Frequently Asked Questions

What happens in a mindguidance session?

Typically, normal conversation. You share what you would like to accomplish in a safe environment, and I respond with questions designed to provoke more thought and insight. During our talk, I watch for signals outside of your conscious awareness. Whether it's the words you use, your body language, your breathing patterns, even the tone of your voice, there are so many small signs that indicate deeper patterns within. I have been trained to detect those signs and help you understand what's going on inside you.

There are also many other techniques that may be used in a session including hypnosis, guided imagery, emotional-memory recall, and imagination. Every session is unique, and only techniques that are appropriate are utilized.

I've been to therapy and it took (weeks/months/years) with baby steps of progress. Is that how mindguidance works too?

The goal of each session is to help you acheive your outcome and reach a breakthrough as fast as possible. Some problems can be more challenging than others and may require multiple sessions; however, it is in both of our best interest for you to reach your desired outcome as soon as possible. The faster you experience positive changes in your life, the faster you can get back to living it!

There are three reasons that you would need to see me on multiple ocassions:
1. You want to work on several problems in your life that require the necessary time and attention to address each one.
2. You have a specific challenge that requires multiple sessions to resolve (Some people have strong "defense systems" to stay the same. Although I've seen breakthroughs in a couple sessions, it can and does sometimes take longer).
3. You like the changes you are making and would like ongoing sessions to continue fine-tuning yourself.

Realistically, you have known you all your life! How much you reveal to me during our time together, and how much determination you have to change, makes a big difference in the amount of time it will take. Hypnosis is one of the most effective ways to get the results you want, but it still involves your dedication and determination to help me help you reach your goals.

Do you guarantee that I will heal/change?

That is something that no one in the health and wellness field can promise. Your results are based on both my abilities and your determination. Without both, there will be no success. With both however, you will change. Remember - everyone has a different body, mind and determination. And the mind/body is an ever-changing variable. No one, not even you, consciously knows everything that's happening inside of you.

There's a reason your doctor speaks to you of your "chances" of success. He or she will usually tell you what percentile of success you may have with a certain procedure or operation. Almost all of your success depends on how much you allow and want the process to happen; And how determined you are to change. I am there to help you communicate with the part of you that is unconscious - the part "running the show". I help you to uncover what is preventing you from making the changes you want in your life. When the obstacles are cleared from the path to wellness, change is ineviteable. My guarantee to you is that I will utilize my skills, and our time, to the fullest -
guiding you to a better life and real results.

How much do you charge to help me heal or change?

I used to have my fees listed on my Contact page. What I found however is that many people tend to base their health and wellness on how much they want to pay instead of what will work. Though price is definitely an issue for a lot of people, I have decided to work with only those who are absolutely ready to make changes in their life, whatever the cost. This doesn't mean I charge an arm and a leg. Far from it actually!

I've realized that my most successful clients - the one's who've made the decision to change without letting anything get in their way - didn't let money stop them from becoming the person they wanted to be. These are the people who are sick and tired of being sick and tired.

My skills, the effectiveness of our sessions, and your results are worth far more than I'll ever charge. If you call or email me, of course I'll tell you what the fees are. However, if that's all you're looking to find out, I don't mind referring you to the discount, cookie-cutter therapists who are charging what they are truly worth.

What is change-work?

Change-work is the type of work where the actions and/or words of a practitioner help a client achieve positve and resourceful change. Change-work can include language and physiological analysis, pattern detection (emotional and physical), hypnotherapy, guided conversation and/or visualization, and other effective approaches that bring about change. I consider myself very unique in that my intuition also plays a role in helping you change.

I've read the About Change page, but what is the actual meaning and origin of Hypnosis?

The word Hypnosis is derived from two words: Hypnos and osis.
In Greek mythology, Hypnos was the god of sleep.
osis is a medical term, used as a suffix, meaning Process or Condition.

Though hypnosis is similar to sleep, it is not sleep. It is more an increased focus within, with a decreased peripheral awareness.
In other words, it is easier for one to focus on the hypnotist while becoming less aware of the environment. In this focused state, one is more open to suggestion. The suggestions are offered to the client, and the client chooses to accept or reject them according to his or her morals and values.

Franz Anton Mesmer was the first person who really popularized hypnosis, even though it wasn't called hypnosis back then (early 1800s). Scottish surgeon James Braid coined the word Hypnosis after his research into 'mesmerism'. Mesmerism was named after Franz Mesmer who claimed that he was able to move energy through the body simply by waving his hands over someone. Whether that is true or not, his clients did show signs of deep hypnosis allowing them to change and heal.

Tell me more about your experience in working with Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA or ACoA)

Growing up in a home where alcohol was the driving force of my family, I have experienced the pain, the fear and the life-style that was created from it. It took many years of growth and healing, then many more years of education and training, to get where I am today. Because of my liberation from many of the common ACA characteristics, my personal history, and my experience with other ACAs, I have unique skills and experience to help those who are currently in the stages I've been through. One of the most important skills that many people, not just ACAs, lack, is the ability to express themselves. Fully and completely express what's in their hearts. Almost all of my clients have had that in common - An event happened in their life, they swallowed the emotions associated with that event, and the emotion never got expressed. Perhaps words were spoken and action was taken in some form, but the feelings stayed and created blockages in the body. Since many of us were led to believe that expressing yourself was punishable, we stopped doing it.

What do all the letters behind your name mean? What exactly do your credentials mean?

Paul Colaianni CHt, MPNLP

CHt: Consulting Hypnotist
MPNLP: Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming

I will do my best to explain my credentials below.

TimeLine Coach™: Memories are stored sequentially, in the order they were created. A TimeLine Coach is one who can guide a client through their past, usually following a "timeline" of memories, to access not only a memory, but all the associated emotions and other sensory-based data involved with that memory (such as sounds and images). Once accessed, the TimeLine Coach helps the client learn from the event(s) in the past, and helps them release any negative associations.

Regression Specialist: Very similar to TimeLine Coaching, a Regression Specialist helps the client regress to a certain age or period in their life to help them access new resources they didn't have at the time. This, like TimeLine Coaching is a powerful experience and usually results in a chain of positive shifts in the client. Both TL Coaching and Regression feel, quite literally, as if you've travelled back in time and provided the support and the resources to your younger self, giving you a new perspective and understanding in the present moment.

NLP Life Coach®: For clients seeking continual guidance through current situations, or through life in general. An NLP Life Coach guides the client to continuous harmony and well-being, providing feedback and suggestions.

Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming: The longest title, and probably the most cryptic to some people. I've provided a detailed description of this below.

Consulting Hypnotist: A CHt uses hypnosis to help clients create positive change in their lives.
CHt can also mean Clinical Hypnotherapist, Certified Hypnotist, Certified Hypnotherapist, and Clinical Hypnotist.

Do you make house calls?

I do. But in order for me to do so, certain requirements must be met. There should be no distubances of any kind (phones turned down, no children or pets in the room, no one expected to knock on the door, etc). My office is a controlled environment and therefore preferred; however, I understand there may be a need for a more personal session in a personal space. Feel free to inquire about this and we can discuss arrangements.
It's important for both of us to not be distracted by the daily happenings in life. Also, if we are in the middle of a session and you are just about to have a breakthrough, it's a bad time for UPS to knock on the door. Mobile sessions have an added fee of $20 for travel.

Do you have any downloadable content?

Yes! I have free mp3s that you can download here. They are high-quality guided journey audio recordings. I come out with many of these on a regular basis so be sure to sign up for future programs!

An Introduction to Your Unconscious Mind

Our unconscious (AKA subconscious) mind is like a computer - it continually runs programs that influence our behavior. Some programs are beneficial. Smiling when you meet a stranger can be a great program. However, some programs, like getting angry whenever a certain relative comes over, may not serve you or others well.

Like the computer it is, the unconscious mind has recorded every sight, sound, smell, taste, feeling and emotion that we've ever experienced. Not only has it stored these things, but it has stored them without judgment. That means it is not selective when it comes to what's real and what's imagined. It simply records the data from the input it receives, then adds it as part of our foundation (the mental framework that makes up our mind). This foundation is how we experience and interpret the world around and within us. And because we are all unique in our mental framework, we perceive things differently than everyone else on the planet.

Sometimes we behave using simple stimulus-response. We are presented with a stimulus (the visual of a stop light for instance), then we respond without thinking (putting our foot on the brake, thankfully). If we consciously thought about every action we took before taking it, the world would move around us at light speed! If we had to consider which muscle groups had to move in which direction, at what amount of force, in order for enough strength to be applied to lift our foot onto the brake, we would already driven through several intersections. Thankfully, our unconscious mind takes care of all that. But it also drives other, unresourceful behaviors too.

These other behaviors lead to habits, phobias and other peculiar mannerisms. These are the programs that most of us would like to be rid of. The ones that don't serve us; The programs that should have been deleted or at least rewritten long ago.

Though hypnosis and NLP are excellent pathways to new behaviors, they're not the only ones. All the therapies in the world are good for someone out there. Hypnosis and NLP do have a funny way of working quickly, and with measurable results. Whereas many other modalities of therapy seem to take longer.
They are all beneficial in some way. It's a matter of choosing the one that feels right to you.

What are your beliefs about hypnosis? If TV is your only source for learning about hypnotism or hypnotherapy, then most of you will probably never want to see a hypnotist! How about NLP? Have you even heard of it?
Here are some common beliefs and facts about both:

Belief: A hypnotist can make me do things against my will

Fact: A hypnotist can help you reach a deeper level of connection and communication with your unconscious mind. Your unconscious mind is where all your programs, or your automated systems, are running. To this date, I've not heard of anyone with a program that tells them to follow commands without regard to their own morality and value system. In other words, your unconscious mind is highly moral and will only accept suggestions that are in line with your values.

If you've ever seen a stage hypnotist, he or she will always select the participants who want to be the center of attention. The volunteers are always the ones raising their hands the highest, standing on edge of their seats begging to be selected. The stage hypnotist isn't looking for the shy folks, he or she is selecting the ones who are already willing to go on stage to get a laugh from the audience. Being hypnotized helps them overcome any fears or inhibitions associated with what they may have done anyway.

Belief: Hypnotism is mind control

Fact: A hypnotist has no control of what thoughts or intentions take place in your mind. If I ask you to think about a car you want, you still have to consciously choose to think about that. A hypnotist helps guide you to deeper communication with your unconscious mind but has no control over the decisions you make inside your own head. Even under the deepest state of hypnosis, a client can choose to simply stand up and walk out of the room if there is any objection to what is being suggested.

Belief: I will be a zombie, unable to move or speak until the hypnotist snaps me out of it.

Fact: Being hypnotized is a wonderfully relaxing state that most people enjoy. It is a state where the world around them seems to fade away while the imagined world that is forming in their mind is extremely pleasurable. This can lead to a peaceful place of restfulness and comfort. In this state, most people choose to stay in it and get the most from the experience. However, anyone can simply choose not to be hypnotized anymore by simply snapping out of it themselves. Every step of hypnosis is a choice by the client - you are, quite frankly, hypnotizing yourself . If you choose to open your eyes, then your eyes will open. If you choose to stay a bit longer, then you will do that instead.

Belief: What if the hypnotist walks away or dies while I'm hypnotized. Will I ever get out of this state?

Fact: Yes. Under hypnosis, you are always in control of your state. You can choose to relax more and more, or you can choose to open your eyes and be alert. Under the most extreme circumstances, if you were so deep you were almost asleep, you would likely just fall asleep then wake up as if from a nap. If the hypnotist just stopped talking, you'd start to wonder what was going on anyway and probably open your eyes to see what was happening.

Belief: Is hypnosis sleep?

Fact: Some people believe that everything is hypnosis. Watching TV, staring at the road while driving, reading a book... it seems that anything that comes into your 5 senses can be considered hypnosis. However, if you were asleep, you would probably not hear the hypnotist talking anymore. In that case, it may not be considered hypnosis. Some hypnotists believe that sleep is a good time to be hypnotized though. Which is why it's probably not a good idea to fall asleep with the TV on. Hypnosis seems to be most effective when you are in that state just before sleep (called the theta state). This is the deepest level of hypnosis before sleep. Hypnosis is not sleep, but it is relaxing.

Belief: I know I can't be hypnotized.

Fact: If I ask you to relax and you decide not to, then you're right! Hypnotism is simply about following instructions. In my studies, it has been found that the more intelligent you are, the more likely you are to be hypnotizable. I'm not sure if I really believe that; I believe that everyone knows how to be hypnotized. If you can day-dream, then you can be hypnotized. It's true that many people coming out of hypnosis will say things like "I didn't feel hypnotized" or "I don't think that worked". Almost every time however, when I talk to these same people a day or two later, they've changed their behaviors! Whether they decided to quit smoking, lose weight or simply behave differently in certain situations, they've made different choices.
We're hypnotised every day, especially by the media. When we visit a hypnotist, at least we are choosing what goes into our minds.

What is NLP?

NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, is the study of, utilization of, and communication with, the language of the mind and body. The words we use to communicate with each other are only a tiny fraction of how we send messages back and forth. Body language (physiology), voice tonality, breathing rate, changes in skin color, and other factors determine the rest of the message. It wasn't until the 70s that the creators of NLP, Richard Bandler and John Grinder, decided to study and understand these patterns and call what they learned NLP. They also studied the most successful therapists in their fields to find out how they were so effective at making changes in people so fast. They studied every step these therapists went through, then duplicated those steps creating the same changes in others.

NLP is rich with techniques and processes that help create profound, positive changes in people. It became incredibly popular when Tony Robbins started using it around the world. His application of NLP has helped, quite literally, millions of people. The techniques work - plain and simple.

Some people express concern over the word 'Programming' in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. To ease the minds of those people, I, nor anyone else, have the power to program you. I have no control over all the buttons and dials inside your head. What a hypnotherapist or practitioner of NLP does is help you program yourself. I can ask you to visualize your bedroom, paint it pink and black, then fill it with balloons, but you still have to actually do the process yourself.

The process of NLP is mostly conversational, and therefore, quite comfortable to almost everyone. If you have any questions on NLP or hypnosis, or would like to inquire about anything else, feel free to click the Contact button.

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