WHITNEY’S MEMORY OF THE HYPNOTHERAPY SESSION
Whitney Marcus, our former communications intern, was intrigued with the notion of being hypnotized and agreed to be our volunteer.
The word hypnosis immediately brings me back to my high school grad night when I laughed hysterically as my friend was pulled up onto the stage and, after being hypnotized to believe she was a chicken, clucked incessantly in front of the entire senior class.
Given that vivid memory, it’s no surprise that I was hesitant when asked if I would be willing to be hypnotized for an article in Callboard. My first reaction was to say no, but once I realized that this could actually be fun and that I might never get another opportunity to undergo clinical hypnotherapy, I said yes.
Part of me was excited; I had always wondered what hypnosis is all about. So many thoughts ran through my mind: Will I be conscious? Will I divulge my innermost thoughts and secrets while under hypnosis? And – probably the most persistent question – is hypnosis even real or is it all just a hoax?
I showed up at Rhona’s home office, and I must admit I was beyond nervous. However, once entering her house, she put me at ease. Lit candles along with the soothing sounds of running water from the Koi pond outside had an immediate calming effect on me.
I took a seat opposite Rhona and sank into the plush couch, excited to start the hypnotherapy session. After chatting with me for a few minutes, Rhona started the session with a guided imagery exercise so that she could gauge my responses and decide the best strategy and choice of words for my hypnotherapy session.
During this ten minute exercise she guided me into a relaxed state and then asked me to visualize several different objects in my mind. The first item was a ball. I saw a vibrant blue ball bounce up and down and let it pass through my hands. I could actually smell the rubber from the ball! Next, she had me visualize a bowl of lemons. As I grabbed a lemon I could feel the pores that covered the lemon, and I smelled an intense citrus odor. However, after cutting one open, I was unable to taste the lemon. Based on these responses, Rhona knew which approach and wording to use for the hypnotherapy to effectively work.
Once we finished discussing the guided imagery, it was time to move on to the hypnosis.
With soft, rhythmic music playing in the background, Rhona began to guide my mind through a journey full of beautiful images and sensations that were so real, it was almost eerie. The only way that I can think to explain my experience is a complete sense of relaxation. My body and mind were relaxed in a way that I can only imagine is similar to what you experience when you are sleeping, only I was completely aware, almost hyperaware of my thoughts and senses.
To get me into that relaxed state of consciousness, Rhona had me imagine riding down an escalator at Nordstrom, slowly going down, down from one floor to the next, and then down to the next.
Once I was in a relaxed state, Rhona asked me to describe what I was seeing and feeling. Before I could even think of a response, I realized that I had answered the question already, almost like answering these questions was a reflex-like response by my mind.
Over the next 45 minutes, I found myself standing in a field with the softest grass I had ever felt under my feet (that's right, I could actually feel it). As I sat next to a stunning pond filled with lily pads and surrounded with moss covered rocks, I could feel the sun hitting the side of my face. Once I was settled into this picturesque location in my mind, Rhona instructed me to visualize my inner advisor. She explained that this inner advisor could take any form. Suddenly a cobalt blue butterfly appeared sitting next to me on one of the moss covered rocks. Rhona asked me some questions about the butterfly, and then gradually brought me back to reality.
As I struggled to open my eyes, my body felt like it was still two steps behind my mind, and I could barely gather the strength to open up the bottle of water on the table next to me. It took a few minutes to get my mind and body in synch with each other. Once I felt somewhat composed, Rhona was able to explain the significance of everything that I had seen in my mind while under hypnosis. I was amazed as I listened to her explain the significance of the butterfly. She told me that the butterfly represented transformation and growth, which made complete sense to me. I’m undergoing a major stage of transformation and growth in my life, having recently graduated college and started my first full-time job. The hypnotherapy session enabled me to be more aware of my feelings, and convinced me that while I was in fact at an important crossroad in my life, I was doing the right thing.
I pulled out of the driveway and couldn’t stop myself from smiling. I felt completely reenergized and relaxed, and confident about the future.
