Article originally published on 26.11.09
http://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/memberarticle_31.html
Marie, from Cambridge, is a young lady in her 30s and, since the birth of her last child 3 years ago, had been struggling to lose the weight gained and keep it off. Marie tried all the available resources but could not succeed in the achievement of that weight goal.
She then decided to opt for hypnosis and contacted local hypnotist Luca Senatore of East Anglia hypnotherapy. Marie stated that at the beginning the therapy seemed effective and yet very traditional and she was able for the first time in her life to let go of an emotional issue link to her childhood. Maries first email to Luca was this: Good afternoon, My name is Marie and I would like some information on your weight loss program (how it works, how much you charge, do you have a long wait for appointments…) I have always been curious about hypnotherapy but always has been a bit scared about it. I have been overweight for a while now and feel that it needs to change. I tried numerous diets which work for a while but never for long periods of time. In short, I feel I need help.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
After her session with Luca Marie sent this email: Dear Luca, I hope this email finds you well. I know it hasn’t been a week yet but I feel so amazing I had to let you know. Since Monday night, I am a new person! I have loads of energy, I eat well and sensibly without it being an inner battle like it used to be. For example, yesterday, I went to the cinema with a friend and halfway through the film, I realised that I didn’t buy any sweets, didn’t even think about it. Afterwards, we went for dinner and I automatically chose the healthiest meal on the menu. No questioning myself, no “oh maybe I could have the burger and I’ll be good tomorrow!”… Everything I do feels natural to me. It is difficult to put it into words but I am different for the better. In my mind I am the new size 12 Marie, I just need my body to catch up. But before, it felt like a daunting task and sometimes almost gave up before starting. Whereas now, I know I will do it, I am there already as I said my body just needs to catch up with my mind. I am quite excited about it. So I think I owe you a big thank you. You changed my life.
A few months past and then Marie decided to have more therapy as, having completely released her emotional issues, she felt ready to make a radical change. It was then when Marie felt that Lucas model of therapy was different. After each of the sessions Marie seemed not to remember much of what happened during the sessions but she noticed, almost immediately, that her portions sizes had shrank remarkably. Marie used to be addicted to chocolate and, after the second session with Luca, she found herself not liking chocolate. Here is an email that Marie sent after the second session with Luca: Hi Luca, I hope this finds you well. I know we saw each other yesterday but I just had to write to you. Amazing. This morning i woke up, got up, got dressed and went to the gym. That I went to the gym is not the amazing part because I used to do that in the past but just doing it naturally, no fight with myself, should I go? should I sleep a bit longer?etc… So that’s great. I also noticed, well since yesterday I am eating less, leaving food in my plate, which is unheard of for me! I don’t like wasting food so have always forced myself to finish my plate but yesterday I just couldn’t physically eat more. And as for chocolate, the idea of it, the everything of it makes me queasy!! Amazing! See you next week,
Take care, Marie.
Marie could remember a specific word: Smaller and each time she would remember that word her stomach seemed to contract and shrink. She says: Its strange, its like my tummy shrinks more and more. Something was very powerful and made a huge difference as far as my eating is concerned. Compared to what I ate before, which I thought wasn’t a lot already, I’m eating next to nothing. But it is still enough so that I don’t feel hungry or dizzy, that kind of things.
Luca Senatore states: Since the age of 14 I have been involved in professional Martial Arts which, due to the nature of the competitions structure, involved weight loss and weight gain continuously. This guided me into specialising in weight loss alongside phobias and confidence. With Marie, I have adopted a model of therapy which I have personally created last year. Using a combination of traditional psychology, Neuro Linguistic Programming and Hypnosis, I have reprogrammed Maries unconscious mind to generate certain sensations and mind sets which caused Marie to feel as if she had a Gastric Band fitted. Although this may come across as magic, it is actually very simple; our minds make us sweat when we are too hot so to cool us down, we blink, walk, breathe and carry out many other functions unconsciously. The same way that our mind can cause water (sweat) to come out from our body, it can create the sensation and feelings of being full with less food. If we dream of falling, it really feels as if we are falling, if we dream of laughing we may wake up laughing for real. Our unconscious mind does not know the difference between reality and dream and so it generates similar sensations and feelings despite whether we are experiencing the events or only dreaming of them. Using this principle, I have suggested to Maries unconscious mind to dream that a Gastric band was being fitted and Marie complied (unconsciously). I then created amnesia so that the conscious mind would not interfere with our work. Although Marie has no memory of what we have done under hypnosis, she was fully aware of everything that was suggested whilst hypnotised and would have rejected and suggestions which could be damaging or go against her beliefs and values.
Marie seems to have some vague memories of one particular session and sent this email to Luca : Hi Luca I hope you’re well. I don’t remember everything in details but remember some parts and the one in hospital. This is powerful, Luca. I feel a pain on the side of my tummy, not really a pain but more a kind of discomfort. Also I feel quite sick, I always do after an anesthetis (not sure of spelling). Although I know I was not in hospital, I have some pretty intense physical effects.
Also I went to trance pretty quickly and felt so relaxed. Can’t wait to see how the next few days go.
Better go to sleep now. Hope you enjoyed your weekend off.
Marie has now lost 4 dress sizes in only 3 months and goes to the gym 3 times per week. Marie says that her life has really changed, she feels healthier, happier, more confident and has found a new passion for life.