Seattle Washington Hypnotist
Roy Hunter

seattle hypnosis hypnotist roy hunter


Alliance Self-Empowerment, Inc.
2748 Milton Way, Suite 240 Milton, WA 98354
Telephone:(253) 927-8888
Web site:www.royhunter.com

I am very pleased to introduce you to Roy Hunter by way of the following interview. Roy is a well respected figure in the world of Hypnosis and beyond.

An established author of several widely acknowledged hypnosis books that are required reading in many Hypnosis courses and are on the office shelves of many hypnotists. Roy is also appreciated for his regular presentations at national conferences such as the National Guild of Hypnotists. It is at occasions such as these that many have come to meet him personally where he freely gives of his time to answer questions from everyone from beginning hypnotists to those experienced in the field.

His contributions to the field of Hypnosis have been formally recognized at several levels, including the awarding of two honorary doctorates.

ask-the-hypnotist.com: Hello Roy, thank you for sharing your time with us today. Please take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers and tell them all about your informative website, http://www.royhunter.com.

RH: Hello everyone. My website is entitled: Roy Hunter’s Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy. I am the published author of several hypnosis texts used in a number of hypnosis schools around the world, and have facilitated training programs and workshops in a number of different countries.

ask-the-hypnotist.com Thank you Roy. Now tell us if you will, how long have you been a hypnotist or hypnotherapist?

RH: I was originally certified by Charles Tebbetts as a Hypnotherapist in 1983, and have taught professional hypnosis since 1987. Prior to his passing, Tebbetts asked me to continue his work.

ask-the-hypnotist.com Could you describe to us what it was that actually got you interested in hypnosis as a career in the first place?

In 1978, when I was a stressed out manager for a major insurance company, a friend suggested that I see a hypnotherapist to manage my stress. The benefits helped me greatly; then five years later I enrolled at the Charles Tebbetts Hypnotism Training Institute in Edmonds (north of Seattle).

ask-the-hypnotist.com: What benefits or satisfaction have you personally experienced from being a hypnotist?

RH: It is satisfying to help other people. My life path is to help people attain their ideal empowerment, and to teach others to do likewise.

ask-the-hypnotist.com: Now Roy, I know that you have literally “written the book” on self-hypnosis and regularly teach on the subject. Are there any personal benefits you could share with us that you have gained from using self-hypnosis?

RH: Self-hypnosis has helped me manage my own stress numerous times over the years. Sometimes, in spite of best efforts, we have to deal with the unexpected setbacks that happen in life. While self-hypnosis alone might not change the present reality, it helps me to think with a clear mind in order to be better able to make good decisions during difficult times. It’s also like a mental muscle…metaphorically I can move a chair by myself, but I need help in order to move a couch. When I need to move a couch in my subconscious, or am emotionally attached to the outcome, I will ask another hypnotherapist to help me.

In other words, self-hypnosis helps with some goals; but there will always be a need for objective assistance from hypnosis professionals who are not emotionally attached to the outcome.

ask-the-hypnotist.com: What issues do your clients typically come to you for help with Roy? Do you specialize in helping people with certain issues?

RH: Over the years the majority of clients come for habit control (such as overweight and/or smoking cessation). However, other common goals are confidence, stress management, sales motivation, and help with fears and anxieties. On occasion (with medical referral) I’ve helped people manage pain with hypnosis.

For specialization, I’m well known for my work with parts therapy to help people overcome inner conflicts. Because of this specialty, as well as the rest of my work, many of my clients in recent years are hypnotherapists and hypnotists who travel hundreds of miles to see me either for hypnotherapy or for professional consulting in advanced techniques for their own practice.

I’m also available for telephone consulting (for a fee).

ask-the-hypnotist.com: Roy, from your reputation and reading the interesting cases you regularly describe in your newsletter I know that you have had many satisfied clients over the years. Is there one particular success story that you could select and describe to our readers.

RH: Some years ago a professional hypnotherapist who learned about parts therapy wanted a session for weight reduction. She had experienced several sessions as a client for this problem, but without lasting success. During the session I called out that part of her that caused her to overeat, as well as the part that wanted her to reduce. The overeater was angry at her for working too hard and never taking time for herself, while the other part of her motivated her to work hard in order to enjoy success. This motivating part also wanted her to totally stop eating junk food.

The two parts in conflict couldn’t agree at first, until a third part suggested balance and moderation in all things, including work as well as food. She could have occasional junk food in moderate quantities, but also work a few less hours per week and take some time for personal activities. Based on what emerged during the session, it became obvious that regression alone would not have been sufficient to help her.

Although the above story is not profound, I chose it because it is one of many examples of how client centered parts therapy often helps people make breakthroughs that previously elude them.

ask-the-hypnotist.com: I know from reading your books that you believe strongly in the concept of diversified client centered hypnotherapy Roy. Could you let our readers know what you mean by this and why it is so important in your approach to hypnotherapy?

RH: Many hypnotists endeavor to fit the client to a particular technique or “program” of techniques they either learned or developed. Diversified client centered hypnotherapy is based on two concepts:

  • the answers to the cause and resolution of a client’s problem can be found in the subconscious if we use the right techniques for that client; and
  • fit the technique to the client rather than vice versa.

It is also built on the foundation of using sufficient techniques to accomplish four important objectives:

    1.Suggestion and imagery.
    2.Discover the cause.
    3.Release.
    4.Subconscious relearning (or reprogramming).

Suggestion and imagery is again used to accomplish subconscious relearning after the cause is discovered and released. Note that I only use parts therapy with some of the clients some of the time. Regression is often more appropriate, depending on the client’s presenting problem (such as with fear of flying).

ask-the-hypnotist.com: Do you find any particular phase of your hypnosis or hypnotherapy work to be of special interest to you? If so, why? e.g. one on one sessions, training hypnotists and the public in self hypnosis, developing your varied self help programs, writing your books etc.

RH: My favorite interest is a cutting edge type of hypnotherapy that could change the paradigm of our profession: helping people get in contact with God (or their Higher Power). Other pioneers of variations of parts therapy (such as Ego State Therapy, voice dialogue, etc.) have also discovered this; and I brought this out of the closet in Chapter 13 of my book from Crown House Publishing, entitled HYPNOSIS FOR INNER CONFLICT RESOLUTION: INTRODUCING PARTS THERAPY. (It is available at my website.)

When time and finances permit, it is my desire to do extensive research and more sessions and devote an entire book to this topic.

ask-the-hypnotist.com: What is the most frequent misunderstanding about hypnosis that you encounter with clients or the public, Roy?

RH: The most frequent misunderstanding is WHO has the power. Unless artificially induced through a substance and/or device (or sleep deprivation), the person entering hypnosis creates his or her own trance. The hypnotist is only an artist who guides the client into trance. This is why my beginner’s book is entitled: THE ART OF HYPNOSIS.

ask-the-hypnotist.com: As we both know, Hypnosis as a healing and helping modality has existed for hundreds of years now. However, it is more widely known and more accepted in some areas more than others. How would you rate the public acceptance of hypnosis/hypnotherapy in the Seattle/Tacoma region where you have your office?

RH: Based on 27 years of experience here, my best guess is that public acceptance of hypnotherapy is higher in the Pacific Northwest than in many areas of the USA.

ask-the-hypnotist.com: Beyond your own widely acknowledged books, Do you have a favorite book by another author Roy on hypnosis that you would recommend to others?

RH: For a variation of parts therapy, get EGO STATE THERAPY by Gordon Emmerson. It is available on my website by special permission from Crown House Publishing: http://www.royhunter.com/advancedhypno.htm

For regression, get REGRESSION HYPNOTHERAPY by Randall Churchill. It is available at his website: http://www.transformingpress.com/

ask-the-hypnotist.com: Roy, based on your experience, what do you see as the future of hypnotism in the US?

RH: I want to be optimistic, but our profession has been watered down here because of the numerous one or two week crash courses promoted over the years in America. During the 1990’s there were promoters who actually claimed you could learn hypnotherapy during a 3-day course! One of them debated with me once, saying: “Just because you cannot create the reality of teaching a person to be a hypnotherapist in three days doesn’t mean that I cannot create that reality!” The result is many hypnotists relying on scripts alone, without the ability to employ regression or parts therapy (or its variations).

In my opinion I would be greatly limited in helping as many clients enjoy lasting success without the use of either hypnotic regression or parts therapy (or its variations); yet many practicing hypnotists have not received competent training in any of the above.

We have not progressed as much professionally as in the U.K. and in Australia, where more comprehensive training programs are greatly encouraged. Conversely, in America, the consequences of inadequate training programs have hurt our profession. This problem has given mainstream healthcare more ammunition to use when they call us “lay hypnotists”; and I hope we can find a way to overcome this problem. Additionally, we are now being told to call ourselves “Hypnotists” rather than hypnotherapists.

RH: ask-the-hypnotist.com: And as a trainer of future skilled Hypnotists, what advice would you give to someone who is interested in developing a new career as a hypnotist in America?

RH: The late Charles Tebbetts said: “There is no substitute for practice when learning an art.” Since hypnotherapy is an art, the same is true for the hypnotherapy student.

Invest in a comprehensive hypnosis training program that includes practice, and teaches a number of different techniques rather than one modality. Don’t be tempted by the shortcut programs that claim to train you in only a few days, because you will be shortcutting both yourself and your clients.

ask-the-hypnotist.com: Is there anything else that you think it important to expand upon or add that we have not covered?

There is NO technique or modality that is good enough to help all the people all the time…not even parts therapy, which I teach and use.

RH: I believe that the day will come when informed clients will choose hypnosis professionals who know a number of techniques over those who only use one modality. If your initial training was limited, do both yourself and your clients a favor by learning other modalities so that you can practice diversified client centered hypnosis. The hypnotherapist who uses a client centered approach should be able to help most of the people most of the time rather than only some of the people some of the time.

ask-the-hypnotist.com: Thank you Roy. Can you tell our readers who are interested in learning more about your hypnosis work, presentations and products, which is the best way to get in touch with you?

RH: I am very willing to travel and teach. It is easier to contact me by email rather than by phone. My email address is: roy@ royhunter.com and my website is: www.royhunter.com.


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