What inspired you to specialize in hypnosis and become a Registered Clinical Counseling-Hypnotherapist (RCCH)?
Let’s say some professions you choose, and some professions choose you. I feel that’s the case for me because, to be honest, I was an immigrant from China to Canada. English is not even my first language, so normally, it wouldn’t be my choice of profession. How can I use someone else’s language to hypnotize them, right? That idea was very daunting.
I remember when I came to Canada, everyone said that immigrants from China, especially women, typically work in accounting or IT. Neither of these professions requires a lot of interaction with people. However, a chain of events happened, and I said yes to an opportunity after an opportunity without knowing where I was heading. Before I realized it, I became a hypnotherapist. That’s the short version of the story. The long version is detailed in my book, with one chapter dedicated to it in “Carrie’s Lives.”
From a young age, I was drawn to understanding the cause of things. In the mental health world, they label various disorders, but my mind always goes to what’s behind those labels. Even with physical diseases, many labels we use are actually some doctor’s surnames. For example, Parkinson’s disease is named after a person, so is Alzheimer disease, Asperger syndrome, and many more. We use these labels, but what causes these conditions? I’ve always had an inquisitive mind and wanted to understand the mechanisms of the mind.
I remember when I was 13, I was reading Freud’s book, but I didn’t finish it because I couldn’t understand it. However, I knew I was drawn to this field. Eventually, through various events, I realized the importance of the subconscious mind. The subconscious, or unconscious mind, actually comprises a larger portion of our psyche. For me, if we have problems, it makes sense to explore the unconscious mind to find the root causes and resolve them there. My curiosity really got me started on this path, and I’ve never looked back.
How do you approach combining traditional counselling techniques with hypnotherapy to address issues such as PTSD or OCD?
If you think about it, PTSD stands for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The trauma is not present anymore; it is in the past. Everyone who experiences PTSD has obviously survived, but somehow, even though they have survived, and the trauma has ended, they only know that from the conscious mind, the frontal cortex. Consciously, they know the trauma is no longer present. However, something else is happening in the limbic system, the subconscious mind.
For example, someone who has come from a war zone might know they are now in a peaceful environment, but any loud noise can trigger a reaction as if they need to fight again. This response is coming from the back part of the mind, not the conscious part. Hypnotherapy is a modality that deals directly with the subconscious mind, unlike traditional counseling or talk therapy, which are helpful for contextualizing and conceptualizing experiences. These therapies provide labels and tools to manage symptoms, which is beneficial. However, this process can take time and multiple sessions because it works with the rational mind.
The larger part of the mind, the subconscious, often continues to react as if the trauma is still happening. Hypnotherapy addresses this part of the mind more directly and deeply. It does require courage, as some people might feel uncomfortable exploring these deeper areas. For them, talk therapy might be a better choice to gently ease into that space.
With conditions like OCD, people may intellectually understand they shouldn’t perform certain behaviors, but the rational mind struggles to control the emotional mind, where these compulsions are rooted. In hypnotherapy, we recognize that the rational mind comprises only 5 to 15% of our total mental capacity. The more powerful subconscious mind does not rationalize or analyze; it is purely emotional. Emotions and actions are closely linked, and while we may think rational thought will lead to action, it is actually the emotional mind that drives behavior.
Traditional counseling sessions focus on reasoning and understanding, which provides helpful tools and practices, but the process can be slower. Some people may prefer this gradual approach, while others want to get straight to the root of the issue. Many clients who come to me for hypnotherapy have already tried traditional counseling or psychotherapy for issues like PTSD and OCD.
What type of services do you offer?
You know, it isn’t just brief behavior like OCD; it involves emotional anxiety, panic, phobias, and other mental conditions. These can cause a sort of looping in the mind that cannot be easily stopped. Additionally, there is a spiritual part to the work that I do.
At the beginning of my career, I had this strange thought: I am going to use hypnotherapy, which creates a trance, to help people wake up to who they are. It sounds paradoxical to use hypnosis to help people wake up, but that’s how I felt. My mission has always been to help people discover their true selves.
Can you explain how Past Life Regression therapy works and what clients can expect during a session?
There are two approaches, two ways to answer this question. First, there are people who come to see me and straightforwardly request a past life regression therapy session. They say, “I want to do this,” and for those people, of course, I ask them about their reasons because past life regression is an avenue that usually has a purpose beyond mere curiosity. Although curiosity alone is a valid reason, most people seek past life regression therapy for deeper purposes.
When someone requests a past life regression session, I typically ask them what it’s for. How does this avenue connect to their purpose or what needs to be healed? Some people might have relationship challenges or irrational fears and phobias they cannot explain in this lifetime. People tell me their reasons, and many are simply curious. I call these individuals “past life tourists,” which is fine.
For those who are clear about their reasons, I guide them. I am skilled and know how to facilitate the process. Whether it’s for relationships, emotional healing, or awakening purposes, I need to first discover their internal openness. For example, some people might be more visual with their eyes closed, while others might be more kinesthetic, feeling and sensing rather than seeing. Some people are more auditory, and some, like myself, just know things directly without other sensory experiences.
Once I determine if the person is more visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or cognizant, I use that information to guide them into the first scene. Techniques like floating up to the clouds and coming back down to another lifetime, or moving through a tunnel, are used for induction into the first scene. When the scene opens up, my job is to ask the right questions.
The answers come from the subconscious mind of my clients, not their thinking, analyzing rational mind. I always encourage them to say the first thing that comes to mind, without trying to make sense of it. When they try to make sense, they engage their conscious mind and lose the connection. I encourage them to describe their experiences without defining them.
With their eyes closed, the conscious mind is in the passenger seat, but it can still be noisy. The subconscious mind is the driver. I use the analogy of being a tourist guide; they know where they are and where they want to go, and I know the territory. I ask questions, and they provide answers. The story unfolds naturally.
In another scenario, people come to see me with symptoms or challenges. Sometimes, intuitively, I feel the problem might stem from a past life. For example, if someone has a fear of spiders and says it has been present for as long as they can remember, my mind considers the possibility of it originating from another lifetime. However, I am cautious and need to know their beliefs. Some people’s religious or spiritual beliefs may not allow them to believe in past lives.
I work with their symptoms and test their openness. If they are curious, I might ask if it’s okay to trace the fear back as far as necessary, even to scenes that don’t make immediate sense. If they are open, we proceed. But if someone does not believe in reincarnation, I work around their symptoms without using past life regression.
Can you describe the process and benefits of Future Life Progression therapy?
There are two aspects to consider. First, I can take clients to a future moment in their current lifetime, whether it’s two years from now or 20 years from now. This is beneficial because it allows them to become their own psychic reader. Instead of relying on a psychic or fortune teller to predict their future, they access their own insights during a hypnotic state. When they provide answers to questions about their future, it’s not only informative but also therapeutic. They gain personal insights that are more impactful than hearing predictions from an external source. For example, if they visualize themselves in a future year and like what they see, I ask them what they did in the intervening years to achieve that outcome. They can then see their path clearly. Conversely, if they don’t like what they see, they can understand what needs to change.
This process is akin to reading a book and feeling the need to peek at the final chapters to see how the story ends before continuing. By getting a preview of their future, clients can feel more relaxed and less anxious about the present.
In another sense, this future life progression connects clients to their higher self. By transcending the illusion of linear time, they can explore the simultaneity of all experiences. Future life is not set in stone; rather, it is created from the present. This knowledge helps clients reorient themselves and clarify their path.
The second aspect involves future reincarnation, where clients explore lifetimes in the far future. For instance, I’ve guided clients to the year 3046, where they experienced being in another body with advanced technology. One client, although not explicitly stating it, felt as if they were piloting a craft on another planet, akin to a UFO. This type of progression can be fun and insightful, as it still connects clients with their inner soul. Both past life regression and future progression facilitate a connection with our true inner being.
