How I spent my Spring Vacation: A review of hypnosis training at Kripalu.

So, I bet you are wondering what my trip to Kripalu was like.  This is the trip that I mentioned earlier, in which I stated that I was going to get hypnosis training.

It was pretty nice!

Kripalu (http://www.kripalu.org) is a yoga retreat center that is housed in a former Jesuit seminary in Lenox, MA.  It used to be an ashram, but now it is easier to think of it as a yoga spa.  Some of the nicer features of it are yoga classes for all levels, organic and vegetarian-friendly food for all meals (the meals were divine, and yes, I bought the cookbook).  The rooms were a bit small, but comfortable.  It had a sauna and whirlpool, as well as huge grounds, a cabin by the lake, and a labyrinth to explore.

The hypnosis training was by Steven Gurgevitch, Ph.D., a psychologist who works as a hypnotherapist in Tucson, AZ.  He has been teaching hypnosis for 30 years, and is the author of many books and articles on hypnotherapy.  His website is:  http://www.tranceformation.com/mainh.html.  We learned the basics of hypnosis at this workshop, including induction techniques, some basic applications, and ways to enhance the hypnotic experience.  I had 20 hours of education, which is about a third of the way to my credentialing in hypnotherapy, as offered by the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH–http://www.asch.net/Professionals/CertificationInformation/RequirementsCertificationinClinicalHypnosis/tabid/173/Default.aspx), which I will be joining and taking care of when I get a little more money (the trip to Kripalu was not cheap, sadly).  Steve was a very engaging educator and did a good job with teaching us the basics.

As far as my practice of yoga is concerned, I did a little bit of it while I was there–I was getting over a bout of pneumonia and wasn’t really up to much strenuous work.  I did OK, but I was clearly the novice in the group.  However, my instructors were accommodating.

I enjoyed the hypnosis training, and found that I am actually quite hypnotizable, which made the experience richer.  I found I was able to do some inductions and help others with going into hypnosis with relative ease.

I plan to start offering hypnosis to my current clients, but will really start advertising once I join ASCH and get a hypnosis supervisor, which should be soon.

A funny story from my trip.  I was playing my bagpipes out on the front lawn (I became a little bit of a celebrity during my stay there for my piping).  So I played a nice jig and then stopped.  Suddenly, there were these loud guffaws coming from the porch.  OK.  So I played a nice hornpipe, technically correct.  I stopped, and there were even MORE laughs.  I went up to the porch, and found that there were a group of people together laughing their fool heads off.  When they finished and were walking by me, I told them that in my 9 years of piping I had many reactions to my piping, but never one quite like theirs.  They started laughing again!  It turns out that they were doing something called “Laughter Yoga” http://www.laughteryoga.org/.  Oy.

Anyway, I had a lot of fun, but was ready to come back.  Besides, even though I successfully completed a vegan diet while I was there, I was glad to return to “normal food,” as the GI detox period to going to a vegan diet had me visiting the bathroom far too many times while I was there.

So, I would certainly recommend a trip to Kripalu the next time you consider a nice vacation somewhere.

Om.  Shanti, shanti, shanti.

What does Om Shanti mean? “Om” has no literal meaning. Some say it is the sound of the universe, infinity, the divine, or something like that. “Shanti” means simply “peace”.

If you want to see pictures, check out:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/album.php?id=1101603074&aid=60892.

You are feeling sleepy.

I decided after some time thinking about it to look into getting training in Clinical Hypnosis.  In May I will be going to a week-long seminar on Clinical Hypnosis with Steve Gurgevich at the Kripalu Center.  It will be half training and half vacation.  Why?  Because hey, I deserve it!

When I am done with the training, I will have completed the basic training in hypnosis.  I am using the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis as a certification path, so here is what that means.  They have 3 levels of training:  basic, intermediate, and advanced.  To be certified by ASCH as a clinical hypnotist, I will need to complete the basic and intermediate training (40 hours of training) and have 20 hours of supervised work as a clinical hypnotist.  Advanced training is for people who want to teach clinical hypnosis to other professionals.  When I finish my basic training, I will be able to do clinical hypnosis, and I plan to get supervision in it until the 2 years have passed and I have completed my other training to become a “certified” hypnotherapist.

What is nice about doing the ASCH certification process is that it is a well-recognized professional organization that has rather strict certification requirements.  In other words, I will be trained in clinical hypnosis, not snake oil peddling.

There are some interesting links out there about clinical hypnosis–what it is, what it isn’t.  See:

http://www.asch.net/Public/GeneralInfoonHypnosis/DefinitionofHypnosis/tabid/134/Default.aspx

http://www.asch.net/Public/GeneralInfoonHypnosis/MythsAboutHypnosis/tabid/135/Default.aspx

http://www.asch.net/Public/GeneralInfoonHypnosis/WhenWillHypnosisbeBeneficial/tabid/136/Default.aspx

http://www.asch.net/Public/GeneralInfoonHypnosis/HypnosisInPsychotherapyAndBehavioralMedicine/tabid/140/Default.aspx

I’ll be sure to let you know how the training goes.

First real yoga class.

I tried my first real yoga class today.  I say real in the sense that it was taught better than other ones I have had in the past.  If you can imagine a bowling ball doing poses, that was me.  I’m very out of shape, but I managed to make it through the class.  I’m trying to do this right and learn yoga from someone who knows what they are doing, not a tape or video or a class that is too large for some better instruction.

I felt MUCH better after the class and kind of rode a natural relaxed state all day.  It was wonderful.

There are uses of yoga for managing moods.  Here is a video with a yoga routine that purports to help with sadness in general.  I can’t vouch for it, but I submit it as an example of what practitioners try to do to help with depression.  Of course, the usual caveats about checking with your doctor first, etc. apply.

I am also reading a book on the treatment of depression with Yoga by Amy Weintraub:  Yoga for Depression.  So far it is pretty good, although I think it is better read by someone who has some expreience with yoga, as there is a bit of Sanskrit.  However, she writes in a clear way and it is quite understandable.  I am hoping to find pranayama (i.e. breating exercises) that may be helpful for some of my clients who are willing to try them in order to deal with depression.

Namaste.

Yoga may help with weight loss

http://psychcentral.com/news/2009/08/04/yoga-helps-weight-control/7529.html

The interesting thing about this article was that it talked more about one having a mindful (aware) approach to eating.  For more on mindful eating, check out http://www.tcme.org/mindfulness_practices.htm.

As for me, I tried yoga once.  It was scary.  I eat pretzels, I don’t emulate them.  Needless to say, it hasn’t been part of my own weight loss routine.  However, it may be helpful for others.