This year-end episode allows you to hear about the goings-on inside The Morpheus Clinic for Hypnosis during this highly unusual year. We’ve had to make a number of adaptations to serve our clients during a global pandemic, and not all of the changes are temporary or detrimental. Hear how we’re using technology to deliver high-quality hypnosis straight into your home.

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In this episode, we introduce Nicole Druken as the new co-host of The Hypnosis Nerd, and we have a conversation about how meditation relates to and differs from hypnosis.

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Although the word “hypnosis” was only coined in the 1800s, the use of verbal and non-verbal suggestion dates back much further than that. Many hypnotists claim that Egyptian sleep temples, for example, were early examples of hypnosis.

In this episode, Luke is joined by Daniel, a moderator on the /r/hypnosis community on Reddit, who has investigated these claims by reviewing original sources. Daniel is an amateur recreational hypnotist, which affords him a perspective that’s free from the commercialism and seriousness of professional hypnotherapy.

We discuss reasons why hypnotists are often considered disreputable today, different eras in the history of hypnosis, the origins of common misconceptions and much more.

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In this candid (but tasteful) conversation about erotic hypnosis, Luke Chao interviews Bruce Anderson about his personal and professional experiences using hypnosis to elicit erotic pleasure, especially with female subjects.

We discuss erotic hypnosis as a little-recognized “third genre” of hypnosis, consensual power exchange, better orgasms, healthy (as opposed to toxic) masculinity, benefits and methods of overcoming shame, and much more. This is the longest Hypnosis Nerd episode yet, but the content makes it absolutely worth a listen (if you’re over 18).

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In this episode, Luke Chao interviews Ed Fernandez, a stage hypnotist and certified consulting hypnotist, about his long and storied career. A mainstay of the Canadian hypnosis scene, Fernandez has been performing shows around the world for decades, often with well-known names in entertainment.

In this hour-long episode, we discuss the differences between stage hypnosis and hypnotherapy, whether volunteers on stage are faking their performance, hypnotic phenomena, emergency hypnosis, Fernandez’s wildest story, and much more!

For more information, visit his website.

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While the world’s quarantined during the pandemic, we’re filming The Hypnosis Nerd episodes through online videoconferencing, featuring dialogues between Luke and a selection of outside guests.

The first of these guests is Charlotte Brammer, a registered psychotherapist and certified hypnotherapist based in Toronto. She specializes in trauma and anxiety disorders, using modalities such as hypnotherapy, EMDR and equine-assisted therapy.

In this hour-long episode, we discuss the state of the world today, trauma, bad therapy, hypnosis, personal lessons, animals, the future of mental health and much more.

You can contact Charlotte through her practice, Living Clarity.

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We rushed this special episode to keep our clients informed about how to safely continue with their sessions during the current pandemic scare. Even though your next concert or vacation might be cancelled, your hypnosis sessions don’t need to be. Here’s a summary of the episode, which answers your questions about tele-hypnosis:

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Answering the question of “Does hypnosis work?” is more complicated than answering whether a drug or operation works, because of the client’s active involvement in the process. The short answer is yes, but in this episode, we attempt to answer the question more thoroughly.

In other news, The Hypnosis Nerd is now on iTunes, Google Podcasts and Spotify. For regular updates, subscribe using your favourite podcast aggregator!

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This episode of The Hypnosis Nerd takes a closer look at The Results-Based Hypnosis Manifesto, a statement of principles that Luke wrote when he opened his hypnosis practice in 2006. The purpose of this manifesto is to clearly state what he believes good hypnosis should entail, and it is these principles upon which Luke has built his practise. This article summarizes the discussion.

It is important to note that hypnotherapy is not a homogeneous practise. Luke strives to focus on results based in the present and future opposed to exploration and discovery of a client’s past. Results-based hypnosis cuts through unprovable methods of hypnotherapy and provides a practical framework for helping clients get results with hypnosis.

Point One: Reality trumps theory. Reality is constantly fluid and changing such that there is no one framework for every client, even if they present similar issues such as smoking cessation. This is because hypnosis is a subjective experience, and there is no universal solution for everyone. In this way, it is important to be flexible and change with the client as they encounter change. The art is to see the client in front of you while being able to adapt to any feedback as necessary.

Point Two: Your experiences after hypnosis are more important than your experiences during hypnosis. More specifically, how a client feels between hypnosis sessions and after their sessions with Luke are over. Expect to be pushed out of your comfort zone with results-based hypnosis as it challenges you to become a better and happier person. It is crucial for a client to be able to temporarily suspend their analytical mind in order for them to internalize what is being suggested while they are in hypnosis. However, relatable and accurate ideas must be suggested in order for real change to occur. 

Luke’s aim is to give clients concentrated positivity and clearer thinking that is validated in the external world. Moreover, he no longer believes that is it necessary for the client to face difficult memories to experience change; it is possible for the client to receive benefits from hypnotherapy without digging into their past or closely examining their problems. This way, it is easier for the client to remain relaxed throughout the entire session. Luke used to first attempt to unravel a clients problem before delivering solutions, but today he wants clients to recognize that the truth is better than what their fears tell them. That we are still safe despite all of our fears. 

Point Three: The hypnotist’s job is to help you get from point A to point B and it’s up to you, the client, to define those points. For this third point, Luke uses Uber as an analogy. He needs to first know the pick up as well as the end point. Like any credible Uber driver, Luke must look out for obstacles and detours to be able to efficiently navigate through arising challenges in order to reach the destination safely. While this might include occasionally taking a detour, he always keeps the clients end point in mind. 

Point Four: The hypnotists plans are only useful until the clients plans thwart them (but that’s part of the process). This part of the Manifesto explains why hypnotherapists who follow a script will not be able to adapt to ongoing circumstances with a client. It is best to be able to respond immediately and effectively without a pre-planned script because there is no “one size fits all” program. It is best to extract a variety of knowledge from a number of different schools, organizations and teachers for a hypnotist to develop better methods of thinking. If a client has no models for healthy thinking or behaviors, it is Luke’s job to give them that extra layer of thinking. Occasionally, he might have to change up the “route”, but that doesn’t prevent him from getting to the clients destination. This is why it is important to be flexible in order to adapt to the changes the client makes. Continual feedback from the client is also critical for a hypnosis session to be successful.

Point Five: Being a hypnosis client shouldn’t require a leap of faith. Luke does not believe in putting clients in a fantasy world of visualization in order for them to feel better; much of his job is to point out truths that are reassuring, comforting, inspiring and motivating. By truths, we are referring to realities a person can see over and over again in the external world which apply universally to all human beings. Hypnosis boils down to an opening of the clients mind while the practitioner effectively communicates a number of better ideas than the client thinks when they first walk in. The implementation of better ideas and attitudes is what causes change to occur. 

Point Six: Practitioners succeed by being more flexible and resourceful than you are. It is necessary for a hypnotist to have something counteracting every limiting belief or perspective a client holds in their mind. A results-based hypnotherapist remains highly flexible and responsive during a session while keeping an eye on the final goal. However, if a client has more ways of keeping a problem then the hypnotists has to fix the problem, the client will not be able to benefit from hypnotherapy. Our anxieties take us out of a world of peace and calm, but sometimes if we take a deep breath and slow down, we realize our current reality more than likely isn’t all that bad.

Point Seven: Insight into your problems leads to elegant change. This point has evolved over the years as Luke’s current thinking on this topic has changed. In the early stages of his career, Luke practised under the model that the client gaining their own insight is what caused change to happen. The hypnotist was a facilitator but did not actually lead or guide the client. Luke’s modern approach now is that people do not find good solutions by looking closely at the problem. We find practical solutions by looking at people with clear thinking, or people who have a similar problem the client has but deals with it with a healthier attitude. Luke still believes insight into a clients problem leads to elegant change. Today, Luke sees himself as the source of insight rather than looking for it in the client’s thinking or past as this produces faster results with fewer sessions. After another 10+ years of practise, Luke believes a single session will probably be typical for a client to overcome their particular issue.

In conclusion, Luke has iterated upon these ideas he had at the age of 23, and he has made some changes based on his previous thinking as well as the way he currently conducts hypnosis sessions. Luke reminds us that good epistemology matters, which refers both to Luke seeing the client in front of him and as accurately as possible deducing the cause of their problem. The closer we are to reality or gaining insight into universal truths, the less neurotic or anxious we become. Fundamentally, it would appear this manifesto has held up over time, and these seven points are still relevant to Luke’s modern-day practice.

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The Hypnosis Nerd is a new interview-style format that we’re using to share our latest thoughts about hypnosis. For our first episode on The Hypnosis Nerd, we were joined by Luke Chao and Kim Gray to discuss hypnosis as an art form, what it feels like to be hypnotized, and Kim’s first experience with hypnosis. This article summarizes the discussion.

In this episode, we learn that hypnosis is a state of mind where the client becomes more open to accepting new ideas, attitudes, perspectives and new ways of thinking which is facilitated by the practitioner. In other words, the client opens their mind to the words the practitioner speaks while they are in a hypnotic state, and the use of language affects how the client perceives their particular issue or current life circumstance.

While hypnosis can be a relatively quick and effective treatment for many individuals, it cannot always be a solution for everybody. Like with any practice involving human change, there are some people for whom hypnosis would be the long way around. There are two factors one must take into consideration in order to determine whether hypnotherapy will be beneficial for them. First, can they be effectively hypnotized, and can they be hypnotized in a first session? Second, once they are hypnotized, that’s not the end. Can the practitioner then come up with a set of messages or attitudes to communicate to the client while their mind is open in order to reasonably predict they will benefit from the session. At The Morpheus Clinic For Hypnosis, our Client Care Coordinators assess new clients’ suggestibility when they first come into our office for a consultation. This suggestibility exercise is an objective measure to see to what degree a person can be affected by the words the practitioner speaks.

It is important to note that relaxation can be thought of as a learned skill. People interested in the idea of being hypnotized can increase their chances of entering a hypnotic state by focusing on letting somebody else’s voice guide their thoughts and feelings. This can be practised and developed, similar to learning the piano or mastering a sequence of yoga poses. While it might be difficult to suspend normal analytical thinking at first, our clients can engage with a variety of sample sessions on our YouTube channel to sharpen this skill.

Much of what Luke practises today deviates from what is often seen as the usual practise of hypnosis because of the ongoing client feedback he has received over the past 15 years. Clients at our practise have expectations for relatively quick results compared to psychotherapy or counselling such as CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), and most individuals can expect to notice benefits after only their first hypnosis session. Luke looks for ways to be more efficient with time so he can minimize the number of sessions with each client. Over the years, Luke has discarded much of what he has learned and has drawn from other disciplines such as Epistemology (the study of knowledge: how do we know what we know? What confidence can we have in our beliefs?). Every suggestion Luke makes can be validated in the external world, not just in the near future, as he speaks to universal truths which deviate from unattainable reality worlds. An example of a universal truth would be, “you deserve the same kindness that you give to others.” At The Morpheus Clinic For Hypnosis, we proudly guarantee high quality work in addition to refunds should a client feel dissatisfied with the results. In this way, Luke can proudly say he practises differently from other hypnosis practitioners.

The idea of the unconscious mind being relevant to the practise of hypnosis was also explored. Luke indicates that while the unconscious mind can be relevant, exploring it would be similar to peering into a dark room; we cannot ascertain with certainty what is in there. When we put aside the unconscious mind, solutions end up becoming more practical and more noticeable by the client through realistic verbal suggestions. Hypnosis is simply not as practical of an approach when you take the unconscious mind into consideration.

Another question that is commonly asked by new clients is what can one expect to feel when they are in a state of hypnosis? Individuals are all unique as we come from different backgrounds and histories and thus will have different subjective experiences. That being said, what the majority of experiences have in common are the following: an inward focus, a distorted feeling of time passage (usually time feels like it’s flying by), most people report feeling either heavy or very light, and a feeling of deep relaxation. At The Morpheus Clinic For Hypnosis, we strive to consistently create a feeling of support, where clients do not have to think, plan, or look ahead. Instead, they let Luke’s words guide their thoughts and their feelings.

In Luke Chao’s “The Skeptic’s Guide to Hypnosis,” the idea of hypnotic depth is examined. Hypnotic depth is mainly just a metaphor and does not refer to a state of relaxation. Instead, it refers to the ability to deeply accept increasingly unusual, even bizarre, suggestions. Depth scales will have a list of hypnotic phenomena (things that happen during hypnosis); on lighter levels, the suggestions are fairly easy for people to accept (ie. eyelids are so relaxed that they don’t work). Later on, to test for a deeper level, suggestions like “you’ll try to raise your arm but find out you can’t. Your arm is like a block of wood.” If you try to lift your arm it stays exactly where it is, perfectly still (although, this is harder to accept). In even deeper levels, people can hallucinate or have an eyes open dream (for example, imagining a cat that isn’t really there). In other words, hypnotic depth refers to giving people suggestions they normally would not accept, and see if they will accept them while they are in a hypnotic state.

There is a lot of misinformation in the media about what hypnosis is and isn’t. It is crucial to remove the mysticism out of hypnosis for clients to ascertain a better understanding of what they can expect before pursuing future hypnosis sessions at our practise. Luke explains hypnosis in ways that does not require anyone to buy into any new beliefs. For example, you do not have to believe anything new to understand that words can affect how you feel, or to believe you have the capacity to open your mind to well spoken words in the right context. Luke is a humanistic, empirically minded person who sticks with universal human thoughts, values and belief systems, as well as rational inquiry.

Another common myth that lingers in misinformed media sources is the idea that you have to be weak-willed or gullible in order to be hypnotized. This comes from the idea that being hypnotized is a process in which both parties are not willing participants, where someone can be easily tricked or manipulated by the hypnotists’ suggestions. It is important to realize that entering a hypnotic state can only occur when the client is willing and open to participating. Luke enforces already known truths to his clients; for example, smoking for the first time is always a personal decision.

Sometimes it is recommended that a client begins with psychotherapy before pursuing hypnosis if they have underlying psychological issues. Generally speaking, the average client only requires a handful (no more than 5) of hypnosis sessions, while the average psychotherapy client will attend sessions for months or years. Psychotherapy is more of a dialogue between patient and therapist, while hypnosis can be seen as a monologue from the hypnotists to the client. Hypnotists specialize in delivering verbal suggestions, while psychotherapists want their clients to realize their own insights by coming up with their own answers. In this way, hypnotherapy can be regarded as more solution-focused as it addresses a given problem in the present moment without exploring its origins.

To wrap up the first episode, Kim explains her first experience with being hypnotized by Luke Chao. She mentioned how it felt similar to an out of body experience, and that her body felt very heavy yet deeply relaxed. When Luke describes how hypnosis is like being half awake and half asleep, Kim mentioned how that was a very accurate description. Luke and Kim then compared hypnosis to guided meditation, most relatable to a pose called Savasana in yoga class where the instructor guides you with their words and puts you in a state of deep relaxation. Kim noticed feeling physically lighter after the session was over, while she walked out of the office. Hypnosis can be accurately described as a massage for the brain which is generally more effective than solo or private meditation. When you meditate alone, you are going into your mind without an experienced guide, and this can present more challenges and discomforts.

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