FAQs
Hello & Welcome! Below are some answers to common questions.
WHAT HAPPENS FIRST?
If you have questions, the first step would be to contact us and get any questions you have answered. It is vital for us to make sure we are a good fit for each other and that I can meet your needs. I recommend we begin with either a 15 minute telephone consultation or a full 60 minute exploratory session where we can discuss your unique situation, how I can best meet your needs and clarify a path forward. If we are not a good fit or your needs are not within the scope of what I offer, I encourage you to learn more about my colleagues at Wise Counsel & Comfort.
WHAT HAPPENS IN A FIRST SESSION?
In a first session we will get to know each other and discuss what you are looking for. We may talk about the various modalities I offer. We may talk about hypnotherapy, the mind and how it works, and how it may apply to your particular intentions. We will also address any questions that you may have.
WHAT HAPPENS IN A SESSION?
During all sessions we focus on what your intentions are and what you are wanting to transform. I want you to feel empowered to take an active role in your own healing journey, and thus, I often teach you “how to fish” rather than “giving you a fish,” so to speak. You are your own authority. If we are doing hypnotherapy, in your initial session we may do a couple of exercises that will show you how hypnosis works. Our discussion also helps me to personalize your therapeutic suggestions and more. We might look at any recurring thought patterns or emotional patterns you've been experiencing as of late. Together we will determine the best approach for your path to transformation.
HOW MANY SESSIONS WILL I NEED?
Hypnotherapy is a little bit different. If you are seeking hypnotherapy only, it is relatively short-term compared to other types of therapeutic work - and it is still a process. The number of sessions will vary depending upon your goals and desired outcomes, issues and their complexity, and your levels of motivation and readiness for change. With hypnotherapy we identify and heal the root cause of issues so that positive changes last - they are sustainable. We also identify and heal non-productive mental, emotional and behavioral patterns by neutralizing subconscious limiting beliefs. It will take weeks or months, compared to years or decades. On average 4 to 6 sessions per goal. After your initial goal is met, we move on to the next goal, or simply move into a maintenance phase together to integrate and anchor the positive changes into your life. Together we clarify next steps, address any new situations that arise, and your process of personal growth continues. Some people choose to stay connected for years.
WHAT TYPES OF SESSIONS DO YOU OFFER?
I offer a variety of Services and products. One-to-one sessions with me are an integrative blend of all that I do and am. I draw upon a mélange of modalities, years of experience and my own sacred gifts to offer tailored intuitive guidance sessions, which could include hypnotherapy, medical and dental support hypnotherapy, NLP, Soular Alignment, Human Design, EFT, somatic practices, qigong, mindfulness and more. Sessions are currently conducted worldwide via a secure, HIPAA compliant video system. When you schedule an appointment for a remote session, you will receive a confirmation email with the video link or telephone number to call.
WHY WOULD I WANT A PACKAGE?
When you purchase a Package you receive extra support and it’s less expensive. Packages include monthly payment plans and session prices are discounted. You also gain access to our online Client Portal containing amazing material and downloadable documents, receive a free meditative, relaxing self-hypnosis audio, and when appropriate Lisa may record a personalized audio for you in session. Essentially a Package is more supportive in-between sessions, gives you an empowering and active role in your healing process and helps to integrate positive results.
HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR MY FIRST SESSION?
If you are a hypnotherapy client:
complete the online intake forms at least 2 business days prior to your first session.
Have confidence that hypnotherapy will work for you! You are the “co-therapist” - you have more power than you may realize.
Wear comfortable clothes and use the restroom just before your appointment.
Feel free to ask any questions or express any concerns. This provides an opportunity for us to find clarity, clear up any concerns or misconceptions early on so that you can feel at ease.
HOW DO I PAY?
You pay and schedule at the same time, via align-within.com/calendar. There are additional payment options in the footer below.
INSURANCE:
Insurance Coverage: I do not file with health insurance companies for medical support clinical hypnotherapy. However, it may be covered by your health insurance policy. When requested a receipt can be provided so you may submit a claim directly with your insurance company.
CAN ANYONE BE HYPNOTIZED?
It has been said that "all hypnosis is self-hypnosis," and this is absolutely true because hypnosis is a natural, yet altered state. Natural and normal because we pop in and out of trance (alpha brain wave states) throughout our days. It's just that most people aren't taught how to use those trance states in productive ways that open desirable doors for them. Experiencing an induced trance by someone else requires rapport, trust, relaxation, concentration, and the ability to follow instructions. It is a common misconception that only weak-willed, “suggestible” people can be hypnotized. Many people confuse "suggestibility" with another concept, "gullibility." Gullibility is when someone uncritically accepts ideas, whereas suggestibility is a measure of the degree to which your brain and nervous system respond to incoming ideas. Gullibility is undesirable, suggestibility is desirable. Just about anyone can be hypnotized—if they are willing and ready for change. And if they have the ability to follow instructions, etc. The only other exceptions may be people who have IQs significantly below average or are suffering from certain psychological disorders.
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE IN TRANCE?
How many times have you been mesmerized by something, and so captured by it that it was like you were in a trance? If you are like most people, the answer is every day. We all experience trance states on a daily basis. Have you ever been so engaged in a good book or movie that you didn’t hear your name being called? Or have you ever been driving and arrived at your destination only to realize that you don’t remember driving there? If so, then you have been in a trance state! In a hypnotherapy session, when you enter into trance, everything seems to dissolve and your attention is fixed on what you want to accomplish.
You won’t be asleep—that is a common misconception. You will be fully alert and aware of everything going on around you; even experiencing hyper-acuity. You will remember everything that you want to remember about your session. As you open the door to your own inner awareness and deeper wisdom during a session, you will likely continue to have more and more insights and make discoveries about it in the days that follow.
AM I GIVING OVER MY CONTROL? CAN A HYPNOTHERAPIST MAKE ME DO SOMETHING I DON’T WANT TO DO?
While in hypnosis *you* are in charge. “All hypnosis is self-hypnosis.” In fact, hypnosis is a state of heightened awareness. Unfortunately, many people are introduced to hypnosis through Hollywood depictions or stage shows, where the hypnotist appears to control his or her subjects, making them do silly things for entertainment purposes. The fact is that hypnosis requires consent. The audience members who participate in those shows, volunteer to be there, to go on stage, and they have a choice in following the hypnotist’s suggestions.
Be assured that if a hypnotherapist ever suggested that you do something that you felt uncomfortable with, you would either simply ignore the suggestion or you would come right out of trance. We're all equipped with this internal safety mechanism. While in a trance you cannot do anything that is against your will, your morals and you are more in touch with and aligned with your deeply held values. Nor will you blurt out your deep dark secrets. You have a choice in whether or not you want to share your insights and discoveries and with whom.
CAN I GET STUCK IN A TRANCE?
Absolutely not. Anytime you are in trance you have the option of coming out of hypnosis on your own. You are "co-therapist" and have control. Almost everyone finds hypnosis a profoundly relaxing and healing state, and so most people have no desire to come out until the session is complete. If a fire alarm went off during a session, you would be the first one to pop right up out of the chair ready to run to the nearest exit. While in the trance state, you will have access to deeper subconscious knowledge, but your conscious mind is really close by and your protective mechanisms remain in place.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO "REPROGRAM" MY MIND?
This is a very good question because "programming" is a word that is often used! The word "programming" as it relates to the mind is simply referring to how our subconscious operates. Beneath the surface of our conscious level of awareness, we are unconsciously "programmed" by our environment and environmental influences simply due to the nature of our subconscious. Our subconscious mind operates very similarly to a core computer program – it stores and retrieves data, and it responds exactly the way it is programmed. It is very literal. It is keen on making associations and continually strives to fulfill the agenda for which it is programmed by making everything you perceive, think, say and do fit a pattern consistent with your core programming. It is always recording and stores all of your memories, beliefs and scripts. Thus, we are all already "programmed" by our parents, teachers, siblings, peers, what we watch on TV, and everything in our environment. Everything in our environment is potentially programming our subconscious because unconsciously we record all that is happening in the world around us. Issues arise when our existing programs, drive unhealthy behaviors, limit us and block our joy. In hypnotherapy we work together to discover existing programs that are limiting you and keeping you from reaching your highest potentials so that you can be free and unencumbered in creating the life you desire.
ARE MIND AND BRAIN THE SAME THING?
No. The mind is akin to the software, the brain is akin to the hardware. The brain is the physical organ inside your skull. The mind is a field of intelligence.
HOW IS HYPNOTHERAPY DIFFERENT FROM PSYCHOTHERAPY?
There are quite a few differences. Hypnotherapy and psychotherapy are wonderfully complementary. Hypnotherapy is not a replacement for psychotherapy. Psychotherapy or "talk therapy" is generally long-term therapy. Hypnotherapy is shorter-term; 4 to 6 sessions per goal or issue. In hypnotherapy we talk directly to the subconscious and superconscious levels of mind and we don’t analyze or diagnose. E.g. I won’t tell you the meaning or symbology of your dream, etc, but your subconscious knows and I can help you traverse that realm with safety, mastery and ease. Hypnotherapy is an educational, self-improvement, self-insight process that facilitates access to your innate, internal resources so you can get to the root cause of issues, feel great and alter behavior patterns to create positive change. Both hypnotherapy and psychotherapy strive to empower a person to access their own inner resources and feel better. It's my standard of practice to collaborate with other mental health professionals when applicable, so that my clients get the best care possible from their team.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HYPNOTHERAPIST AND A HYPNOTIST?
Hypnotists have minimum training and primarily induce trance states and deliver positive suggestions. Most stage hypnotists are hypnotists. Hypnotherapists generally have more extensive training. A hypnotherapist uses hypnosis for therapeutic work and facilitates problem solving at a deeper level.
Hypnotherapy as a profession is not federally regulated and thus, there is a wide range of training programs, anywhere from a single weekend to 40 or 100 hours of training on average. Lisa Sandine holds a foundational tier of over 500 hours of specialized in-person hypnotherapy training from a state licensed school, and she is a Fellow of the International Board of Hypnotherapy (IBH). Lisa specializes in both transpersonal hypnotherapy and medical orientations since 2011.
WHAT IS A “CLINICAL" HYPNOTHERAPIST?
"Clinical" hypnotherapists are medical support hypnotherapists who have additional training and certification in accelerated healing and pain control. Clinical hypnotherapy is a fabulous adjunct to medical or dental treatment. Not all medical support or clinical hypnotherapists are qualified to be certified by the International Board of Hypnotherapy (IBH). The IBH has rigorous certification requirements so that consumers, health and counseling agencies, clinics and hospitals can be assured they are engaging a highly qualified practitioner when they work with an IBH Fellow such as Lisa Sandine. See InternationalBoardofHypnotherapy.com for more information on Level 3 Certified Medical Support Clinical Hypnotherapists.
I HAVE AN IPHONE - WHERE DID MY AUDIO FILE GO?
Apple products are proprietary and exclusive in that they are compatible with other Apple products (iPhone, iPad, iTunes, etc) but not always compatible with technology that is not exclusively Apple. My audios are in ‘mp3’ format, which are a commonly used, non-proprietary, audio file that allows for compression and delivery of an audio that is a relatively small file size. If you have an iPhone you may not be able to download an mp3 file directly to your phone without the help of an App. If you haven’t downloaded an App onto your phone, there are a number of free Apps that will work (edownoader eDI, Google Music, WALTR are examples). Here are a couple of helpful video tutorials to help you navigate it: “How to Download MP3 Files to Your iPhone or iPad (2016)” & “How to Transfer MP3 to iPhone Without iTunes (2021)”
DISCLAIMER / EDUCATION
In no way are any of Align Within / Lisa Sandine’s services or products to be interpreted as providing medical, dental, psychiatric, or psychotherapy services. All services, products, and information provide complementary and additional support. No service or product provided is intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or condition. All of Lisa’s work, including but not limited to Hypnotherapy, are educational processes that facilitate access to a persons’ internal resources to empower them and assist them in creating positive changes in their lives. This includes and is not limited to: solving problems, reducing pain, resolving emotional distress, enhancing communications, increasing motivation, or altering unhelpful behavior patterns. Your experience is subject to your own personal interpretation.
Hypnotherapy education is classified by the United States Department of Education under Human Services in the Health and Human Services Division of the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP). The CIP identification number for professional hypnotherapy is 51.3603 and falls under “Mind-Body Therapies and Education.” The United States Department of Labors’ Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) identification number for professional “Hypnotherapist” is 079.157.010.