Access Your Free Life Enhancement Strategy Starter Kit

Are you at a place where you are testing the waters when it comes to make a personal transformation whether it be quitting smoking, losing weight or releasing unhealthy stress or fears?

The Life Enhancement Strategy Starter Kit can provide with insights on how hypnosis can help you move forward and whether it is right for you. It includes:

-Is Hypnosis Right for You? A concise e-book that explains the how and why of hypnosis when it comes to personal change.

-The 7 Minute Stress Buster mp3. This audio program allows you to try a brief hypnosis session at home to experience what it feels like. 

-Readiness to Change Quiz. A short series of questions that will give you deeper clarity about your current situation.

This download is free, instantly access your copy through the Add To Cart button below

Is Hypnosis Right for You? A Free E-Book

NJ Hypnotist: Free Information

Are you curious about hypnosis for self-improvement and would like to learn more? This concise, 10 page e-book will answer many of the questions you may have, including:

• Do you really lose control during hypnosis?
• What kind of challenges do hypnotists help people with?
• Can anyone be hypnotized?
• Who doesn't this work for?
• How can I increase my chances for success?

This primer will help you make an informed decision on whether a hypnosis counseling program would be a good fit for you as it has been for many other people. Grab your copy through the link below.

Hypnosis E-book FREE!

P.S. Please feel free to share this report with anyone else you know who may be interested too.

Stress and the Hypnotic I

"Yes folks, this is actually my coffee mug!"

When someone comes to my office for professional hypnosis services, they first fill out a brief personal information form. It contains basic questions regarding contact information, current health status, why they want my help and so on.

The form also asks the person to rate their current stress level as either low, moderate, high or extreme-and the response is always of great interest to me.

Of course if they state it is high or extreme, we will want to explore what is going on in their lives and customize their program accordingly.

But I also get a fair amount of responses where the person states that their stress level is low, even though they are clearly upset.

What I have found in those situations is that usually the individual will state they currently do have any major stress because they are not facing financial difficulties, relationship problems or the like. They are equating stress with external factors.

Yet a basic tenet of stress management is that stress is the individual response/experience that a person is having, not the external circumstance.

An example I frequently share with my clients is that of a roller coaster. To some it is an exciting thrill ride they enjoy. Others see it as one of the scariest things on earth that they want absolutely nothing to do with. Then there are those who are pretty much neutral about roller coasters.

But you know what? Its the same roller coaster no matter who is looking at it. Only the perceptions are different.

This also accounts for why individual responses to the same challenging situation can vary so much, from thriving to barely surviving. Perception governs response.

Now the perceptions we hold of ourselves and the world around us are generally habitual and automatic, part of what would be described as subconscious responses.

The subconscious mind is not analytical, rather it is emotional and imaginative-what I like to describe as the "Hypnotic I." It acts out patterns, images and beliefs whether they are good, bad or neutral.

The Hypnotic I can make the same set of circumstances seem difficult or easy, bad or good. As Shakespeare put so eloquently, "there is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

Hypnosis addresses the fascinating and powerful Hypnotic I by the use of specialized techniques of persuasive communication since it seldom responds to what might be called the "logical approach." You have to "speak its language," which is what a professional hypnotist is trained to do.

Hypnosis and self-hypnosis are awesome tools for transforming your perceptions in a healthy way. There will always be problems in the world we cannot do much about, but we do have a large measure of control over the Hypnotic I and its response to them.

P.S. My free Dealing With Difficulty E-Course shares some amazing ideas on how to become more resilient and confident.

Is This Everyday Activity Getting You Down?

There is an excellent chance that you are doing it right now. In fact, I would bet on it. It is an everyday activity that may be aggravating your levels of stress and pessimism. Have you guessed what it is?

In the late 1800's pioneering psychologist William James put forth the idea that if you assume the physical posture associated with a particular mental state, you will begin to experience it.

For example, if you stand or sit tall with your shoulders back and put a grin on your face, your mood will most likely brighten.

The posture associated with pessimism and sadness is best illustrated by Rodin's sculpture The Thinker (see below)

Hunched over, eyes cast downward, this is the body language of defeatism. As the body slumps forward the breathing becomes restricted and shallow, which does your health no favors.

Your body may naturally assume this pose when you are troubled. However as Dr. James pointed out over 100 years ago, its a two-way street. The posture can create the mood as well.

As you may now have guessed, the common activity I mentioned at the beginning is the time we spend looking down at our smart phones and computers.

Professionals who deal with muscular and skeletal problems such a chiropractors and physical therapists use a new term, "text neck," to describe the effect excessive slumping and a forward head posture has on the body. 

So in addition to any physical problems excessive computer and smart phone use can cause, be aware too it may be having a negative effect on your mood and mind as well.

What can be done?

• Observe good posture habits when using your phone or computer. Make sure you are not having to hunch over and have the screen closer to eye level to keep your head and neck in good alignment. Make sure your chairs and desks are "ergonomically" correct. 
• Take frequent breaks to walk around. 
• Explore yoga type exercises that involve back bending to improve your posture.

Remember that the division between mind and body is for the most part an arbitrary one, you have to care for all aspects of your being. 

Is the Past...Past?

"Insight is the booby prize of life" -David Levy, psychologist and author

A question that comes up occasionally with prospective clients in my hypnosis counseling practice is whether we have to extensively explore their past in order for the them to achieve their goals. Is it necessary to drift back in time and "set things straight" ?

This belief comes from the field of "psychodynamic therapy."  Figures such as Sigmund Freud insisted that present problems of thought and behavior had their origin in childhood experiences, the memories of which were often repressed from conscious awareness. The process then would be to reconnect to those memories, create an awareness of how the negative patterns came to be and that once you have this knowledge in your conscious awareness, you can resolve them. In this model Insight=Healing.

However, there is little evidence that this is an effective approach and actually it has the potential for harm. One danger is the phenomena known as "false memories," where a suggestible individual begins to "remember" events that didn't happen, especially if the therapist asks leading questions. Quite a few individuals had their lives ruined by accusations made because of false memories of abuse that never took place except in the accuser's imagination.

Another pitfall to consider is that what is called "repression" may actually be a healthy coping strategy-that there can be some very good reasons to push negative memories out of conscious awareness. Ponder this: if remembering trauma was curative, post-traumatic stress (PTS) would simply heal itself quite rapidly since the person is repeatedly experiencing the upsetting event as if were happening now. PTS is really a problem of remembering too well.

So as a rule a very small percentage of my interactions with clients involve exploring the past. One exception is having them retrieve some good, empowering memories so we have some positive anchors to work with-and you would be surprised how many people seem to have repressed those!

But what if you are carrying around a lot of negative memories and imprints-what can be done?

Current thinking suggests that while you cannot alter the past, practices such as mindfulness and self-hypnosis can help you learn to live more fully in the present moment. Thanks to what is called neuroplasticity, with some persistence you can rewire patterns and associations in the brain that may be keeping you tethered to a negative past. The past does not have to determine your future!

If you have any questions, I'm here to help. Feel free to connect by calling (732) 714-7040.

Is Hypnosis Real?

"I don't believe hypnosis is real," huffs the smirking, uber-skeptical guy, "I only go with established scientific facts and I think its all just a farce for the hopelessly gullible."

Over the years I have encountered a number of such individuals and get the impression that they derive a certain smug satisfaction out of being a buzz-kill! Yet in the past decade enough cutting edge research has been done in neuroscience that pretty much shuts down the argument that hypnosis is somehow fake.

Of particular note is an article published by Stanford University "Research supports the notion that hypnosis can alter perception" that details how modern brain imaging techniques prove that the same areas of the brain "light up" when someone is actually performing a given visual task or when a hypnotized person is asked to imagine it.

This type of research involves the use of PET scans, which can provide real time data on the the blood flow to particular regions of the brain. This increase or decrease of blood flow to those structures indicate whether they are becoming more or less active.

In other studies it has been shown that while hypnotized volunteers and a control group both showed activity in the somatosensory cortex (which processes physical sensations) when exposed to a painful stimuli, the activity of the anterior cingulate cortex (which modulates suffering-the emotional response) decreased in those who received suggestions related to pain reduction.

In the 1700's Ben Franklin sat on a French panel that was investigating the controversial healing claims of Franz Anton Mesmer, considered one of the founding fathers of what we now call hypnosis. Mesmer maintained his powers stemmed from what he described as  "animal magnetism" -a mysterious force that he was able to channel into his patients to cure their ills.

In the course of the inquiry Franklin came  to disagree with this explanation and eventually concluded that the healing effects were due to something going on in the patient's imagination. Flash forward 200 years and neuroscience not only agrees with this but proves that just because something is imagined, it doesn't mean its not real!

Hypnosis has been around in one form or another for thousands of years for a reason, it works. Its just nice that science is catching up and validating its effectiveness. Never underestimate what your mind can create, whether it be for good or ill. What would you like to create?

Do feel free to connect if you have any questions, I'm here to help! The office telephone number here is (732) 714-7040.

P.S. If you find this sort of thing interesting, do sign up for my free online Mind/Body Healing Course. 

A Hypnotic Healing Trip to the Beach-New MP3!

I just created a new MP3 audio program entitled, "A Hypnotic Healing Trip to the Beach" that you can download for home use.

Over the past 20 years I have used a number of ocean related images in my hypnotic inductions because:

• For many people the ocean evokes a sense of strength, healing and relaxation. 
• I am from a beach area, so it kind of comes natural to me.
• Even for people who live near the ocean, sometimes its hard to make the time to get there.

A Hypnotic Healing Trip to the Beach evokes comforting imagery and is accompanied by soothing ambient music and natural ocean sounds. It culminates with teaching an easy to use self-hypnosis cue that can be used at any time or place.

The program is about 14 minutes in length, long enough to guide you into deep relaxation yet not so lengthy that it would interfere with your busy schedule.

The investment in A Hypnotic Healing Trip to the Beach is just $2.97 If you wish to instantly download a copy, you may do through the link below.

Hypnotic Healing Trip to the Beach
$2.97

Trump's #1 Chakra?

In preparing for my upcoming class on Hypnosis and the Chakra System I began to wonder what the energy level of Donald Trump's solar plexus chakra would be? I suspect he would say that it is, "HUGE and FANTASTIC!"

In Eastern cultures it is believed that there are circular centers of subtle energy known as chakras (from the Sanskrit word for wheel) that are located throughout the body-with the major ones following a path from the base of the spine to the crown of the head.

Just as you can see that white light contains every color of the spectrum when you pass it through a prism, it is believed that the energetic field of the body manifests itself in different wavelengths too. The various organ systems of the body and their related mental states are thought to be represented by a specific frequency and color in these circular structures.

Either an excess or a deficiency of energy in a chakra is thought to create problems in mind and body.

For example, the heart chakra is said to be green in color and relates to our ability to give and receive love. An imbalance here is theorized to possibly play a role in cardiac problems as well as interfering with the quality of our relationships.

The solar plexus chakra is associated with the color yellow and relates to ambition and the claiming one's personal power, something Mr. Trump is clearly quite comfortable with. Then there are those who might suspect he has an excess of this solar plexus energy-and I'm sure he would argue rather pointedly that he is totally fine and then some!

Whether you believe in the subtle energies of the body or not, at the very least a study of the chakras encourages us to seek inner balance and to be aware of those aspects of self that need strengthening.

If you would like to learn more, please consider attending the class on Wednesday, October 21 @ 7 PM in the second floor conference room at my office building in Point Pleasant Beach. You can learn more or register through the link below.

Class Info Page

The Hidden Observer and Suffering

What can a blind psychology student tell you about the way hypnosis may help you to reduce the suffering associated with life-changing health problems such as chronic pain or tinnitus?

Many years ago a respected psychological researcher named Dr. Ernest Hilgard was conducting experimental hypnosis sessions with his students. As described the book he co-authored with his wife, Hypnosis in the Relief of Pain (1994, Brunner-Mazel, 2nd edition) Hilgard stumbled across a phenomena he dubbed the "hidden observer."

"My subject was a blind student, experienced in hypnosis... Once hypnotized, he received the suggestion that, at the count of three, he would become completely deaf. His hearing would be restored when I placed my hand on his right shoulder.

An associate and I then banged some large wooden blocks together, close to the subject's head, but he did not react to the sound. He was completely indifferent to our questions.

One student asked whether some part of the subject might be aware of what was going on. After all, there was nothing wrong with his ears. I agreed to test this and said to the subject, "Although you are hypnotically deaf, perhaps some part of you is hearing my voice and processing the information. If there is, I should like the index finger of your right hand to rise as a sign that this is the case."

The finger rose! The subject immediately said, "Please restore my hearing so you can tell me what you did. I felt my finger rise in a way that was not a spontaneous twitch."

His curiosity piqued, Hilgard said he would explain later. He told the student, who was still hypnotized, that there was a hidden part of his mind which knew everything which had happened. Hilgard then gave the suggestion that when the student's arm was touched, the hidden part would become conscious.

"Sure enough, when I placed my hand on his arm, he could report exactly how many loud sounds had been made, what questions the class had asked, and what I had said that caused his finger to rise."

Further investigations led Hilgard to conclude that there was a part of a mind that observed experience but did not respond to it.

For example, after hypnotic suggestions are successfully delivered for pain relief the hidden observer is still aware of and processes the pain stimuli at some level, but the experience is blocked from conscious awareness which reduces the suffering.

This hidden observer phenomena is also theorized to be the reason why hypnosis cannot make someone do something that is against his or her moral code.

In conjunction with appropriate medical care, hypnosis can help relieve the suffering of life-changing health challenges. If you would like to learn more, a free, confidential phone consultation is available by calling (732) 714-7040.

Back to School Stress?

As the summer season is winding down here at the Jersey Shore, I am reminded of my younger years when hearing the term "back to school" filled me with a certain dread-although as a parent it now creates quite a different emotion!

A small amount of back to school anxiety is normal as all the unknowns about the coming year such as "what will the new teachers be like?" or "will I be able to handle the work?" can challenge your child's confidence level.

Yet in some instances the child's level of stress gets to the point where it becomes a major problem and interferes with quality of life at home and school.

Over the years I have enjoyed working with students from middle school up to college age when it comes to academic-related stress for two major reasons.

First, younger people are naturally imaginative and this allows them to much more receptive to experiencing the process of hypnosis.

Second, learning about self-hypnosis and mindfulness is a tool that can serve a person well for the rest of his or her life.

I often wish I had learned earlier on in life that:

• The unconscious mind automatically acts out patterns, images and beliefs whether they are good, bad or neutral-so you need to be careful what you dwell upon!
• That the unconscious mind reacts to vividly imagined experiences as if they were real. The good news is that the same mental dynamic that provokes fear and stress can also create calm and confidence-you do have a choice. 
• The basic tenet of mindfulness: learning to be more in the moment and realizing that as long as I am breathing, right now I am OK.

Please feel free to connect if you have a younger family member who could use some help in developing relaxation skills and greater self-confidence by calling for a free, confidential consultation at (732) 714-7040.

Your Life Sentence? PARDONED!

Now just to be clear, I am not referring to the kind of life sentence carried out in a scary super max state prison by those deemed by the courts to be a danger to society at large.

No barbed wire, metal detectors or cavity searches here!

Rather lets look at the sentence about your life. Actually I'm sure you have many of these sentences. 

"My name is Jim and I'm from New Jersey" is a fairly benign and accurate one in my case.

Some life sentences can be downright awesome.

"I have a natural talent for numbers."

"I hardly ever get sick."

"I am a lucky person."

Then again some life sentences are pretty awful.

"I have no willpower."

"Everything I touch turns to crap."

"People don't seem to like me."

The thing about these life sentences is that if your unconscious mind hears them often enough, especially with strong emotion, it will accept them and carry them out automatically. The unconscious mind does not care if your life sentences are positive, negative or neutral.

The good news is that you can grant yourself a full pardon from your negative life sentence by the use of affirmations. 

This where you turn around the negative statements as if it were opposite day and intentionally deliver the message you need to hear.

Example: "I have no willpower" gets flipped to "I persist and I succeed." 

Affirmations can be a stand alone technique or combined with self-hypnosis or guided meditation.

Another option is to write down the positive statements where you will see them often. 

Please feel free to connect if you would like to learn more, call (732) 714-7040. 

Self-Hypnosis and Mindfulness Meditation

On Tuesday, July 14, 2015, I will be leading a class on Mindful Self-Hypnosis. Students will be learning a combination of self-hypnosis and mindfulness meditation techniques that can enable you to cope better with stress and to alter unhealthy habits and responses.

Hypnosis and self-hypnosis basically involve giving positive input to the unconscious, automatic part of the mind that acts out patterns and images whether they be good, bad or neutral. Quite often we unwittingly take on negative beliefs and live our lives in accordance to them. 

You may be less familiar with mindfulness meditation, although it has received significant positive attention in recent years as it used in several major medical centers to help alleviate pain and anxiety. 

Based on Eastern meditative techniques (although not a religious practice by itself) mindfulness essentially involves learning to be more fully in the present moment. 

Virtually all stress and anxiety occur when we leave the present moment and either: 

• Dwell on negative events from the past which cannot be altered at this point or
• Project fear and worry into the future about things that may but probably won't happen.

When we abandon the present moment for these negative flights of fancy we get tangled up in a stressful train of thoughts, where one negative thought leads to another to yet another. In short time we are stressed even though nothing bad is happening right now.

Usually in the present moment we are OK and mindfulness meditation has several methods to bring us back to the now. 

Paradoxically, when we are mindful we can become more effective problem solvers since we are operating from a place of strength rather than fear.

In my hypnosis practice I have found that the principles and techniques of mindfulness blend perfectly with traditional methods of hypnotism.

If you would like to learn more about the class on 7/14, please visit lhttp://njhypno.com/nj_hypnosis_classes_id125.html

Full Confession: I Have a Record!

I've been wanting to tell my readers that I have a record for quite some time, but it has taken me awhile to complete it. (What kind of record did you think I had?)

The Creative Calm Self-Hypnosis Library consists of three hypnosis sessions that you can instantly download for use at home:

• You Better Sleep: your sleep quality has a direct bearing on your mental and physical well being. This track uses intentional relaxation and guided imagery to help you unwind and create a welcoming place for sleep.
• Fly Comfortably: the fear of flying often curtails people's travel plans. On this track a mindfulness-based approach is used to help you detach from fear along with traditional hypnotic suggestion and mental rehearsal. Can be used before and during a flight.
• Relaxation Training: imagine being able to control stress from within, rather than waiting for the outside world to change. Here we use progressive relaxation and hypnotic suggestion to control stress. Self-confidence is also addressed since this tends to inoculate a person against responding as strongly to stressful situations.

All tracks are accompanied by gentle ambient music that enhances the relaxation effect. The tracks are available for purchase singly and as an album through the link below. 

http://bit.ly/1LPZ8Xn

Hypnosis and the Fear of Flying

With summer vacation time soon arriving, many people have getaways planned. Yet some folks curtail their travel plans due to a fear of flying.

This is a problem I have worked with successfully in my hypnosis practice over the past 20 years. And you might be curious why hypnotism might be the route to take in order to become a more comfortable flier.

The fear of flying is one of those situations where the conscious mind "knows" that commercial flight is in fact the safest way to travel long distances. (Don't take my word for it, you can look up the statistics. It's way safer to fly to Florida from New Jersey than drive, not to mention much quicker.)

Yet if you personally have the fear of flying you realize that all the "logical" arguments or reassurances do little to diminish your fear response. In fact they can be a bit annoying as basically the person is calling you irrational.

I'd be willing to guess that it is highly doubtful that you developed a fear of flying through a deliberate and conscious process. Instead it is a response your learned unconsciously that became an automatic response. These types of responses are exactly what a professional hypnotist deals with.

There are various process involving hypnotic desensitization, training in self-hypnosis and mindfulness techniques that can greatly increase your comfort level when it comes to flying.

A free, confidential phone consultation is available to discuss this further, the number here is (732) 714-7040.

P.S. I will be soon releasing an mp3 audio program that deals specifically with this issue, be sure to subscribe to my Creative Calm online newsletter if you wish to be notified when it is available, you can subscribe by Clicking Here.

NJ Hypnotist James Malone on Mental Rehearsal

Numerous authorities have stated that visualizing your goals can help you achieve them. However, research by psychologist Gabrielle Oettingen indicates certain conditions have to be met as "wishful thinking" by itself is only part of the equation and can actually be counter-productive as a stand alone practice.

Simply picturing yourself as successful may be a pleasant and relaxing experience. Yet it also apparently sends a message to your subconscious mind to not put forth the necessary energy since the goal seems to be a "done deal."

What has been found to work is a process called "mental contrasting" where you a) visualize your success and then b) imagine carrying out the necessary action steps.

Let's say you wish to drop some unwanted pounds and inches. A self-hypnosis practice might involve these steps:
 -Intentionally relax the mind and body (my 7 Minutes Stress Buster mp3 will teach you this process for free) as it increases suggestibility.
-Dwell on an image of yourself at your ideal size, shape and condition, spend about 30-60 seconds with this step.
-Next, move on to a 30-60 second "movie" of the action steps you will be taking to make that happen such as healthy eating, exercising, etc.
-Count from 1 to 5 to return to everyday waking consciousness.

 Mental contrasting is one of several self-hypnosis techniques I enjoy teaching my clients. If you would like a free, confidential phone consultation, call (732) 714-7040 as I am here to help.