Ep 172: The Power of Hypnosis with Dr. David Spiegel

May 18

It’s incredible to realize how powerful the mind is to help heal the body, and today, we’re diving into the oldest Western conception of psychotherapy: hypnosis!

Dr. David Spiegel is an Associate Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and a Medical Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. He has spent more than 40 years tackling clinical research around psycho oncology, stress and health, pain control, sleep, hypnosis, and more, writing 13 books and publishing hundreds of articles along the way.

Today, Karolina and Dr. Spiegel dig into the magic of hypnosis, how it can help you approach ditching alcohol and processing trauma, and the mind-body connection. You’re going to want to tune in!

IN THIS EPISODE:

How hypnosis can be compared to experiencing “hyper-focused attention” that can help you let go of old ways of thinking, change your mind-body relationship, and support stress relief
Dr. Spiegel shares the 3 things that happen to the brain when you enter a state of hypnosis and how it helps you dissociate from who you are and what you can and can't do
How bringing out protective and maternal urges with your body can help you flip your mindset around not drinking with positive reinforcement
The mind-body connection is actually a two-way street. We construct internal AND external realities and our brain decides what to pay attention to
Processing trauma with hypnosis to gain a new perspective on “old pain” and forgiveness
The radical difference between hypnosis and mindfulness (hint: mindfulness is a practice, while hypnosis actually solves problems rapidly and can be a quick fix!)

REFLECTION QUESTION:

Dr. Spiegel references that the biggest myth about hypnosis is that you lose control, referencing how we’ve all likely seen a hypnotist on stage where the audience is made to look like a fool of themselves.

How has your perception of hypnosis changed since listening to this episode?

“Using our brain, we decide what to pay attention to and what not to. So if you're struggling with a drive to have another drink, if you've been doing it for a long time, if you can decide how much attention to pay to the craving versus the commitment to respect and protect your body and make a choice, and the narrowing of attention, the ability to control how your body feels, you can immediately feel better.” - Dr. David Spiegel

“Hypnosis is not fundamentally something that allows others to control you. It allows you to control you. You can enhance your ability to control both your mind and your body, and be more flexible. Control your perceptions, control your level of stress and arousal, and enhance your ability to focus if you want to and solve problems if you need to.” - Dr. David Spiegel

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Be sure to download the Reveri app for clinically-validated self-hypnosis experiences that you can do from the comfort of your home.

To follow Dr. Spiegel’s work, check out the Center on Stress and Health and the book he published, Trance and Treatment: Clinical Uses of Hypnosis. He has also published many papers about hypnosis.

Karolina’s free 5-day LIVE workshop series, Ditch Alcohol and Discover Your Purpose, is coming May 29-June 2. Now that you’ve re-evaluated the role of alcohol, learn how to ask yourself what you really want most in life and how to go after it! Enroll in the workshop here and get your free workbook!

Karolina’s book is available in hardcover, Kindle, and as an audiobook. Be sure to get your copy of Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You today and leave your review.

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