Hypnosis and Stammering

Bass Cadet · 10-03-2008 11:58am #1

Hi,

Has anyone any experience with hypnosis as a treatment for stammering? I'd be interested to hear anyone's experience, good or bad...

BC

funky_monkey · 11-03-2008 11:57am

hello,

I had hypnosis for my stammer when i was about sixteen. I didn't take it very seriously at the time to be honest with you. but i think even if i did it wouldn't have been much help. Perhaps if you are into that sort of a thing maybe you would find it useful. But it definately wasn't for me. A very old man was the hypnosist and he stunk of cigars which also didn't help me help concentrate!

Bass Cadet · 11-03-2008 6:38pm

funky_monkey wrote: »

hello,

I had hypnosis for my stammer when i was about sixteen. I didn't take it very seriously at the time to be honest with you. but i think even if i did it wouldn't have been much help. Perhaps if you are into that sort of a thing maybe you would find it useful. But it definately wasn't for me. A very old man was the hypnosist and he stunk of cigars which also didn't help me help concentrate!

So you reckon your age may have hindered you? I know someone who had a very bad stammer and went to a hypnotherapist. He became fluent but relapsed again after a few months. He said something happened very suddenly to trigger it again....seems to be some very differing views and experiences on it. I suppose it completely depends on the individual. That said, I don't think I'd rule it out as an option

Oriel · 12-03-2008 12:58am

I had hypnosis when I was 16, didn't do a damn thing.
I'll eat my hat if somebody comes on here and says "I had hypnosis and it cured my stutter".

funky_monkey · 12-03-2008 10:23am

i'd definately try it anyway if you've an interest in it. and yes I defo think that my age was a contributory factor.

best of luck with it anyways!

Regret · 13-03-2008 1:19pm

I tried hypnotherapy for stuttering a few years ago. I didn't find it helpful at all. Under hypnosis, i.e. in a very relaxed state, I didn't stutter at all which I suppose says something about the nature of stuttering, at least in my case. The hypnotherapist seemed convinced that some traumatic instance in my childhood had caused the stuttering in the first place. To the best of my knowledge/memory, this isn't the case with me. He seemed to be trying to lead me various scenarios that never happened if that makes sense - trying to manipulate in effect. At the end of the last session I felt like punching the guy so thought it best not to go back.

I'm sure hypnotherapy must have helped some people but definitely not for me. I found the whole thing creepy to say the least.

ParkRunner · 13-03-2008 8:01pm

I tried it too when I was younger and it didnt do anything for me. The reason I was curious to try it is because if I am in a room alone I can talk perfectly well (not that I talk to myself much

) but as soon as somebody would walk into the room I would start getting stuck so there is definitely something in the brain that needs to be manipulated. Hypnosis wasnt the thing for me though.
A friend of mine had great success with acupuncture and quitting smoking recently so I would be curious to see if that had any effect, however I am going to try private speech therapy first.

airbulb · 05-05-2008 12:50am

Dave Elman, a great hypnotist from the 50s who worked with stutterers among others. According to Elman you will only help the patient if you get to the root cause of the stutter. If your hypnotist is trying to shoehorn his theory of what traumatic event caused your stutter (even if it happened to be true) then it wont help.

The way Elman did was to bring the patient back (i.e. relive it in his mind) to 1st class, then senior infants etc and find out if they stuttered then. Then bring them back to 2 minutes before the very first time they ever stuttered. Maybe the patient was being chased by a dog. The patient can see very clearly why the stutter started and when this is revealed he shows a natural tenancy to speak without a stutter.

This might sound a bit off the wall for some people. I have 3 or 4 original recordings of Elman working with stutterers in the 1959 and it's pretty amazing stuff.

He said himself in his book that there were many he couldn't help but that there were many he could.

Macca206 · 18-06-2008 10:56am

Ive a public speaking meditation/hypnotherapy cd that definately does help but does not completely cure it. Also if used too often it loses its affectiveness so would be interested if anyone had any other similar cds or could point me in the right direction

airbulb · 18-06-2008 12:13pm

Macca206 wrote: »

Ive a public speaking meditation/hypnotherapy cd that definately does help but does not completely cure it. Also if used too often it loses its affectiveness so would be interested if anyone had any other similar cds or could point me in the right direction

If you want I can email you audio excerpt mentioned above - you might find it interesting.

Bass Cadet · 24-06-2008 9:41am

airbulb wrote: »

If you want I can email you audio excerpt mentioned above - you might find it interesting.

I'd be interested in listening to that if possible. I'll PM you my email address, thanks.

Stephen P · 01-11-2008 2:23pm

I was thinking about getting hypnosis as an experiment to see if it does anything. I'm very happy with the way my speech is at the moment. I'm curious to see if it has any affect. Does anyone know of any place in Dublin that does it and how much roughly is it a session?

Mr Benevolent · 19-11-2008 11:21pm

I'm a qualified hypnotherapist and psychotherapist, but I don't practice anymore because I've stopped believing in the deep-rooted causes theory (a theory that's 90 years old and still hasn't made any progress towards helping people). I've undergone hypnotherapy myself as part of the course, but the therapist kept making up bull**** and tried to convince me that it happened.

Hypnosis, used for relaxation, is a far, far better use of your time.

One site that helps me to relax is http://www.richardbandler.tv/freeplay.php?soundid=8989uiuytq. There's four different tracks, just pick one, it's only ten minutes long. Once a day is fine, there's no special requirements.

There's nothing out of the ordinary about hypnosis, it's just about relaxing.

s08t · 23-11-2008 6:47pm

Hi.I never had hypnosis but wouldnt mind giving it a try.

Did any one ever have a vocal coach help them overcome their stammer.At the moment im seeing a counsellor to help me through the emotions of the stammer and to also help me with my anxiety.which is really helping, and the counsellor mentioned it so just wondering if anyone had any experience with one and if so, did it help.

Chef-1st · 09-12-2008 3:36am

I tried Hypno about 2 years ago. I'm in my 30's, so am not young and naive. I spent €1000 on it (€100 per 1hr session). It did nothing whatsoever for my stutter. It did help me release some anxieties and bad experiences from the past though.

I kinda agree with the previous posters, he kept on trying to manipulate where we went with the sessions, to find "that trigger". How was he or I supposed to know where it started? And before I'd get deep down, in a comforable state, revealing memories from the past, my hour would be up and that would be that for another week !
I just stopped going.

The fact that I had no confidence in the man from the start did nothing for me either, very poor shabby unprofessional set-up. But sure when you're there, you feel obliged to try it and see where it goes. I never felt "under" either, I was always very aware of what I was saying and my surroundings. Didn't seem to work at all, just helped me release some pent-up bad memories and face some demons really. But alas, I still have a speech impediment.

I'm thinking of giving the Maguire Programme a go. But been someone who also tried speech therapy in my childhood and teenage days, and wasted money on hypno, I'm hesitant on spending another €1300+.....

mozi · 08-01-2009 3:47pm

airbulb wrote: »

If you want I can email you audio excerpt mentioned above - you might find it interesting.

yup would really like to listen to that excerpt, will pm u my emaiol id, thanks

airbulb · 08-01-2009 6:46pm

Chef-1st wrote: »

I never felt "under" either, I was always very aware of what I was saying and my surroundings. Didn't seem to work at all, just helped me release some pent-up bad memories and face some demons really.

I can't say whether you were hypnotised or not but I don;t feel under either but I know I am when things happen that wouldn't normally like very strong emotions or very vivid recall of something forgotten. At all times you are perfectly aware of your surroundings and sometimes you forget what happened in the session and sometimes you don't.

Many people's expectations are very different from the reality - they expect it to lose consciousness or lose control. The majority of people who are hypnotised for the first time don't think they are because they were fully aware.

You must have consent to get hypnosis and you must have it during hypnosis. If you don;t have confidence in the operator because of shabby unprofessional setup or whatever - you are much less likely to take suggestion. At all times the subject is in control.

As for stuttering - would be interesting to investigate this, I believe Dave Elman when he wrote that he could give permanent help but he was no ordinary operator.

hypnosisdublin · 23-01-2009 11:35am

Great posts Airbulb

Dave Elman was indeed THE master.

I was trained as a hypnotist by his protegee Jerry Kein. He's also an amazing hypnotist and has spent his life spreading the word of his mentor Dave Elman. Check out his website - www.omnihypnosis.com - lots of great articles on hypnosis.

Paul

hypnosisdublin · 23-01-2009 11:52am

Chef-1st wrote: »

I never felt "under" either, I was always very aware of what I was saying and my surroundings.

This is something the hypnotist should have explained during the pre-talk, THE most important part of the hypnosis session. Before you do any hypnosis, it's vital that the hypnotist dispels any myths about hypnosis.

The fact is you never go "under" hypnosis - that implies that you're under the control of the hypnotist. You never are and can open your eyes at any point if you wanted to, even if you were in the deepest of all hypnotic states (e.g. The Coma State). There is a protective part of the mind that ranks survival above anything else, so you would always come out of trance if you were in any danger (e.g. if there was a fire).

Secondly, when in a hypnotic trance, you actually become much MORE aware of your surroundings. Ocaasionally you will drift off, but that happens all the time, even during everday conversations. Someone will mention a word when chatting to you and you'll go into a mini-trance and not focus on every single word that person is saying for a short while. Human beings go into trances ALL the time. Driving is the perfect example of this.

So hypnosis is a very natural state and one we actually go into whether we are aware of it or not. The only difference while working with a hypnotist is that the hypnotist helps you direct the trance in a way that will help you find the cause of the problem and thereby eliminate it.

In the case of a stammer (or any deep-seated problem), it's all about uncovering the Inititial Sensitising Event (ISE), the root cause of the problem.

To get to this point however, you must have total trust in both hypnosis and the hypnotist. The first step is to educate yourself on hypnosis and what it is and what it isn't. The second step is to find a hypnotist you like and whose approach makes perfect sense to you. Don't just hire the first one you find. Ring around and find which one you think is best for you.

For anyone interested, I have a page on my website which dispels a number of myths about hypnosis -> http://www.weight-loss-hypnosis-and-more.com/a-guide-to-hypnosis.html

If anyone has any questions, feel free to pm me.

Cheers,

Paul

Paul Dee · 18-04-2009 1:31pm

hypnosisdublin wrote: »

This is something the hypnotist should have explained during the pre-talk, THE most important part of the hypnosis session. Before you do any hypnosis, it's vital that the hypnotist dispels any myths about hypnosis.

The fact is you never go "under" hypnosis - that implies that you're under the control of the hypnotist. You never are and can open your eyes at any point if you wanted to, even if you were in the deepest of all hypnotic states (e.g. The Coma State). There is a protective part of the mind that ranks survival above anything else, so you would always come out of trance if you were in any danger (e.g. if there was a fire).

Secondly, when in a hypnotic trance, you actually become much MORE aware of your surroundings. Ocaasionally you will drift off, but that happens all the time, even during everday conversations. Someone will mention a word when chatting to you and you'll go into a mini-trance and not focus on every single word that person is saying for a short while. Human beings go into trances ALL the time. Driving is the perfect example of this.

So hypnosis is a very natural state and one we actually go into whether we are aware of it or not. The only difference while working with a hypnotist is that the hypnotist helps you direct the trance in a way that will help you find the cause of the problem and thereby eliminate it.

In the case of a stammer (or any deep-seated problem), it's all about uncovering the Inititial Sensitising Event (ISE), the root cause of the problem.

To get to this point however, you must have total trust in both hypnosis and the hypnotist. The first step is to educate yourself on hypnosis and what it is and what it isn't. The second step is to find a hypnotist you like and whose approach makes perfect sense to you. Don't just hire the first one you find. Ring around and find which one you think is best for you.

For anyone interested, I have a page on my website which dispels a number of myths about hypnosis -> http://www.weight-loss-hypnosis-and-more.com/a-guide-to-hypnosis.html

If anyone has any questions, feel free to pm me.

Cheers,

Paul

I fully agree. I have used hypnosis to help overcome stammering. There are generally two types of hypnotherapy; Suggestion therapy where the therapist attempts to embed suggestions of an altertenative behaviour and is most unlikely to have a positive outcome. The other is Analytical therapy where the therapist works to uncover the root cause. Once the client understands with the conscious mind the reason behind their subconscious behaviour, the stammering stops. Track down an accomplished analytical therapist. Find one who offers a free introductory consultation. That gives you the opportunity to field questions and lets the therapist explain what s/he proposes to do and what you should expect. Anyone looking for a lump sum up front or anyone you don't like the look or sound of - then pay your respects and get out of Dodge! And remember Hypnotherapists are like any other profession, good - bad - and incompetent. So shop around.

If you have any questions I'll gladly give you my tuppence worth.

Regards,
Paul

You should expect to be cured in six to eight weeks of 90 minute sessions.

Mr Benevolent · 02-05-2009 11:37am

You should expect to be cured in six to eight weeks of 90 minute sessions.

Or you could go to a practicing NLP Master Practitioner or Trainer and have it sorted in one 2 hour session. That's my experience, and I'm qualified in both (with the certificates to prove it) but practice in neither.

The difference? Hypnotherapists are trained to believe that something bad happened in your childhood that made you stammer. NLP practitioners just sort the problem out. Hypnotherapists will cry 'oh, he hasn't sorted the problem, it's just dormant now'. Cobblers.

I went through hypnotherapy as part of my training. The therapist tried to get me to believe I'd suffered child abuse.

'Sure missus,' I thought, 'Whatever you say.'

Hilarious stuff. I know people who've been abused as kids. Every single one of them remembered it. And here was this idiot trying to tell me I'd forgotten something that never happened. I had to fake the rest of the session to keep myself from laughing in her face.

Incidentally, the reason I started training in hypnotherapy was because of my interest and because I wanted to get rid of a few irritating feelings. 8 sessions of hypnotherapy did nothing. Not one thing. 1 session of NLP sorted the whole thing. I woke up the next morning feeling better then I'd ever done before. Still feel the same way now.

Hypnotherapy is very useful for a few things such as minor phobias and stop smoking stuff and can probably help a bit with stammering. But they're not logical about the whole thing.

How many hypnotherapists know that people who stammer can sing the words with no problems? Try it. Doesn't that suggest something to you?

Paul Dee · 05-05-2009 12:44am

Confab wrote: »

Or you could go to a practicing NLP Master Practitioner or Trainer and have it sorted in one 2 hour session. That's my experience, and I'm qualified in both (with the certificates to prove it) but practice in neither.

The difference? Hypnotherapists are trained to believe that something bad happened in your childhood that made you stammer. NLP practitioners just sort the problem out. Hypnotherapists will cry 'oh, he hasn't sorted the problem, it's just dormant now'. Cobblers.

I went through hypnotherapy as part of my training. The therapist tried to get me to believe I'd suffered child abuse.

'Sure missus,' I thought, 'Whatever you say.'

Hilarious stuff. I know people who've been abused as kids. Every single one of them remembered it. And here was this idiot trying to tell me I'd forgotten something that never happened. I had to fake the rest of the session to keep myself from laughing in her face.

Incidentally, the reason I started training in hypnotherapy was because of my interest and because I wanted to get rid of a few irritating feelings. 8 sessions of hypnotherapy did nothing. Not one thing. 1 session of NLP sorted the whole thing. I woke up the next morning feeling better then I'd ever done before. Still feel the same way now.

Hypnotherapy is very useful for a few things such as minor phobias and stop smoking stuff and can probably help a bit with stammering. But they're not logical about the whole thing.

How many hypnotherapists know that people who stammer can sing the words with no problems? Try it. Doesn't that suggest something to you?

Qualifications and competence to practice are two entities. Results are definable. Be careful not to misjudge.

Paul Dee · 05-05-2009 12:53am

hypnosis works. I would question the method the hypnotist used.

Mitt055 · 05-05-2009 6:28pm

Paul Dee wrote: »

You should expect to be cured in six to eight weeks of 90 minute sessions.

If anyone expects to be cured in six to eight weeks, they will definitely be disappointed. Hypnosis can help a person to relax but as a cure for stammering, it is practically useless.

Br very wary of those who claim that they can cure you, especially if they have a financial interest in selling their so called "cure".

Hypnosis has been tried for well over a 100 years as a cure for stammering and I have yet to read of one successful case.

Its very appealing as a method but if it worked, there would be no need for a forum such as this. We would all be cured.

Paul Dee · 05-05-2009 10:10pm

I HAVE A NUMBER OF POINTS TO RESPOND TO AND I'LL DO IT IN CAPS. I AM NOT SHOUTING BUT RATHER DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN YOUR COMMENTS AND MY RESPONSE.

Mitt055 wrote: »

If anyone expects to be cured in six to eight weeks, they will definitely be disappointed. Hypnosis can help a person to relax but as a cure for stammering, it is practically useless. I APPRECIATE YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST BUT YOU ARE MAKING A SWEEPING STATEMENT WITH NO EXPERIENCE OF MY SUBJECT MATTER. (IF YOU GET A BAD HAIRCUT DON'T RUBBISH THE HAIRDRESSING INDUSTRY. RUBBISH THE HAIRDRESSER).

Br very wary of those who claim that they can cure you, especially if they have a financial interest in selling their so called "cure". I FULLY AGREE 100% !!! I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A CLIENT WHO HAD LITTLE OR NO RESULTS WITH 2 DIFFERENT HYPNOTHERAPISTS ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS SPANNING A NUMBER OF YEARS. HER CONDITION WAS WORSENING OVER TIME. THE CLIENT HAD A FRIEND WHO RECOMMENDED MY SERVICES. SHE WAS AS SKEPTICAL AS YOU ARE MITT055, AND RIGHTLY SO, HAVING HAD NO SUCCESS WITH THE OTHER THERAPISTS. SHE PHONED ME AND I EXPLAINED THAT I ALWAYS OFFER A FREE INTRODUCTORY CONSULTATION TO ASSESS THE TASK TO BE COMPLETED AND TO OFFER THE PROSPECTIVE CLIENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.

I WILL ONLY WORK WITH A CLIENT IF I AM CONFIDENT I CAN GET A POSITIVE RESULT. A POOR RESULT IS BAD FOR BUSINESS! I DON'T GET POOR RESULTS AND FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION! I WILL NEVER TAKE ON A CLIENT WHO DOESN'T REALLY WANT TO BE CURED. AND THERE ARE SOME.

IN LIGHT OF A CLIENT WHO HAS HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE AND IS YET WILLING TO USE A DIFFERENT APPROACH USING HYPNOSIS I AM HAPPY TO OFFER A FULL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE AFTER THE FREE INTRODUCTORY CONSULTATION ONCE THE CLIENT AGREES TO AND ABIDES BY THE VERY SIMPLE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT.

Hypnosis has been tried for well over a 100 years as a cure for stammering and I have yet to read of one successful case. HAVE YOU ACTIVELY SEARCHED?

Its very appealing as a method but if it worked, there would be no need for a forum such as this. We would all be cured. THE 'WE' FAMILY IS? I AM NOW OFFERING YOU A FREE INTRODUCTORY CONSULTATION. IF I AM SATISFIED THAT MY PROGRAMME WILL GET YOU A RESULT I WILL INFORM YOU DURING THE FREE INTRODUCTORY CONSULTATION. ALL GOING WELL I WILL OFFER YOU A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. IF I DON'T THINK YOU'RE EARNEST I WON'T PROCEED. IF YOU REALLY WANT A RESULT I WILL GLADLY PROCEED.

I CAN'T BE FAIRER THAN THAT!

Mitt055 · 06-05-2009 6:24pm

Paul Dee wrote: »

I CAN'T BE FAIRER THAN THAT!

I certainly think you could be way more clear on what you are suggesting.

You said in an earlier post that a person can expect to be cured after six to eight sessions with you. Is this the basis of your money back guarantee?

You have strayed from that particular comment in your last post by referring to "a result" to be agreed at a prior consultation.

Also, you provide a fall back to your guarantee by alleging that some people do not want to be cured.

I again would reiterate that hypnosis will not cure a person's stammer. It can help a person to learn relaxation techniques, to overcome irrational fears and to look at past issues, all of which can be useful but a cure it certainly is not.

Paul Dee · 06-05-2009 11:32pm

Mitt055 wrote: »

I certainly think you could be way more clear on what you are suggesting.

You said in an earlier post that a person can expect to be cured after six to eight sessions with you. Is this the basis of your money back guarantee?

You have strayed from that particular comment in your last post by referring to "a result" to be agreed at a prior consultation.

Also, you provide a fall back to your guarantee by alleging that some people do not want to be cured.

I again would reiterate that hypnosis will not cure a person's stammer. (BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT AS A ?)
It can help a person to learn relaxation techniques, to overcome irrational fears and to look at past issues, all of which can be useful but a cure it certainly is not.

Listen to yourself! You jumped in a pool and the water was cold. Don't rubbish swimming! Inform yourself before jumping to conclusions. What terms and conditions would meet your satisfaction? There are good and bad practitioners in every trade. Let me say with the greatest of respect. You are talking out of turn. Inform yourself adequately. What are your expectations? Do you want a result? Do you want a cure?

Mitt055 · 07-05-2009 5:06pm

Paul Dee has used analogies such as getting a bad haircut

and jumping into a swimming pool

. Is this in some way connected to his claim that his clients can expect to be cured. Can he explain?

The following quote is taken from one of the best resources on stammering on the internet. http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/infoaboutstuttering.html .(It contains links to a few articles on hypnosis which are well worth reading as well as links to hundreds of other very informative articles)

"The first question most people ask is, "How can stuttering be cured?" Although there are some adults who consider themselves "cured," professional organizations and support organizations for people who stutter appropriately warn consumers that looking for a "cure" for stuttering in adults is generally not realistic. Looking for ways to manage stuttering effectively is realistic. Consumers are warned that programs guaranteeing a "cure" should be thoroughly studied before spending any money on them."

And yet Paul Dee says that a person can expect to be cured of stammering after a few sessions with him . I stiil await some concrete evidence from him to support his claim.

Mitt055

p.s. To Paul Dee: Please avoid using caps ( shouting) and changing quoted text when replying. There are more acceptable ways to make your point.

Esel · 08-05-2009 12:55am

Paul Dee wrote: »

I HAVE A NUMBER OF POINTS TO RESPOND TO AND I'LL DO IT IN CAPS. I AM NOT SHOUTING BUT RATHER DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN YOUR COMMENTS AND MY RESPONSE.

Caps are not eye-friendly though. Please consider using bold text instead, stating that you are doing so.

Paul Dee · 10-05-2009 1:16am

Mitt055 wrote: »

I certainly think you could be way more clear on what you are suggesting. ???

You said in an earlier post that a person can expect to be cured after six to eight sessions with you. Is this the basis of your money back guarantee? Why don't you come for a free introductory consultation? And then you can leave informed.

You have strayed from that particular comment in your last post by referring to "a result" to be agreed at a prior consultation.Why don't you come for a free introductory consultation? And then you can leave informed. If you want to fry something try a rasher!

Also, you provide a fall back to your guarantee by alleging that some people do not want to be cured. And some people refuse to listen. How about i pay you for me to clean out your garage?

I again would reiterate that hypnosis will not cure a person's stammer. Who failed? the Hypnotist or the Stammerer? It can help a person to learn relaxation techniques, to overcome irrational fears and to look at past issues, all of which can be useful but a cure it certainly is not.

And that's for You. Talking about You. When you begin to think of other people in your life things will change.

Paul Dee · 10-05-2009 1:22am

Mitt055 wrote: »

I certainly think you could be way more clear on what you are suggesting.

You said in an earlier post that a person can expect to be cured after six to eight sessions with you. Is this the basis of your money back guarantee?

You have strayed from that particular comment in your last post by referring to "a result" to be agreed at a prior consultation.

Also, you provide a fall back to your guarantee by alleging that some people do not want to be cured.

I again would reiterate that hypnosis will not cure a person's stammer. It can help a person to learn relaxation techniques, to overcome irrational fears and to look at past issues, all of which can be useful but a cure it certainly is not.

Would you rather continue moaning or would you rather face your fear and be proactive?

Hypnosis and Stammering

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