In a quiet, dimly lit room, I observed a teen client snuggled comfortably beneath a blanket listening to Quinton's voice with eyes closed. The teenager was asked to imagine several scenes from a busy city to a serene forest. After a few exercises, they were asked to imagine a scenario they normally find stressful... taking an exam at school. 'Can you see the classroom?' asked Quinton Webb, a certified consulting hypnotist. The teenager nodded. By putting them back in a moment the girl found anxiety inducing, Quinton then redirected her emotions by encouraging confidence and positivity. It sounds simple, and yet what is buried deep in our minds and habits may take accessing our emotions to achieve some measure of change. Quinton says that humans actually develop their behaviors in the first seven years of life. Hypnosis is not parlor tricks or mind control, it is even acknowledged by the Mayo Clinic as a helpful and gentle form of therapy.
Quinton began studying and practicing hypnosis 5 years ago with the National Guild of Hypnotists. His background was in foreign language studies, and initially he was interested in using hypnosis to help students learn new vocabulary. Gradually, Quinton says he began to transition into doing hypnosis for weight loss, smoking cessation, and more. He became increasingly convinced of the many benefits and need for Hypnosis, including in children and teens.
Quinton says that unlike therapy which relies on dialogue between two people, "Hypnosis utilizes relaxation techniques to influence unconscious behaviors to help people make lasting change by instilling within them a deeper sense of self-confidence and a new narrative of who they choose to become." Often, says Quinton, we know where we need to improve but lack the self belief to change. Hypnosis helps you overcome this obstacle "by accessing the subconscious to view the world from a more positive narrative." You may wonder how hypnosis does this, or even what it actually is. Quinton defines hypnosis as "a state of deep relaxation achieved when someone is on the verge of falling asleep but still awake. In this state the unconscious part of a person's mind is highly impressionable and will easily respond to all suggestions or ideas that are given to it."
Quinton has said the results in his clients have amazed even him. "People who have worked with me have had a variety of success stories, including going from having a fear of driving so bad that they couldn’t go anywhere, to being able to drive not just surface streets but highways with a state of ease. Other stories include going from smoking for 30 years to not smoking for over a year," he says.
By using this guided visualization, a person can put themselves back in situations and circumstances that would normally cause stress and anxiety, however they then associate new feelings with these same experiences which can allow them to overcome their fears. This gentle redirection can be quite beneficial for teens who struggle with things like test anxiety or stress about the future.
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"It sounds simple, and yet what is buried deep in our minds and habits may take accessing our emotions to achieve some measure of change."