Dive into the world of Inner Coach Counseling with Gena Golden, NBCFCH, LCSW, as she shares the unique journey and innovative offerings of this mental health practice in an exclusive MysticMag interview. From dispelling common myths about hypnotherapy to discussing personalized and holistic approaches in life coaching, Gena provides a fresh perspective on mental wellness. Discover the success stories, challenges misconceptions, and explore the diverse services, including online therapy and international offerings, that make Inner Coach Counseling a trailblazer in the field.
What is the story behind Inner Coach Counseling and how was it founded?
The company was founded in 2015, first as a solo practice. After client demand grew too we added another team member in 2018. We’ve added several more clinicians and interns to our practice because we don’t want to turn anyone away. Our forward-thinking approach did not stop there. In 2023, we did two things:
1. We added an international therapist based in the UK, who is available to provide telehealth services to citizens around the globe;
2. We are the first mental health practice to truly integrate a mind-body-spirit-centered approach – offering energy and spiritual services including chakra balancing, tarot readings, and distant Reiki.
What ideas and principles is your life coaching based on?
My guiding principles for Life Coaching and Test Anxiety Coaching are holistic in nature, informed by neuroscience, interpersonal neurobiology, positive psychology, and liberation-focused frameworks. As ‘Your Inner Coach,’ I help leaders, healers, and change agents transform the inner critic {internal oppression} and outwit the outer critics {systemic oppression} to become their ancestors’ wildest dreams.
What are some common misconceptions about hypnosis you encountered?
A growing number of people who seek out my services, take comfort knowing that my hypnosis practice embodies a holistic and culturally attuned approach to healing. However, a smaller percentage continues to remain leery, and despite being a National Board Certified Fellow Clinical Hypnotherapist, myths and misconceptions prevail, mostly due to Hollywood’s perpetuation of practices long gone and stage hypnotists (no shade here, stage hypnotists are quite effective with rapid inductions, etc) who appear to make people do unseemly things. Below are a few common myths that people have expressed to me:
Myth #1 “It’s Mind Control.”
Myth Buster: Hypnotherapy is not mind control. If anyone can control your mind, it’s you. Hypnotherapy does not control your mind; it does provide profound relaxation to help a person become open and receptive to positive suggestions and imagery to reach their personal goals. The hypnotherapist is always checking in with you and doesn’t do or say anything that doesn’t feel right to you.
Myth #2 “I don’t want to get ‘stuck’ in hypnosis.”
Myth Buster: No one has ever gotten stuck in hypnosis because when in hypnosis, you have the power to stop at any time simply by opening your eyes. Even if left alone, your natural response is to alert you to wake up. Why? Because in hypnosis, your senses (smell, touch, taste, hear, and see) are heightened and sharpened.
Myth #3 “I don’t want to be made to look or act foolish!”
Myth Buster: Your ego and values remain intact. Even in a deeply relaxed hypnotic state, you remain aware and have the free will to choose what you will or will not do. Hypnotherapy is a method used to help you heal, grow, and accomplish your goals, it’s not to make you feel foolish or out of control.
Myth #4 “.What if I tell you something that I don’t want you to know?”
Myth Buster: Hypnosis is not a truth serum. Even in hypnosis, you can choose what you share or not share. You cannot be ‘made’ to say or share what you don’t want to.
Myth #5 “Some say I am too strong-willed to be hypnotized.”
Myth Buster: Remember that hypnosis is natural which means everyone experiences some form of trance or a hypnotic state daily. Think about when you drive home from work and don’t recall how you got there. The good thing about ‘strong-willed’ people is that they tend to be good at experiencing ‘focused attention’. Having focused attention is important to entering into a hypnotic state.
Myth #6 “Going ‘under’ hypnosis or to the ‘sunken place’ like in the movie ‘Get Out’ scares me?”
Myth Buster: My method of hypnosis helps one to go ‘in’ not ‘under’ hypnosis. I help people relax their minds and body so much so they go ‘within’ themselves and not ‘under’ or to the ‘sunken place’. Remember that a trained hypnotherapist is there to assist in your healing journey; not to embarrass, restrain, or force you to do anything you do not want to do.
Myth #7 “Hypnosis is the Devil’s work!”
As a person who is deeply connected to my spirituality, I would never engage in the work of the devil. The people I help can attest to how engaging in hypnotherapy felt like a spiritual awakening where they gained more access to their inner divinity, creative intelligence, and higher self. According to Paul Durbin, United Methodist Minister and Director of Pastoral Care and Clinical Hypnotherapy, “The Roman Catholic Church has issued statements approving the use of hypnosis in 1847”.
You offer therapy sessions for individual clients, couples, and families, as well as online therapy. What are the differences between those sessions, and how do you individualize your services in each of them to get the best results for your clients?
Since 2018, we have initiated a hybrid practice (providing in-person and virtual mental health support), which prepared us for an unforeseen pandemic in 2020. This created barriers to mental health care for millions of Americans. As early adopters of telehealth, our services were never interrupted, resulting in a seamless transition for people who had difficulties coming to the office because of COVID-19 transmission and proximity concerns, transportation barriers, physical challenges, time constraints, busy work schedules, social anxiety, or embarrassing problems they find difficult to disclose in person.
Working with individuals, couples, and families requires different methods and approaches according to their unique needs and goals. I practice from a holistic approach (mind, body, soul-centered) seen through a cultural and liberation-focused lens. I act as a conduit for healing that validates and normalizes the lived experiences of others, while also honoring cultural nuances, practices, and traditions of the family/community. Whether working with individuals, couples, or families, exploring intergenerational traumas and triumphs is essential to the holistic wellness of the people that I support.
What other services do you offer?
I provide business consultation for therapists and hypnotists in private practice. Coming soon, I am offering a hypnosis course to help professionals who want to learn hypnosis that focuses on the healing of marginalized or targeted groups with intergenerational, historical, cultural, or racial trauma. I also have an Etsy store, InnerCoachables, with Tools, Tees, and ‘Tings for helping professionals, including affirmation card decks, grow work RX pads, t-shirts, yoga pants, and mugs.
Can you share a memorable success story?
Helping a fellow hypnotherapist slay test anxiety and pass an exam is one of many memorable success stories. A colleague and fellow psychotherapist and hypnotherapist solicited help to overcome test anxiety to provide clinical supervision to staff without using an external person.
In just four (4) hypnotherapy sessions, he passed the clinical exam previously failed five (5) previous attempts. Because he finally passed the exam, my colleague no longer has to pay someone to provide clinical supervision to his employees Here is the YouTube interview: https://youtu.be/wiylQgNtqVw?si=SSq2Dny6o5iqeZ5l
To learn more about Gena and her work, you can visit innercoachhypnotherapy.com
