Hypnosis: Yay or Nay?

Sean Doyle · 2004-05-23T04:43:17+00:00

Does anyone—and I mean specifically which professionals—actually practice hypnosis here in the States? I’m talking about using hypnosis as a tool to recover re…

Matthew Morris28 Active Member

55 messages
joined Jan 2005

#21 · Feb 4, 2005

Hypnosis isn't some scary, mystical thing. It’s just about getting into an "altered state," which is something we all drift into like 5 or 6 times a day anyway. You know that feeling—when your mind just kind of wanders off? That's it. It works by basically putting your conscious mind on the back burner so you can actually talk to your subconscious.

The conscious mind learns through induction, while the subconscious works deductively. That's why the subconscious is such a fertile ground for suggestion; it pretty much takes everything at face value.

People have this totally unfounded fear about being "implanted" with bad suggestions. But look, the mind has its own built-in defense mechanism (the conscious part) that rejects any suggestion that doesn't sit right, even at a subconscious level. This means that those creepy "hypnosis" tropes—like someone telling you that you're gonna strip down or get possessed or whatever—just won't work unless you explain to the person while they're still fully awake that you're going to ask them to do those things under hypnosis.

And people worry about getting stuck in some zombie-like trance where they're just sitting there like a plant. Nah. The mind automatically snaps back out of that state; usually, we just fall asleep and wake up later.

There are tons of books on this if you're interested. Personally, whenever I get the chance, I practice auto-hypnosis just to clear my head and declutter my subconscious a bit.

Anyway, that's my two cents. And seriously guys, keep reading.

urbanseal6 Member

30 messages
joined Jul 2004

#22 · Feb 4, 2005

Bravo, Matthew Morris28 👍 👍 👍
I honestly think we’re all caught in some kind of collective trance here on this forum, which is probably why we just can't seem to stay away...😍

Larry Cruz51 Active Member

120 messages
joined Jun 2008

#23 · Feb 4, 2005

Matthew Morris28 said:Hypnosis isn't some scary thing or anything mystical. It’s just about reaching an "altered state," which is actually something we all slip into five or six times a day anyway. You know that feeling... when your mind just kind of drifts away...

I've read that too. That's exactly it.
The main thing is you have to distinguish between those stage hypnotists and actual medical hypnotists. Those first guys are usually self-taught and they mostly do group sessions—like one of those groups meant to help people quit smoking—whereas the others are actual doctors in training...

young.but.dead said:Hypnosis really helped me out. I learned so much about myself; I could honestly say that session changed my whole personality.

Are you serious or😁?

Regarding who actually performs this work:
A stage hypnotist might be someone like Rausch in Santa Barbara (I actually have his number from a business card)...
A medical hypnotist would be someone like Dr. med Legac Denis
The American Society for Medical Hypnosis (they keep their office over on Klaić)...

Michelle Chase3 Member

16 messages
joined Sep 2004

#24 · Feb 4, 2005

Larry Cruz51 said:I've read that too. That's it.
The thing is, you have to distinguish between stage hypnotists and medical hypnotists. Those first guys are just self-taught amateurs doing group sessions—like those smoking cessation groups—whereas the second group are actual doctors in training.

Are you kidding me😁?

Regarding who actually performs this stuff:
Stage hypnotist: Darko Rausch, Santa Barbara (I actually have his number from a business card)
Medical hypnotist: Dr. med. Legac Denis
American Society for Medical Hypnosis (they operate out of the Klaić clinic)

I've heard from plenty of people that the guy in Santa Barbara is great for quitting smoking. Does this doctor even deal with "everyday" issues like that, or not?

Do you know anything specific about either one? Come on, please, tell me, I'm dying to know!!!

ambermason16 Active Member

213 messages
joined Apr 2009

#25 · Feb 4, 2005

Michelle Chase3 said:I've heard from quite a few people that this guy in Santa Barbara is amazing for quitting smoking.

Wait, is he the same guy who’s always smuggling Maltese dogs? 😁

Anyway, I saw someone mentioning a Dr. Legac over here who specializes in medical hypnosis.
link

Michelle Chase3 Member

16 messages
joined Sep 2004

#26 · Feb 4, 2005

shree_kali said:Is this the same guy who smuggles Maltese dogs? 😁

btw. someone here mentions a Dr Legac who does medical hypnosis
link

Are you kidding about the Maltese dogs, or did Paw actually say that??😲

Yeah, I'm actually interested in this smoking cessation stuff. I don't feel like driving all the way to Santa Barbara, so I was pretty stoked thinking I could just handle it in Los Angeles!! 😁

And that link is helpful as hell! 😬

ambermason16 Active Member

213 messages
joined Apr 2009

#27 · Feb 4, 2005

Michelle Chase3 said:Are you kidding me about the Maltese, or did Paw actually say that??😲

Look, I’m genuinely interested in this smoking cessation thing, and I have zero desire to drive all the way to Santa Barbara. I was actually relieved thinking I could just handle this right here in Los Angeles!! 😁

And that link? About as useful as a screen door on a submarine!!! 😬

I was just messing around about the Maltese...

But listen... if you want to play detective, that link might actually be informative. Follow the logic: the forum is based out of Greater Houston, so Dr Legac is probably in Houston too. You check that user's old posts to see what else she wrote, do a little bit of online sleuthing, and boom—you've found the doctor.

Seriously, if they can fix it in Santa Barbara, why couldn't they do it in LA? Besides, the folks specializing in medical (I should've said gymnastics 🤣) hypnosis aren't likely just focused on infertility; they deal with plenty of other stuff too...

If you want, maybe those acupuncture clinics that help people quit smoking can point you toward someone who handles hypnosis...

Michelle Chase3 Member

16 messages
joined Sep 2004

#28 · Feb 4, 2005

shree_kali said:I'm just messing with those guys from Malta...

Look... if you actually apply some detective work here, it might be useful. Just follow the logic: the forum is based out of a place like Columbus, so Dr. Legac is likely located around there too. Then, you dig through that user's old posts—she’s mentioned it before—and combine that with a quick online search. You'll find the doctor in no time.

Look, if you can't get this sorted out in Santa Barbara, you aren't going to find any luck in New York either. And don't even get me started on those medical specialists—it's practically an Olympic gymnastics routine just to get them to do their jobs. 🤣 Hypnosis probably isn't just specialized for infertility... it covers way more than that.

Hey, you people doing acupuncture to quit smoking might actually know someone who specializes in hypnosis...

Detective reasoning: You're bored out of your mind, aren't you? 😁
I didn't have the patience to go that deep into the research. Thanks, though! 😘

Michael Jones23 Active Member

116 messages
joined Aug 2006

#29 · Feb 4, 2005

Everything you need to know about Dr. med Legac Denis:
http://www.hdmh.net

Plus, there’s actually a pretty solid book out there. If you have a second, just skim through this summary:

Michael Jones23 Active Member

116 messages
joined Aug 2006

#30 · Feb 4, 2005

here's the gist:
summary

This book breaks down hypnosis for everyone, making it easy to see how this stuff can actually help you out in your day-to-day life. It’s not just some trick up a hypnotist's sleeve; it's a power we all have inside us. If you get the hang of it and use it right, the benefits are endless. Using self-hypnosis as a type of therapy can take the edge off incredibly painful or heavy situations—and the best part? None of those nasty side effects you get from meds or surgery.
Dr. Brian Roet, who’s been killing it in hypnotherapy for over 20 years, walks you through how to actually apply self-hypnosis. He'll clear up those fears and old prejudices people have about hypnosis, making it simple enough for you to just step up and help yourself.

let me know if any of you have read it. I definitely want to. 👋

Larry Cruz51 Active Member

120 messages
joined Jun 2008

#31 · Feb 4, 2005

Michelle Chase3 said:I’ve heard from quite a few people that this guy in Santa Barbara is actually great for quitting smoking. Does this doctor handle those kinds of "everyday" issues too, or does she stick to something else?

The guy from Santa Barbara is supposedly alright. My only hesitation about seeing him is that he's just a self-taught practitioner...
this doctor offers separate therapy sessions, and there's an email address where you can reach out to set up an appointment. I'm just not sure what the costs look like for either of them...

rowdyridge59 Newcomer

9 messages
joined Mar 2005

#32 · Feb 4, 2005

I’m running on self-hypnosis 😁. Honestly, who else could possibly know me better than I know myself? 😁

Anthony Harris14 Active Member

63 messages
joined Aug 2004

#33 · Feb 4, 2005

I’ve actually encountered people who have found relief through homeopathy myself. It wasn't even about treating some physical ailment, either; they were using it to address issues with low self-confidence. That's all.

lonecobra71 Newcomer

6 messages
joined Feb 2005

#34 · Feb 4, 2005

Anthony Harris14 said:I’ve actually met people who respond to homeopathy. It wasn't even about physical illness—they used it to work on low self-esteem. That's it.

😁 Some people are just so obsessed with hating on homeopathy that they can't help but drag it into every single conversation, whether it fits or not. 😬
So, according to you, actual medical issues are just caused by having low self-esteem? 😬
I didn't expect such a shallow, pointless comment from someone of your intelligence level.

Just a reminder: we're talking about hypnosis here. It has absolutely nothing to do with homeopathy or "alternative medicine." So, what’s your take on hypnosis (not homeopathy)? 😉

lonecobra71 Newcomer

6 messages
joined Feb 2005

#35 · Feb 4, 2005

Larry Cruz51 said:Apparently, this guy from Santa Barbara is alright. I’m just a bit sketched out about going to him since he’s self-taught.

I get the hesitation, but being self-taught doesn't automatically mean someone is less capable or effective. It really depends on what you're looking for. Honestly, it mostly comes down to whether you actually click with the hypnotherapist. If the vibe is right, then fine. 🙂
I don't think any serious hypnotherapist would ever let a session spiral out of control.

urbanseal6 Member

30 messages
joined Jul 2004

#36 · Feb 4, 2005

Larry Cruz51 said:The guy from Santa Barbara is supposedly fine. My only hesitation about reaching out to him is that he’s technically self-taught.
This doctor offers separate therapy sessions, and there’s an email address you can use to reach out and schedule an appointment. I just haven't figured out what the costs look like for either of them yet...

Dr Legac, $117 regarding a single session—it really depends on the individual, as even one might be enough for some people... 😉
And as for Rausch, he isn't exactly self-taught; he actually holds certifications from his training and is licensed to practice. It's just that his foundation isn't based on traditional medical schooling, but rather more toward alternative methods. He's certainly a proven professional...😉

Carol James Newcomer

6 messages
joined Feb 2005

#37 · Feb 4, 2005

When I was just a kid, I had this traumatic "encounter" with a car, and the shock sent me straight into stuttering. After trying just about everything under the sun, I ended up seeing this one guy—I won't name names here, not looking to give him free promo—who claimed he could "cure" stuttering. Honestly, looking back now, I can't help but laugh at how ridiculous it was. 🙄
Basically, his whole "method" involved cramming about 15 people into one tiny room and lecturing them on how they were "lesser" individuals, even suggesting their kids would end up stuttering too... among other nonsense. To make matters worse, he’d stand in front of each person swinging a watch left and right—I know, it sounds like a joke, but I swear it actually happened—trying to "hypnotize" you by drilling the idea into your head that you wouldn't stutter anymore. I’m using quotation marks because, well, I suppose he did hypnotize some people, but he ended up losing it on my parents and me because we weren't playing along. I walked out because there was absolutely no point in staring at a ticking watch while listening to such utter garbage... long story short, his attempt at hypnotizing me was a total failure. Then, he’d bring out someone he had supposedly "hypnotized" to perform in front of my parents and the rest of the group, and suddenly, this person wasn't stuttering at all. But here’s the kicker: my mom told me she was talking to the other parents outside, and they said the results were fleeting—people would stop stuttering for a little while, but then things would get even worse than before.
So now I have to ask you all: what's the catch here?! It’s obvious that this hypnosis produces some kind of effect—whether positive or negative—but after a while, the effect wears off, and it can clearly leave you in an even worse state than when you started...
By the way, I dealt with my stuttering a different way... I still struggle occasionally, and I can even predict when a bad patch is coming a day or two in advance, but it doesn't hold me back in life. 👍

Larry Cruz51 Active Member

120 messages
joined Jun 2008

#38 · Feb 4, 2005

Carol James said:Back when I was just a kid, I had a close encounter with a car accident, and the shock left me stuttering. I tried everything under the sun to fix it, including visiting this one guy—I won't name names, don't want to give him any free publicity—who claimed he could "cure" stuttering. Honestly, looking back now, I can't help but laugh at myself... 🙄

There are just way too many of those so-called "alternative healers" out there for anyone to actually believe that these methods hold any water.
They basically just fleece people with Reiki...😵 It's nothing but a waste of money.
But hey, we all learn things the hard way, right? It's not even that I'm interested in the whole hypnosis thing for my own sake—I tend to handle my own health issues through other means—it's more about how fascinated people get by things like hypnosis, acupuncture, or Reiki.
It really comes down to how people connect the dots in their minds. People are often willing to believe whatever someone else tells them. They struggle to truly convince themselves of anything, so they look for someone else to "guide them onto the right path."
I think I even read somewhere that highly intelligent people are actually easier to hypnotize. Apparently, the lower the IQ, the less likely the hypnosis will work...
🙄

Anthony Harris14 Active Member

63 messages
joined Aug 2004

#39 · Feb 5, 2005

lonecobra71 said:😁 Some people just can't help themselves; homeopathy is a thorn in their side, so they have to drag it into every single conversation, whether it's actually relevant or not. 😬
So, let me get this straight—actual medical issues are just the byproduct of low self-esteem? 😬
I honestly didn't expect such a shallow, pointless comment from someone of your intellectual caliber.

Just to refresh your memory, the topic at hand is hypnosis. It has absolutely zero connection to homeopathy or any other "alternative" nonsense. So, what is your actual take on hypnosis (and I mean hypnosis, not homeopathy)? 😉

To be perfectly honest, I don't know anything about hypnosis from a legitimate, clinical standpoint. My mention of homeopathy was only because it clearly works as a placebo. As far as I'm concerned, homeopathy is just a placebo effect. I might be wrong, but that’s my current understanding. I never claimed that real health problems stem from low self-confidence—though, if you go by the WHO definition of illness, one could argue that low self-confidence is itself a health issue. But by that logic, there isn't a single healthy soul left on this planet; we're all just living in brief moments of bliss or dreaming.

Kyle Nelson2 Regular

475 messages
joined Jun 2008

#40 · Feb 5, 2005

Me and a buddy used to mess around with hypnosis back in the day, and we actually managed to pull one girl back into a past life once. It was wild. In this life, she doesn't even know how to speak a word of English, but then out of nowhere, she starts claiming she was some high-end escort in London during the 1800s, speaking perfect Cockney dialect and everything.
Man, I swear, my friend wouldn't even let her stay in that trance state for a week just so she could get back to her old profession for a little bit.

Hypnosis: Yay or Nay?

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