Is this legit?

[Riminicat]

Hey guys, I've been reading around on the forum a little bit and decided hypnosis is something I'd like to get into. At this time I don't plan on doing this for a living, although I would consider it, I would just like to learn as much as I can about this and maybe use hypnosis on myself in the near future.

Some "school" called HMI is offering a basic course for no cost and as far as I can tell it's legit. I don't have the money to take any classes (I'm saving up for it) but if this is free, why not? Have any of you heard of this school? What are your thoughts?

[Don]

Yes, we have discussed this on our forums before.

HMI was founded by a respected hypnotist and trainer. As far as I can tell, the free course is a good introduction to what real hypnosis is about. However, since you are not regularly meeting with people to practice with, and since you don't have an instructor watching you, as a practical course it is lacking. This is in spite of the fact that, I have been told, you have a mentor you can contact and ask questions of, etc.

So, accepting it just for what it is and acknowledging what it is not, it is certainly better than just reading a few books. And the price is certainly right.

Where I object to it, from what I have heard, is what comes after you finish the course. This free course is allegedly a come-on to have people contact you about taking what I would consider a very expensive mail-order course. While I have no problem with that, it has been alleged that they use high-pressure sales tactics to try and get yo to sign up. I suppose that as long as one is aware of this and can say the magic words, "No thank you" repeatedly no matter the amount of pressure, this is a good deal.

Frankly, if I were in your place and understood that they will apply pressure to try to get me to buy something that is too expensive, I might take the free course just to see if I'm interested. Then I would investigate the local scene to see if there is something I could take in person.

On your post it says you are in Florida. That's a big state, but I know that Gerald Kein is in DeLand and is a well-respected instructor. I might take the free course while figuring out how to take a class with Kein. A couple of months with a second job or after school work and you will have saved enough to afford to take it, if you don't have enough money now.

To the best of my knowledge, both the free course you're thinking of taking and Kein's in-person course is about hypnotherapy. This is about helping people with behavioral and emotional issues. Being able to help people is a wonderful feeling and, with work, can become a lucrative career. However, to the best of my knowledge, neither course is about stage hypnosis which is about entertaining and getting people to laugh with the help of hypnosis. This, for a few people, is also very lucrative and can be fun.

For success with both hypnotherapy and stage hypnosis, you would eventually want to learn other skills. With hypnotherapy, you would want to also learn the secrets of creating and formulating customized suggestions to fit your client's needs, along with the techniques of business. For stage hypnosis success you might also need to know the techniques of business, but you also have to learn a great deal about acting, timing, stage presence, public speaking, etc.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide to do.

[Poodle]

I have not a clue what you decided to do. On a lark I signed up and could not get past the first or second lesson. I so strongly disliked it, that I would prefer that none of my future students watch it as I really don't want to have to spend my time undoing what they have done.

It's much easier IMO to go into an in-person training with an open mind and allowing your instructor to fill it up correctly and accurately.

Pood