Fun with FAQs

Hey friends!

We're continuing our journey to explore Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanic Counseling. If you're just joining me on this trek, welcome! The journey started a few weeks ago but don't you worry! Each episode stands steady on its own while also building on each other. If you enjoy this episode, I invite you to listen to the last few, where I dive deeper into these topics. My episodes are short bite-size insights to feed your soul.

And for those of you returning, welcome back! We're more than halfway through this journey! Today is a sampling of questions I'm frequently asked. I imagine at this point, you have questions and hope I cover them here. If not, DM me on Instagram @Sparkpath. This is a topic I could talk about for days, and happy to answer your questions.

After today, we'll wrap up this series with two more episodes - ways to tell if this practice is for you and things to consider before entering a plant medicine ceremony. And as I say that - I need to emphasize that these two topics are distinctly different. Meaning, Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanic Counseling do *not* involve ingesting plants. Yet, I know plant medicine ceremonies are flourishing. So I want to share things you may consider before stepping into that sacred ceremony. 

Let's have some fun and dive into commonly asked questions.

What's the origination of Depth Hypnosis?

Depth Hypnosis is a counseling model developed by Dr. Isa Gucciardi in the 1990s. It blends Shamanism, Buddhism, Energy Medicine, Hypnotherapy, and Transpersonal Psychology. Depth Hypnosis has grown into a successful therapeutic paradigm with practitioners - like me - located around the globe. You can learn more about Isa and this healing modality at depthhypnosis.org.

Here's the thing. You do not need to divorce your current beliefs nor need experience or knowledge in these areas to benefit from Depth Hypnosis. Instead, it bends to and compliments your practices, beliefs, or spiritual background. 

Depth Hypnosis is a path of rapid transformation. It's a supplemental healing practice. It helps you quickly work through issues, so you access profound learnings with lasting results. 

What is Suggestion Hypnosis?

Traditionally, suggestion hypnosis is what you probably think of when you hear hypnosis. This approach gives you suggestions during the hypnotherapy. It teaches your mind to learn another way of responding to situations. 

Suggestion hypnosis entails a co-created guided meditation that's scripted for you. The meditation helps you reach a state of deep healing relaxation. From this place, you're supported in making the changes you're seeking. It also moves your conscious mind out of the way so new thoughts, ideas, and suggestions can surface in your subliminal mind. 

Let's unpack this a bit further. Suggestion hypnosis supports your inner work. It helps release your blocks and break down old patterns. This allows you to integrate new actions, habits, or practices that align with your intentions. 

So, let's say you have negative habits like smoking, difficulty sleeping or falling asleep, and managing your phobias. You may find suggestion hypnosis helps release those patterns so you can integrate new ones. 

What's the difference between Depth Hypnosis and Traditional Hypnotherapy?

When I say traditional hypnotherapy, I refer to suggestion hypnosis or Ericksonian hypnotherapy. Ericksonian hypnotherapy uses indirect suggestion, metaphors, and storytelling to alter your behavior. 

So. While Depth Hypnosis draws upon hypnotherapy, it fundamentally differs from traditional hypnotherapy. Depth Hypnosis goes beyond the surface level. It addresses the underlying issues beneath the issue, so you experience long-lasting results. When you remain at the surface level with the symptom as experienced in traditional hypnotherapy, you do not get to the crux of the matter. And when you don't resolve at the core level, you allow the problem to return or another issue to crop up.

What do you mean going inward, finding imbalances, and bringing healing?

An imbalance is the source of an issue in Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanic Counseling. An imbalance creates disharmony in your life and lives within your psyche. A symptom of an imbalance may be eating disorders, phobias, irritable bowel syndrome, to panic attacks. When you go inward and rely on your inner knowing, you go to the subconscious level of your being. This level holds your highest good as its sole intent. It's your Higher Self. Your Essence. 

When you work subconsciously, you see patterns and imbalances. And when you unravel and remedy them, you heal past trauma. And to heal past trauma, you bring compassion and light to restore imbalances so that you return more whole and aligned with yourself. This approach is not to relive the trauma. 

What is a Regression?

In Depth Hypnosis, regressions gently bring you back to the situations where the conditions contributing to the present-day symptoms originated. Those situations may occur in this current lifetime. Or they may be forgotten and occurred in past lives, incarnations, or even in your mother's womb. These occurrences usually are hidden in your subconscious mind. 

So when you're in a Depth Hypnosis session, you move into an altered state through a guided meditation. In the altered state, you access times in your previous lives. Then, you change your relationship to those conditions to shift present-day symptoms. The effect of this process is not re-traumatizing - but, instead, harmonizing. Following sessions include integrating the understandings that surfaced out of your regression work.

Will I remember the regression? 

Yes, you will remember everything as I guide you through the meditation. While in this relaxed state, you are at the helm and fully aware throughout the journey. You share your experience in response to my questions. And all you need to do is settle into your sovereignty. Allow yourself to receive the information you're ready to hold.

How does Buddhist and transpersonal psychology integrate with Depth Hypnosis?

Both Buddhist and transcendental psychology are rooted in Depth Hypnosis. One of the guiding Buddhist principles in this work is the desire to relieve human suffering. You are healable. You are healable when you examine your attachments, aversions, and misconceptions and how they relate to your problems. 

Transcendental psychology looks at the holistic self - beyond the ego and its spiritual evolution. It has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with the mind, heart, and soul. Instead, transcendental psychology looks at your identity, life, psyche, and cosmos. 

What's important to note here is that you do not need to be spiritual to experience Depth Hypnosis. You become more spiritual through Depth Hypnosis. 

Is there any science behind Depth Hypnosis?

Yes! In 2014, Dr. Joanna Adler, a long-time Depth Hypnosis Practitioner, completed a study. She examined the efficacy of Depth Hypnosis for Mood Disorders. The data confirmed that Depth Hypnosis decreases depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. The data also shows Depth Hypnosis increases the quality of life. See the show notes for a link to this study.

What is the difference between Applied and Traditional Shamanism?

Traditional shamanism is a manufactured term. It's intended to group many ideas, cultures, and traditions into one agnostic category called "shamanism." Yet, this ancient indigenous wisdom is unique across cultures and belongs to those cultures. And these cultures do not refer to themselves as shamanic. Instead, it's been a way of living and a healing method used by many people over the millennia. 

Applied shamanism synthesizes or blends essential practices of the earth-based wisdom that belong to indigenous cultures. I liken it to how Michael Harner and Paul Francis write about this in their authored books on this topic. 

I am not a teacher of these practices, nor do I claim to be. I humbly use applied shamanism in a therapeutic context with modesty and respect. I rely on applied shamanism as I hold the intent to help heal imbalances and preserve the well-being of the self, the Earth, and all beings. I depend on shamanic healing processes such as shamanic journeys, soul retrievals, power retrievals, and space clearings in my client practice. 

How Do You Become Your Own Healer?

Depth Hypnosis and Applied Shamanic Counseling sessions encourage radical self-responsibility. 

• You're engaged in self-empowerment through self-knowledge. 
• You establish a relationship with a part of you that has your highest good as its sole intent.
• You navigate your psyche through hypnosis, regression, dream work, meditation, and the shamanic journey.
• I help you interpret your subconscious material – your essence. 
• Together, we understand the obstacles creating disharmony in your life. 

And as you learn to be your own healer, you understand the obstacles creating disharmony in your life. You learn how to unravel and heal them. You become your own light on your pathway forward. 

To Wrap Up

Again, I could talk for hours on these topics. And I'm more than happy to take any other questions you have. I also invite you to consider Depth Hypnosis sessions yourself. Your questions will be addressed when you experience this healing modality. You see how it harmonizes your inner world, and you feel more alive and whole. 

So take a step forward in your healing journey, and let's have a conversation. Visit me on sparkpathhealing.com, where you can schedule a call with me. Or DM me on Instagram @SparkPath to drop me a message and connect. 

And, I'll leave you with that… 

See you in the next episode.