Hypnotists - good idea?

[Olivia Guerrero]

We had a hypnotherapist come to our school last week and it was quite interesting. He had been working with court reporting students for many years and had several testimonials of students who swear by his technique in getting them to relax for tests.

Well, he gave a ten-minute exercise, a bit of a sample of the process and it was quite relaxing! His voice was soothing and the positive messages he instilled were lasting.

Anyway, I just wondered if anyone when that route and was it helpful in their studies? Of course, this guy charges quite a bit for four one-hour sessions and I was wondering if it was worth it.

I'm at the 180 mark and when I go back to correct, I'm frustrated because I KNOW those are tests that I could've gotten if it hadn't been for nerves. I am currently listening to a relaxation CD and it's helped somewhat. For me, it's a conscious thing...I have to talk to myself positively and replace the negative words with positive. It's such a mind set for me! I think people who zoom through are people who don't think about consequences or carry baggage. They sit and take the test and that's it...whereas I second guess and doubt.

Anyway, any thoughts?

[Sue Baker]

Don't have personal experience with hypnosis, but if it relaxes you, why the heck not give it a try? Nerves are the biggest problem for a lot of people, and maybe the hypnosis can relax you to the point where the words will flow from your ears to your fingers smoothly, automatically, and you can use the lessons you learn in many, many situations in the future. I say go for it. I'm not sure what you mean by expensive, but maybe you can negotiate a cheaper rate than what he is quoting considering you are a student on limited resources right now. The referral business would certainly be worth it for him if it helps you!

[Judy]

Olivia,

When I was in the higher speeds my CR school moved into a building with another "college." One of the things they taught was hypnosis. A guy came in and gave us the speech. I actually ended up working for them.

But, yes, I did the hypnosis thing when I was in school. Did it help? I don't think so. What he did teach me was how to relax. He taught me a technique of closing my eyes and envisioning a number on the inside of my closed eyelid. I think the number was 10. Then you envision 9, only half the size. Then 8, half the size. So on and so on.

My advice would be to spend your money on more of those relaxation CDs and working on your speed so you're writing over your testing speed. Your nerves will disappear when you gain speed.

[Olivia Guerrero]

Thanks to those who replied.

I think also it is linked with how one feels about themselves. I'm really trying to separate my self-esteem from whether or not I pass a test. I don't want to feel bad about myself or beat myself up when I don't pass. And I don't want to compare myself to those who are passing.

It's a bit tough to come to school when the front of the board shows those who passed for all to see. I visualize my name up there every morning and practice at least 30 minutes before class.

For me it's about letting go of negative thoughts and be proud of the fact that I've made it this far. Not too think too much and have fun once in awhile. I understand that this is a critical stage because I've heard of people who plateau at the 180s and quit because they haven't made progress. I wonder if age has something to do with it?

But it's a day-by-day thing for me. However, I will look into books that deal with relaxation and hypnosis and see what it does for me.

[Olivia Guerrero]

What are Zig Ziglar tapes and how does one find them?