About Hypnosis

Hypnosis Defined: Hypnosis is a natural yet altered state of consciousness, characterized by focused concentration and a heightened receptivity to suggestion. It is a state which leads to controlled imagination.

Being hypnotized is like being absorbed in a good book or movie, or that feeling you get when you are in the midst of a really good massage. You are very relaxed, yet you are aware of what is going on around you. You are not asleep or “out of it.”

In this state, it is possible to make profound and lasting changes very rapidly, as the subconscious mind readily accepts new beliefs. Hypnosis demonstrates the power of our minds, and the power of beliefs unlike any other method known to us.

Hypnosis can help even when other methods have failed.

After nearly two decades of seeing firsthand the power of our own minds, I personally believe that hypnosis should be everyone’s first resort, not last.

Why mess around with the patch, gum, and vape when hypnosis can help you stop smoking in as few as two or three sessions?

Why spend months and years trying to overcome a fear of flying or of public speaking when hypnosis can drastically reduce, even eliminate these fears, in as little as three to six sessions?

Why struggle and be frustrated with weight loss when hypnosis can help you get off sweets and carbs in one or two sessions, and help you change your relationship with food? (Weight loss approximately 4 to 6 sessions).

Even if you struggled for years, and tried everything imaginable, hypnosis can help you achieve your desired results in a relatively short period of time.

It can literally succeed when every other method has failed.

Hypnosis is one of the most powerful tools we have available for change. It is safe. Effective. And powerful. The only side effects are beneficial ones–such as sleeping better, and feeling calmer and more at ease in general.

Once your thoughts change, your life will too.

Hypnosis demonstrates the power of belief. What we believe to be true, is true for us. If we can give the subconscious mind new marching orders, it will follow faithfully.

So if we can convince the subconscious that it no longer wants sweets or cigarettes, your behavior will follow suit.

Studies have proven that the subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between a vividly imagined event and a real one. This makes it possible to imagine and rehearse new behaviors and ways of feeling. Hypnosis is an excellent tool for changing core beliefs, attitudes, and ways of thinking. And once beliefs are changed, our reactions, responses, and emotions also change.

Hypnosis FAQs

Q. What is hypnosis?
A. Hypnosis has been defined simply as an altered state of consciousness characterized by focused imagination and a heightened receptivity to suggestion. Relaxation often accompanies hypnosis, but in fact is not required.

Q. How does hypnosis work?
A. While you are undergoing hypnosis, all extraneous data is shut out and the focus is on one goal or image. This intensity of thought and emotion has the effect of channeling all our energy towards change, cutting through limiting beliefs, and summoning powerful energies on our behalf.

If you think of the difference between the diffused energy of the sun versus the focused concentration of the sun’s energy into a laser beam, you have an idea of how hypnosis works. Your regular waking consciousness is the sun, your thoughts under hypnosis are the laser beam.

Q. Are there any side effects?
A. Only beneficial ones, such as sleeping better and feeling much happier in general. In fact, sleeping better is the number one side effect of the work that I do. Clients often report that their road rage is gone, their coworkers aren’t getting on their nerves like they once did, and they are getting more accomplished. Thousands of case histories testify to the fact that hypnosis is a safe, natural, and powerful technique for change.

Q. Can I be hypnotized?
A. YES. The vast majority of the population can be hypnotized. In fact, we all go in and out of hypnosis many times during the day. If you’ve ever passed your exit on the highway, daydreamed during a meeting, or lost yourself in a good book, you were in a light state of hypnosis. And a light state is all we need for most of the work that we do, including weight loss, smoking, overcoming fears of public speaking, and so forth. We do not need depth to achieve results.

With nearly 20 years in practice, I’ve only had a handful of clients who did not go into trance during the first session. However, often success was achieved in subsequent sessions.

So even if you’ve been told you can’t be hypnotized, don’t be too quick to believe it. Maybe your hypnotherapist didn’t use effective inductions or you lacked rapport with that particular practitioner. Or maybe you just need to have more patience with yourself and practice a bit more.

Q. Are some people more hypnotizable than others?
A. Yes. Hypnosis is a skill like anything else, and some people have more talent for it than others. But the good news is that everyone gets better with practice. That is why doing some self-hypnosis on your own is important. With that said, I have seen many people who have been told by other professionals that they couldn’t be hypnotized, only to achieve trance in our sessions.

Q. Can hypnosis help me?
A. While it is not a panacea, nor a substitute for medical or psychiatric attention, hypnosis has proven effective for literally hundreds of issues, from overcoming test anxiety and bad habits to overcoming procrastination and boosting test scores. So chances are excellent it can help you as well, whether you want to use hypnosis as your sole method of treatment or in conjunction with other therapies recommended by your doctor or therapist.

Q. What is the difference between meditation and hypnosis?
A. Hypnosis has been called mediation with a goal. Mediation is a quieting of the mind and is in itself very relaxing and beneficial. However, there is no goal, visualizations, or positive imagery. With hypnosis, we quiet the mind and relax the body, then add mental imagery, positive suggestions, and other techniques such as NLP or Parts Therapy. There is always a goal in hypnosis.

Q. What should I look for in a professional Hypnotist?
A. Look for a hypnotherapist who has received training from a state-licensed school and is a member in good standing of at least one professional hypnotist organization. Currently, there is no legislation requiring training in Illinois. In other words, anyone can hang out a shingle. So ask about qualifications. Even if someone has a certification, be aware that the qualifications for certification vary widely.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of Consulting Hypnotists that have only taken a weekend training course or worse, a home-study program. Often these practitioners are ill-equipped to serve their clients well. Remember, it is in your best interest to check out a practitioner’s credentials.

Besides training, other factors to consider include the number of years a hypnotherapist has been in practice, familiarity with your issue, and the rapport you feel with a particular hypnotherapist.

Q. What are your qualifications?
A. I am certified by The American Council of Hypnotic Examiners, which requires 250 hours of in-depth, supervised training by professionals. Both an oral and written exam must be passed to qualify, and participants must prove that they have a solid grasp of both basic and advanced techniques such as NLP, Parts Therapy, and regression techniques.

I am also certified by The National Guild of Hypnotists. The Guild requires about 100 hours of training. Both associations require that their members adhere to a Code of Ethics and keep their skills current with annual training.

I have been in private practice for almost 20 years, and have extensive experience working with a wide range of issues.

Q: Why choose Hypnosis Chicago?
A. All my sessions are live, personalized, and are designed to achieve maximum results in the shortest possible time. I listen very carefully to what you have to say, asking questions so that I can design post-hypnotic suggestions that are meaningful to you. I am very invested in seeing clients achieve results in as short a time as possible, and work very hard towards that end.

Over the years I’ve worked with thousands of clients, using a powerful combination of proven hypnosis techniques, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and when appropriate, Parts Therapy, age progression, and more. I treat each client as the unique, original individual that they are. That is what makes an individual, private session with Hypnosis Chicago so powerful.

How long is the actual hypnosis session?

Your actual hypnosis session lasts a full 30 to 35 minutes. I feel this is necessary for rapid results. This is a good question to ask your hypnotist beforehand, as many hypnotists will devote only 20 to 25 minutes to an actual session.

Q. What happens in a typical session? What can I expect?
A. During the session I will ask you what your main goals are, what specific thoughts, attitudes or behaviors you’d like to change, what seems to trigger certain behavior habits, and how your life would be better if this were not a problem for you.

You’ll be asked to give me a brief history of your behavior, anything that may have been a contributing factor, what makes the situation better or worse, and why you want to change your behavior.

Together, we’ll identify any self-limiting beliefs and determine specific goals for each session. Based upon my experience, I will offer recommendations for each session, but ultimately what I work upon is up to you. You determine what you want to achieve first. I like to incorporate some self-esteem and stress reduction suggestions in every session because research shows that when you are feeling better about yourself, it is just plain easier to lose weight, quit smoking, stop worrying and achieve your goals.

Q. How long does a typical session last?
A. Your first session lasts a full 90 minutes, or an hour and a half, so that we have ample time to go over your history, goals, triggers, and unique self-limiting beliefs. Your intake is important and will directly affect your hypnosis session, so we do not want to rush through this. Since it is a full 90 minutes, the fees may be higher than others whose session time is limited to an hour.

Subsequent sessions last approximately 50 minutes to one hour. Sometimes more time is required and sometimes less, depending upon several factors. The average time you’ll spend in hypnosis ranges from 33 to 37 minutes.

Q. Will, I be hypnotized even during the first session?
A. Yes. The first session includes actual hypnosis, as do all sessions unless you would like to just talk during your first session. Actual hypnosis consists of an “induction” or relaxation technique, usually followed by positive suggestions, mental imagery, remembering successful events, and possibly more advanced techniques such as NLP, Parts Therapy, or regression. Afterward, I’ll ask you what you liked, how you feel, assign homework, and discuss the next steps.

Q. Can I get a recording of my session?
A. Yes, and you have several options here. You can access your file via DropBox. This is a service that lets me upload your files and then you can access them on your own computer. Or II will burn a recording of your session on a CD for an additional $5.00. Or you can bring at least a 2 GB USB Flash Drive to your session so that you can download it on the spot.

Due to privacy concerns, iPhones and external hard drives are not accepted. Occasionally there are technical difficulties with the CDs or recordings beyond our control. There are no refunds for damaged or lost recordings. If there are any issues, notify me immediately to see if the file can be retrieved.

Q. How many sessions will I need?
A. There are no simple answers to this one. Each person and situation is different. For most issues I recommend starting with 3 to 6 sessions and then assessing your progress at that time. The only exception is smoking, which can be done in just two sessions. Remember, you may have spent years thinking and behaving a certain way, so it may take some time to achieve the desired results.

Prepare to make an investment in your well-being. With that said, you should experience some improvement even after one session. And sometimes this improvement is dramatic.

Q. What determines results?
A. The results you’ll experience depend upon many factors, including your readiness to change, what kind of rapport you have with your hypnotherapist, what inductions and techniques are used, and how good of a subject you are. Also, how regularly you do your own self-hypnosis also directly impacts the results.

Q. How do you work?
A. All sessions are live and personalized to your needs, goals, and unique challenges. Each session includes a complimentary CD. All post-hypnotic suggestions are tailored to you and you alone. That is what makes an individual, private session with Hypnosis Chicago so powerful. Often I feel I receive intuitive guidance to “go here now” that only happens under trance. My clients have told me time and again that “you said exactly the right thing for me, that was just what I needed to hear.” Or “How did you know to suggest that? It was right on target.”

In addition, I have spent a lifetime preparing for this work, studying psychology and metaphysics, since an early age. I have also worked through many of my own issues and so possess the understanding, insight, and compassion to help others heal themselves.

Q. Do you accept credit cards? Insurance?
A. Yes, I accept Visa, MasterCard as well as cash. Personal checks are accepted as long as I have a credit card on file. I do not accept insurance directly, however, your company may reimburse you. Check with your provider or employer.

Q. What are your fees?
A. The best value is to purchase one of the packages, as that lowers the per-session fee considerably. Please see my Rates and Policies page. I offer substantial discounts for 3, 4, and 6-session packages.

Q. How do I book an appointment?
A. The fastest and most convenient way to book an appointment is to do so online. Just click on the Book Your Appointment link. There you can see my schedule at-a-glance and reserve the date and time that works for you. If you book online, the system will ask for a credit card and will charge you in full at that time. If you prefer, you can call me and I can book the appointment for you. A credit card is still required to hold your appointment time, but you won’t be charged until you come in for your appointment. You can also use Chase Quik-Pay, and save $10.

Q. Can I call to book an appointment?
A. Yes, of course. But since I am often in session, I often cannot get back to you for 24 or 48 hours, so online booking will save us both much phone tag.

If you call, please leave your number first, as without an accurate number I will not be able to reach you. Also, if you do not hear back from me within 48 hours, assume that I did not get the message or am having trouble reaching you, and please call back.

I will make every effort to accommodate your schedule and see you as soon as possible. I look forward to working with you. You can also email me with appointment requests.

If you request an appointment via phone or email I will need a credit card to finalize your appointment. Without your credit card information, your appointment is temporary and subject to cancellation at my end.

Q. Do you have a cancellation policy?
A. Yes. Your appointment time is a contract between us. If you cancel without sufficient notice, someone else may have been deprived of that time slot. To avoid cancellation charges, you must cancel or reschedule within 48 hours or you will be billed in full for that session.

Questions? email me at

rlauer@hypnosischicago.com

for more information or schedule an appointment here.