Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Puddy-tat?

I didn't really believe it until I saw it for myself.

I was halfway through a comprehensive training program to become a clinical hypnotherapist, and although I was learning amazing techniques and had benefited personally from hypnotherapy in the past, I was naturally curious as to whether it would work for me.

One day as we were having lunch, a classmate mentioned to me that she had a paralyzing phobia of cats that she had been suffering from for thirty-two years.

Above: the Terrifying, Fear-Inducing Feline

I mentioned that I had been learning some techniques outside of class, and that I may be able to help her. Naturally, she was skeptical. After all, I had no previous experience curing anyone of anything, and she had been suffering from this intense phobia since she was nineteen years old.

After some prodding, she eventually agreed to come to my house and do a session. In my own estimation, this was done out of courtesy on her part, and not out of faith in my abilities.

Now, the interesting part about this story is that I happen to live with two cats. So before she would agree to come over, my friend insisted that my cats be isolated in another room, and placed in their cages.

When she arrived at my home, she had a wide-eyed glare that was similar to what you see in horror movies when the babysitter goes outside to investigate a strange noise. I assured her that the cats were locked safely away, she came inside and we got to work.

A short while later, after I brought her out of hypnosis, I calmly asked her if she would like to meet my cats. She thought it over a moment, nodded and said "okay." We walked into the adjoining room, let the cats out of their cages. She held them in her arms and started to cry... tears of joy.

In that moment, I knew that seeing was believing... but I discovered something even more significant: that you don't always have to see before believing.

A couple weeks later, she told me she was thinking about adopting a kitten of her own. No kidding! Here's what she had to say, in her own words:

"Hi Sean,

I finally got to show my family that I could be in the room with a cat and when they saw me holding one they just could not believe it... my husband and children were absolutely in shock!

They could not believe it, and after only one session. Wow!!

I made believers out of them!!

Thank you so much!"

-Ja Spruill
Atlanta, GA

To hear me speak in more detail about how hypnosis can help to erase fears and phobias, check this out: PODCAST: Fears & Phobias