Frequently Asked Questions
How are you different than counseling or traditional therapy type services?
Utilizing a strategy that includes intuitive coaching, hypnosis, energy-science based practices and allowing for each person to access their own unique spiritual systems creates a session that is very different from traditional type therapies or “talk therapy”. We spend very little time in session actually talking, and the talking we do is centered around reporting progress and goal-oriented coaching. Out of a 50-minute session, usually only 15 to 20 minutes is spent in reporting and coaching.
Are your services covered by insurance?
Although the medical and insurance communities are more and more coming to understand and appreciate the health benefits of hypnotherapy, rarely are these services covered by insurance. In the few cases I have seen covered by insurance, it was necessary to have a physician referral to hypnotherapy and also necessary for the client to be very diligent in pursuing payment from the insurance carrier. In any case, I do not bill insurance and all services are paid upfront unless otherwise set forth in the client agreement.
Can you accept payment from a Health Savings Account?
Yes. However for some companies it is necessary to prepay for your program and then submit a statement of services to your HSA admin.
What issues can you help me with?
I specialize in the person, not the problem. Whatever outcome you desire to reach, I can tailor the approach to meet your unique needs. A consultation is the best place to feel out if I can be helpful to you or not.
In the broadest sense, I have worked with issues of stress, weight, depression, anxiety, panic, chronic illness, chronic pain, identity, quit smoking, quit drinking, past or current trauma, women's sexual health, parenting issues, caregiver syndrome, grief/loss, life transitions, retirement planning, religious trauma, nightmares, and really so much more.
There are some situations that may not be a fit for the alternative tools I utilize. In those cases, I will do my best to point you to other resources that could be helpful.
Do you work with children?
There are many factors that determine if it's better to work with the parents or the child to achieve the best results. I seldom find a child able to truly participate in this approach of therapy. However, I always find that if I can help the parents, the child improves also.
How many sessions will I need? How much will my program cost?
Each individual, and the issues they are experiencing, are unique and each program is designed to suit their needs. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to healing. How many sessions needed, the frequency of the sessions and the total fees for services is determined at the initial consultation appointment. I do require commitment to a recommended timeline to ensure the assimilation of new behaviors and the client’s confidence in maintaining their progress.
What about privacy?
Your personal information is kept private just as you would expect it to be with any other health professional. In group coaching, any personal information shared with the group is always your choice.
What is hypnosis?
Have you ever been driving down the freeway and missed your exit? Or drifted off during a movie, then come back and wonder what happened? Both are examples of hypnosis, which is a natural state of mind that we all drift into and out of each day without being aware of it. We also experience a state of Hypnosis just before falling asleep or waking up. In these moments, the subconscious mind becomes accessible and open to receive instruction or therapy.
How is hypnosis used to help me with my issue?
Within the subconscious mind, all of our memories; positive and negative experiences, remnants of the emotions those experiences generated, as well as our beliefs and habit patterns, are held in storage. Hypnotherapy is a technique of creating a relaxed or meditative mental state for the purpose of accessing this storage system via the subconscious mind. In this way, the Whole Soul therapist is able to guide the body’s own inner healing wisdom to purge old files, rewrite destructive beliefs, promote healing in the body, reboot positive purpose, reaffirm identity and more. Who better to decide what healing needs to happen, where it needs to happen, and how it needs to happen than the “keeper” of the storage system, the body’s own inner healing wisdom? With the inner wisdom awake and active, the obstacles are released, and without the obstacles to “trigger” unwanted habits or behavior, lasting positive change is manifest.
Is Hypnotherapy effective?
Yes, very. Hypnotherapy is effective because it reaches the root of an issue with ease and comfort as the client enjoys the process of stepping out of their everyday cares and being completely relaxed. It is known as one the most results-oriented modalities available to create change in one’s life. It is also completely safe, painless, and very effective in enhancing one’s self-esteem, eliminating anxiety of all types, managing pain and disability, reducing stress, eliminating bad habits and phobias, and so much more.
How do I know if I can be hypnotized?
The gentle form of hypnosis that is utilized is not gimmicky nor does it rely on the mind’s innate childlikeness. With this process, anyone who is able to get ”involved” in a good book or movie is able to complete a comfortable and efficient therapy session. There are some conditions for which hypnosis is not recommended, be sure to give a complete medical history to the therapist.
Will I “black out” and not remember anything that happens while in hypnosis?
The depth of relaxation attained with hypnosis varies from person to person. Each client will have a different experience and that experience may differ from session to session. Some clients will report being completely aware of what is going on around them, such as hearing a clock ticking or a dog barking. Some report feeling as if they have fallen asleep off and on throughout the session, but it’s not like in the movies; you won’t black out or become like a zombie.
Are you going to make me quack like a duck?
No. The gentle form of hypnosis that is utilized is designed to support deeply personal communication and connection between you and your inner self and allow this wise self to take the lead in a therapeutic process. There is nothing therapeutic about quacking.
Is Hypnotherapy a "quick fix"?
If you are looking for a magic wand, this isn’t it. Hypnotherapy is a powerful alternative to traditional therapies that is very successful for most people. However, it is truly effective when the client is open, receptive and willing to do their part. According to statistics, it does have a higher and faster success rate than some other therapies.
Alfred Barrios PhD indicated the following statistics concerning effectiveness:
Psychoanalysis … 35% recovery after 600 sessions
Behavioral Therapy … 72% recovery after 22 sessions
Hypnotherapy … 93% recovery after 6 sessions