Introducing Myself

[eyeglazer]

Hi;

First let me state as a matter of "truth in advertising" that I am not totally new here. I did join and actually posted on a thread a few times earlier this year under the pseudonym "Keepasleep". Unfortunately I am unable to resume my old account so I started this one.

I attended an extended course in Hypnotherapy 2 years ago but have not yet started a practice.

I would also like to say that I have had a passionate love for and studied all things mental/metaphysical for over 35 years (I'm 57) and consider myself a person quite able to discuss such topics as "The Secret", Deepak Chopra etc. in a reasonable and coherent matter for anybody who cares to.

So in return for tapping your knowledge and experience on hypnosis I may be able to offer at least some interesting dialogue.

Cheers!

[skip]

good on ya.

[Connie]

Hi, Eyeglazer...welcome back!!! What's stopping you from beginning a practice? :)

[Poodle]

Ditto on Connie and Skip. Now, join in and post! Pood :)

[Terry]

Yes indeed welcome to the best board on the web.....
Someone asked about why you have not started a business as yet, but I am much more curious to know why you took the training? See, when I first began to train, I had no intention of becoming a practitioner, all I wanted was to use what I learned on myself, but since a course was available to me in Hetro Hypnosis, and non in Self Hypnosis, I decided to take the former, and it changed my outlook, and my life to some extent, in that I changed my mind.
Please tell us why you took the course so that any interacation will be based on some knowledge of you and your background.

[Merlin]

Yippee!
A new member!!!!
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c344/Myhrrhleine2/welcome/welcome.gif

[eyeglazer]

Well, I first hypnotized a person over forty years ago and then wandered off into other areas (Religion, Spiruality etc.) while doing everyday grunt-work jobs. In 2004 I was fed up with the routine, gave a weeks notice and las in LA 2 weeks later where I soon found an ad in the paper reading "Learn how to hypnotize for free!!!". Did a year at Hypnosis Motivation Institute (Tarzana, Ca.) and knew that I had found my calling.
I love hypnosis because I learned long ago that all solutions ultimately lie within.
And the reason why I 'm not practicing has a very practical answer: Money!
Any ideas on how to get started on a shoestring?

[Connie]

"Any ideas on how to get started on a shoestring?"

If you're interested in starting a hypnotherapy practice, a friend of mine has just put together a new 3-cd informational product on precisely that!! Full of incredible good advice. I have no financial interest in this, however, I was a resource for his project. I'll send you a PM with his info!

[Don]

Any ideas on how to get started on a shoestring?

1) Prepare a room where you live as your office. If you live in a one bedroom apartment use the living room as your office and put all of your personal stuff in the bedroom.

2) Advertising costs money. A lot of publicity is free. Offer to give free lectures on hypnosis everywhere. Fraternal orders. Libraries. High Schools. Colleges. Be sure to have your business card to hand out. Can't afford business cards? Office supply stores have cards that will go through your computer's printer and can look really good. Don't know what to say? Just give your pre-talk or expand on it.

3) Print out fliers or three-fold informational forms. Where's one of the best places to put them? Beauty parlors. Stop smoking, weight loss, relaxation and stress relief go well there.

4) Craig's List!

5) Recycler

6) You know those weekly or bi-weekly newspapers that are basically an excuse to send advertisements? Many of them have interviews or articles. Why aren't you there?

[Poodle]

and if you learned pain control/elimination a chiropractor can be your best friend!

Omni Hypnosis has podcasts (some are free and some are a $5/mo. subscription) with ooooodles of advice on how to get clients ON A SHOESTRING.

Bob Brennar had a "van" and fixed the back up for a hypnosis office. He parked at malls, shopping centers, etc.

[Merlin]

Just a reminder.
There are places on the internet which offer free business cards (250 typ)

[skip]

"And the reason why I 'm not practicing has a very practical answer: Money!"

So exactly how much money are you waiting around to manifest before you can start?

skip
who is very good at spotting limiting beliefs.

[Terry]

Yes indeed, it would seem that this part of the program was missed out... Waiting for just the right time, or for enough money to be available is for others, not for a skilled practitioner of hypnosis. If you lack the drive, chances are you lack the skills also, otherwise, what are you afraid of? I had a wife and four kids to support when I started. I even borrowed the money for the first course I took, but I earned it back quickly. If you are good, word gets around and you never lack clients. If you are not, you won;t last long, so how good are you?
Being able to hypnotise someone is nothing, what do you do after that? If you know, you should have no lack of confidence, but if not, never claim to be what you are not, a hypnotherapist.....

[eyeglazer]

Thanks to everybody for some great comments and advice (and even being chastized wasn't that painful! LOL!).

To answer one question, while I need to brush-up on my technique after 2 years, I have (IMHO) the ability and potential to be very, very good!

Humorous note: In school we were discussing methods of advertising and i suggested wearing a T-shirt that said "Ask Me About Hypnosis".

Well, the general consensus seemed to be that that was a bit too "tacky" lol!

So the story about Bob Brennar and the van was most encouraging! I have always admired people who were willing to push the envelope.

[Terry]

If you think that was being chastized, you don;t know me at all. That was intended to make you look at your position from a better viewpoint that might lead you to success. If you believe in yourself, you have confidence, and if you are also imaginative, you will find ways to make your dreams come true. Therefore, what I asked about was intended to set you on a course of self examination which nobody but you can do as well....
Yes I and others can tell you the how to of starting a business, but that in no way guarantees you will succeed, because we bypass the confidence, and the imagination required for that success.....
If we knew you well, it might be different, but since we don;t you should be allowed to try for yourself and find out if you do indeed have what it takes.

[Poodle]

You can do it. I did it first when I was 19 and studied with my best friend's husband who was a psychiatrist and LOVED hypnotherapy. Now granted, in those days we didn't have what we have today or at least I didn't learn it. I retired so then I decided to really learn it and learn it right plus I also learned NLP. Then some good time in the trenches and I went for CI and the next year was NLP Trainer.

Now what am I writing about? In NLP we have a true belief that is one of the NLP Presuppositions and that is: If it humanly possible to do something, it's possible for me too. It's only a matter of finding out how. You've already got 3/4 of the how accomplished so why not finish that tiny last little 1/4?

We need all the good people in this profession that we can get. Get in gear! Do a Google alert for hypnosis. You'll find that we are almost on Wold Hypnotism Day. How about putting on a dog and pony show at your local library and send info to the newspaper. They print that sort of information free. Maybe you could do it as a charity event for a non-profit and get more newspaper space and charge $5/person donated to...

This is or was the brain child of Tom Nicoli. I was talking to Tom a couple of weeks ago and he said he was getting calls from people wanting to change the name so something else like World Coaching Day. Duhhh!!! What do we do for a living folks!!

Just make sure you can do a demo and take your appointment book. YES! There are basically FREE business cards and they look pretty nice.

Ready for the next limiting belief

And, you really don't know Terry. When he is ticked, you will really know it as he does not spare his boot. I know. I got it once when I had it coming and I thank him for it. I thank Doc for having me "see" differently. I thank Merlin for her unlimitless supply of fascinating ideas. I thank Skip and Connie for being great friends and well, Jack, he's just a total class act. Maybe I'm a little closer to Don as we have studied together and have other projects in common too. Terry also gave me the "answer" to smoking cessation, just sorta hidden in a post. We are very, very fortunate to have the unpaid staff here that does these professions, teaches these professions and LOVES these professions.

Be well,
Pood

[Connie]

i suggested wearing a T-shirt that said "Ask Me About Hypnosis".

Well, the general consensus seemed to be that that was a bit too "tacky" lol!

Do you often make decisions for your own activities based on concensus? If yes, then listen to US. We're telling you, you get started by getting started! PS: Nothing wrong with that T-shirt idea!!

[Terry]

Do you often make decisions for your own activities based on concensus? If yes, then listen to US. We're telling you, you get started by getting started! PS: Nothing wrong with that T-shirt idea!!
Reading this, I realised something :) On Monday evening we had a tree decorating party here, and I went to it wearing a blue T shirt I had been given at a "thank you" party given to volunteers by the Cancer Society, Across the front of it in very large letters, is the word "HOPE" reffering of course to treatment that is so successfull these days, but at the party were many elderly widows, and I suddenly realise that it could be taken in different ways now I come to think of it.....:D
Reminds me of the message on the back of a T shirt worn by a rather well endowed young lady, which read, "The Best is Yet to Come"......

[Poodle]

from The American Heart Assn. -- cardiac arrest -- suggestion cancelled!!

[Merlin]

I like the T-shirt
Been there, done that ;)

[skip]

Mine says:

"I came, I saw, I tranced"

skip