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DD: When did you first become interested in hypnotism?
RG: I first became interested in hypnotism in the 1980's. I had become seriously ill at the age of 26 and had a pacemaker implanted in my heart. During the time of my illness I began a quest to find health, and one of the therapies I was introduced to was biofeedback. I instantly became fascinated with the power of the mind. Essentially, biofeedback is nothing more than using instruments that measure physiological responses to demonstrate the remarkable affect that self-hypnosis can have on the body.
DD: Then this personal experience led to your looking further into mind-body therapy?
RG: Yes. The benefits were fascinating and life changing for me, and after I regained my own health, I delved into the study
of hypnotism and NLP.
DD: At this point did you actually take a course of training?
RG: Yes. My first formal training in hypnotism was through the National Guild of Hypnotists in the 1980's. I initially studied with Dr. George Bien and Dr. John Hughes, and both of these wonderful teachers had a very positive effect on me and helped to instill a great love and respect for what hypnosis can do for a person. The powerful group fire walk that I experienced at the 1991 convention particularly inspired me. I will always remember the group chanting in a frenzy of excitement and possibility, "Whatever it takes to believe in myself, if I take the first step my body will do!"
DD: Those experiences do influence and stay with a person. Tell me, Rena, do you have additional academic education in other fields that influenced your approach to hypnotism?
RG: Yes, I also have a degree in biopsychology from the City University of New York at Brooklyn College , three years of study at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing, and I am nationally certified biofeedback therapist and licensed massage therapist. I also have a master's in divinity from the University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism.
DD: How did you actually start your career as a hypnotist?
RG: I started out working as a biofeedback therapist in a medical doctor's office, helping her patients reduce stress, and, at the same time, I was hired as a biofeedback therapist at The Hospital of Joint Diseases, also in New York City . I would teach the patients self-hypnosis and use the biofeedback equipment to confirm the positive effect the self-hypnosis was actually having on the body.
DD: That was certainly a good start. But how did you get out into the field, as I know you've done?
RG: One of my patients mentioned a stop smoking program using hypnosis that she was thinking of attending. After encouraging her to go and hearing about her wonderful results, I decided to look into the program. That was when I met
Stuart Green, who later became my boss and my mentor. I started working for him conducting group hypnosis sessions in corporations.
DD: So that launched you out into the real world. Tell us more.
RG: In 1990, I left New York and moved to Florida where I founded Wellness Seminars, Inc., and began conducting smoking cessation and weight control programs in hospitals throughout the state. I have been conducting these hospital-based hypnosis programs since that time.
DD: Do you do your programs in other states?
RG: Yes. In 1998 I expanded into hospitals in Michigan and, since that time, the Wellness Seminar for Smoking Cessation and Weight Control has been sponsored by over 75 hospitals in these two states.
DD: Has all this experience given you any special insight regarding weight loss and smoking cessation?
RG: After working with over 100,000 people in the field of weight loss I realized that, despite the multitude of diets that are available, people really needed a comprehensive approach to losing weight.
DD: Have you put this approach into print?
RG: Oh, yes. I've written a book, The Right Weigh: Six Steps to Permanent Weight Loss, which is being published by Hay House Publishing and will be released January 2, 2006.
DD: Tell us a bit about the book and your approach, if you will.
RG: Needless to say, I am very excited about bringing out this unique mind-body-spirit approach to self-hypnosis. The book teaches people self-hypnosis to help them change the way they think about themselves and food, and at the same time helps the reader to figure out which eating and exercise plan is best for his or her own unique lifestyle. The reader learns how to make permanent changes in the way she thinks about herself and food and also how to make the practical changes that are necessary.
DD: That is certainly a good basis for individual success. Are there other important factors?
RG: There is also a very strong spiritual component--helping the reader to fill herself up with the divine love and safety that she is truly seeking, from the depths of her own heart--rather than turning to food to fill an inner void. The format of the book makes it possible to use six easy steps (in forty days) to completely change one's relationship with food on every level of being—mind, body and spirit—and lose weight permanently.
DD: It sounds like a comprehensive approach for two very important problems of millions of individuals. I'm sure that you've been able to assemble a workable plan based on your extensive experience. With the seminars and book writing, do you have time to work with individual clients as well?
RG: I do have a very small private practice, but at this time most of my focus is on group seminars in hospitals. Currently, I run 25-35 smoking cessation and weight control seminars per month.
DD: Do you find any phase of hypnotism or hypnotherapy to be of greater interest to you?
RG: The phase of hypnotism that interests me the most is the place of deep connection to our greater mind. When we reach this part of ourselves, infinite possibilities for change and creativity await each of us. The most exciting part about hypnosis for me is how it can awaken our greatest potential and help to heal old wounds that have stood in our way. When our perceptions of ourselves change, new, positive behaviors become natural for us.
DD: Is there anything different about your approach to hypnotism?
RG: Yes, my approach to hypnotism is unique because I am incorporating not only the power of the mind, but the even greater power within the heart. I guide people through a heart-centered hypnosis, where they can get in touch with the
deepest resources that lie within the greater heart, soul and spirit. These resources are the qualities given to us by our creator--love, peace, mercy, strength, patience and wisdom. It is only through the heart that we can make this profound connection with the divine essence that lies in each of us and fill up with our God-given higher qualities.
DD: What is your experience with the current hypnotism situation in Florida and Michigan ?
RG: I know there have been difficulties for some practitioners, but I have been fortunate enough not to have encountered many obstacles to using hypnosis to help people stop smoking and lose weight.
DD: Group seminars have sometimes caused problems across the country. What is your take on that?
RG: I think that because it has been unregulated, some individuals have made lavish claims or false promises regarding hypnosis, essentially tarnishing its reputation. Those acts of false advertising have adversely affected our profession and created a sense of distrust in the eyes of many people regarding hypnotism.
DD: What benefits have you personally received from being a hypnotist?
RG: The benefits are innumerable. I can't tell you how rewarding it is to see the gratitude in people's eyes and to hear their stories of success and personal triumph over the habits that once plagued them. The incredible power hypnosis has to change people's lives for the better in a very short time is outstanding. It is truly an honor and a privilege to be able to facilitate this type of profound change in the life of another human being.
DD: New practitioners are going to read this interview and want to experience the same kind of professional success you've attained. What advice can you offer?
RG: Study, study, study. Learn everything that you can. There is so much wonderful information out there and so many incredible people to study with. And then, just practice. Through study, practice, and our own personal healing, we can develop our own unique ways to help others reach their greater potential.
DD: How about a list of things to do for the new practitioner seeking success?
RG: I would say go out and meet people in your field by going to the conventions and local Chapter meetings. Study with the practitioners whom you most admire. Most importantly, don't be afraid to promote yourself. Get involved in your
community and tell people what you do. People everywhere are crying out for help. By just putting yourself out there and studying to the point where you really feel competent to help people, you are going to make a difference in people's lives. I have found that the most successful approach is to teach others what has helped you the most in your life. When you
come from your heart, people can feel it, and they will be drawn to you like a magnet. I have also found that whenever I had a question or concern, I could call the Guild and get pointed in the direction of finding an answer. I have found the hypnotism community to be extremely supportive over the years.
DD: That's all good advice. Anything else you've learned by being out in the field?
RG: Yes, it is important to create as professional an image as possible for yourself. You want to stand apart from any sleezy reputation hypnotism may have gained due to the way it has been portrayed by a few individuals. Dress professionally and have your marketing materials reflect how seriously you take the work that you do. Give the extra mile to the clients who come to you, and you will soon gain the reputation of a caring and competent practitioner.
DD: With your experience, how do you feel about legislation?
RG: I actually hope that our profession will become more regulated. From my standpoint, the person who takes a weekend hypnosis class and travels all over the country doing hotel shows on stopping smoking and weight loss only hurts the profession. Because of the work I do, I hear from so many people about how they bought a lifetime guarantee but their hypnotist never came back to their city. The deceptive advertising of offering a program at the price of $49.99 complete (but including no reinforcement material) and making lavish claims about guaranteed weight loss just hurts our profession. When I hear about hypnotists being charged with fraud because they gathered large groups together for hypnosis but instead sold them each hundreds of dollars worth of supplements, I cringe, because that kind of thing hurts all of us.
DD: Do you have a favorite book or books on hypnotism?
RG: I very much enjoy reading Roy Hunter's and Marilyn Gordon's books and columns.
DD: What do you find the public concept is about hypnotism, hypnotherapists, stage hypnotism, or any other phase of the profession?
RG: I think that a lot of people will have the misconception that they can be hypnotized to do things that would go against their ethical values and that the level of their hypnotic state depends on the hypnotist. I find that some people still have fears that their mind will be controlled, or even that they would never come up out of the hypnotic state. I believe that the perception that hypnosis is some kind of magic is still prevalent, both in our culture and others.
DD: What do you think we need to be doing to further establish us as a separate and distinct profession?
RG: I think to be respected as a separate and distinct profession practitioners need to gain the respect of professional colleagues for their work in helping people to create personal change. When hypnotism becomes a respected profession rather than being seen as a get-rich-quick scheme, it is more likely that we will be taken seriously as a distinct and credible profession. Increasing our educational requirements is another important step.
DD: What changes have you seen since you started?
RG: I have seen our profession grow tremendously since I started. The diversity of people who have joined our profession and the expertise that they offer from their various backgrounds is fantastic. I think there are a lot more educational opportunities now and a large variety of arenas in which hypnosis is being used.
DD: Is there anything you would like to see the Guild do differently?
RG: I find the Guild to be an incredibly supportive and helpful organization. I would recommend membership to anyone who uses hypnosis in their profession, or even personally. I thoroughly enjoy reading the Guild publications. The Journal of Hypnotism and the Hypno-Gram are filled with interesting and informative articles. I am continually impressed by the many master practitioners who openly share the tools and techniques that have worked for them, as well as fascinating case histories. Both publications have been strong educational resources for me. I never stop learning from my colleagues.
DD: Do you attend the convention?
RG: I attend the Guild convention whenever I possibly can. It truly is the best professional convention I have even had the privilege of participating in. Unfortunately, because of my travel and family schedule, I am not able to go every year. I have attended the convention four times since I began my career in hypnotism. I absolutely love the hypnotism convention and would recommend it to anyone. Not only is it conducted in an extremely profession manner, but the classes offered are filled with high-quality, completely usable information. Every Guild convention that I have been fortunate enough to attend has left me highly inspired and motivated to take my work to a higher level.
DD: What do you see as the future of hypnotism/hypnotherapy?
RG: I would like to see a more widespread campaign to inform people of the therapeutic benefits of hypnotism. I think it would be wonderful to also teach children how they can use self-hypnosis to increase confidence or competence and decrease fear. I imagine how much better our world could be if parents were taught to use hypnosis to help themselves and their children get through all the challenges that we are presented with in our lives.
DD: We have just published Don Mottin's book, "Raising Your Children With Hypnosis," and there are a lot of practitioners who agree with you on that...the feedback has been terrific.
RG: The benefit to teaching people to use hypnosis every day as part of their life's routine--to gain access to their highest potential--would be innumerable. It is through the efforts of professional hypnotists who speak with the media about the amazing power within the mind, which we can access through hypnosis, that the word of our profession will continue to touch many people in a positive way.
DD: Thank you, Rena, for taking the time to share your thoughts with our readers, and perhaps this coming year we will see you at the convention in August.
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