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Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, where we discuss all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves. I'm your host, Dr Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. To get more information and resources, visit the website at Therapy for Black Girls dot com. And while I hope you love listening to and learning from the podcast, it is not meant to be a substitute for a relationship with a licensed mental health professional. Hey, y'all, thanks so much for joining me for session forty five of the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast. I hope that you're having an amazing week I know that I am. I'm still riding the high for my trip to what kind of this weekend. I hope that each you also got your entire life at Black Panther or that you definitely will soon. While Black Panther is the musty movie that we're talking about this year, last year this time we were all likely discussing another very popular movie, get Out. This past Monday marked the one year anniversary since the release of get Out, so it seems fitting that our episode this week focuses on hypnotherapy. For today's episode, I'm Joined by Gina Golden. Gina is a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, speaker, trainer, coach, and author in Atlanta, Georgia. She received her Bachelors of Social Work from Temple University in nine and her Masters of Social Work from Clark Atlanta University School of Social Work in nine. She was trained in hypnotherapy in two thousand fourteen. Her holistic therapy ACTICE embraces a mind, body, and soul centered approach that focuses on helping clients discover their divine inner power to help heal their suffering. The therapeutic modalities that resonate with her are cognitive behavioral therapy and solution focused therapy. She uses mindfulness techniques and strength based approaches to hypnotherapy in her practice as well. Ms Golden's clients enjoy the complementary modality she incorporates in her practice, such as her training as Adula Ricky and Energy practitioner, Healing Crystals, aromatherapy, and neural coach leadership training to serve her clients. Gina is passionate about coaching and training pre licensed mental health professionals slay test anxiety to get licensed through the use of holistic and neuroscience based research. She is affectionately called the Inner Coach because her mission is to help people eliminate their inner critic and embrace their inner coach for a success. Gina and I discuss some of the common misconceptions about hypnotherapy, what kinds of concerns it's useful for, and she shares the details about what actually happens in a hypnotherapy session. Here's our conversation. Thank you so much for joining us today, Gina, thank you so much for having me, and greetings to you and your listeners. So I'm very excited to have you on the podcast to talk about one of your specialties, which is hypnotherapy. So can you start by giving us a definition of what the hypnotherapy is. Yes, So hypnotherapy is a very natural process, um, And what it is is um it's an altered state of mind. So it's it's a place where your critical factor in your conscious mind, UM it gets relaxed during hypnotherapy and they're more focused, focus and inner concentration, right, and so UM, I help my clients to kind of enter into this space. And and so most people can understand it in terms of being in a deeply relaxed UM situation where your body is relaxed, your mind is relaxed. And the reason why this is important is because it facilitates communication between our conscious mind and our subconscious mind. And so hypnosis, like I said, it's very easy. It's UM. Many of us are We experience what we call highway hypnosis where we're driving and maybe we're entranced by the white lines on the road or the yellow lines, or we just allow our unconscious to kind of drive for us in a sense where we don't have to think about, um, making the left turn or right turn. We just kind of do it automatically. And we then and then we end up at our destination and wonder, oh my god, I got home so quickly, or how did I get it to you know, the store, I wasn't even thinking about it. So on an unconscious level, UM kind of go into an altered state UM several times throughout the day. So UM hypotherapy is really just that process UM, and my job is to kind of help facilitate that process UM. And it is an adjunct therapy, so it's UH many times it's a complimentary complementary therapy to other therapies such as like CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy and other modalities. So yeah, so that's generally what hypnosis and hypnotherapy is. Okay, So what do you do to encourage this state? So with the driving example is excellent because I can, you know, catch myself doing that, like, oh, I don't even remember like what terms I made to get home because you of course take the same routes and it's just very natural. Um. So what kinds of things do you do in the office to like encourage us to get into that state? Yeah, so the key one of the key things is to, um, just explain to the client what is about to happen. So just giving them a lot of education and feedback about the process. First of all, it helps to um relinquish some of the anxiety about you know, entering hypnosis. UM. Until then, I would always ask the person to get into a really comfortable position for themselves, and for some clients that sitting straight up, you know, with their feet flat on the floor, but most of them are okay with lying down. So it's like an old school psychodynamic experience where you're laying down on the sofa, you know, with your feet up, UM, and other clients prefer to be reclined back in a reclining chair. UM. And then some of my clients take off their shoes or kind of loosen their belts a little bit, anything that's gonna get them, you know, physically relaxed situation. And then of course, UM, the lighting, the tone, the warmth of the office, you know, the comfortable you know, the comfort level in the space kind of helps them to kind of automatically start to feel UM, relaxed. So UM UM, you know, just would be talking with them and help them to UM, give them some good um feedback and some suggestions. Sometimes I do UM progressive months with relaxation or take them through a guided imagery experience UM. And all of that is called an induction. And so once they enter UM into this induction, which involves a lot of you know, slow deep breathing, UM, my voice, my tone will help them to relax deeper and deeper. And obviously for the words and musing and so it's really just a process of physically relaxing as well as mentally relaxing. And so once they relax, then we can go about the business of uh, the suggestive process and what happens in jing entire in the therapy session. Okay, then all sounds very like comfortable. I could imagine people probably almost want to fall asleep, Like when they get in this comfortable position and you're like everything's quiet, the lighting and maybe a little dim it feels like it would be very easy to fall asleep and not you know, necessarily we're gonna pay attention, so you get sure. Okay, some people do fall asleep, but I definitely bring them back, um to the awareness of the room and that and the reason why people fall asleep is because most people are just not really used to relaxing that deeply without going to sleep, because we just conditioned that we kicked off our shoes and we lay back. That's a position. So it's just a training of you know, helping to condition recondition them so that they don't know that I'm not sleeping, but I am like in a sleep state. Got you. Okay, So you mentioned that one of the first things that happens is a lot of education, um util I do want to hear more about like some of the misconceptions that people might have even when they come to you for hypnotherapy. Yeah, so there are a lot of misconceptions in Hollywood. Of course doesn't make that really easy for us, um. But some of the misconceptions is, you know, just fearing that it's mind control, you know. And I always tell them that, you know, hypnotherapy is not mind control, UM. And I encourage them to think, Hey, if anyone can control your mind, it's really you. Um. Hypnotherapy does not, um put you under a spell, right, It only relaxes you to be more open and receptive to positive suggestions and imagery, um, just so you can reach your personal goals. So that's what I let them know. Another thing, they think that they can get stuck in hypnosis UM. And so I always let them know that no one has ever really gotten stuck in hypnosis. In fact, UM, I let them know they can stop at any time. You know. I really want to encourage them if they have a lot of power in this process. So if they want to stop, they can simply tell me, hey, I want to stop. Guess what. They can actually open their eyes, they can sit up, they can they can do any of those type of behaviors. However, they typically don't because the feeling of being that relaxed and feeling that safe. They just don't want to like disrupt that experience. But just knowing that they can disrupt it and stop it um empowers them and makes them feel good. Another thing, or another misconception is that they will be madeful of themselves or do something weird right like quack like a duck or you know, bark like a dog or something like that. And I just encourage them that their ego is still intact. Right, So anything that they wouldn't normally do, um, generally, they would not do in this situation. UM. And that also another thing they think is, oh, well, what I tell you things that I don't really want to tell people, is it like a truth serum? And I say, no, it's not a truth serum. You know, like you, UM, you still have a choice in terms of what you share and what you don't share. UM. So it's no, it's no me you know, pulling things from you that you really didn't want to share in that moment um. You still have that part about you that's fully aware and that you just won't share certain things when you're not ready. So Gina, as you're talking a lot of this really sounds like, um, you know. And of course much of the therapeutic relationship is related to being able to trust your therapist and feeling like it's a safe space. But it feels like that there's an additional layer here because somebody is in such a relaxed state that they may be a little even more vulnerable and really have to have a trusting relationship with you for this to be successful. Oh. Absolutely, And that's why I don't typically do HI knows with a client with a new client right away, So I wait until we're several sessions deep before we start engaging in that because I'm very clear that I want them to feel safe with me. I want them to feel safe in my environment, and I never want them to have any experience like the get Out movie or anything like that where they just are terrified and new trembling and they're you know, they're shifting and nervous, because that can happen. But I get a lot of calls from people saying, you know, what are you gonna do? How is it gonna feel? You know, Um, I'm nervous. You know, my friend told me to come, but I'm afraid. So safety and fear relaxing. All of that is just key to a successful relationship between the hypotherapists and the client because I kind of I tell them, you know, we're we're traveling on this journey together. So I'm sort of now, I don't want to open up, ohle um follow eggs here, but I sort of go through my own and transmit at the same time. So I'm right there with them. You know, it's not me with all this power and all this control. It's us together, traveling together. So you mentioned UM get Out, and you mentioned that Hollywood doesn't typically do us any favors when they portray hypnosis on the big screen, and so I know for a lot of people, Get Out will be their most recent experience with seeing like hypnosis UM in a movie, and so it probably freaked a lot of people loud. You know, you talked about getting stuck, and he of course got stuck in the sunken place, and so I just wanted to hear your thoughts about how you thought hypnosis was UM portrayed in that movie and like the accuracy or inaccuracy of those scenes. Yes, okay, so uh so stage hypnotis and the media, especially the Hollywood, especially Hollywood. Of course, you know, they've exploited a lot of these UM, general fears that we kind of all have about hypnosis and hypnotherapy. UM. And it's for their own entertainment values, and I get that, But what it did is, UM, it continues to perpetuate, UM, this misunderstanding about what what it is that I do and other you know and the other hypnotherapists do. UM. And it's sort of part of our American psyche now, the culture of of our psyche in terms of how we think about hypnoses and where we automatically go to and we think about that UM. And so the movie Get Out, you know, again, this further perpetuates this depiction of false stereotype of hypnotherapists taking control over someone's mind. So while it's entertaining, it's incorrect UM. And of course I think with people of color as a whole other layer, because many of us UM generations back and even current day, we tend to be more skeptical of UM the medical professor and right mainly because of our history of being misled, misdiagnosed, or untreated by medical professionals. And so again, the hypnotherapist kind of falls under a mental you know, it's a mental health professional, someone that has your best interests at heart, and so a lot of people of color are just fearful in general about you know, seeing a medical doctor, a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist, and now a hypnotherapist. So um, so basically, Um, in the movie, the main character, you know, one of the biggest things that stuck out for me was he was just simply unwilling. He was an unwilling participant. And the mother of the of his girlfriend in the movie, I mean, she took it upon herself to start asking him questions about his cigarette smoking, and she you know, kind of got him in there and got him engaged about his cigarette smoky, but he very apprehensive right at the start. And then gradually she started talking about his childhood and um, you know, brought up some memories about him waiting for his mother, you know, and he was he was obviously distressed by it, but she kept pushing and kept taking him to a place that he did not want to go. So that part right there, um loved me, you know, the wrong way, because that is not a truth depiction of a hypnotherapist. Like if a client is distressful about a particular topic. I'm not going to push them into talking or exploring that area, not in that moment, because they obviously, you know, don't want to explore that. And so you have to be a willing participant, right, you have to decide that you want to, um, explore this particular goal that you have for yourself. And so in that movie, he wasn't up to a willing participant. He did not identify particular goal that he wanted to work on. And on top of that, he was restrained, and he was isolated and he was held captive. So these are all the makings of you know what you don't do as a hypnotherapist. So although it was very funny and kind of scary and very entertaining, it just was not a true depiction of hypnotherapy. So teacups are typically not used as a part of hypnotherapy now, although I do have a teacup in my office that I used quite frequently because I love herbal teat and um, I was telling you earlier, my son. You know, a couple of days after the movie, I was drinking my tea and I was staring it so slowly and methodically and he was like wow, And I was like, what are you trying to hypnotize me? Of no, so that was a running joke. But so yeah, I would never use my my tea stirring UM technique to put someone into a hypnotic state. Thank god you. So what kinds of concerns UM is hypnotherapy typically good for? So that's a good question, UM, because hypnotis and hypnotherapy can really be used for a wide range of things. But it's most notably UM. UM recognized for smoking cessation for instance, or stop smoking UM, or losing weight or you know, gaining a healthy weight balance, which I like to say is a weight loss. UM. It's also great for UM types, different types of anxiety, even trauma, UM pain management. A lot of people who are having dental procedures, for instance, UM used hypnosis to help them through that process. UH. Sports performance, So I have a few clients that come to me there's UM. They they are athletes, and so I help them with hypnosis to help them to get to a special places they want in their sports performance. UM. A lot of stress management people come to a hypnotherapist to you know, manage their stress or reduce their stress. UM to improve their sleep UM and even digestive conditions like irrital bow syndrome. Like you know, the National Institute of Health littill UH study on the Little Bown syndrome and found that GEMO therapy it's very effective. Um. People come for a confidence building uh, relaxation, bad habits like biting their snails, UM, childbirths, hypnosis, and even test anxiety. So those are just a few of the things that people come UM seeking services for. Okay, so can you tell us a little more about what will happen then after you know, like you've done all the explanation and the education about what's going to happen, UM, what actually happens after you have them in the inductive state like you mentioned? Yeah, so what typically happens? Again, you know, their body uh tends to relax, so you may see their arms falling by the side, or their mouths might gape open. And some people cry, but not necessarily because of an emotional uh discharge. But UM, there's something that happens with our with our eyes called maclamation, where tears might just come just just because that's a physiological response. Sometimes uh, some people get really cool and some people get really hot. You know, some people jerk or move as they're kind of like discharging you know, some energy from their bodies, and others just to look and appear as if they're sleep and some people actually do fall asleep. So it ranges in terms of um people's responses, so um depending And I have a bunch of different techniques that I use. So depending on the technique that I use, um um, the client's response is different. So sometimes I'll have a very engaging technique where they're actually talking to me while still being in a very light trance like state, and so we're able to dialogue at that point, while other times they're they're listening only to my voice. They're listening I may have some soft music, um, and they're only listening to the sound and the monotony and the repetition of my voice and um. So yeah, so that's typically what happens. And then um, after they're fully relaxed and I get a sense that they're at a space where they're critical, their conscious mind is much more relaxed now and their critical factor is relaxed, then I start to infuse them with various suggestions. But we call this suggestion suggestion therapy. And these are always thoughts and ideas and conversations that we had prior to the hypnotic state, so that there is an agreement that what I'm gonna say, they're okay with that. So I never say things that they're like, wait a minute, I don't I didn't agree to that, or I don't like that, or that doesn't resonate with me. So I always want to check in and make sure that the words and the phrases that I use resonate with them, therefore they can receive it and be more open to receive it on a subconscious level. And then of course as we go through that process, I will count them out of the hypnosis um because I say out and in, I don't say they go under hypnosis. A lot of people say under, and so that feels like under my spell. I always say, go in, right, and so if I'm encouraging them to go in, then I count them out and so it's usually account to five, and then I let them know as I'm counting, I'm reincorporating the things that we talk about. I'm you know, filling their spirit up with like the energy, the empowerment to want to go out and begin to do these things, and then they slowly come back into the room, they get more aware. I helped them to kind of get an awareness of where they are, you know, what environment they're in. And and then I have them kind of stretched when they open their eyes, I give them a que to open their eyes, and I always have them stretched and smile. And then when they sit up, you know, I tell them instruct them to sit up very slowly. And because some people can really go away out, you know, almost have a dissociative experience where they kind of you know, get out of their body for a moment, and so I always want to make sure that they're fully integrated it and that when they sit up, I have them, you know, do a grounding technique where they just kind of get back into the space and then we talk about it and we processed with took place. So that's a typical session. Okay, So it sounds like a lot of what you're doing is really trying to kind of reach the subconscious, because I'm guessing that the thinking is, you know that there are some subconscious factors at play with some of the decisions that they're making, and you know, some of the behaviors that they may want to change. Oh, absolutely, absolutely, And oftentimes do we know that in talk therapy, you know, the client they're sitting right across from you, is very conscious, right, So everything they're alert, they're processing, they're using their logic, they're using their inductive reasoning and their deductive reasoning, and all their senses are on high alert, and so they're they're able to like there's a part of the conscious mind that filters um information in and out to to see if it's congruent with the subconscious beliefs that are a kind of going on underneath. And so with hypnotis, I'm just relaxing that part of their conscious awareness so that they can't dispute and push and block some of that information that they need to heal. Okay, sounds very interesting to you, know. So do you think that there are some concerns? Are some people who would not be a good fit for hypnotherapy? Oh? Yes, absolutely, So. For one, I typically will not do hypnotherapy for someone with a severe mental health concern, someone who may be psychotic or delusional. Um also people that may have a personality disorder. I find them to kind of be more resistive to this type of treatment as well as people with dissociative identity disorders because we really don't want to confuse them and send them down a road that they don't really are not prepared to go down, and so we don't want to deal with someone with the dissociative I think these disorder UM also people with intellectual disabilities, so because they require some level of insight and judgment, and so you know, people with intellectual disabilities are not really good candidates for it UM. And anyone who comes to me that it's forced to come or co earth to come, like oh my husband is making me come, or my sister told me I better come, or they came, and I'm just want to try it out. Those people tend not to do so well because they're not really coming from a place I want to do this. I'm at this place where I feel like this would be a healing modality to me. UM and also another not so good to it's someone who is extremely fearful of losing any level of control. So even though they don't lose control in this setting, if they kind of like if that's just part of their trait to always feel like I have to be really really really in control. And you know, this might be a person who just can't even meditate because they just can't like not close their eyes in a room of other people, or just have to be on highlert. Sometimes these people are not great candidates, although they can morph into that, you know, into a good fit over time. Once we establish a report and you know, establish the safety in the space, then they can you know, actually become a good fit. But if initially, if they're that way, then I wouldn't you know, I wouldn't go there. Okay, got you. So if someone feels like they want to work with a hypnotherapist and they feel like, oh, this might be something that would be a good modality for me to address my concerns, or there's certain things that they should be looking for in terms of like choosing a provider or their certain credentials or things that people should be mindful of. Yes, um so I think that a person who wants to do this, I think that they one should, um consider the commitment to the process. You know, ask themselves, you know, how much of a commitment am I willing to make? Because it's not really a one time fix. And if any hypnotherapist says that that I would I would be cautious that, you know, yeah, just come one time and your your problems are you know, resolved. That would be cautious about that. So I would suggest that the client consider their commitment. It's one of us ask that question of the hypnotherapist, like how much of the commitment, time, commitment, emotional commitment is this UM? And of course you know that along with that would be how many sessions do they think UM? Or does the hyplotherapist think that is a prescribed amount of sessions for that particular issue concern or problem um uh an absolute. The person that is seeking hypnotherapy should definitely enquire about training and UM, credentialing or any other types of experience that the hypnotherapist has UM and of course UM. The client might want to consider does their health insurance pay for this? UM? Is this something that they would have to pay out of pocket? Like who where does the payment come from? Is it their responsibility or an insurance responsibility? UM? And then I would also encourage them to ask the hypnotherapy for well, what is it that you specialize in or or what is it that you absolutely don't work with that way, you know, everyone is pretty much clear at the onset UM. And again, UM, I would caution people to be um very leerious someone who says, well, I could fix your problem in one session. So I just think that there is more involved with UM, with the process of healing than on session from immy modality can offer UM. And so just keep in mind that hypnotis certification is a voluntary process, so some states do require registration, while others have certain guidelines, and then some restrict certain usage of terms, like in some states you have to call yourself a hypnotist, in other states it's hypnotherapists. In other states it could be consultant hypnotis, consulting hypnotists, etcetera. So it's various titles. So UM, it's great for the client to kind of get a sense of, um, is this person using the correct title for the state in which I reside. Oh, that's really good information, Gina. I like that. So for anybody who wants to, you know, find more information about hypnotherapy or kind of maybe do some more reading or listening to information about hypnotherapy. Do you have any favorite resources that you want to suggest for people? Yeah, so a lot of the information is mainly geared towards professionals. But UM, but there are some information out there, such as the American Psychological Association have a wonderful article on hypnosis. UH. There's a YouTube video called brain Biology of Hypnosis and hypnotis hypnotize Ability by Dr David Spiegel, who's this like psychiatric UM psychiatry professor at Stanford University. And then I have a YouTube video called what to expect for your First Hypnotherapy session. So those three, you know, resources can help the person kind of get a better sense of what is hypnosis and what are what are some of the expectations perfect And like I said, I will include all of those industrials for people to be able to find that very easily. So is there anything going on in your practice GNA that you want to share with people and want to make them aware of? Yes, so UM, I am actually in the process of UH doing. Will offer individuals groups and as well as an E course on slaying TECHT Test Anxiety UM and it's the focus is mainly for pre licensed mental health professionals and I use a holistic approach to UM Overcoming Test anxiety UM. I also on my website, I love to share UM twenty three questions to ask your hypnotherapist before you set an appointment, So that's also on my website for someone to kind of UM have a resource so when they do call, they'll kind of know what kinds of questions to ask. And UM Also a couple of times a year, I offer a therapy group on slaying the UH, your inner critic and embracing your inner coach UM. So my slogan is, you know, playing your inner critic and embrace your inner coach for success. So it's a group of women and we meet UM for about six weeks and we kind of process that and go through a different UM healing mode realities alternatives healing practices to kind of slay that inner critics so that they can, you know, have a healthier lifestyle and what else. I have UM self guided CDs that I have on my website, and I also create customized CDs so if someone has a very specific concern, I will definitely UM be able to talk with them kind of establish with that concern or problem or issue is. And I can create a CD or MP three downloads so that you can listen to it in your own privacy of your own home and um uh deal with what your issue is. It doesn't replace going to see a therapist. But it's just a type of self guided self ignosis that you can use, um, even in conjunction with seeing a psychotherapist. And lastly, I have a mini workshop on test anxiety um. And it's just for people who are traveling with us on a cruise to Cute in the Bahamas. UM. So if someone is going on this cool with us in Ny then of course, um, they would get a mini workshop with me on test anxiety. So those are some of the things I'm working on right now. I think a book is coming down the pike and some workbooks. Um. But right now that's what I got going on. That definitely is a lot. GENA. It sounds like you're very busy. So can you give us the address for your website? What's your website? So? My website is www dot Inner Coach hypno Therapy dot com. In any social media handles you want to share, yes, So I'm on Facebook at Inner Coach a t L short for Atlanta. UM. And yeah, my website and the Facebook those the two primary social media platforms and of course I'm in the Therapy for Black Girls directory. You can find me and unto Georgia to say to Georgia, so yeah, perfect, Well, thank you so much, Gina. I really appreciate you sharing all this information with us today. Oh You're welcome, joy with a pleasure. Thank you. Gina was such a delight to chat with. I definitely learned more about hypno therapy than I knew before, and I hope you did too. Make sure to check out all the awesome resources she mentioned in the show notes, which can be found at Therapy for Black Girls dot com slash Session forty five. We'd love to hear if any of you have tried hypno therapy before, or if you feel inspired to check it out after hearing today's episode. Share your thoughts with us on social media by using the hashtag tb G in session. You can also tag our social media accounts where Therapy for the Number four b Girls on Twitter and Therapy for Black Girls on both Instagram and Facebook. This week, I also dropped the first installment of my weekly newsletter called Sweet Tea Sunday. This will be my opportunity to chat with you all outside of the podcast to share books and articles I think you'd like, shows that I'm currently watching, and important updates in the world of Therapy for Black Girls. If you want to receive future editions of the newsletter, make sure to add your information at Therapy for Black Girls dot com slash Sweet Tea. If you're looking for a therapist in your area, make sure to check out the therapist directory, which can be found at Therapy for Black Girls dot com slash directory. And if you want to have a place to chat about the episode with other listeners or to discuss other topics that are relevant to you, join us over in the thrive Tribe, which is our Facebook community. You can request to join at Therapy for Black Girls dot com slash Tribe. Please continue to share your love for the podcast by sharing it in your instant stories on Twitter and texting those who should also check it out, and if you listen to us on Apple Podcasts, please also consider leaving us a review. Thanks again for joining me this week. I'm looking forward to continuing this conversation with you all real soon. Take get care at Quiet after