Hypnosis and NLP
It is speculated that the human mind is something like an iceberg where we can see only what is at the surface; a whole lot of "unseen" goes into achievement, and often one of the best ways to accelerate achievement of any kind is to work with the subconscious mind.
Hypnosis
Many people have an idea of hypnosis based on what might take place on a Las Vegas stage show, where people fall asleep instantaneously or quack like a duck while later not remembering any of what took place. We promise that's not what we're talking about! We like to see our students awake, not asleep!
Hypnosis, strictly speaking, induces a mental state similar to that induced by deep meditation or relaxation, wherein the client remains fully conscious and can “come out” at any time. When the client is in a deep relaxed state, we will use language to get the client to visualize and sense the desired outcome, such as feeling calm and relaxed while taking the test. After that visualization, we guide the client to come out of the daydream state and back into the present moment. Hypnosis is used for imagining or rehearsing the favorable outcomes you want to achieve. You are training your mind for success.
Imagination is one of the most powerful assets of the human mind – so powerful, in fact, that it induces emotions, even when one knows with the conscious mind that the situation is unreal (for example, crying or feeling anxious while watching a movie). By extension, if an outside stimulus (that one knows is not real) can induce such powerful emotions, then one can "hack" one's consciousness and purposefully induce emotions, resulting in a calm mental state that manifests in confidence (and heightened chances of success). Yes, the common person's imagination is literally powerful enough to help create success.
Depending on the student's level of comfort and goals, we can also use hypnosis to uncover and heal any mental blocks he or she may have for learning. It is our experience that early educational trauma is the root cause of much academic difficulty (for example, "my first grade teacher thought I was stupid"). Such realizations often (but not always) come up simply by just talking. Yet hypnosis has a special power; once a student sees, with an older or more adult consciousness, the root cause of their insecurity, often the issue is erased simply by virtue of that awareness itself.
***Note: The use of hypnosis is a voluntary alternative practice and not considered therapy unless conducted by a licensed therapist. ****
NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming)
Don’t think about the big yellow bus! Ha-ha caught you! It’s almost impossible to NOT think about the big yellow bus even though you were just told not to. This phenomenon belongs to the field of NLP, and the above example highlights the importance and power of self-talk – subtly shifting language patterns of failure and frustration to victory and confidence.
The study of NLP was popularized by such motivational speakers as Tony Robbins who taught that what one says and thinks over and over does become a sort of neuro-cognitive "program." One can "pattern" oneself for success or failure. For example: "I'm bad at math!" "I’m not good at test-talking!" Such vocalizations may appear a harmless act of self-admission, yet REPEATED by self and even mirrored by others, these mantras manifest as a devastating reality.
We teach our students the power of positive thinking and positive speaking, and the results are incredible, often revealing a student who was "bad at math" actually to be "getting excellent at math" and "great at test-taking."