Starting out

[Steffan_Effenburg]

I thought it might be interesting to ask a few questions to those that practice hypnosis or NLP about how the journey began for them so that perhaps those of us veering towards a career in these fields might recognise some of the qualities and drives required to be the best they possibly can.

1) What first attracted you to art of hypnosis/NLP and at what age did you decide that you wanted to seriously pursue these endeavours?

2) Did you always want to be in hypnosis/NLP or did you have a different career before your journey into mental magic?

4) What is your primary motivation to do what you do?

5) What are the fundamental qualities that make up a successful hypnotherapist / NLP practitioner and can these qualities be taught?

6) What separates the best from your average weekend certificate hunter that seem to dominate much of the industry these days?

7) How much has your knowledge helped you develop as a person?

8) How long did you have to train before you felt able to go out on your own and set up a business?

9) How do you view the current status of hypnotherapy / NLP today? Is there a danger that as a growth industry it may attract people looking for a fast buck at the expense of skill? What could/should be done about this?

10) Is there anything you would have done differently with regards your earlier training or setting yourself up as a business at the beginning?

Many thanks for your time.

[Connie]

Wow, that's a lot of questions. I'll give it a go! :)

1) What first attracted you to art of hypnosis/NLP and at what age did you decide that you wanted to seriously pursue these endeavours?

I've told this story before. :) A stage hypnosis show led me to my new life. It was a couple years ago. Maybe 3. I wandered into a performance of "Hypnomania" at the state fair, and I loved it!! I became fascinated with the IDEA that this could be a "real" phenomena. I didn't believe it at first. "Stooges, all!!" I met the hypnotist after the show, and purchased a few of his self-help cds. I shelved the cds, but I kept thinking about hypnosis. KEPT thinking. Started learning, started reading (mostly on the internet), wondering, thinking, discussing it with friends, most of whom were as skeptical as I was. The carrot for me: understanding more about how the mind works and tapping into it for self-improvement--I wanted that!! Maybe a year later, I finally pulled out the weight loss cd and gave it a listen. I INSTANTLY started losing weight and noticing other changes in my life. (I've lost 75 or so pounds since then.) Better confidence, better self-esteem, and so on. Feeling powerful, and beautiful--all suggestions given to me in the cd. So, now I KNEW this stuff was for real and worked, and I became even more interested. In my wanderings on the internet looking for more info, I found this forum. The people here were very encouraging, and super knowledgable and smart, kind, and generous beyond belief. QUALITY!! People like Terry. I stuck around to learn more. I was pointed at books to read. I read them. I also learned from this forum that this was a career, something people DO. I've always been the "Dear Abby" of my friends and trying to help people, informally, these tools seemed to fit me. I'd never liked my "real job" and this seemed like the ideal thing for me to do, I'd been unhappy for years, feeling trapped in a mindless, soul-crushing job, wondering if I'd ever have something I could care about, feel good about, enjoy, something I wanted to do. Now I'd found it. I got the direction HERE for some excellent training. Took it. I'd never heard of NLP before I visited this forum.

2) Did you always want to be in hypnosis/NLP or did you have a different career before your journey into mental magic?

A different career. An unrewarding, mindless, non-creative one--which I'd had for far too long.

Where's question 3? :D

4) What is your primary motivation to do what you do?

It's stimulating, it's fun, it's creative, and it's helpful to people. I wanted to wake up in the morning and care about life.

5) What are the fundamental qualities that make up a successful hypnotherapist / NLP practitioner and can these qualities be taught?

I doubt very much that they can be taught. I think sincerity, a desire to help, and a good moral and ethical compass are essentials. Intelligence and creativity wouldn't hurt, either.

6) What separates the best from your average weekend certificate hunter that seem to dominate much of the industry these days?

Probably those personal qualities you inquire about in number 5.

7) How much has your knowledge helped you develop as a person?

This is the best part! Mammothly! I won't go on and on about all the changes in my life in the past year or so since I began this journey, but they are substantial. Everything from reconciling with my mother before her death to a new self-image (and body to go with it) to a new career, to new understandings of life and manifestation and spirit.

8) How long did you have to train before you felt able to go out on your own and set up a business?

It's been about a year that I've been focusing seriously on learning these skills/tools. I've had several different trainings. I've just set up my business in the past month or two--the idea here, according to my teachers, is that you learn more and more by doing. So, start!

9) How do you view the current status of hypnotherapy / NLP today? Is there a danger that as a growth industry it may attract people looking for a fast buck at the expense of skill? What could/should be done about this?

There's always the fast buck element. This idea of a "matchbook profession." I suppose my core belief here is that the cream rises, and the jokers will be short-lived and the serious and talented will flourish. I think in general the field is growing and gaining respectability and credibility, and more and more people are becoming aware of hypnosis as a powerful and successful tool for change.

10) Is there anything you would have done differently with regards your earlier training or setting yourself up as a business at the beginning?

No. Everything in my life is unfolding perfectly. :)

[Henrik]

I'm not a professional nlp/hypnosis worker, but I'll answer non the less:

1) What first attracted you to art of hypnosis/NLP and at what age did you decide that you wanted to seriously pursue these endeavours?


Pursuit of happiness. 30.


2) Did you always want to be in hypnosis/NLP or did you have a different career before your journey into mental magic?


I always wanted to be the best stock broker/trader. Today I work with computers/software development. I have a wish to become a professional hypnotherapist, hopefully it will happen in a few years.


3) Do you like kebab?


I enjoy a chicken shawarma with extra hot sauce.


4) What is your primary motivation to do what you do?


Pursuit of happiness


5) What are the fundamental qualities that make up a successful hypnotherapist / NLP practitioner and can these qualities be taught?


I wouldn't know really, but I'll be very surprised if not a lot of skill is part of the equation. Skill can't be taught, but learned. Also business sense because of the bills.


6) What separates the best from your average weekend certificate hunter that seem to dominate much of the industry these days?


Skill.


7) How much has your knowledge helped you develop as a person?


Today I mostly walk two steps back and three steps forward. It's much more pleasent than going backwards.


8) How long did you have to train before you felt able to go out on your own and set up a business?


I don't know, but probably until I have confidence in my skills.


9) How do you view the current status of hypnotherapy / NLP today? Is there a danger that as a growth industry it may attract people looking for a fast buck at the expense of skill? What could/should be done about this?


Is hypnotherapy/NLP a growth industry? People looking for a fast buck are everywhere, aren't they?


10) Is there anything you would have done differently with regards your earlier training or setting yourself up as a business at the beginning?

I wish I had a magic wand that made Terry, skip, Jack, Don, Doc, Poodle, Connie and several others here to mysteriously having their summer vacation here in my city. All at the same time. I would serve them ice cream.

Henrik

[Steffan_Effenburg]

Wow some really interesting stuff here, that's one hellova success story Connie, thnx for sharing.

How's the journey so far Henrik? What steps are you currently taking as somebody just starting out?



Wow, that's a lot of questions. I'll give it a go! :)

Where's question 3? :D



Just making sure you're paying attention ;)

[Poodle]

Great questions - all of them! (Was #3 - Gestalt therapy - there's no one in that chair?) Now let me ask you a few questons - okay? Do you want to be a Certified Hypnotist or do you want to be a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist? The training is vastly different. CCHt's are around 400-500 hours. CCHt's don't have much knowledge of NLP or other areas. It's strictly Clinical Hypnotherapy. Do you want to be a NLP Master Prac? In the NLP Master Prac we are also including hypnosis as in rapid inductions and Deep Trance Phenomena besides regular NLP work. It also includes Timeline work and fun things. The NLP Prac. is more like: Do this in this order. In the Master Prac you get to use YOUR brain to be as creative as you want. We are definitely taking NLP to new highs.

Most of us here have had careers before. I learned hypnosis when I was 19 and please don't ask the year!! I did not do much with it after returning to the States. Finally decided it was time to go back to work and to do something I really enjoyed doing so I went for training. I had absolutely no idea what NLP was but a friend told me to make sure I had it. Thank you friend. Truthfully, I disliked the first couple of days of class as I thought it was "stupid". Then things started to take hold. One has to learn to walk before one can run.

My primary motivation is to train. I LOVED teaching and teaching what one really LOVES is an extra bonus. They are long days but it's fun to see "light bulbs turn on". NLP is just super fantastic as how much happiness can you stand? It is about FREEDOM to have, do or be whatever you want.

5. Is staying in business. The unsuccessful ones fold up quickly, especially where you are.

6. One can learn a lot in a 3-day course. It's a "taster" to find out if you really like it or not. Again, the answer is what you want to be in first paragraph. I don't like long drawn out conscious learning with all kinds of diagrams, etc. I like information in large chunks so I can work myself out of them. Training should be fun, especially if learning NLP. Two weeks with a good Trainer will get you through most of it. You will have the basic skills.

7. Read the back pages.

8. About two weeks in person, then hit the books, DVD's etc.

9. If one is lacking in skill, one will not be in business very long. Most people that go to these trainings are not going in with the idea of "I want to do this". Most are just looking for answers. If you already know what you want, then you are two steps ahead.

10. YES! Understand where you live and KNOW what people will buy and not buy. Have enough money saved up for advertising, etc. You can be the best in the world but if people don't know about you, they cannot come to you. You also need excellent business skills including accounting as this is very much a business.

Hope this helps some. Pood :)