of complete hypnotic anesthesia.

Two things enabled me to do this. The first one is my lifelong experience training and interacting with animals and wildlife, which makes it easy for me to establish rapid rapport. The second one, obviously has to do with my professional practice of hypnotherapy. When you work in clinical hypnotherapy, you go in and out of hypnosis all day long, as you teach others how to access the subconscious level of the mind. The more you journey back and forth between the conscious and subconscious levels of the mind, the shorter the bridge between them becomes. This means professional hypnotherapists enter deep levels of hypnotic trance in the blink of an eye, anytime and anywhere they need to.

In this case, all I had to do was place both of my hands around the dog’s cranium. Positioning my thumbs between his eyes, I moved in close, stared deep into his eyes, and applying gentle pressure with my thumbs, I dived into a deep level of hypnotic trance. Holding his gaze, I brought him to depth with me instantly and without a single word.

As a Wilderness Emergency Medicine First Responder, I am trained to respond to critical, life-threatening situations with authority, calm and confidence in my training, knowledge, skills and experience. Similar principles apply to Emergency Hypnosis. Subjects in a state of shock, fear, panic and pain are experiencing heightened emotions and already have intense focus and concentration: the prerequisites enabling access to the subconscious level of the mind. They are acutely receptive and desperately seeking guidance. The state of fear in itself creates a strong desire for help. Stepping forward in these cases, with calm, controlled, stable and confident leadership skills, positions you as the rescuer the subject in fear is hoping for. All you have to do is calmly escort them to safety.

Once the medical procedure was completed, the vet turned toward me startled: “How did you do this?” she asked. “I saw you applying pressure to a specific part of the dog’s head. Was it how you were able to immobilize him?”

“I used a pressure point, between the eyes,” I responded, “applying gentle but firm pressure.” I had to clarify: “I’m a clinical hypnotherapist. I do this for a living.””I used a pressure point, between the eyes,” I responded, “applying gentle but firm pressure.” I had to clarify: “I’m a clinical hypnotherapist. I do this for a living.”

“Do you need a job?” she asked. “Can we hire you?”

I looked at the doctor and smiled, thinking: “Boy, would I be in trouble if I placed a closed sign on my door and left my clients.”