Wednesday, October 8, 2008, 02:47 PM CST [General]
As I drive around, I am making myself listen to, "The Secret," by Rhonda Byrne. What is The Secret? About $15-$25 if you buy it, retail. "The Secret" is Positive Mental Attitude (PMA), For Dummies. "If you think it, it will come," is my synopsis of the tripe I have listened to, so far. Think of it as the logic of the lottery, all fluffed up with warm, fuzzy, mystical feelings of goodness.
Your life would be as much improved if you purchased $15-$25 of vitamin-fortified cotton candy. Your life would be even more improved if you patented, copyrighted, marketed, produced, and sold the first vitamin fortified cotton candy. There, I've shared my next million with someone. Remember me in your good fortunes and share back just 1% of the gross, and we'll call it even.
What? Is "The Secret" wrong? Is it only hype? Are all the testimonies bogus? Is there no good that can come from practicing "The Secret?"
I loathe "The Secret," because of its passivity. Some people succeed through luck, think of lottery winners. Some people succeed through advantage of birth, think of genetic royalty before the coup. Some people succeed through observation, think of Dr. Werner von Braun moving his work and staff to where the American troops would most likely to arrive before the Russian troops. Some people succeed through observation and insight about human motivation, think of the promoters of Pet Rocks, Chia Pets, Billy Bass, and "The Secret." Some people, dear people, succeed through pursuing goals and networking resources for individual and mutual advantage. There is not a single accredited PhD out there whose thesis manifested itself solely on their intent.
The American Kennedys became the Kennedys because old Joe Kennedy was a mean bastard who made a fortune running booze during prohibition, eliminated enemies, cultivated friends and favors, and had the goal of putting a son into the presidency. He didn't let his first and favored son being killed stop him!
"The Law of Attraction," "Like Attracts Like," etc. are straw man propositions. Of course (in human interactions) "Like Attracts Like"! It's called having something in common. It's called bigotry. It's called class warfare. It's called finding your own kind. It's called fraternities, sororities, and secret societies. It's called polo, bridge, or bowling. It's called online chat. Put in those contexts, though, no one is going to print a book, make a movie, and form social networking systems promoting that the common public should engage in such activities for their own health, wealth, and well-being.
You see, "The Secret" does not put the cart before the horse. "The Secret" ignores the horse all together. Thinking, imaging, intent, or desires, while important, have little value without focused, purposeful, positive, enduring activity.
If I notice "The Secret" ever promotes focused, purposeful, positive, enduring activity as the primary ingredients to success, I'll amend this journal entry.
With apologies to the friends and others who have manifested "The Secret" within their lives and promote it to their financial advantage, I remain,
At the 2006 National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH) Convention, President, Dr. Damon proposed a name change as to how we present ourselves to that of Consulting Hypnotist. At the time it sounded reasonable to me from a marketing standpoint, because the title itself seems to open the mind of non-hypnotists in a non-threatening way. "Oh? Who consults a hypnotist," has been a frequent question that quite nicely opens up conversations. I guess until "Consultants" start lobbying state legislatures to codify and license the use of the word "Consultant" hypno-consultants, we're good to go.
I happily support the NGH for any number of selfish reasons. The NGH has credentialed me first a Certified Hypnotist (Hypnotherapist) and now a Board Certified Hypnotist, (Hypnotherapist). At the time of my credentialing, and within the state I practice, the term "hypnotherapist" was not censured. From 2003, when I became a Certified Hypnotist, the issue of the words, "clinical," "therapist," "healing," "treating," "depression," "anxiety," etc. (and their derivatives) was already being openly talked about. These words were being co-opted by mental health professionals as part of their profession specific jargon. Those who did not hold advanced degrees in medical, dental or mental health OR were not licensed medical, dental, or mental health professionals within the state in which they did business, were EXCLUDED from using such words in their own professional settings. While not true in every state, the writing was on the wall, and the word was going out that hypnotists without attendant degrees and licensure should avoid using such words.
Dr. Damon was right. The Big Boys and Girls of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and their subset, the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) get to call the legislative tune most of the time. The AFL/CIO Local #104 represents hypnotists at large by being pro-active, running interference and doing damage control within legislatures as they have the resources and abilities to do. Membership in this Union becomes important, if not essential, to practicing hypnotists because it is our dues that fuel the efforts to legislatively protect OUR profession; hypnotists providing hypnosis for our clients.
The APA has co-opted many words for their own use. Nouns such as "depression" or "anxiety" quickly come to mind. As in, "I'm dealing with some depression/anxiety in my life right now," or "Can you help me with this depression/anxiety?" The common person still does not know that by making such statements, THEY are illegally practicing medicine by obviously self-diagnosing themselves when they make such statements, or ask such questions! The APA has had passed into law in many states that those words are no longer nouns, but rather diagnoses which only they, and grudgingly, medically licensed professionals are able to use, legally.
Never mind that dictionaries of common English do not limit their definitions of such words as diagnoses of illnesses. No, in each case, it is only in later definitions that such words, including "therapy," are defined in their more restrictive medical or mental health fashion. Nevertheless, it is what is being codified that will interest a lawyer, not what Random House, Webster, or American Heritage may list.
In "therapy's" broadest meaning, it can be positively argued that the profession of positive life change hypnotism is therapeutic, as in the second and fourth definitions found in Dictionary.com, "a curative power or quality," and "any act, hobby, task, program, etc., that relieves tension." We DO THOSE THINGS as hypnotists; we just don't resort to psychotherapy to do it. Interestingly enough, very few psychotherapists utilize hypnotism, or do so sparingly and in limited fashion. That's fine with me.
Unfortunately, in many states the APA has been able to codify "therapy," and "therapist" in the more narrow definitions as per the same source, "the treatment of disease or disorders, as by some remedial, rehabilitating, or curative process: speech therapy," and "psychotherapy."
Absurd? Of course it is. It's like published authors getting together and sponsoring legislation that allow only published authors, editors, and copy-writers to use such words as "write," "writer," "note," "pen," "pencil in," "jot down," "edit," etc., because these are words specific to their profession and therefore should ONLY be used by their profession.
Therefore, in agreement with those who are smarter than I am, I am content to call myself a (Board Certified) Hypnotist and present that professional banner with pride. To define my professional role further in society, I am a Consulting Hypnotist who provides my services in both hypnotism and waking state skills to both groups and individuals to help them improve their lives in a non-therapeutic fashion. It isn't that my work doesn't help people "relieve tension," as per the above broad definition of therapy, it's just that it isn't (thank God!) "psychotherapy."
I just wish the same offenses against "Hypnotherapy" were taken against "Music Therapy," "Light Therapy," "Color Therapy," "Aroma Therapy," "Play Therapy," "Animal Therapy," "Art Therapy," etc., so that the absurdity of the turf protection could be more readily heard and seen.
There are enough mentally ill and mentally well people who need all of our professional resources. Why the greed on the part of the body politic, APA? Y'all take care of the mentally ill as best as you can. When some of your depressed and anxious patients do not progress as well as THEY would like to, then refer 'em to a Consulting Hypnotist. If we can manage to help your patients in some small way, well, we're just grateful for the opportunity.
Now, if we could just get some licensed mental health professionals to quit putting down the insurance code for "Outpatient Counseling," (reimbursable) when what they should be coding for is tobacco cessation or weight management (usually not reimbursable, or at least not for as many sessions). Tell me, does it really take an advanced degree to help someone quit smoking or reduce their weight?
If a person is mentally or physically ill (or at least diagnosed as such), they must first consult a licensed mental or medical doctor for treatment. However, if they are mentally or physically well and want to improve some bothersome aspect of their life, come see a hypnotist. If mental health and medical professionals have done all they can, then go see a hypnotist who will then work by referral to help martial resources and improve their life. I think I can live with that as a Consulting Hypnotist; don't you think?
All the best,
Edward
Edward Wunder, BCH, CI, CPHI A Hypnotic Change Lincoln, NE
According to the X-Ray Tech, I have very good muscle structure and solid fatty material distribution. When she found out I was a consulting hypnotist (I don't know, it just seemed to come up in the conversation, somehow) she related how a previous patient had a biopsy with NO anesthesia, claiming to just use self-hypnosis for pain management, "and she never even flinched!" So, we had a good conversation about hypnotism in between the "staging" of the various digital images.
I know there are people are interested in the initial results. There are even some hypnotists out there that will only make referrals to me if they are certain that I'm in top form. I'm sure nothing else will do. Well, feel free to encourage clients and students who are closer to my office than yours to come here and experience genuine 5-PATH quality. The discomfort appears to be an infection and I'm waiting for the prescription, now.
Celeste dear, you know I am here for your personal amusement, and you are welcome!
Saturday, October 13, 2007, 05:41 PM CST [General]
Monday, I'm having a mamogram. I have a tender spot in my left breast that can't be explained away easily, so getting it checked. Probably something that needs a needle stuck in it and liquid pulled out, but my PA isn't taking any chances. Good for her. Maybe, it's the Little One tunneling his way out?
A new salon and day spa is opening across the way. I'm going to go get a Brazillian (or some other) wax, to add to the Pain Management stories and videos. I think I'll have my wife record this one. The co-owner is a man of Middle Eastern decent. He says he'll get his back waxed. I really hope the CD sales benefit from this.
Are y'all really sure you want me documenting this stuff?
Tuesday, September 18, 2007, 10:24 AM CST [General]
Well, with the exception of John, if someone is listed as a friend the following is true.
1) I personally know them.
2) I trust them enough to be able to ask them a question and expect an unedited answer.
3) I will do the best that I am able, should they ask for assistance. If the best I am able to means answering, "No," or "I can't right now," I expect they will respect that.
4) I naively expect they think of me in similar terms. That's what makes asking for opinions and resources from others so interesting.
5) Asking for a favor or a service does not dismiss the obligation of compensation through barter, like service, or money. As Steve Martin said during his acceptance of the Mark Twain Award in 2005, "Money is the sincerest form of compliment. No. Really. It is."
6) I don't do near as many favors as I did back in 2003.
