A recent post in a forum on Hypnothoughts http://www.hypnothoughts.com asks the question of what does one do when you’ve already taken basic hypnosis training and even taken advanced courses from the likes of Gil Boyne. Where do you go if you still want advanced training but don’t want to get stuck in a class with basic material being repackaged. The querant lives in Los Angeles, to put some of my answer in context . . .
I can certainly understand where you are coming from. Your background has given you a nice solid foundation but it seems true that most courses are focused on the beginner. The bulk of hypnosis training is indeed in the basic courses which means the folks who already have that background have difficulty finding something new. The bulk of the courses and workshops I offer on this side of the pond are intended for folks who have previous experience (or, if previous experience is not required, it certainly is encouraged) but when I look around at other courses in the local market, they tend to stay focused at more elementary or entry-level material. This is because most folks see new certifications as the bottomless pit of students. This is not true – and becomes obvioius more readily in the smaller markets – as eventually the market becomes oversaturated. Most basic courses are focused on hypnotherapy but not everyone interested in hypnosis wants to be a therapist. Many organizations only focus on the basic courses so don’t have advanced training or specialization options for those who wish to actually move forward in their work. It is the exceptional individual who does continue to learn more and the particularly exceptional individual who moves on in a way that empowers them to create new processes for others to learn.
Of course, taking a basic course from different sources isn’t always a complete waste. I read a LOT of material and even read books I know to be trash just to mine perspectives and get the odd tidbit that might be useful. Devour anything and everything.
However, you can only really justify paying someone money to teach you the progressive relaxation or Elman inductions so many times. You need advanced fodder. Every once in awhile, an advanced trainer will indeed offer a truly Advanced course but they are few and far between. The last time I taught my Advanced Techniques course I just made it an open forum so that the students (most of them were professional trainers and some of them were the top trainers in the country) could ask me about any subject and I would play with it and we’d dissect it and get to techniques appropriate to them and it worked beautifully. My wife has been encouraging me to offer that course again as it’s been awhile since I’ve put it on the schedule.
For your purposes, look for trainings that offer new perspectives, models, or skillsets. Extra points for new orientations to approaching hypnosis and even more points for courses that encourage you to synthesize multiple models and create your own techniques and processes. Improvisationa and spontaneity are essential at this point for you, your already well past the basic rote learning, so it’s important to find material that you can jump in and play with.
Go to the TED lectures site and similar sites and listen to anything and everything having to do with the brain, the mind, and . . . well, pretty much anything and everything else . . . and as you do so, don’t just watch. Recently one of the TED lectures has been making the rounds of the hypnosis groups . . . as well it should as it’s fascinating . . . but most folks just watch it and set it aside, at your stage of development, you want to be asking yourself after you watch something like that (or any and all other materials) is "how can I play with this and use this in my work either as an impetus for a wholly process or as a means to enhance the techniques I already use?" Then answer that question, preferably withing a spirit of playful curiousity and wonder.
Going to the ACHE convention is probably very worthwhile. Consider going to other conventions as well. The HYPNOTICON open community convention probably has some topics you have no previous exposure to and as such might be very worthwhile for you to explore (folks, contact David Fontenot regarding that convention, I am no longer involved with the administration for that convention).
I don’t get to the US very often (while I was "just" in Atlanta and LA in February, that was my first trip to the US in seven years and only my third since 1989), but will be in Los Angeles in July and as you live in that area, I have a couple courses coming up which might be appropriate for your needs – the Experiential Hypnosis course explores indepth an orientation to trancework that many folks are unfamiliar with and while some of the skillsets are familiar the orientation and session model changes it (there are a number of processes explored in that course that are not explored anywhere else) – the experiential trance model is one that I have written about for years but have only actually taught formally very rarely, Richard Clark talked me into bringing my full course to the US and so this will be the first time we’ve taught the full material in the US . . . while the Metaphysical Hypnosis course is definately material most folks are unfamiliar with but presented in a way that makes them useful techniques for more practical contexts beyond their esoteric origins. See http://walkabouttrance.com for the information and contact Richard Clark in LA to signup.
Speaking of Richard and his organizations, the LA Hypnosis Network is worth joining to check for local practice groups . . . http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LA-Hypnosis-Network . . . a number of very good people who also happen to be exremely good hypnotists meet up for exchanging techniques and live practice sessions, if you are not a member, check into the California Hypnosis Network (David Snyder is the Director) through that group.
Of course, participating in online forums like Hypnothoughts http://www.hypnothoughts.com and the Hypnosis Technique Exchange http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hypnosistechniqueexchange is very helpful as well . . . particularly as you read posts from folks who are also trainers. If their information tends to be resonant with you then they might be appropriate as folks whose courses you might wish to take. If their posts are less resonant with you and lack valuable information then that might also indicate they’re less appropriate for you to seek further training or guidance from them.
I hope this has been helpful.
All the best,
Brian
Taipei, Taiwan (12-13 April 2008)
Taipei, Taiwan (21-22 June 2008)
Los Angeles, California (14-18 July 2008)
Los Angeles, California (26-27 July 2008)
Los Angeles, California (2 August 2008)
See http://www.BrianDavidPhillips.com for details!
Brian David Phillips, PhD, CH [phillips@nccu.edu.tw]Certified Hypnotherapist
President, Society of Experiential Trance
Associate Professor, NCCU, Taipei, Taiwan
http://www.BrianDavidPhillips.com
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