News Articles » – If you want to lose weight or quit smoking

The News Herald, September 21, 2005 (revised & reprinted)

WANT TO LOST WEIGHT OR QUIT SMOKING?
TRY HYPNOTHERAPY
Oakwood, other groups contract with Florida woman to assist people

By: Joe Slezak

If you want to lose weight or quit smoking, you have to change your internal programming. And, one way to do that is to be hypnotized.

That’s the approach of Rena Greenberg, president of Wellness Seminars, Inc. of Bradenton, FL.

She’s brought her approach to hospitals, companies and other groups in Florida, Ohio and Michigan, including Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center-Dearborn.

Since she founded Wellness Seminars in 1990, Greenberg estimates that she’s helped more than 100,000 people – mostly in-group settings, but also in individual settings.

It’s a matter of out with the old, bad mental images and in with the new.

“Within the body is an innate wisdom,” she said via telephone from her office. “We’re tapping into what’s already there.”

The key, she said, is through hypnosis, which is a state of deep physical relaxation. The patient’s concentration is focused, and Greenberg said that the subconscious mind is more open to suggestions.

It’s at that point where the inspiration to quit smoking or to eat healthier foods and exercise more can be ingrained into the patients.

“It’s like planting a garden,” Greenberg said.

She said the state of hypnosis is much like when someone is in bed, not fully awake but not asleep. The person can hear noises like barking dogs and ringing telephones, but doesn’t respond.

Her seminars begin with an explanation of what will happen. To get the group hypnotized, she uses soothing music and words.

“Most people who come to the program want to do this,” Greenberg said. “It’s like a mental massage.

“Once they get to that point, they get the message.”
Bringing people out of hypnosis takes a few minutes, usually by counting up.

She said that people have a new perspective after the procedure. They’re happier and more relaxed.

Greenberg, who worked as a biofeedback therapist in private practice and at a New York City hospital before founding Wellness Seminars, uses a process called advanced hypnotherapeutics plus.

The process changes the way mental pictures are stored. By associating new actions—like eating healthier—with positive memories, the patients will make better choices.

“Everybody comes into the seminar knowing what they have to do,” Greenberg said. “How do we get the motivation to do that?” That comes through reprogramming.” “Heart intelligence training” also a part of the program. Many times, people reach for cigarettes and junk food as a distraction or to meet a deeper need, she said. The training allows patients to focus on a deeper wisdom within themselves.

“It all works together,” Greenberg, said.

To be hypnotized, one must be willing, she said. Patients also don’t do anything against their will while hypnotized because they’re not in a sleep state—it’s a conscious daydream state. Patients don’t get “stuck” in a hypnotic state, and most remember what happened while hypnotized.

Greenberg, 44 turned to hypnotherapy 19 years ago as a way to learn healthy habits. After going back to collect, she started to feel exhausted. She thought it must have been a case of not eating right and not getting enough rest. What really happened was that her heart was beating far too slowly and she needed a pacemaker.

Greenberg launched Wellness Seminars just a few years later.

“I’ve been very fortunate,” she said. “The hospitals are very receptive. The people who come are very receptive.”

Those who attend seminars receive a reinforcement cassette tape, and they can attend Greenberg’s other seminars as a “booster” at no cost.

The seminar cost is $69, or $59 for those who register at http://www.easywillpower.com/.

Greenberg said she likely won’t be back to Oakwood until next year, but will have programs Oct. 26 in Livonia and Oct. 27 in the Ann Arbor area.

She’s also excited that her first book – “The Right Weigh: Six Steps to Permanent Weight Loss” (Hay House) – will be released Jan. 2.