Meet Sean Wheeler, Certified Atlanta Hypnotherapist

Sean Wheeler is the most popular Atlanta hypnotherapist, appearing on CNN (see video below), Nancy Grace (forensic hypnosis), and Q100's The Bert Show (helping host stop smoking, and guests' relationship troubles). He is recognized as one of the leading experts in hypnosis, performing over 10,000 sessions for more than 2,500 clients.

1. How did you first become involved with hypnotherapy?

I actually graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, and my first job out of college was working with CNN. Within a couple years, I had my first opportunity to actually be on TV and anchor a sports segment. I decided to try a session of hypnosis to help with the anxiety I always felt in front of the camera, and needless to say, it went well!

Not only did it help me feel more relaxed and confident in front of the camera; it also helped my overall sense of confidence and well-being. I changed dramatically as a person during the next couple of years, so when I fell victim to CNN's layoffs shortly following the ill-fated AOL/Time Warner merger, I used it as an opportunity to study hypnotherapy full-time, and I became certified.

After getting hired by another department within Turner later that year, I built my hypnotherapy practice on the side until finally taking it full-time in 2007. It's funny, because since leaving my TV career, I've appeared on TV (and radio) numerous times as a hypnotist, and that initial experience with hypnosis is still helpful to me to this day.

2. What is the strangest fear you've helped someone overcome?

While I've worked on a wide range of odd and interesting fears and phobias (including the fear of vegetables!), my favorite story will always be the client who had a fear of cats. This was a 52 year-old woman who'd been afraid of cats since she was 19--so for more than 30 years. Her fear had been so intense that she wouldn't even enter a home if she knew a cat lived there. It dramatically affected her ability to go places and do things. 

The best part of this story is that I met this woman in my hypnotherapy class. So when I worked with her, it wasn't for money; it was for class credit! I asked if she'd let me hypnotize her because at that time, I was the proud owner of two cats. My thinking was "If this works, we'll find out right away!"

When she arrived at my home for the session, she checked to make sure that I'd locked the cats in their cages, in a separate, locked room, before she would enter. Two hours later, she was holding my cats in her arms, sobbing. Happy tears! She couldn't believe what she was doing, or that such a dramatic change could happen so quickly.

After she left, I did an enthusiastic "fist-pump" because it was at that moment I knew that not only did hypnosis work, but I also knew that I could be successful with it as a therapist.

3. Why does hypnosis work so fast?

Hypnosis tends to work more quickly than other forms of therapy because it's used to communicate directly to the subconscious mind. Most other forms of therapy utilize solely the conscious mind (or "will power"), where participants find change to be a slow and painful process.

When communicating only with the conscious mind, you're avoiding the real problem, which is the internal conflict that exists within the mind. Most of my clients know what they should be doing (i.e. stop smoking, eat healthier, etc), but there's an internal conflict between the logical and emotional minds that causes distress and frustration.

Hypnotherapy actually slows things down during the session itself in a way that allows the subject to really hear, receive, and process information without external distractions, and thus much more efficiently. Hypnosis also produces a deep state of mental and physical relaxation which helps individuals to think more clearly and subsequently make better decisions. 

But perhaps most importantly, by communicating with the subconscious (emotional) mind, hypnotherapy can end the internal conflict and produce an internal agreement that leads to immediate changes that feel natural and comfortable right away.

4. What's been your greatest success story in helping others with hypnosis?

Wow. It's very difficult to pick one specific story out of two thousand clients, but one story that comes to mind is a client (now friend) named Ann Russell. When she first contacted me, she did so by email because at that time, her anxiety made her incapable of making a phone call. She was also painfully shy and struggled to even make eye contact with people.

We met for an initial session, and while we discussed many topics (including performance anxiety), nothing particularly spectacular happened that day. But a week or so later when she came back for a second session, something spectacular did happen. It happened to be that rare week when Atlanta was hit with an ice storm, so when she arrived outside my then home office, her car got stuck on a steep incline and was slowly sliding backwards toward several parked cars.

I found this out when my phone rang. The woman who wasn't previously able to make a phone call was calling me for help! So I put on my best ice-walking shoes (!) and ran out to see if I could help her avoid disaster. 

When I got to her car, I took some cardboard boxes out of her trunk and placed them underneath her rear tires; she got a bit of traction and was able to find some dry pavement.

When we sat down to do the session, Ann was most amazed with how she'd just been able to communicate with me, think on her feet, and follow instructions. She told me that previously, her performance anxiety would have "shut her down" and essentially paralyzed her in such situations. 

We did a number of sessions that year over the course of 6-7 months, and the happy ending to this story took place nearly a year following our initial session, when she agreed to share her story in front of an audience of roughly 100 people at my annual World Hypnotism Day seminar. The same woman who had hidden in the back row and avoided eye contact with everyone the previous year was now standing in front of the room, holding a microphone, and talking about her experience with hypnosis.

It was the best endorsement I could possibly receive, and it still makes me smile just thinking about how much Ann has changed.

5. I see you are married with a beautiful little girl. How does your personal life impact your professional one?

Since my daughter Sienna is my undisputed #1 priority in life, I've actually structured my work schedule around spending as much time with her as possible. I see fewer clients than I could because there's no amount of money that can buy back the time I spend with her during these early years of her life.

But I'd have to say that the reverse of this question is something worth discussing even more. My professional life and experience as a hypnotherapist has had a tremendous impact on my personal life, especially as it relates to my daughter.

I've discovered through years of therapy that many of my clients' problems had roots in their childhood--specifically related to their experiences with their parents. Those who develop serious self-confidence or self-esteem issues often were ignored, abandoned, or abused by one or both of their parents.

It's become so clear to me that by the time Sienna was born, I already knew that I'd be sacrificing some financial success in order to be more present in her life. I'm comfortable with that, and grateful every day that I've made the choice to do so. I know from experience that with the right kind of attention and guidance, she's going to grow and develop into a confident, happy, and capable adult.

Thanks, Sean!

Meet Marilyn Redmond, Author

Marilyn Redmond was born in Seattle, WA and graduated from Western Washington University. She has three years of graduate work including the University of Washington, and she is a retired school teacher. She is also a candidate for a doctorate degree. Marilyn was ordained as a spiritual minister to do spiritual counseling along with instruction in healing, regression, past life therapy, and other related spiritual training. She continues to actively participate in courses and researches cutting edge information to help her clients.

Learn more about Marilyn by visiting AngelicasGifts.com.

1. Would you tell us a little bit about your books that are currently available?

I have seven books on Amazon.com available. Five are e-books for Kindle.

The Kindle books focus on overcoming the lessons in life from trauma, drama, and disease. Taking responsibility for my thoughts, communication, and actions as part of relationships or activities is the total answer to making the changes necessary for better results. These short articles are powerful, insightful and my experience in finding answers.

These books offer spiritual solutions to typical concerns of an awareness and personal growth. All Time Victim won an international writers contest. Peace on Earth: Finding Your New Life has original charts for showing the vibrations in our growth path. Vasanas: The Gifts that Show Us the Way was published originally on the internet to show that we can overcome our shortcomings and they point out what needs to change.

Incest: Love Heals the Soul shows that it is not necessary to remain a victim and give your power to those who steal your personality and soul. Forgiveness frees the victim from the guilt and chains to move forward in a new loving way. Spiritual Alignment: Are You Ready for 2012? is a book that answers the question: Can you master your emotions instead of letting the ego continue your misery and illnesses? The new energy coming to earth allows moving into a higher consciousness of love for the first time in thousands of years.

I would also like to share about my two paperback books. These are filled with more information and are valuable books for someone engaged in personal growth or a spiritual path. Roses Have Thorns is my own story of trauma growing up and married. The poems came spontaneously to me over time while I was taking a writing course. My teacher published them because she felt the book belonged in every reception area of a counselor's office. It chronicles my childhood into my awareness. People coming into feelings and expressing themselves from conflict find it validating. The fable Delusions or Dragons has a valuable moral. It is "Make friends with fear if you want to find success." I added illustrations that are also mine.

The Real Meaning of 2012, A New Paradigm for Bringing Heaven to Earth is a timeless book. It has received five stars from three readers and praise from more people. One woman wanted to meet me after reading it, and we worked this out. It is a simple explanation of the changing energy on planet earth. The book explains reducing the influence of the ego from right, wrong, judgment, and criticism for ascending into unconditional love of a higher consciousness. Leaving the darkness of the past into the light of goodness is on our doorstep to accept and enjoy.

My forthcoming book will be out by the end of the year. Paradigm Busters, Reveal the Real You offers the explicit information of how to raise your thinking, communications, and actions into a loving response, instead of reacting from the fears of the past. This book explains a universal principle in each chapter with illustrations, tools, and understanding of how to employ this concept for acting in a higher, loving approach to life. It shows that our lives are based in cause and effect. When the cause is changed, the effect is more productive and rational.

2. What inspires you to sit down and write?

My inspiration comes from responding to seeing people around me unnecessarily miserable, uselessly sick, and needlessly suffering in their life.

I am an international spiritual counselor, spiritual teacher, consultant, writer, and speaker. As an ordained spiritual minister for counseling, giving readings and also a psychic and medium, I have access to higher information from the Fifth Dimension and above. I channel from "Higher Realms" to provide answers that are important to bring reality to our lives. I use my own experience to present answers to life's problems that work.

I seem to be guided to write and share. When I see a need for sharing certain information, I seem instinctively to sit down and write information for the issue to find a happy resolution. It applies to all parts of our lives. I love doing it.

My work is on YouTube, my blog, Amazon.com, and my website, Angelica's Gifts. In working with my clients, classes, researching and consulting, I find opportunities to add truth to their information. Fear is the absence of information. People have been mislead, misinformed, and lied to for centuries about our lives and how they work in energy of the universe. I try to bring honesty, sincerity, and detachment to promote a happy and harmonious life for everyone.

3. How do you utilize your spiritual gifts/experiences to help others?

I utilize my spiritual gifts and experience through my many actives mentioned above as writing, consulting, speaking, and teaching. However, the gift of counseling that includes regression therapy, channeling, and giving readings is extremely valuable for essential and critical information. These bring hidden information from the altered state or meditative status for awareness for healing to occur. As a spiritually trained minister for counseling, I guide the individual into a healthy, loving resolution.

When a person chooses to move out of fear into a loving consciousness, real change can happen. I found that the basis for life on this planet is transcending fears and karma. This is possible for relationship issues, resolving childhood dramas, medical problems, and illness. In addition, I am on the board and internationally board certified to do past life regression therapy (IBRT). I am on the American Board of Hypnotherapy (ABH).

Emotionally, the bigger part of the iceberg below the surface motivates your life. Your subconscious runs your life. Old energy needs to rise above all fears. What you do not know about yourself runs your life. I help people become aware by releasing fear, so they can make healthy, rational choices for a peaceful and balanced life.

4. In your therapeutic work, how do you help clients to help themselves more fully in their own lives?

In my therapeutic work, I help clients by providing a model to balance life physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. They grow into maturity.

With balancing life physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, the past or future is not a concern, as living in the "NOW" is the only focus. I include using affirmations for a new mind-set. In addition, flower essences support emotional change to a higher consciousness. Physical health means eating non-toxic foods or drinking not toxic beverages to create a healthy vehicle for the soul. Prescriptions, all drugs, and addictive actions are released for a healthy heart. Spiritual change comes by meditation and spiritual material that supports trusting the universe to support you, rather than traditional experts, friends, or family. The clients become autonomous, empowered, and mature.

5. What else would you like our readers to know about you and your work?

I have spent my whole life experiencing hell and then through my awareness and desire to change, I found heaven on earth. It is my life dream to help others accomplish this through my experience and learning the truth.

I found there are many deterrents outside of ourselves that can stop our looking within for our own answers. Loving yourself you can then extend that love to those around you. Most people extend their fear to others not love. When the pains of growing out of the wounded child are healed, wholeness can occur. At this point, the real you can emerge into a life of peace, prosperity, happiness, and joy. The best place to be is in the presence of love. Today I am fearless.

Each day I say, "I am in joy. I am in gratitude. I am in the presence of God." This is reality. God did not make anything negative; therefore it is not real. The Great Reality is within when you release the obstacles emotionally from allowing your love to flow. This loving, unconditional love can flow through your physical life for health. Life is about giving. It flows out to others and returns in wonderful ways. What you give is what you get. What are you giving?

Thanks, Marilyn!

Meet Gayle Nielsen, Hypnotherapist and Artist

Gayle Nielsen is a Master Hypnotherapist based in Wisconsin who works with clients using cutting edge consciousness technology to shift their reality. Her life is her art--helping everyday people live their lives in new and more joyful ways. Her photography and digital art inspires both herself and others with new perspectives and possibilities. Visit Gayle online at perfectspirit.com, as well as on Facebook. The photos in this post were taken by Gayle.

1. How did you first become interested in doing hypnotherapy work?

I've been interested in the power of our subconscious mind and in helping others ever since I was a child. When I had the opportunity to make a career change, after years of working in a technical field for a large corporation, I pursued the training in hypnosis and other holistic modalities that allow me to really help my clients now.

2. What are some issues that you help clients address through hypnotherapy?

In addition to the usual things like smoking cessation, weight release, and stress relief, I love to do regression sessions with clients to help them resolve long-standing issues that prevent them from being truly happy with the life they are creating. I feel great when a client is totally amazed with the results we achieve together.

3. What is Matrix Energetics®, and how does it help people?

While it's not really possible for me to define what Matrix Energetics® is, I can say that I've learned a set of tools that make it easier for me to access my natural abilities, the same abilities that each of us has, to shift reality in what seems to be a miraculous way. It has been my experience that clients have had positive changes in relationships, careers, and health after an ME session. I've seen this in my life as well! And it happens in what seems to be a natural way, as if that wonderful thing that just happened has always been there, but just now is the client noticing it!

4. Reading your blog, it seems to me that your interest in taking photos also approaches photography as a metaphor. Would you tell us a little more about this?

Maybe, yes, a metaphor for life. When I notice something interesting and decide to photograph it, I’ve just taken a representative moment of that thing, from my perspective, with that specific lighting, through the lens of my awareness, to create a unique experience that I may be able to share with others. I share the symbol of that thing...not the thing itself. Isn't that what we do with our lives? We choose a series of unique moments of awareness, influenced by our seeming past, moving into the future, keeping the ones we want and discarding the ones we don't to experience, in the end, a complete work of art called our life. Sharing with others--optional.

5. What do you see as the relationship between art and healing?

I don't really like the word "healing." It assumes that there is a state of being "not well" from which we need to be healed. I don't believe that. What I believe is that we subconsciously, unconsciously, are choosing to experience everything in our life. Pain may be useful as a signal to change something. Creating art is an intentional process, as creating our life may be. It's a sharing of perspective and observations. The deepest pain has created some of the most meaningful transformations. Life IS art. Art IS life.

Thanks, Gayle!

Meet Patricia McBride, Author and Hypnotherapist

A practicing hypnotherapist and the author of How to Be Assertive, The Assertive Social Worker, and other self-help books, Patricia McBride has been teaching assertiveness skills for over 20 years. She describes herself as an "ex-wimp" who found the first assertiveness course she attended was a real life-changer, and she's been enthusiastically sharing these skills with a wide range of people ever since.

Learn more about assertiveness and confidence building at Patricia's blog, assertiveyou.com. And find Patricia's latest book on Amazon Kindle.

1. How did you first become interested in the topic of assertiveness?

Many years ago, as a newly qualified social worker, I found myself nervous of dealing with both my clients and my colleagues. I sometimes had to give difficult messages to my clients and, as I liked almost all of them, that was difficult. My colleagues were harder, though. I come from a working class family, where no one ever challenged professional people (or "toffs" as they called them). Suddenly, I was in meetings with doctors and other professionals, and I didn't always agree with what they said. Coupled to that, I was very shy about speaking out in meetings. Sometimes, I left meetings really kicking myself that I hadn't spoken out.

Luckily, my boss agreed to pay for me to attend a three-day assertiveness course. It was a fantastic experience that helped me so much. I have loved sharing the skills with others ever since.

2. What do you draw from to shape the stories about real-life situations related to assertiveness on your blog--from your personal experience, professional experience, or a combination?

When writing my books and my blog, I draw from a variety of sources. My own life, of course, but also stories told me my friends and stories I hear on courses. Naturally, I change the details and the names so that confidentially is respected.

I am constantly surprised how much difficulty in relationships is caused by lack of assertiveness. This can be anything from expressing your own wishes about how to spend Christmas or other holidays to saying "yes" or "no" between the sheets. And, of course, if everyone in soap operas were assertive, there would be no drama!

3. In your hypnotherapy practice, what are some difficulties you see people facing which relate to issues with having trouble asserting oneself?

I am a Cognitive Hypnotherapist as well as an author. I find that hypnotherapy clients sometimes come to me with problems that relate to assertiveness. For example, they may lack the confidence to do well at job interviews, presenting themselves too modestly. Sometimes they have to speak in public, and this leaves them fearful, especially if the message they have to give may not be well received. In these cases, as well as hypnotherapy, I teach them assertiveness and sometimes influencing skills, too. It is amazing how much improvement can be made in just one or two sessions.

4. What inspired you to write your book, How to Be Assertive?

Although I have a blog on assertiveness and run courses on the topic, I wanted to reach a wider audience. The skills are so important: they can improve confidence, enhance job prospects, even turn your life around. I hope that my book How to be Assertive will inspire many people to make the changes in their lives to help them lead the life they want. It is full of really practical ideas, and each chapter has at least one "Try this!" section. By trying out these suggestions, readers will get so much more from the book

5. Why do you see conversations as a key to gaining more confidence?

Conversations are key to assertiveness. We need to consider not just what we say, but how we say it, and how we look as we say it. It is estimated that 65% of the message that we give others non verbal. That is not just our clothes and hairstyle, but our body language. It is hugely important. Another 25% of our impact relates to our voice. Just try saying "I'm not happy about that" in an aggressive, passive, and then assertive voice, and you'll soon see how relevant this is. Yet the remaining 10% is also key. We need to be consistent, to give a coherent impression to the other person to be convincing. Body language and voice are both covered in my book.

Thanks, Patricia!

Meet Laura Rude, Author and Hypnotherapist

Laura Rude is an author, a Washington State certified hypnotherapist, and the founder of the website Postpartum-Living.com, a resource for new mothers and their families who find themselves dealing with postpartum depression.

Because of the immense number of women who struggle with the disorder and the devastating effect it has on new mothers and their families, Laura began researching the topic and bringing together information and creating a place to share stories and resources. Laura has worked with a vast number of clients in her hypnotherapy practice and witnessed how a natural and utterly side-effect-free therapy like hypnosis can benefit those suffering with various afflictions of both body and mind.

Laura is an avid student of the subconscious mind and has researched natural methods for dealing with depression, stress, and anxiety. She discovered that many new moms preferred a natural, drug-free approach to treating their postpartum depression but found little available to them. Through her extensive research, she has written a book called Creating Postpartum Wellness and created an easy-to-follow six-week program, implementing natural and holistic methods for combating this disorder. Her book is available on Amazon in paperback and for the Kindle.

Laura is married with one son and lives near Seattle, Washington.

1. When did you start your Postpartum Living website, and what has the response from readers/visitors been?

I began postpartum-living.com in May of 2011. The response from my visitors has been great. I began the site because I found a genuine lack of information and resources for women who wanted to implement natural remedies for overcoming their postpartum depression and anxiety. The moms who visit my site really appreciate it.

2. What particular insights have you gained into postpartum depression through your work as a hypnotherapist?

My work as a hypnotherapist is interesting and so rewarding. I work with many people struggling with depression, anxiety, fears, and insomnia, to name a few common issues. This has led me to understanding more about these issues and how using hypnotherapy and natural treatments can alleviate them. Many postpartum moms are affected by these issues.

3. What motivated you to write your book, Creating Postpartum Wellness?

I wanted to make all the research I had done and the information I had studied available to the moms who needed it and could benefit from it, so I decided to write a book of natural treatments and create a simple and easy-to-implement program.

4. In writing the book, how did you combine your perspectives as a mom yourself and as a clinician? Once you're a mom, you have a great perspective on many of these issues. Having experienced depression myself also allowed me to really empathize and understand on a personal level some of the feelings of despair and shame, as well as the stigma associated with depression. As a hypnotherapist, I was able to explain hypnosis and its effectiveness, and dispel some of the common misconceptions about it.

5. I'm thinking that natural treatments for depression must be especially important for breastfeeding moms, and I'm curious to know more: what are some of the benefits of natural treatment methods?

Yes, breastfeeding moms find natural treatments for depression valuable for sure--rather than taking pharmaceuticals. In addition to that, almost all of these natural treatment steps in the book can be followed in the privacy of a mom's home. I have found that many moms don't want to share their pain or shame with others--they just want it to end! This is a great choice for those women, as well as those who prefer a natural route to healing.

Thanks, Laura!

Meet Aaron Price, Hypnotherapist

Aaron Price is a certified hypnotherapist who trained at the Orca Institute of Hypnotherapy. He offers therapeutic sessions online via Skype, and he assists clients over the telephone and using MP3 audio recordings. He also sees clients in his office located in Abbotsford, B.C.

1. Why did you choose "Compersion Hypnotherapy" for the name of your business?

Compersion is a word first coined in the 70s to describe the feeling of being happy for the happiness of someone else. Many people consider it the opposite of jealousy which is why I chose it. I specialize in jealousy and fears.

Clients come to Compersion Hypnotherapy with a strong need to handle fear--whether they are nervous, shy, insecure, or phobic, or they have relationship fears like a fear of abandonment, inadequacy, being replaced, being alone and so forth.

With my particular style of hypnotherapy, I teach skills to my clients which they can use for life to better handle fear and replace it with things like confidence or compersion. I never really do anything to my clients, I empower them to do it for themselves.

2. How does hypnotherapy work via online and phone appointments?

For clients who are outside of B.C., Canada and cannot make it to my office, I offer sessions online. As long as you have a webcam with a built in microphone--which most laptops already have--then we can have a video call. It actually works just as well as sessions in person, and I have had some incredible successes across both forms of communication.

Basically we schedule a time to meet up on a program like Skype or Google Hangouts and at the predetermined time I'll start a video call. It is nice when clients show up a little early though so we can sort out any technical issues that might come up if they are unfamiliar with it.

3. During a free consultation with you, what will a client learn about hypnotherapy and how it might be an effective technique for him or her?

The easy answer is: Whatever they want to learn.

Almost everyone I talk to in the consultation has many questions. The biggest thing I do at this stage is answer them. No matter how wild or silly you think they are. Trust me, I've heard it all, so ask everything.

This is also a time for me to ask questions about your particular problem so I can determine what is needed to solve it. Every person is unique.

A consultation is a very laid-back appointment where I really have no idea what the client is going to bring to the table.

Sometimes they are skeptics and want me to explain hypnosis or demonstrate it, so I'll do just that.

Other times they are feeling anxious about seeing me, and I can explain to them how hypnosis is a natural state of mind we go into many times every day. Whenever a particularly gripping story or movie really draws you in, that's hypnosis. These people often do not want to experience hypnosis during the consultation or even during the first few sessions which is totally fine.

4. What's unique about the ways you are able to help people with hypnotherapy and the issues you are able to help them resolve?

My particular style depends on what the client presents. I do not believe in using "canned methods" or reading from scripts because nothing works 100%. Instead I am flexible and change my method to suit each individual client and each individual situation.

For example, I had a jealousy client who was unable to focus on any conversation for more than 30 seconds at a time. Apparently he had one of the strongest attention deficits I've seen, so before we could get any work done, I needed him to focus. I invented and taught him a technique he could use to control his attention span (and in fact use it to multitask better than anyone I've ever met). He was shocked by this and told me he had never felt such focus and mental clarity in over 50 years of living. Keep in mind this was all done in under an hour over Skype with a technique I'd never heard of. I simply adapted to the situation.

By staying empathetic and finding unique solutions, I have a 100% success rate as far as hypnotizing clients. I have never found someone who could not go into trance if we both wanted it to happen.

5. What do you find especially rewarding about your work?

Stories like the one above are rewarding because I can take a crippling lifelong problem and go beyond removing it--in some cases I can show people ways to use it to their advantage. I can help introverts be comfortable in public and have the choice to be sociable or not. I can save marriages.

Probably the most rewarding thing is teaching, though. When I teach a client to solve their problem, then it becomes a permanent change as long as they want it to be. I love giving people control over their lives when everything else has failed.

Thanks, Aaron!