Two Hypnotherapists Talking...

Two hypnotists working with clients around the world through zoom and chatting to each other from their respective homes in Wilmington Delaware and Preston UK - listen in... Contact Denise Billen-Mejia MD CH office@aahypnosis.com or visit www.healandberadiant.com Contact Les Roberts ACH https://www.lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk/further-information

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  Episode #1

  From Imaginary Friends to Food Two Hypnotherapists Talking S10 E1

  Sep 20, 202632 minS10

  Send us Fan Mail Denise Billen-Mejia MD, CH office@aahypnosis.com www.healandberadiant.com Les Roberts Dip.Hyp GHR ADPR GQHP contact@lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk www.lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk (0:00) Welcome to Two Hypnotherapists Talking with me, Denise Billen-Mejia, in Delaware, USA. (0:06) And me, Les Roberts, in St Helens, United Kingdom. (0:10) This weekly podcast is for anyone and everyone who'd like to know more about the fascinating (0:14) world of hypnosis and the benefits that it offers.I'm a clinical hypnotherapist and (0:22) specialist in working with children. And I'm a retired medical doctor (0:26) and consultant hypnotist. We are Two Hypnotherapists Talking.(0:33) So let's get on with the episode. (0:36) Quite chilly. Oh, hello.(0:39) Bear's come to see us. I haven't seen Bear before. (0:43) Yeah, this is Bear.He's feeling quite lonely because my husband has been doing some work (0:48) outside in the garden, chopping some of the trees, you know, like down to a proper level. (0:53) And he doesn't like anything like that. So he's been mithering me all day.(0:59) So yeah, he's been following me around, hasn't he? He's a chicken. (1:03) I miss that word. Martin, he's just mithering.(1:08) Mithering, that's the northern word, isn't it? Mithering. (1:11) But we've got a nice big basket of grapes from our vine today. (1:19) Congratulations.(1:20) Very sweet. So I'm not a grape lover unless it's fermented, but (1:26) yeah, I shall be eating some later. (1:29) Do you do your own fermenting? (1:31) No, unfortunately not.I don't have the time. (1:35) I wish. I'd like to be able to do it one day.So maybe, maybe one day, but we'll see. (1:42) It's just more convenient to just run around. (1:45) Just go to the shop.(1:47) It's just pick one up from there, really, isn't it? (1:50) Yeah. (1:51) So we're on season 10 of Tumour Therapist Talking already. (1:57) And this, starting here in the middle of September, going to (2:02) just the first week of December, and then we'll be off until the new year.(2:05) Yeah, that'd be fantastic. But it's, yeah, we've got some nice, some really, really nice guests. (2:11) They're all nice, like you said, but we've got some really nice, interesting guests.(2:14) And hopefully our listeners will enjoy chatting and listening. (2:21) I think the most will be interested, when you think of a hypnotist, (2:24) you don't think of them in corporate life. (2:26) You don't.(2:27) We've got two people whose business are basically working with corporations. (2:32) But also, you don't think of the actual business behind it, do you? (2:37) When anybody's looking for a therapist or a hypnotherapist or anybody like that, (2:43) you're just going to Google or go with a recommendation. (2:47) And people don't realise the work that goes on behind the scenes.(2:51) There's more work behind the scenes than what there is, you know, when you're face to face. (2:55) As most of us finally realised when we graduated. (2:59) Yes, yeah.I was talking about this with Sheila Granger just a few days ago. (3:06) Who's a guest this season, correct? (3:08) Yeah. And you don't realise, do you? (3:12) When you're in that classroom, when you're studying to become a therapist, (3:17) you don't realise that it's afterwards, after you've qualified, (3:21) that you think, well, I'm a therapist.(3:23) I'm just supposed to sit in my therapy room and give my therapy out. (3:31) Yeah, but it's not like that, is it? (3:33) Because there's an awful lot that goes on behind the scenes. (3:38) That's the bit that if you don't get right, then... (3:41) First, you've got to figure out what it is, (3:43) and then you've got to figure out how to make it easier to do that stuff.(3:46) So all day today, and I know I'm a lot later than you are, (3:50) because you're lunchtime, aren't you? (3:51) We're almost like dinner time, late afternoon. (3:56) And all I've done all day is attend a few meetings online, (4:00) but also rejig my website, because I've had a rebrand a couple of weeks ago. (4:09) So everything needs rejigging, and more videos, (4:12) and it's those kind of things that people don't understand how much it takes.(4:19) Right. And how much it is when it's a single person running the show. (4:25) Because the big operations, obviously, they've got committees to do these things.(4:32) Exactly, but it's just me and you, yeah. (4:36) We have Sheila this time round? (4:38) Yes, yes. (4:40) Okay.So we've got Sheila, and we have two people who... (4:43) Who work in the corporate. (4:44) ...differently in corporations, yeah. (4:46) Yeah.So we're waiting, I'm waiting for whether I've been successful (4:52) to get into Hypnotic 2027 in Belgium. So yeah. (4:56) So you did, this is the one that's in Belgium, is the one you did this year? (5:00) Yeah, Hypnotic 2026 I did this year, so it'll be 2027 next year.Yeah, that was lovely. (5:06) And so while we're recording all of these, when we get towards the end of our episodes, (5:12) I'll actually be in London at the UK Hypnosis Convention, which will be really, really exciting. (5:21) So I might see if we can do some sort of live or... (5:25) That would be good.(5:26) Yeah, yeah. (5:27) But everybody in a room and pass the microphone. (5:30) Yeah, that would, I know that would be really, really nice.So I've already got a podcast (5:35) lined up, I think it's this Thursday, with one of the presenters there. So that'll be exciting as well. (5:44) Good.(5:45) You're mithering me today, aren't you, Bear? Bear really wants to come up and sit on my knee, (5:49) but if you sit on my knee, I won't be able to see you. So what's happening? (5:55) Much smaller than his name would imply. (5:57) Yeah, it's cheeky though.So what's happening with you at this moment in time? Because (6:03) you were having a rejig, weren't you, of your website? (6:06) Yeah, well, I've rejigged it. I'm probably going to do it again, because a lot, I mean, (6:11) I just moved it over to a different post. I think it's time.(6:16) That's with Melanie, isn't it? (6:18) Melanie's crowd, yeah. (6:19) Yeah, yeah, yeah. (6:20) So I've got that done, and I've also increased, and I've gone to 15 hours of assistance.(6:27) So I can use the VAs that they use, which is really nice, because all VAs are used to (6:32) dealing with hypnotists. (6:33) They are. (6:34) I've just seen the plant off your left shoulder.(6:37) You've just seen? (6:37) As you sit down. The plant that's immediately behind you on your left shoulder. (6:42) This one or that one? (6:43) That one.(6:44) This jade? (6:45) That looks like a jade plant. (6:47) It is. (6:48) Yeah.Oh, that's, I'm proud of myself. I can recognise it through a screen. (6:52) It is, and you know, do you know what? When I, oops, when I brought it here from my office, (7:01) it was half the size.As you can see, it's got some old... (7:04) Like sun. Every Chinese restaurant near us has an enormous one in their window. It's (7:11) absolutely massive.(7:12) You're supposed to put it in your, I think it's your southeast corner to bring in, (7:19) because they say it's a money plant, don't they? (7:22) But it's thriving there. I've got another one there that's about 10 years old as well, (7:27) and that's got one of those little red flowers on now, and it's never flowered. (7:32) Very good.(7:33) So it's obviously like being in here. (7:35) Yeah. So where is here? Are you in your office? (7:40) No, no.My office, as you can see, is behind me. (7:43) Yeah, I'm in my conservatory. At the moment, the signal in my therapy cabin isn't very (7:50) strong, so I can just about make out, you know, to do a two-minute video, and then I have to (7:59) come in here to edit it, because otherwise I lose it.(8:03) Oh, dear. (8:03) So I know, but we've got a massive booster to go in there, (8:08) so as soon as we can get somebody to do it, we'll... And then I can sit in there. (8:12) Yeah.Do whatever you need to do. (8:14) Yeah. Yeah.(8:15) Okay. So we've got these two people who deal with individuals, but primarily work through (8:22) corporations. Sheila, who has got so many strings to her bow, we have no idea what she's going to (8:28) talk about.(8:28) No, but whatever it is, it'll be really interesting, won't it? (8:32) Yeah. (8:32) And who else? You said Frederick. (8:34) And then we have a gentleman who's not confirmed yet, but I'm sure if I tell him we've already (8:41) spoke about him, he'll confirm.And he's a gentleman who does a lot to do with anxiety (8:47) and group work. He works predominantly online. Well, everything's online.And he's in Bonny, (8:55) Scotland, somewhere. He's lovely. (8:57) Oh, good.(8:57) So lovely gentleman, yeah. We might ask Sheila if she can do it, because I think over here, (9:03) especially in England, that's what we need. We need GPs to recognise us and everything.(9:10) But there's somebody who's doing a survey on social media at the moment, like a completely (9:16) anonymous survey that hopefully when they get all the information, they can put that forward to (9:22) wherever their sources are. It's just highlighting the fact that we are always, well, not always, (9:29) but predominantly, we are the last resort, aren't we? (9:33) Yeah. It would be nice to be a little higher up the chain.(9:35) It would. It would be very, very nice for us to do that. But it's just whether, (9:41) I've said this time and time again on our podcast, we just have to keep banging the (9:45) drum and keep getting people to realise.Because if you do, funnily enough, I was talking to (9:52) a gentleman that does a lot of search engine optimisers today. And I just happened to answer (10:00) the telephone. And it was a sales call.So I just got talking to him. And he said, (10:06) now, especially over in Br

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  Two Hypnotherapists Talking...

  Two Hypnotherapists Talking with Mark Wilson

  Aug 16, 202641 min

  Send us Fan Mail Denise Billen-Mejia MD, CH office@aahypnosis.com www.healandberadiant.com Les Roberts Dip.Hyp GHR ADPR GQHP contact@lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk www.lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk Mark Wilson www.evolvemindshypnosis.com www.solutions4therapists.com (0:00) Welcome to Two Hypnotherapists Talking with me, Denise Billen-Mejia, in Delaware, USA. (0:06) And me, Les Roberts, in St Helens, United Kingdom. (0:10) This weekly podcast is for anyone and everyone who'd like to know more about (0:14) the fascinating world of hypnosis and the benefits that it offers.(0:19) I'm a clinical hypnotherapist and specialist in working with children. (0:24) And I'm a retired medical doctor and consultant hypnotist. (0:30) We are Two Hypnotherapists Talking.(0:33) So let's get on with the episode. (0:36) Welcome, Mark. It's lovely to see you.(0:38) Thank you. (0:39) Creative mentor who's based in the Algarve in Portugal. (0:44) Through Mark Wilson's studio, Mark helps creatives silence that inner critic (0:50) and move past the imposter syndrome that keeps so many of them stuck.(0:56) Mark spent 20 years as a professional photographer before giving himself permission to paint. (1:03) And he is co-founder with his lovely wife, Sue, of Evolve Minds Hypnosis Academy (1:09) and Solutions for Therapists, where he trains hypnotherapists and therapists online (1:15) across the UK, Europe and beyond. (1:20) Thank you very much.(1:20) It's always, it's always stunning, isn't it? (1:23) You hear the back stories to all the hypnotists we know, (1:26) that everybody comes from a completely different angle. (1:28) It's really fascinating. (1:30) And we all fit in the same thing.(1:33) And when it's about you, it always sounds like it's about somebody else as well. (1:37) It's like, well, who's that? (1:40) Well, I have a confession to make, Denise. (1:42) Mark was actually my tutor when I trained.(1:45) And he's now a really good friend along with his wife, Sue. (1:48) And we cross paths quite a lot, don't we? (1:52) So Mark, you have an academy yourself, you and your wife? (1:55) Yeah, I do. (1:56) Yeah, we've been doing training since 2014 with Evolve Minds Hypnosis Academy.(2:03) And we do a 10-month, 10-module training course in hypnotherapy. (2:09) Excellent. (2:10) I really don't like to meet people that say you can do it in two weeks.(2:12) They make me nervous. (2:15) So are they in person or is this long distance? (2:19) Well, this is the thing. (2:20) There's this sort of little bit of fusion going on now.(2:24) We were face-to-face. (2:25) And then that little incident happened in 2020. (2:29) Oh, the COVID thingy? (2:30) Yeah, that one.(2:31) And we had classes running at that time. (2:34) And it was a case of we can't let these students down. (2:38) We can't let them wait.(2:40) We can't wait this thing out. (2:41) We've got to carry on. (2:43) And we'd been wanting a way to actually go online for a while.(2:47) But it had to be the right way. (2:48) And what it did was it actually gave us the impetus and the push (2:52) to take the whole course online. (2:55) So we had several student classes at different points through the course.(3:00) And we managed to get them all finished within that year. (3:02) I think we lost about six weeks whilst we transitioned everything online. (3:07) Did a heck of a lot of recording of information.(3:11) But all the classes, they're all live. (3:14) In my mind, it's just like you drive into a venue (3:18) and you're sitting down together in a classroom. (3:21) We sit together.(3:22) You know, everybody congregates to work for their terminalism. (3:25) We sit down together and we have live training. (3:30) And that was the important thing.(3:31) It had to be live. (3:32) I didn't want people just looking at it down. (3:34) Do you hold them mostly in the weekends to make it easier for people? (3:38) Most of us are transitioning from some other job.(3:41) But I think that's changing. (3:44) The whole thing, people's attention spans are shorter. (3:48) People have more time poor now.(3:52) And so they're wanting this information in a slightly different way. (3:56) And I think that's something that we've got to start addressing and looking at. (4:00) We don't do the free weekend anymore.(4:03) But we do deliver the free module one. (4:06) And we do it by way of a two hour webinar (4:09) to see what people's interest is rather than a two day free weekend. (4:14) That was, I trained at Hypnosis Motivation Institute, (4:18) which has been going for over 50 years in California.(4:21) And that was, I did a distance. (4:23) Their first month of classes, there were four. (4:27) You could take just to see if you liked it, see how you feel.(4:30) You have to pass the test and we'll take you if you want to come. (4:33) But you know, you've got to do all of that. (4:35) By the second week, it was, okay, this is what I'm doing.(4:39) So I had taken it to add to coaching, a health coach. (4:44) Because I come from a medical background. (4:46) So it made sense to me.(4:48) And that was just another thing I sort of wanted to know more about most of my life, (4:53) but always assumed it would be really expensive to fund. (4:56) Because everybody I saw who was a hypnotist (4:59) was one of these people in cloaks on stage. (5:02) I'd never met a clinical hypnotist.(5:05) I knew it was used that way, but I'd never come across anybody. (5:08) I'm sorry, I had to tell the story. (5:10) So once you established yourself as an online business, how does it develop? (5:20) Well, again, out of that incident in 2020, (5:24) what we also looked and saw was that the continuation of training (5:29) after the training course itself needed to be addressed as well.(5:34) Sometimes with more specialist masterclasses, (5:36) Les has just taken a two-day masterclass for us through Solutions for Therapists. (5:43) And we offer our supervision. (5:45) So it might be a one-hour supervision evening, (5:48) or it might be a two-day masterclass working with children with Les, (5:52) or an EFT training course, different ones running at different times.(5:57) It's all about that continuity though, isn't it? (6:00) That support that you're not just having to attend Mark and Sue's course, (6:07) and then it's a case of, bye, bye now. (6:11) So it encourages students to communicate with other students like me, (6:19) encourages them to talk to Mark, to everybody really. (6:23) And having these supervisions and these CPD and masterclasses (6:28) really sort of solidifies that continuity.(6:33) And because you're still learning, aren't you? (6:35) I was on a course by the end. (6:37) Yeah, it's a lonely job as a therapist if you don't have other sort of groups (6:44) or touch points, if you like, or you don't surround yourself with people. (6:49) I think it's a tricky occupation to be in and stay safe, (6:55) if you're just working purely on your own.(6:57) It is, and also having that support is really good, isn't it? (7:03) So if you have any issues or you're stuck with something, (7:07) because we can't remember everything, can we? (7:10) And if you go on some of these groups on social media, (7:13) then you get trashed if you ask silly questions. (7:17) But to me, I always think there isn't such thing as a silly question, (7:21) because sometimes you can have a block and think, (7:23) I don't know what to do with this client, or I'm not sure if it's the right thing. (7:27) Whereas having a community where you can go and ask a question, (7:32) it just solidifies that support.(7:36) Yeah. (7:36) Very supportive. (7:37) Yeah, without feeling embarrassed about asking the question as well.(7:43) Yeah, definitely. (7:45) But you've done it with a twist now, haven't you, with your art? (7:50) So explain to us what you're doing. (7:53) Yeah, so when I left school, I wanted to be a photographer, (7:57) and I wanted to be a photographer, if I'm being down and honest about it, (8:00) because I couldn't draw and I couldn't paint.(8:03) I couldn't do any of that kind of artist stuff. (8:06) So you wanted to be a visual artist of some kind. (8:08) Yeah, yeah.(8:10) So when the careers teacher said, what do you want to do? (8:12) I said, I want to be a photographer, because I thought, (8:15) well, that's the nearest I can get, and I can take a picture. (8:18) Surely it's just like you just point the camera. (8:20) And I learned how, obviously, later there's a bit more to it, (8:22) but for 20 years, I was a photographer, and I loved that job.(8:27) I really did enjoy doing it. (8:30) We built a wonderful business, a different business. (8:32) We were traveling, we were sort of shooting in wonderful, amazing places.(8:37) And then I sort of got more involved with hypnotherapy, (8:40) and that sort of started to come in as well. (8:43) And then we moved out here to Portugal when Sue's mum died. (8:48) We sort of decided we'd have a bit of a life change.(8:50) We'd already been doing the therapy, (8:52) and it was a case of, well, we'll continue the therapy. (8:54) And then, again, just down to that event that happened, (8:59) it sort of gets you thinking. (9:00) So I think as you get older as well, you sort of start to think, (9:04) well, have I got things here that I really should be doing? (9:07) Is there stuff undone that you want to get done? (9:10) And it's, you know, we teach people, don't we, (9:13) that if one person can do something, anybody can learn how to do it.(9:17) And that's been my favorite thing, (9:19) because I didn't leave school with a great deal, (9:22) so other than that desire to be a photographer. (9:25) So it was a case of I've followed that, (9:28) and that made perfect sense to me the first time I heard it. (9:30) And

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  Episode #11

  Untitled Episode

  Aug 9, 202631 minS9

  Send us Fan Mail Denise Billen-Mejia MD, CH office@aahypnosis.com www.healandberadiant.com Les Roberts Dip.Hyp GHR ADPR GQHP contact@lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk www.lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk (0:00) Welcome to Two Hypnotherapists Talking with me, Denise Villamih here in Delaware, USA. (0:06) And me, Les Roberts in St Helens, United Kingdom. (0:10) This weekly podcast is for anyone and everyone who would like to know more about the fascinating (0:14) world of hypnosis and the benefits that it offers.I'm a clinical hypnotherapist (0:21) and specialist in working with children. And I'm a retired medical doctor and consultant (0:28) hypnotist. We are Two Hypnotherapists Talking.So let's get on with the episode. (0:36) I'm fine. I'm fine.Are you? (0:38) Get rid of that little we're recording button. It always drives me bonkers watching that. (0:45) All nice and refreshed after a weekend.(0:49) Yes. I didn't do anything work related except upload yesterday's podcast. (0:57) But we've had wonderful.The weather is now, I would say, broken. We had high 90s for a long time (1:05) and it was very exhausting and some major thunderstorms. But now it's mid 80s, if we're (1:12) lucky.And that's great. We went for a lovely long walk by the river. It's very nice.And it's (1:20) whether you can bear to go out and do some gardening in the 90s. No, nothing's happening. (1:24) No, it's actually my tomatoes are coming in.Yeah, we're going out there now. (1:29) Oh, oh, definitely. We've grown tomatoes out there, but we're a little bit late planting them.(1:35) They're not quite flowered yet. So we're just hoping fingers crossed that we're not too late. (1:40) It actually rained here yesterday for the first time in weeks and weeks.And considering I'm (1:48) north west England, it's always raining. Yeah. Not enough for it to stay wet, but it still (1:56) rained because it was, you know, there was rain on the cars and a few of the windows and everything.(2:01) So that was nice. That cooled it down a little tiny bit. So but it's overcast today, but that's (2:08) OK.It was an admin day for me today. So self-improvement and yeah, self-confidence, (2:15) which is another area where I hope most is going to be very helpful. (2:19) Massively, massively, can't it? Yeah.And it probably is very much in that you work with (2:25) small children or not even small, but, you know, don't forget to be eight or nine. They're very (2:30) self-conscious. Yes.Yeah. I see a lot of children for confidence, self-improvement. (2:39) I wouldn't I don't really use that word self-improvement for the children because (2:43) they wouldn't understand it.But confidence, self-esteem and self-belief, (2:49) I feel that they all fall hand in hand. They don't like self-improvement, (2:53) but they're OK with self-esteem. That's great.Exactly. Yeah. Educated crowd.Yeah. I don't (2:59) think the word self-improvement is used that often for the children. Confidence, definitely.(3:05) Mm hmm. I think children, from my point of view, I think children underestimate how confident they (3:13) actually are because when they come across something that's unfamiliar or something (3:20) they've never done before, something tells them that, you know, they can't do it. (3:26) And which is also self-improvement when thinking of adults.Yeah. It sounds like (3:33) massaging your ego. But for kids, it's self-confidence at school.Yes, I can do that. (3:40) I don't know what all those symbols are in between the numbers, but I know I can figure it out. Yeah.(3:47) Most definitely. Absolutely. And exams.If you don't have some confidence when you walk in the (3:52) exam room, it's awful. I think children, I think children underestimate themselves, how confident (3:59) they actually are. Because I see a lot of children, because we live in a rugby town, (4:05) a rugby league town, and there's a lot of boys and girls who both play rugby league.(4:13) And it is a very, very competitive sport to be in. And it's a very, it's a tough sport. It really is (4:22) a tough sport.But the children that come to see me for sports related issues, they've already (4:30) got that confidence. It's just sometimes it's hidden. So it's up to me to sort of draw it back (4:35) out again.You work with a lot of junior athletes. I wouldn't say a lot, but a fair few. Yeah.Usually (4:45) what happens is when I see somebody from, say, a football team or a rugby team, I usually get a (4:53) trickle of children afterwards because their parents or whoever will say, you know, I've been (5:00) to see theirs, you know, and this is what I can do. You advertise in their little programmes, (5:05) they give out the games. I don't.I don't actually. But maybe you should think about it. (5:10) I know that is something.My grandson plays football and he plays in his league. It's not (5:19) in my town. It's in the next town across and he plays in his league.And I am going to sponsor (5:28) the team. Not this season coming, but the next season I'm going to sponsor them. So (5:34) they'll have my name all over their kit.They have your name on their jerseys. Yes, they will. (5:41) Yes, they will.Including my grandson. So he's quite happy about it. I can't remember my kids (5:47) baseball.That's that's the thing here. My kids are pretty ancient now, but they all had the (5:56) numbers on the front and on the backs was, you know, like a repair shop or something. (6:01) I'm glad you know, I've got to figure out some way of getting my name out a bit more.(6:05) Yeah, I saw a couple of couple of young boys for confidence and self-esteem really issues. (6:15) And I've offered to go and do a talk to the football team. So I'm just waiting for the coach (6:21) to come back and we can arrange some some date dates.Because if I'm right, I think football (6:28) has finished now. I might be wrong. Sorry, I think a football is a cold weather thing.(6:38) Yeah, I think it starts again like September or I don't know. I might be a bit confused. (6:45) Yeah.So I think football is due to start again after the World Cup. See what happens in it. But (6:53) I did.Funnily enough, talking about confidence, self-improvement, a couple of years ago, (7:00) I was on Twitter. It was when Twitter was good and I was on Twitter and there is a business forum (7:07) that you can go on for your area. So it was St. Helens businesses and somebody ran a raffle and it (7:15) was 20 pounds, I think it was, and went into a draw to win a sponsorship for an adult football (7:25) team.And I won it quite a few years ago. It's probably about seven, eight years ago. And I (7:30) won it.So my name was all over their jerseys. I got a free jersey as well. And I also went down (7:38) pre-match and spoke to the team.Excellent. And it was lovely. It was really it was good.(7:45) It was way out of my comfort zone because that's not what I do. But that is a very good thing to (7:53) do for yourself. So often it was, it was good.And funnily enough, I was sorting out my wardrobes (7:58) and I found the they gave me the jersey that they gave me and it brought a smile to my face. (8:04) And I think, do you know what? I'll get that framed one day, you know, and stick it in (8:09) in the cabin. Yeah.Eventually. Yeah. It was it was nice.It was an honour. (8:14) So it cost me £20, had my name all over their jersey. And I went down and did some pre-match (8:22) talks to the players as well.It was good. Yeah. So maybe you're going to have to think about (8:28) where you can go, Denise, so you can spend.Well, yeah, there's quite a few. There's lots (8:32) of little kids sports teams, that's for sure. Self-improvement.It covers, it covers just a (8:40) general sort of, oh, I should start walking again or I should start swimming again. Right. (8:45) Well, all of those things that certainly if people are considering doing those things and (8:51) need encouragement, hypnosis is a very good way.And that's a very good time to listen to (8:56) hypnosis tapes, which sounds like it might be dangerous, but you don't get hypnotised (9:00) by a hypnosis tape, the kind I'm talking about. It talks about it. There's sort of (9:05) there's hypnosis walking, which sounds weird and it isn't nearly as weird as it sounds, (9:11) but it's good.And if you've got a circuit walk that you do, it's excellent, (9:16) because you're zoned out anyway on those things. You're just listening to the right messages. (9:21) It is.And that's what it's about, isn't it? It's about recognising where you need to improve (9:28) without, like you said, without being too down on yourself, too critical, but recognising what (9:33) improvement you need. My improvement at the moment is as far as my business is concerned, (9:40) but it's also about my weight. So I'm on that journey of self-improvement as far as my weight (9:47) and my health is concerned.Has the summer made it difficult for you? No, it's made it easier. (9:54) For me, it's not great because we've got two really fantastic ice cream places near us. (10:02) But you have to travel to get to them, so it's not like I walk past them everywhere.(10:06) I was just going to say I'm going to put myself on mute. There's a helicopter just gone past, (10:11) but I think it's... I can't hear it. Yeah, it's gone now.It was very loud. Yeah. So yeah, (10:18) self-improvement, you could... hypnosis is a really good thing for us, isn't it? It's a really good (10:23) approach and a methodology to use because you're using your subconscious mind, (10:30) which is where your self-talk comes from.It's all your self-talk is. (10:37) Yeah, exactly. Anyway, I mean, we are all supposed to be improving all the time.That's what we're (10:43) here for. It doesn't have to be, I'm going to be a gold medal winner at the Olympi

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  Episode #10

  with Astrid Harms

  Aug 2, 202644 minS9

  Send us Fan Mail Denise Billen-Mejia MD CH www.healandberadiant.com office@aahypnosis.com Les Roberts Dip.Hyp GHR ADPR GQHP www. Lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk contact@lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk Astrid Harms www.astridharms.com https://www.youtube.com/@soulessensecoaching Welcome to Two Hypnotherapists Talking with me, Denise Billen-Mejia, in Delaware, USA. (0:06) And me, Les Roberts, in St Helens, United Kingdom. (0:10) This weekly podcast is for anyone and everyone who would like to know more (0:14) about the fascinating world of hypnosis and the benefits that it offers.(0:19) I'm a clinical hypnotherapist and specialist in working with children. (0:24) And I'm a retired medical doctor and consultant hypnotist. (0:30) We are Two Hypnotherapists Talking.(0:33) So let's get on with the episode. (0:36) Welcome, welcome to the next episode. (0:41) And we have a lovely guest on today.(0:43) And her name is Astrid Harms. (0:46) Astrid is a hypnotherapist and coach in Amsterdam. (0:50) And she works with clients from all over the world.(0:52) Her background is in TV media. (0:56) And she has a degree in technical communication. (0:59) Astrid has a passion for making complex ideas clear and accessible.(1:05) A skill she now brings to her work in hypnotherapy. (1:09) Astrid's deeply fascinated by the mind-body connections (1:12) and the frontiers of human consciousness. (1:15) So Astrid stays up to date on all the latest research in neuroscience, (1:20) cell biology, biochemistry, cognitive science.(1:24) Astrid specializes in challenging issues such as tinnitus and chronic conditions. (1:31) And what Astrid does is she combines hypnosis and coaching (1:34) with evidence-based insights from mind and body science. (1:40) So welcome, Astrid.(1:41) And it's lovely to have you here. (1:42) Thank you. Lovely to be here, Liz.(1:44) And thanks for the introduction. (1:46) Okay. Okay.(1:47) We've met a few times, haven't we, at the conventions. (1:50) And we managed to have some meaningful conversations in Antwerp, didn't we? (1:57) So the reason why I asked you to come on was if you could talk about tinnitus with us. (2:03) Because we have quite a few clients, don't we, Denise, with tinnitus.(2:09) I've got one at the moment as well. (2:11) So it would be very, very interesting for you to give us a talk on it. (2:15) Oh, yeah, sure.(2:16) Yeah, so tinnitus isn't just a noise in the head. (2:19) I mean, for the person it is, of course it is. (2:23) And nobody else can hear it, usually.(2:27) So clients are very much left alone. (2:29) And there's no official medication or device for it to cure it. (2:35) So doctors usually say, there is nothing you can do.(2:38) You have to live with it. (2:39) And that's what sends some people off on a downward spiral. (2:43) And others, they become either desperate or negative.(2:48) Because, you know, you have to live with it. (2:49) Most of the people I've met who suffer from that are also exhausted. (2:54) Yes.(2:55) It doesn't ever stop. (2:57) It never stops. (2:58) Well, for some people it does, actually.(3:00) When they focus on something else or when it's dependent on either stress or other input, (3:06) like food or pressure or whatever it is, then it can go away, too, or become quieter. (3:13) So it can change in volume, in how much annoyance it brings. (3:17) With the day, there's so many.(3:21) And some clients even have different noises. (3:23) Some have musical tinnitus. (3:25) So they hear really... (3:26) That sounds pleasant.(3:29) Yeah, well, it depends. (3:31) Yeah, it goes on too long. (3:32) Even if you listen to your favorite song all day long, at some point it gets on your nerves.(3:37) So, yeah. (3:39) But yeah, so tinnitus for the clients is, yeah, it eats up their patience. (3:44) It makes some of them anxious.(3:46) Others become used to it. (3:48) And they're like, oh, God, this is annoying. (3:50) And they usually come to us, hypnotherapists, as a last resort.(3:53) They've tried everything else. (3:55) They might have been told very often. (3:57) They're told by their doctors, well, try to reduce stress.(4:01) Try to change your diet. (4:02) Maybe exercise more. (4:04) You know, the usual lifestyle advice.(4:06) And that is all correct. (4:07) But most people don't know how to do that or can't get themselves to do that. (4:11) Reducing stress is what I do mainly.(4:14) And reducing that anxiety with the tinnitus. (4:18) But we also work on the underlying factors. (4:20) Because tinnitus very often is just a symptom and not a disease or a condition in itself.(4:26) It can become a condition when it is the cause of distress, anxiety and more. (4:31) So that's when it's called a disorder very often or just a condition. (4:36) So as a symptom, it can be a symptom of over 200 causes and comorbidities.(4:42) It may start and nobody knows exactly why all of the cases come about. (4:48) There are four or five or maybe even more models that we can use to explain where it comes from. (4:56) And in my experience, most of them cover part of it, but none of them cover all.(5:00) So the clinical explanation is it's a heterogeneous or mixed group of conditions (5:09) stemming from a big diversity of causes. (5:12) That's as defined as we can get it. (5:17) So yeah, it might be from becoming deaf or hearing loss.(5:22) It might be from somatosensory issues and head and neck issues. (5:26) It might be from inflammatory issues, chronic conditions. (5:30) Medications, cancer medications, certain vaccines or diseases may cause it.(5:37) And also, of course, the huge psychological side that we definitely can help with. (5:41) Sorry, my cat's trying to climb on the desk. (5:45) And yeah, but we can do a lot with hypnotherapy, (5:49) even in the fields of inflammatory causes and somatosensory causes, (5:53) because we work a lot or we can work a lot in pain.(5:57) And it's very often compared to chronic pain, too, (6:00) which is not the full picture, but it can be. (6:02) And yeah, we've got so much influence on all the little parts and bits with hypnotherapy (6:07) that move tendencies. (6:09) If you imagine like a stew that's on the fire and the stress (6:12) that comes through the tendencies is the big fire.(6:15) And all the ingredients is what we're picking out (6:17) so that we get a clear soup at some point. (6:18) Well, that clear soup, forget the clear soup, (6:20) but we want to reduce the issues and we want to reduce the distress as well. (6:26) And that's where we usually have a lot of success (6:30) with reducing, first of all, the distress itself.(6:34) And then also the sound itself can go down because the distress is reduced. (6:39) Right. That explains a lot, though, really, doesn't it? (6:42) That explains a lot with tinnitus, especially, like you said.(6:46) Does it ever occur just on its own? (6:49) No. Good, good question, because most or lots of researchers have found (6:55) that tinnitus has two or more causes that occur together to create tinnitus. (7:01) So many of my clients, they will have had something like (7:05) adverse childhood experiences or trauma in childhood (7:08) and then something else coming up out of one of the different groups.(7:12) So inflammatory cause or more stress. (7:17) So those kinds of things or just noise trauma. (7:21) Veterans are very susceptible to getting tinnitus.(7:24) And that's actually one of the highest, one of the most important reasons (7:28) why veterans, you know, become disabled. Tinnitus. (7:33) Wow.Wow. (7:35) I've got a client at the moment who I'm seeing, (7:38) and she has quite a few complex conditions. (7:43) She like fibromyalgia.(7:47) That's a big connection. (7:49) Yeah. And also she's been in a few road traffic accidents where, (7:55) you know, she's not broken any bones, but she's, you know, (7:58) she's had some impact onto her shoulders, onto her neck.(8:02) So I think that explains it really, doesn't it? (8:05) Well, I wouldn't be definite about it because there's always (8:10) reasons that might be above our capability. (8:13) So I would always send a client when they haven't been to the doctor, (8:16) I would send them to the doctor, (8:17) maybe have them look at just the ears because it might just be earwax. (8:21) That's blocking the ear canal.(8:23) Just be something simple like that. (8:25) And I don't think it's fair to have a client come to you, pay for sessions, (8:28) and then afterwards find out they've only got earwax on their ears. (8:31) That would be stupid.(8:33) But OK, it might also be something like a tumor or something else, something. (8:37) Yeah, something important going on that we shouldn't overlook (8:40) because we can't diagnose. I can't diagnose.(8:41) No, no, not at all. (8:42) As you know, I don't see anybody unless their doctor said it's OK. (8:48) I've actually had permission of her doctor because it was her doctor that (8:52) recommended that she went for hypnosis.(8:55) Yeah, fibromyalgia is a very common one, yeah. (8:58) So that would potentially be where I say this fits into the inflammatory bracket. (9:05) Fibromyalgia is also one of those, for so long it was an imaginary disease (9:11) that people give themselves a label.(9:13) And it really is only in the last few years that it's become accepted (9:17) that it's an actual diagnosis. (9:19) Yeah, because you're a retired doctor, Denise, aren't you? (9:25) W

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  Episode #9

  Is hypnosis still a negative word?

  Jul 26, 202632 minS9

  Send us Fan Mail Denise Billen-Mejia MD CH www.healandberadiant.com office@aahypnosis.com Les Roberts ACH www.lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk contact@lesrobertshypnotherapy.co.uk Welcome to Two Hypnotherapists Talking with me, Denise Billen-Mejia, in Delaware, USA. (0:06) And me, Les Roberts, in St Helens, United Kingdom. (0:10) This weekly podcast is for anyone and everyone who'd like to know more about the fascinating (0:14) world of hypnosis and the benefits that it offers.I'm a clinical hypnotherapist and (0:22) specialist in working with children. And I'm a retired medical doctor (0:26) and consultant hypnotist. (0:29) We are Two Hypnotherapists Talking.(0:33) So let's get on with the episode. (0:36) So hi, how are you? (0:39) I'm good and the weather has cooled off. It's only in the 80s now, so people can barely go out.(0:45) It was so bad. 95 is not comfortable. I don't care where you are.(0:49) No, I can imagine. It's just so nice here. It's just so nice.(0:56) And I know it's going to break eventually because we live northwest of England. (1:02) It's bound to be, you know, rainy, but it's just so nice at the moment. (1:07) Sitting out in the morning.(1:09) Plus the fact that now the smoke from the fires in Canada were across half of America. (1:17) Yeah. (1:18) So you couldn't even go, let's drive to the next town.Same problem. (1:21) And driving was going to make it worse. (1:22) Yeah.A couple of days ago I said to my husband, I said, I can smell smoke, you know, like wood (1:28) smoke, like smoke, smoke. And we thought, well, there's nothing around here. (1:33) And it wasn't until we looked at the maps where the fires are and you've got like the moors and (1:41) you've also got Conway, you know, around Conway and Snowdonia.So we were obviously getting it (1:47) from both ends, depending on, you know, which way the wind was blowing. (1:51) Yeah. (1:51) Yeah.But nothing for the last few days. (1:54) So what I thought of talking about today, if that's OK with you, is the myths and misconceptions (2:02) surrounding hypnosis or hypnotherapy, whatever you want to call it. (2:07) Can you, yes, I do think it's an interesting topic.(2:11) Can you remember the things you thought about hypnosis before you became a hypnotist? (2:16) Yeah. Yeah. Oh, definitely.To be perfectly honest, my husband, when I was training to be (2:24) a hypnotherapist, my husband used to say to me, is it this weekend that you're going away doing (2:30) your Voodoo Jedi stuff again? Oh, yeah. (2:33) So and he just said it as a joke. But when you when you think about what people, their perception on (2:41) hypnosis, it's all mind bending, mind control stuff, isn't it? (2:45) And it's based on movies and TV, actually.(2:49) Yeah. And we've said it quite a few times, haven't we, that, you know, the movie industry (2:54) has sort of taken the mick about what over what we do. You know, it's not.(3:00) I mean, honestly, they do that with every single profession. (3:03) Yeah. There's a lot of that.I don't watch anything medical because it drives me nuts. (3:08) Well, I can imagine. Yeah.You being a retired doctor, then you see (3:12) a medical program, you think, yeah, but I'm finally watching cop shows because (3:17) nobody is a cop in my house. So I don't care. (3:20) But it is so we've had this discussion that I know we've had this discussion privately.(3:26) And I know I've mentioned it a few times on our podcast that I've had to change my business name (3:35) to my masters because the schools would not recognize hypnosis. They don't like hypnosis. (3:43) They don't like the word hypnosis.We have a similar problem in this country. (3:47) There are certain states that don't allow you to use the term hypnotherapist. (3:51) I believe so.It doesn't appear on any of my written stuff. It's silly. I mean, (3:55) respiratory techs don't get flack from them.They're allowed to call themselves therapists. (4:00) You know, we're not competing for your business. It can get people in some serious problems.(4:07) And fortunately, it's also a reason for people to sort of rebrand. (4:12) So all these looks like hypnosis to me kind of things getting labeled. (4:17) So if I was to work over in the US, I mean, literally physically work over there, (4:24) I couldn't call myself a hypnotherapist, could I? (4:26) Depends.Do you have a psychology doctorate by any chance? (4:31) No. (4:33) Surprising. Very few people do.In the greatest scheme of things. But you would have to have a (4:40) license as a psychotherapist, not a hypnotherapist. (4:44) So what could I call myself? (4:46) If I were using my medical degree, if I was licensed still as a doctor, which I gave up (4:53) because it was an expensive thing to do and not be a doctor, I could probably use it because (4:58) they're not going to come after me.(5:01) So is that why you call yourself a hypnotist and not a hypnotherapist? (5:07) I don't have to worry about which state I'm talking to. There's two states I can't work in. (5:12) The state of Washington, which requires you to be licensed in Washington, and the state of (5:18) Connecticut, which requires you to be licensed in Connecticut.(5:22) Right. (5:23) And you don't need a licensure anywhere else. So I just pass them on.I know people in both (5:28) the states, and I pass people on. But I did consider it for a while. If I had somebody (5:35) contacted me who had a really interesting problem, I might go and see.(5:40) Yeah, yeah. (5:41) And what's so silly about it is it's just pay your money and get the stamp. They don't (5:46) check your credentials.They do make you take, and this is truly bizarre to me, (5:51) they make you take a test on HIV transmission, which if you consider that you and I both (5:57) work a lot on a Zoom link, remarkably little risk of AIDS. I suppose it was, it's probably (6:05) a lot of other, that's probably a requirement for a lot of other licenses to get general (6:10) information to make sure they're covered. (6:12) It just nuts.It's that, pay us $175 and you'll be licensed too. (6:17) I've just been updating. The reason why I ask you is I've just been updating all my (6:21) insurances from moving premises and my indemnity and all of that malarkey.And I've just found (6:31) out that I have to take out extra on my insurance because I work with people in Canada and America. (6:41) Because they like to have bigger lawsuits. (6:43) That's all I can guess why.I haven't the foggiest idea, but everywhere else, (6:49) everywhere else is fine, but the USA and Canada. (6:53) How much does it cost you for your insurance? You can take this out if you wish. (6:57) To be perfectly honest, I don't know because I'm just waiting for it to come back now because (7:02) it's all changed because I work- (7:05) I had to have a $3 million policy, but it doesn't cost me very much.(7:09) I think I've- (7:10) But they cost more. If I did anaesthetic level, I would require a higher degree, but I don't do that. (7:21) Yeah.Well, my indemnity is 10 million. That's because I was advised to take that out when I was (7:27) doing all of the classes when we had 20, 30 children. Whereas now I'm just waiting for it (7:33) to come down because I don't need hardly any contents insurance now.I've gone from (7:41) 20, 30,000 contents to less than five, which is great. It's great for me because (7:48) all the expensive things like the laptop and my phones and things like that, (7:55) they all stay with me in the house. Of course, the house is alarmed and everything.(8:01) And insured. (8:01) And insured, yeah. But the only thing that's got to change now is I have to contact my (8:10) contents and building insurance for home because people will be walking through the garden and- (8:17) Snuggling board.(8:18) Or something. Yeah, exactly. So all of these things I've been doing today and it just made (8:23) me realize about all the misconceptions and the myths behind hypnosis because I had to change (8:30) my name.I had to explain to my insurance why I've changed my name as well. And it just made (8:38) me think, you know, there is still that stigma, isn't there, about hypnosis or hypnotherapy? (8:45) And you just- (8:45) Definitely got that voodoo- (8:47) Voodoo Jedi stuff, yeah. (8:49) Yeah.I don't know about Jedi, but certainly. And yeah, I guess they could make the whole rise up. (8:54) It's- I think we do- we're always complaining about movies and TV, but I think that is a lot (9:01) of the reason that that idea has gone on.And the stage shows. I've only been to one stage show in (9:08) my life for that. It was a local guy who works reasonably locally and he was doing a show for (9:16) some organization that was charitable, like the Knights of somebody or other.(9:20) And he was quite good. Everything he was doing, you feel like there was no point to it. That's (9:27) my issue with the stage shows.It's just really, why would you want to cluck like a chicken? If (9:31) you want to cluck like a chicken, go ahead. I just don't see the value to that other than (9:38) giggling at people and that's not my kind of humor. So, it is interesting to me.I've only- (9:46) other than my own physician that I've spoken to a lot of these 70 clients, there's only about (9:51) three or four other doctors around here who've ever asked anything about it. I think that is (9:56) really the sticking point. We need to get more professionals.We do. To realize that it's not (10:02) something to do at a party because it's fun. We do, yeah.Which of course is how- you know, (10:08) what we think of as anesthesia, chloroform and ether, those were done at parties. People took (10:14) tanks and they just- everybody giggled. Oh my goodness, really? And

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