HypnoTAT

I do believe I've stumbled upon a fantastic combination:  hypnosis and TAT (The Tapas Acupressure Technique).  I'm calling it HypnoTAT.

My second client of the day yesterday was in for his first visit.  As often is the case, I was a "last resort."

Let's call this young man in his early 30's Frank.  Frank had had a medical scare three years ago.  Since then, he's gotten a clean bill of health from every medical professional imaginable:  cardiologist, neurosurgeon, endocrinologist, ENT specialist, even a neurological chiropractor.  Still Frank didn't feel "right."  His head felt foggy and he noticed that his emotions were flat.  He has a good job, beloved fiancée, great family support but felt unable to truly enjoy any of his many blessings.  The psychiatrist he recently saw recommended medication for depression.

As I often do, I dowsed on which technique to use in this first session and was surprised to get a yes for what I call a "Journey."  This is not usual for someone I have just met; but, if I've learned anything over the past 21+ years, it's to do as I am guided.  Frank was a little apprehensive but obviously desperate for a healing change, so off we went.

Using some touch hypnosis and my voice, I helped him relax deeply and guided him to a healing place.  Once there, it became clear that Frank's sense of safety had been severely impacted by the medical scare he'd had about his health.  He was stuck in that fear and unable to move beyond it.

How could I not think of Steps 1 and 2 of Tapas Fleming's brilliant TAT process?  1.  Everything that led up this happened.  2.  All that happened, it's over and it's safe for me to relax now.  I don't have to resonate, identify or connect with that anymore.

After Steps 1 and 2, I continued a few more.  I stopped when it felt right to do so and asked him to formulate a choice of how he would like to feel and be (Step 8).  I finished with the Integration Step.  Before I brought him back to full awareness, I asked him how he was feeling.  "Excited," was the immediate response.

All this was done while Frank was lying back in the recliner in my office, deeply relaxed, and so he didn't go into the pose that is usually an integral part of TAT.  Yet, he received every benefit possible.

When Frank came back from his healing place to full consciousness, he looked completely different.  His skin had lost the pallor I noticed when he first arrived and there was a brightness to his eyes that hadn't been there before.  His smile was wide and genuine.

As he prepared to leave, I asked him to check-in with me in a couple of weeks.  My sense is that if he's not completely fine now, he's certainly very close to it.  I'll  let you know when I hear from him.

For years I have been using EFT (The Emotional Freedom Technique) with clients in trance, a technique pioneered by my cherished mentor Marilyn Gordon, the director of The Center for Hypnotherapy Certification in Oakland.  Now I will continue the fun of exploring the possibilities of HypnoTAT as well!

Real Help for Veterans

 

 



One out of five veterans suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).  Symptoms vary in intensity but even the mildest can interfere severely with the peace of mind and heart of men and women who have served our country in war.

 

In November 2013, The Contra Costa Times/San Jose Mercury News published an editorial by Harry Croft, MD, a psychiatrist who has worked with over 7,000 veterans diagnosed with PTSD, and Sydney Savion, EdD, a retired military officer and applied behavioral scientist.  In the article, originally published on November 8, 2013 in the San Diego Union-Tribune, these two experts outlined four myths about PTSD. 

Myth #4 is significant:  There is nothing that can be done to treat the condition.  Once you get it, you got it and there's just very little that can be done for you.  Not true at all!

 

Unfortunately, the writers did not elaborate on what can be done.  So let me fill-in that gap.

 

It is well-documented that Energy Psychology therapies such as The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and The Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT) yield outstanding results in alleviating the symptoms of PTSD not only for veterans but civilians caught up such in traumatic events such as the 9/11 World Trade Center bombing, Hurricane Katrina and the Boston Marathon bombing.  

 

Why isn't every Veterans Administration therapist trained in energy psychology?  Why aren't the energy therapies widely acknowledged as the go-to treatments for PTSD?  The answer lies in the tremendous power of certain well-funded associations of conventional psychologists who have been blocking such recognition. 

 

We owe our veterans our very best resources and support as well as our thanks.  If you know any veterans who are struggling with the symptoms of PTSD, please tell them about the powerful Energy Psychology techniques that can help them get their lives back.  www.energpsych.org has more info.



Smartphone OCD

I'm having a very hard time with something.

For a long time, I only had my personal email coming to my phone.  Recently I added my business email account as well.

The intention was to make my life easier and the result has been just the opposite.

Every so often an email will show up on my home PC that never makes it to my phone so I need to read through both stacks carefully on a regular basis to make sure I don't  miss something important, like a new client inquiry.

I also now have two huge stacks of emails that need to be culled for deletions. If clutter in our homes is bad feng shui, cluttered inboxes in two places must be just as deleterious.  Not to mention the clutter all this is causing in my head!

Plus, now that I know that business emails are on my phone, I have a constant need to check and check and check.  I have developed smartphone OCD and I hate it.

I've been considering removing all emails from my phone and just having them on my home PC.  Frankly, this thought causes me great anxiety.  People expect you to have 24/7 access to their messages and don't always understand if it takes a while to get back to them.  Our technology has programmed us for impatience, hasn't it?

I've lost my perspective and can't see a solution.  As I am by nature a very solutions-oriented person, this situation is causing me great frustration.  If anyone out there has any suggestions, please feel free to share.

In the meantime, I'm off to do some TAT on this.  Don't want to bring these confused, grumpy vibes to my office this afternoon.

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