Stop Smoking Help Blog

Werner Michael answers:

I suppose about £15- £20 a session is what I would pay for hypnotherapy. I am not a smoker and suspect that nicotine patches have the edge over hypnotherapy, these are often availiable on the NHS.

I heard a hypnotherapist on the radio say that people should beware of having more than 2 or 3 sessions because if it has not worked by then it never will.

Werner Michael answers:

I can help you a bit, but not in the way you expect. I have tried hypnotherapy with 3 different Hypnotherapists. They cover a number of sessions … About 7 I think. In all cases smoking was involved, and the last time, weight loss was a major focus too. My experiences and observations were:

1. The first 2 were totally useless. Perhaps I was not receptive, or the weather was wrong, or the person a crook, who knows? Whatever the reason was, it did not work, and both these two examples were in beautiful, peaceful surroundings (aimed to put one at ease). All 3 people I have tried had a number of accreditation’s at state and national levels.

2. The last time was a blinding success. The lady doing it was a registered Psychologist, with formal learning in hypnotherapy. I had been seeing her over other things so felt very at ease with this. She actually sprung it on me by surprise – I was unaware she did it. So it was a pleasure to try – anything which helps me has got to be good (within reason).

3. Based on the two answers above, I am convinced you cannot be hypnotised over a broadband link or very effectively by using a CD/tape. I asked her about this actually, and she wistfully said words to the effect she wished she could, so she could help others elsewhere. It has been tried and found wanting, by researchers so she said. I have heard of people though (funnily, never met one) who say th tapes helped them. If so, great. But my experience has never involved them so I am quite unqualified to comment.

4. An important part of the treatment is total relaxation. Now, it is pretty easy to completely relax your body – though you usually have to be shown for the first time – and I then do it my way anyhow, to achieve the same effect. But, relaxing the mind is a whole different issue. I used to attend meditation groups, and learned this way. It took me personally a fair bit of practice, butu this is fairly normal; nobody can do it fully first time supposedly. The key issue was that when we set up the first session (the 3rd, 83yo lady from above), she told me to relax my mind and body. She waited a while before asking if my mind was ready, and when it was, I simply grunted and she started.

5. What your practitioner does is very much focused on you, your personality, your personal circumstances, etc. I can imagine a generic ‘one-tape-fixes-all’ for smoking, yet in reality a live person that you pay will know something about you which possibly contributes to your habit – such as everyone around you smoking, unusual stress or whatever. This is woven into the spoken words.

6. In retrospect, I realise my state of relaxation was much better than the previous 2 times with other people (who I actually don’t think were crooks, and were quite genuine). The reason the final attempts worked so well was that at the beginning, I spent some effort relaxing (yeah, that sounds wrong, but you get the drift).

I am not into fads, new age hocus-pocus, Atlantis, crystal healing, Area 51, JFK still alive, 9/11 done by the US govt, and all that conspiracy nonsense. I am actually a skeptic. However there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that properly conducted, hypnotherapy usually works – there can be bad days that no hypnotherapist in the world could get through to you. No idea why, it is simply something to bear in mind. The key word earlier, is ‘properly’ and this means sitting down with an accredited Psychologist or Hypnotherapist, do whatever yapping they want (and tell the truth, however ugly, it helps them help you – and they are bound as any doctor by doctor-patient privilege). Then, start the session – no need for those details here.

I did 3 sessions a week apart with this last lady, and almost stopped smoking (except one with morning coffee and one after dinner), and lost just over 4kg (8.8lbs). So, I deem those 3 sessions to be a success as th 2 fags/day can easily be stopped if I wanted to. Unfortunately, based on what this lady told me (and in my eyes, she has the right to hold strong opinions on her fields of knowledge), and she has been practicing and updating her skills for nearly 60 years now – it simply cannot work over a medium such as the internet. I know she quoted data about it, so you can probably locate that too.

Sorry, I wish it WOULD work as I think I would have tried it. Yet considering what I said above, even if it could work online, it cannot be tailored to you.

Finally, if you are in Sydney, I can give you her email address so you might consider, after talking with her, whether you want to try a session – remember, you get what you pay for (and in her case it is Medicare deductible 100%).

PS: The rumours about Coca Cola inserting the word ‘Coke’ every 100 frames (or whatever) in a movie theatre, and having the entire audience buying a bottle at intermission, is an urban legend – see Snopes if you want more on that.

Werner Michael answers:

I was also tired of my doctor, friends and family getting on my back and telling me to stop smoking.

But even if you want to, it is not easy. I finally stopped smoking through hypnosis. I found a good course by Valerie Dawson. It is a guide that takes you by the hand and leads you step by step, teaching you the secrets of hypnosis that make quitting so easy.

The hypnosis sessions felt very relaxing and calming. I have not had any cravings and my wife is very happy.

Werner Michael answers:

Save your Money

Werner Michael answers:

Call your internet provider for advise.

Werner Michael answers:

Hello

From a Hypnotherapist angle, as not a smoker, yes it can.

The client, however has to want it for the right reasons & is an excellent support tool as withdrawal is travelled through. In some cases one session can be enough.

Sadhara

Werner Michael answers:

Nope , not from houston area.. I smoked for over 30 years and quit 2 years ago. Went to free stop smoking classes, it was hard, but i did it. Drinking coffee with sugar in it help some. Also had the gum also.. It can be done, and keep thinking of all the money your not spending.. I love it..
Lisa