with an OPEN MRI scanner we didn't anticipate any problems

with claustrophobia due to the open architecture of the

machine. However, we soon found that this was not enough in

it's self. We also found that as an OPEN MRI scanner site we

were getting as lot of referrals from other places for people that

couldn't tolerate the more conventional tunnel type of scanner.

I came across other radiographers at a meeting who had been

taught by a hypnotherapist to use hypnosis. As this

corresponded with my own interest in hypnosis I began to

explore the courses on offer. I decided to train with LCCH,

After passing my LCCH Diploma

mainly because of their professional college set-up, but also

exams and Practitioner diploma in

because they ran courses in Exeter (only half an hour's drive

2001, I decided that I would like to

from my home!). Having completed the Certificate course, I was

specialize in certain areas of

desperate to learn more and continued on the Diploma course.

hypnotherapy, rather than working

as a general practitioner. Living in Devon where water sports

I started to use hypnosis at work initially by introducing it as

are extremely popular, I decided to combine my own love for

hypnosis to the patients who expressed a need for help to get

those sports, and, in particular my passion for surfing, with

them into the scanner and through their examination. I was

hypnotherapy. The first surfing client who came to see me was

lucky in that I had a run of highly suitable patients and had

a young man with a lot of surfing experience on big waves. He

some excellent results and very thankful patients. But as we all

had, six months earlier, had a very bad fall from a wave, where

know this doesn't last forever! I then found that in some cases

he landed straight on to some rocks and suffered a broken leg

I was spending a long time and energy in working with patients

as a result. By the time he came to see me his leg had fully

that with hindsight really didn't want the scan for one reason or

recovered but he no longer had the confidence to surf big

another. Experience is a wonderful thing because these

waves and was becoming increasingly frustrated with his poor

patients taught me that by simply presenting it as a relaxation

surfing even on small waves. After taking his case history it

technique, I could save myself some considerable time in

seemed to me like a classic case of an unprocessed traumatic

explanations and reassurance relating to the word hypnosis.

incident. I decided to employ EMDR. After explaining to the

client what this would involve, I used the technique on him

The aim in this type of work is to induce a relaxed state in the

followed by some future orientation seeing himself in trance,

patients, thus dispelling the anxiety state (reciprocal inhibition).

surfing big waves with confidence and ease, and then finishing

Unfortunately, there is not enough time to deal with the

the session with some straightforward ego strengthening. I

claustrophobia therapeutically and I have to accept that those

have since seen my client many times at the beach and am

who cannot enter trance sufficiently deeply to overcome their

happy to say that not only is his surfing back to its level previous

anxiety will need a further appointment using either intravenous

to the accident, but that he is also getting more fun out of the

sedation or, in the worst case, a general anaesthetic (these,

sport than ever before.

because of the specialist equipment required, can only be done

at a specialist hospital. Our nearest is Frenchay Hospital,

The beauty about combining my love for surfing with

Bristol, for which there is a two year + waiting list with priority

hypnotherapy is that I can take my skills with me, putting them

for paediatrics) if they are not prepared to deal with their

to good use even on exciting surfing holidays. About five years

ago, Jenny, the wife of the skipper of a surf charter boat in

Indonesia, had a bad accident whereby she was held under

Therefore I will usually tactfully suggest they consider dealing

water for a long time and almost drowned. Since then she had

with and over-coming their phobia with perhaps hypnosis? It's

been unable to even contemplate surfing in Indonesia, where

amazing how few people take any responsibility for their

the waves break on shallow coral reefs, although she was fine

phobias! The usual attitude in these cases seems to be "what

surfing the sandy beach breaks in Australia where she came

are you going to do to get the scan done?" Rather than a more

from. When I joined them for a surfing trip on their boat in

useful "what do I have to do to get the scan done?" But in my

Indonesia last year, Jenny told me about her problem and I

experience, very few of my failures ever go on to deal with their

suggested that we could try to process the traumatic event using

phobia, maybe there are secondary gains in play.

EMDR. Jenny was excited and more than willing to give it a go

and, lo and behold, she was surfing again two hours later!!!!

Although I started using hypnosis with formal trance induction

methods, things have evolved. I now save time and energy by

Besides the two cases I have described above I have treated

utilizing techniques of rapport, hypnotic language, alert

and coached other surfers and sports people, and the outcome

hypnosis etc. to create an altered state so that the patient

has always been positive: enhanced performance, confidence

relaxes without formal inductions and deepening procedures,

and more fun!

thus invoking the reciprocal inhibiting to overcome their anxiety.

So, rather than using hypnosis on a few patients, I find that I will

use hypnotic language on nearly everyone! And I thank Igor

Ledochowski  for  his  LCCH  NLP  Masterclass  and

The next Exeter Practitioner course commences on the 7th

"Conversational Hypnosis" series for the ideas, very useful and

February 2004. Please contact Christa on 018922 853086 if

highly recommended!

you need a booking form.

Unfortunately, we are about to lose our OPEN system for a

The next one year-training course in earth medicine and

brand new all singing all dancing conventional tunnel type

contemporary shamanism (`Earth, Heart, Soul and Spirit') with

machine, so I feel that my skills could well be tested with this

Christa Mackinnon and partners commences in January 2004.

new challenge! And of course I do see people for hypnotherapy

Ex-LCCH students can participate for a reduced fee.

in my spare time just for the fun of it!

Info: Kamdaris on 01822-853086