PATCH BLOG: Relaxing Deeply

Okay, so when I think of somebody relaxing deeply I see Jimmy Buffet lyin’ around in a hammock somewhere in the Florida Keys surrounded by beautiful women in bikinis, waitin’ for the next $40 million check to roll in. If I’m super really, really relaxed, it’s not Jimmy; it’s me.

And dudes, for lack of a better word, let’s just call this happy place hypnosis.

Bet you’d be amazed by some of the awesome stuff that can happen when you choose to allow your own mind to send you to the Margaritaville of your choice. I’ll share a couple of examples.

Firstly, if I wanna find out something about Temple City politics or Temple City redevelopment and revitalization, all I have to do is open the Pasadena Star-News or go to the nearest available crime blotter. Don’t know about you guys; I‘ve got better things to do.

But it is sort of cool that thanks to TC’s having no trees, no retail, and no development since Disco, the city gets lots of news coverage from neighboring publications (There is no local paper but that development is totally unrelated to no local trees.)

Robert F. Kennedy once said, “Some men see things as they are and ask why? I dream of things that never were and ask why not?” On a personal level, hypnosis can actually help make some of those dreams come true.

Just think; if Temple City officials and planners got together and went to their happy place and conjured up some sort of vision for the town, then maybe the leaders, builders, managers, and doers would have the direction they need to move past things as they are (the Las Tunas freeway bordered north and south by swap meets with a west end tribute to swirling dust, dirt, and blight.) Shucks, if I relax deeply, I can even see…Monrovia.

Example #2: Only half of America sees a dentist on a regular basis and out of over 200 million U.S. adults, 75 percent express some measure of dental fear and up to 10 percent stay away from the dentist no matter what. Folks who have continuing dental care and manage periodontal disease live an average 7 years longer than the rest of the population. Hmmm, if only there was a way to get past the fear factor without drugs?

I was really interested in hypnosis when I was a student and it wasn’t just because I saw dreaded instructor Doc “wrath of” Kahn as he was and dreamed of a helpful, understanding personality that had never existed and asked, "why not?"

Nope, I’d never experienced anything in the way of medication or drugs stronger than a few lifetime Aspirin. And counter to some popular thought, I saw hypnosis as a possible way for retaining total control during comfortable dental care — without drugs. And I was right.

A couple of months ago, I saw a new patient who hadn’t been to the dentist in 13 years. He was very nervous, very knowledgeable and very frustrated. John, an executive type, was almost despondent about his appearance. It showed in his voice, his posture, and his words.

Even an exam was problematic because John gagged if we explored just beyond his lower front teeth. I knew we could help John with some Invisalign and a few non-invasive veneers if we could just get past a seemingly involuntary barrier.

I used what’s called the “temporal tap” creating a waking state level of suggestion. I lightly tapped the sides of John’s head, suggesting aloud, “There is no need to gag. You can do without gagging.” We did the exam and took x-rays. And it had been so long John couldn’t even remember his last successful dental visit.

We arranged one session with a hypnotherapist buddy from the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. John practiced his autohypnosis for about a week after his visit and things took off from there. John is on track with his Invisalign care and he’ll look like a million bucks within the next year or so (he already feels like a million bucks.)

We always reassure patients that they are in control at all times. They are the Spielberg of their own visit. Same goes with hypnosis. I can still take a 3-minute nap whenever I want. On a good day, I can numb myself with my little finger — but if you ask me to dance like a chicken, it ain’t happenin’.

Thing is, the only requirement for successful hypnotherapy is the desire for it. If you resist hypnosis, the process will fail. If you dream of things that never were and ask "why not?" some amazing possibilities can show up.

Just ask John.