Kids, Confidence and Hypnosis - A Case Study

Last month on a lovely Saturday afternoon a woman called me requesting an immediate appointment for her 10 year old daughter (lets call her Kisha).  The family had traveled to Baltimore a thousand miles from home to attend the Kisha's gymnastics competition. Thursday and Friday were practice days and it was clear the young girl was experiencing a lack of confidence.  Both mom and daughter were very concerned because Sunday was the competition and Kisha's performance was really off.  The mother had heard that children can be amenable to hypnosis and decided to give it a try.  She said to me, "I want to do every thing I can to help her and increase her chances of success... I know how important this is for her esteem, and how much she wants to be part of the team." 

In our phone consult, Kisha's mom provided me some background and also alerted me that Kisha had experienced some trauma in her past.  This information along with some other details allowed me to start thinking through a strategy specific to and tailored for Kisha.

When the call came I was enjoying late afternoon yard work.  Earlier that day, I had finished with my hypnosis clients and it was all about relaxing now.  When Kisha's mom called, I heard her passion and realized she was so serous and wanted her daughter to succeed. She even became slightly emotional describing how Kisha's confidence seemed to disappear with each routine she practiced.  There was no way I could say no.  They were at the office an hour later.

Before they arrived, I consulted some notes and references and developed a plan specifically designed for Kisha.  We had a lengthy session and it was obvious that she settled well into the hypnotic state.  

The next week after the family had returned from their long journey home the mother called me.  She was moved to tears at how well her daughter performed  - she had even performed a (I think it was called ) standing back flip, several times with great ease and confidence.  Kisha's mom went on to report how they're both sold on hypnosis.

It is always a pleasure working with young people.  My youngest clients have been seven years old.  We have addressed hair pulling, nail biting, confidence, sports and academic performance.  Often both parents and kids are surprised at how well the young person responds to hypnosis.

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