Posts Tagged ‘Hypnotherapy’

Introducing a New Forum for Healthcare Professionals

Monday, May 24th, 2010

OK so the time is now to get a resource forum for health care professionals that is easy to use and even easier to navigate these days. So many forums are part of a bigger group and you have to join this community that then opens you up to spam and invites from all over the place. It is time for a forum that is just a forum and not part of a big organization so you network with the members and it provides you some benefits.

Well here it is Hypnosis Professionals Forum is just that type of forum. It is not interested in sponsors or making money off from anyone and has one thing in mind. Lets get one resource to build our business and also to build our network of professionals.  To start off the forum has an introduction section where you post your first post that is conveniently created as a resource page for visitors to find health care professionals in their area if they want.  It has it broken down by state and also by country to cover everyone anywhere in the world. Just joining to have your introduction placed in your area is worth the effort.

Then the forum is designed to have general discussions that anyone including guests can read so you can post things you want there and it has a members only areas for all the major good information so you can have some great discussions among members.

Now this is not just a forum for hypnotherapists as well because it has sections for all types of health care and everyone is invited to join. If there is not a section just tell the administrator and they might create a section for your specific discussion if you want.  This forum is for everyone and there are no strings attached like other forums that are part of another community.

Take the time to become a member of Hypnosis Professionals Forum and make sure to put in your introduction and increase your SEO, referrals and network to build your skills and learn many new things.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

Depression And Diabetes

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Many people who are diagnosed with diabetes are overwhelmed with an onslaught of new information, medications, doctor visits and a feeling of helplessness. Diabetes can be frightening, particularly for anyone who is not familiar with the disease. We read about complications and insulin and medication and feel hopeless.

Many diabetics experience a period of denial when first diagnosed with diabetes. They refuse to believe there is anything wrong with them. While they remain in denial, the condition worsens. This can often lead to depression. Depression and diabetes often go hand in hand. According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes have a greater risk for developing depression than other individuals.

The stress of management of diabetes can take a toll on an individual. There are new medications to take, blood sugar must be monitored frequently and a record kept for your doctor. There are frequent doctor visits and there may be several different medication combinations attempted in order to keep your blood sugar under control.

On top of that, people who have diabetes are often faced with sudden lifestyle changes. Foods that they once enjoyed are now taboo. An exercise regime is often recommended, which can be good for depression, but people with depression often have little energy to begin an exercise regime. As the depression continues, people often lose interest in monitoring their blood sugar levels and may even skip their medication.

Symptoms of depression include a loss of pleasure in every day activities you used to enjoy as well as a change in appetite. You may have trouble concentrating and have trouble sleeping. Or you may even sleep too much. Many people suffer from depression, but for a diabetic, it can be life threatening. Depression and diabetes is a dangerous combination.

People who are diagnosed with diabetes can empower themselves by learning as much about the disease as possible from the beginning. This can alleviate the feeling of helplessness that often accompanies the diagnoses. Ask your physician questions. Do research. Find out how you can help manage you disease. You need to take control of the situation right from the start and explore all the alternatives so it is your choices.

If you feel you are suffering from some of the signs of depression, ask your doctor to recommend a therapist or hypnotherapist who is familiar in dealing with people with chronic illness. Therapy can be crucial for a diabetic patient who feels isolated because of all of the extra work involved in treating their illness. Do not be afraid to discuss your illness with family and friends. Diabetes is a nothing to be ashamed of, it is a disease that affects millions of people. I always recommend that you find people that are willing to take the time to listen and provide you tools for your success.

If at all possible, join a support group for others who also have diabetes. Here you can not only find kindred spirits who are experiencing some of the same fears as yourself, but you can also learn new information. The challenge with support groups is also that sometimes the group can restrict what you want to accomplish as well. Make sure your support tools provide you with more choices and do not take away your choices. Remember you should feel better about a support group not worse ;) .

Any time someone is diagnosed with an illness, it puts them at risk for depression. Their world has changed and no longer could feel safe. Worse of all, they feel out of control or as their life has now become limited. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, take back the control and learn how to manage your disease. By empowering yourself, you will not only be able to effectively manage your diabetes, you will eliminate the depression.

Remember that improving your focus on the things you can do will be a big help in making sure you are not one of those depressed people.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine.

Can Autism be Cured

Friday, April 16th, 2010

This is a question that every parent of an Autistic child will ask at some point. The answer is no. There is no cure for Autism. While you may see ads for books, or products that promise a cure for Autism, they are misleading you. Autism has no cure. There are lots of treatments that can make living with Autism easier.
Here are some of the treatments that help with Autism:

Licensed Therapies

There are several types of therapies that can help with the treatment of Autism. Occupational, physical, behavioral, speech, music, sensory, drug, play, and many other types of therapy can make a big difference in the life of an Autistic child. The therapies will not cure your child’s Autism. They will just help teach them different ways of coping with it.

Alternative Treatments

Natural and alternative treatments are on the rise. These can include the use of herbs instead of prescription medications. The herbs do not have the side effects found in traditional medicines. Vitamin and mineral supplements are being found to help in treating Autism. Always notify the doctor of any natural products you are using with your child. Some herbs can have interactions with prescription medications. Remember again these herbs and vitamins are not cures. They are just to help with some of the symptoms of Autism.

Hypnotherapy and BioFeedback and also be used as a way to help with autism depending on the individual. There are also other alternatives that have shown to help like Horseback Therapy which from our own tests have shown to have positive results. Remember that these are not cures though and are designed to improve the life of the individual not cure the disease.

Nutritional Methods

Some people turn to the diet when treating Autism. They eliminate certain foods that could cause sensitivities. Some of the foods the remove from the diet are Gluten, dairy, and artificial dyes. The idea behind this method is that removing the foods that cause sensitivities will remove the behavior problems. You can have your child tested for food allergies. Ask your child’s doctor about allergy testing. This will let you know if your child could be having behaviors due to a food allergy. It will also give you an idea of which foods to eliminate from their diet.

There is no cure for Autism, but there are lots of treatments that can help with some of the symptoms. When trying a new treatment only try one at a time. This will let you know if it is helping or not. Allow enough time for the treatment to work. Usually two or three months is enough time to tell if a new treatment is working. There will be no miracle treatments that give immediate results. If you are using a herbal or vitamin treatment inform the doctor. They need to be aware of the things you are trying. Herbs and vitamins can cause reactions with other medicines. It is important that the treatment team be kept informed and on the same page. This will make your child’s outcome a more positive one.

Do not waste your money on products that claim to cure Autism. If there was a cure available it would be told to you by your doctor, instead of some guy on a late night infomercial. Continue to help your child by treating the symptoms of Autism. This will help your child have a better life.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

5 Tips When Looking for Hypnosis Training

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

The following things might be important to you when looking for a Hypnosis Certification Class:

1) Is the class approved by more than one organizati0n. Some schools and instructors are their own authority. There are even schools that have their own made up union. When looking for a certification class make sure to ask them who else recognizes their training. For example I am a certified instructor for the International Hypnosis Federation and also we are a certified Hypnosis School as well. The training we provide is recognized by several other organizations like the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association, International Association of Counselors and Therapists, NGH and several other organizations so you can become a member with them along with your membership to the IHF.

2) Is the class structured to allow you to develop the skills that are required for what it is you want to accomplish. Many classes are still designed like the old school classrooms where you listen to lectures and you get some homework but you do not get a chance to put the training to use till after you receive your certificate and are on your own. Look for training that is interactive and allows you to develop the skills.

3) Don’t be tricked into free class offers or switch and bait advertisements. There are some schools that offer you a free introductory class where you will learn things you probably already know and will be captive to listen to their sales pitches for the next few weeks or drop out. Talk to the instructor or the school and take your time to see if this is right for you. Remember that Free does not always mean good or even what is best for you. It does allow some high priced schools a chance to sell y0u on why you should invest that 10-12K dollars for their training though ;-) .

4)  Make sure you like the Instructor and that the Instructor is someone that has the skills to do the job that they are teaching you. Remember the old saying – Those that can not do “Teach”!  Some organizations just make a living traveling around providing weekend certification classes. They are experts in conducting certification classes but unless that is what you want to do maybe not the best expert for your needs ;-) .

5)  From being an instructor now for several years one thing is very clear. Anyone can learn how to hypnotize someone. The true skill is developing the ability to help the person create change which is two different things. You need to be able to work with clients and most importantly you need to develop the skills to be successful with them to grow your business. Referrals are the cheapest and most effective form of advertising so does this training also provide you the skills to develop your business.

Remember that it is your responsibility to find the training that is right for you. Also remember that for the first time ever I am offering a special hypnosis certification class at the SCV Senior Center starting on May 6th from 6-8pm. You can call the Senior Center to sign up for it at 661-259-1647 to lock in that special $500.00 cost for the whole training. The class will last 4 months and this is not like any other certification class that you will attend. We are going to take off the blinders that are usually associated with hypnosis. Past students have commented that one of my training classes provided them with more tools than high priced schools that cost them $10,000.00 and more and over a year to complete.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight roads that connect to paths and trails . We will experience many roads as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.

Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?

There are no guarantees.

You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent.  There are too many possible outcomes, which you really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.

Wrong decisions are always at hindsight.

Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.

Take the risk: decide.

Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life.  But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads:
·    Get as many information as you can about your situation.

You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

·   Identify and create options.

What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

·    Weigh the pros and cons of every option.

Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option. Many people understand pros and cons but they do not take the time to completely understand them.  I like to use a simple format when looking at pros and cons:

1) What will happen if I take this road ?    2) What will happen if I do not take this road?
3) What will not happen if I take this road?  4) What will not happen if I do not take this road?

If you ask yourself these 4 questions when making a decision you will better understand the decision and outcome.

·    Trust yourself and make that decision.

Now that you have assessed all your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions always lead to right ones later.  So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems and growth. The important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own journey. Whether it is the right decision or not, you will grow and learn from it. Embrace whatever the outcome. Learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future from the decisions you are making today.

Mystically your,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

Concentration Finds the Way

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Everyone has two natures. One wants us to advance and the other wants to pull us back. The one that we cultivate and concentrate on decides what we are at the end. Both natures are trying to gain control.

The will alone decides the issue. A man/woman by one supreme effort of the will may change his/her whole career and almost accomplish miracles. You may be that man/woman. You can be if you Will it to be, for Will can find a way or make one.

I could easily fill a book, of cases where men/women plodding along in a matter-of-fact way, were all at once aroused and as if awakening from a slumber they developed the possibilities within them and from that time on were different people.

You alone can decide when the turning point will come.

It is a matter of choice whether we allow our diviner self to control us or whether we will be controlled by the brute within us. No man/woman has to do anything he/she does not want to do. We are therefore the director of our life if we will it to be. What we are to do, is the result of our training and natural super powers. We are like putty, and can be completely controlled by our will power.

Habit is a matter of acquirement. You hear people say: “He/she is a natural, a chip off the old block,” meaning that he/she is only doing what his/her parents did. This is quite often the case, but there is no reason for it, for a person can break a habit just the moment he/she masters the “I will.”

A man/woman may have been a “good-for-nothing” all their life up to this very minute, but from this time on they begin to amount to something. Even seniors have suddenly changed and accomplished wonders. “I lost my opportunity,” says one. That may be true, but by sheer force of will, we can find a way to bring us another opportunity. For life itself presents us with opportunities each day.

There is no truth in the saying that opportunity knocks at our door but once in a lifetime. The fact is, opportunity never seeks us; we must seek it by opening ourselves up to what is around us. What usually turns out to be one person’s opportunity, was another person’s loss.

It is often the quickness of brain action that determines the result. One man/woman thinks “I will do it,” but while he/she procrastinates the other goes ahead and does the work. They both have the same opportunity. The one will complain of his/her lost chance. But it should teach them a lesson, and it will, if they are seeking the path that leads to success.

Many persons read good books, but say they do not get much good out of them. They do not realize that all any book or any lesson course can do is to awaken them to their possibilities; to stimulate them to use their will power. You may teach a person from now until doom’s day, but that person will only know what he/she learns himself. “You can lead him to the fountain, but you can’t make him drink.”

One of the most beneficial practices I know of is that of looking for the good in everyone and everything, for there is good in all things. We encourage a person by seeing their good qualities and we also help ourselves by looking for them. We gain their good wishes, a most valuable asset sometimes.

We get back what we give out.

The time comes when most all of us need encouragement; need buoying up. So form the habit of encouraging others, and you will find it a wonderful tonic for both those encouraged and yourself, for you will get back encouraging and uplifting thoughts. In order to express something to someone else you must create it in yourself first. This is another reason why it is important to focus on the positive around you.

Life furnishes us the opportunity to improve. But whether we do it or not depends upon how near we live up to what is expected of us by ourselves at times. The first of each month, a person should sit down and examine the progress they have made. If they are not come up to “expectations” they should discover the reason, and by extra exertion measure up to what is demanded next time.

Every time that we fall behind what we planned to do, we lose just so much for that time is gone forever. We may find a reason for not doing it, but most excuses are poor substitutes for action. Most things are possible.

Ours may be a hard task, but the harder the task, the greater the reward. It is the difficult things that really develop us, anything that requires only a small effort, utilizes very few of our faculties, and yields a scanty harvest of achievement.

So do not shy away from a hard task, for to accomplish one of these will often bring you more good than a dozen lesser triumphs in the end.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

Hypnosis – Debunking the Myths

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

Hypnosis

Debunking the Myths

What is hypnosis? Hypnosis is a powerful therapeutic tool for accessing the subconscious mind and achieving personal goals or affecting desired changes. It may be used alone or in conjunction with other therapeutic techniques.

Despite its awesome power, there are few procedures less understood, or more plagued by misconceptions. Hypnosis has existed since prehistoric times, and western medicine has been trying to understand it since the 1700’s. But it has only been within the last two decades that we have truly begun to understand what hypnosis is, and what it can do for us.

Unfortunately, many of the misconceptions that have developed over the centuries still exist in people’s minds. If you ask the average person on the street what he or she thinks hypnosis is, they may respond with any number of answers, including: sleep, unconsciousness, mind control, or even magic. All of these ideas are wrong, but unfortunately continue to persist, perpetuated by novels and films. (Many vampire and spy movies, for instance, portray hypnosis as a way for the villain to gain control over his victims.) These misconceptions prevent many people, who could benefit from hypnotherapy, from ever trying it. Those who do try hypnotherapy often spend their first session unlearning their misconceptions.

Hypnosis is not sleep, unconsciousness, mind control, or even magic. In fact it is a heightened state of awareness. In most cases the subject is fully aware and able to respond to requests, either verbally or by a signal. Ask a hypnotized person to make a specific, “reasonable” movement, they will comply.

There is no surrender of control, no magic. No one can be hypnotized against their will; and no hypnotized person can be forced to do anything against their will. When you think about it you know this is true.

Hypnosis is now considered to be “a state of selective thinking”, where the subject (who is in control) chooses to experience only what is relevant to the task at hand, blocking out everything else. It may also be described as guided concentration. The guidance may be provided by a qualified Hypnotherapist, or in the case of self-hypnosis, by the individual.

However you think of it, hypnosis is a method for communicating directly with the subconscious or unconscious mind. Few people realize the awesome power their subconscious mind has over their lives. The causes for many “bad habits” are rooted in memories or perceptions that may be forgotten by the conscious mind but retained in the subconscious. Hypnosis helps to access the subconscious and change those habits more quickly and easily.

Although hypnosis is not a panacea, there are many areas where it has proven to be tremendously helpful including memory enhancement, improving concentration, relieving insomnia, overcoming phobias (fears), eliminating bad habits (such as smoking and nail biting), pain control, and managing stress.

Hypnosis is a tool anyone can use and everyone should understand.

Mystically your,

Dr. Michael Holt, NC, CHI
Magi Institute