“Hypnotherapy is not like the cheesy stage hypnotists who make you bark like a dog,” said certified hypnotherapist Barbra Mousouris of Sixth Scents Healing, dispelling any myth that her clients lose all control or self-will during their sessions. “It’s more the feeling you get when you just wake up, which is a deep relaxation.”
Mousouris accesses clients’ subconscious minds and works to alter old thought patterns by using verbal repetition and mental images to promote desired habit changes, address unwanted fears, or alleviate symptoms of illnesses and disease. She encourages clients to use selected perspectives that address issues like phobias, weight loss, anxiety, pain management, and relationship problems.
Mousouris says her work combating phobias has been particularly successful and long-lasting. “One of my young ladies was getting married and wanted to go on a honeymoon but was freaked out about flying,” said Mousouris. She saw the client for four sessions and worked to undo negative associations and replace them with more realistic ideas. The client later called her from Mexico, elated over a stress-free flight.