There’s more than one way to skin a cat! People who want to reduce their dependence on pharmaceutical medication and start feeling their best, may want to try hypnosis. Similar to naturopathic care, hypnosis has no risk of harmful side effects and can help reduce symptoms related to a variety of medical concerns. That’s why we’d like you to meet Laura Mekola, an Orange hypnotist, who can use hypnosis to help you with chronic pain, weight-loss, and more.
Name: Laura Mekola, CHt
Business Name:The Laura Mekola Betterment Project
Location: Orange, CA
Title: I call myself a Hypnotist, but the CHt behind my name stands for Clinical Hypnotherapist.
Specialties: Medical Hypnosis which includes: Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Autoimmune Disorders, Anxiety, Insomnia, and Presurgical Prep.
Years of Professional Experience: 4 years in my current practice and many years in corporate America.
Check out her website: www.lauramekola.com
Find her on Facebook: The Laura Mekola Betterment Project
Meet Laura Mekola,
Orange Hypnotist
- What is a basic explanation of hypnosis?
There are a number of definitions. Paraphrasing Wikipedia: “Hypnosis as an altered state of mind or trance, marked by a level of awareness different from the ordinary state of consciousness.”
A person under hypnosis is physically in a very relaxed state, while mentally they enjoy a type of focused concentration. They are said to be in a suggestible state, which means they are more receptive to suggestions. And suggestions given in this state are planted in the subconscious and have a better chance of sticking.
- What reasons should people consider using hypnosis?
One of the biggest reasons, I think, is that there isn’t a down side. Hypnosis won’t hurt you and it very often helps a great deal. It can often solve things for people that have been very difficult to resolve. Using hypnosis, I can regress a person to find out what happened and help them to resolve it right away. This is especially true with medical hypnosis. The doctor may prescribe a long series of highly addictive narcotics, whereas hypnosis can often greatly ameliorate or remove the pain.
Another big reason is that it is completely natural. Everyone with a normally functioning brain goes in and out of trances every day. Most people have experienced driving trances, and we often go into a trance when reading a good book or seeing an exciting movie.
Visit Laura’s office in Orange, CA
- Do you have any client success stories?
Lots. I had a client with osteoarthritis that had all kinds of different pains and sensations, and after a session or two she told me she was nearly pain free. That is pretty remarkable. Here is her Yelp review:
“I’ve tried everything for my chronic pain (OA) but never believed hypnosis could work for me. I’m hyperactive, high strung, and my mind is always racing. I was desperate for relief and Laura came highly recommended. I climbed into a very comfortable chair and followed a few suggestions and imageries. A few minutes later I heard, ‘Joanne are you ok?’ I opened my eyes and said, ‘Oh well, how many minutes did that last?’ Laura responded with 35 minutes. I was flabbergasted! Laura’s melodic voice brought me an unexplainable peace and quiet that stayed with me all week. My pain was minimized, my attitude improved and all this with one session. Foremost, my body felt rested. You can’t put a price on peace and serenity. I highly recommend Laura for people suffering from Osteoarthritis. It continues to work for me and it can work for you too.”
- On average, how long would you work with an individual?
It depends what they need my help with. Helping people to stop smoking is four sessions, resolving anxiety may take two to four, and weight loss may take four to eight. It is highly individualized, though, and different people may require more or less for the same thing.
- Is working with a hypnotist expensive?
My prices are very competitive. I charge $125 per session or four sessions for $400.
A peek inside Laura’s office
- What got you interested in practicing hypnosis?
I saw stage hypnosis in elementary school, and I guess you could say the stage was set. I was so fascinated I started reading books about the process and practicing as an adult. When life took a turn, I looked into actually getting trained and certified, and here I am.
- Can hypnosis help improve a person’s diet?
I’ve been participating in a weight management hypnosis group for about a year and a half now that is a completely different approach. It is hard to explain, but it focuses on how you think about food and eating, and how to control your thoughts to eat like a thin person. It steers completely clear of what to eat and when to eat it. As a life-long dieter, this is the first time I’ve felt like I can maintain my weight without focusing on it or depriving myself.
- How big of a role do you think a person’s overall health plays in their mental health?
I am a complete believer in the mind-body connection. Our thoughts can change us at a cellular level, and this is fact (I recommend The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton). Rather than saying their state of health has an influence on their mental health, I think it is the other way around. I think mental trauma and negative experiences lead to a negative state of mind, which can eventually lead to physical breakdowns.
- Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?
“Blessed are the flexible for they shall not get bent out of shape.”
- Anything else that you would like to share?
Well, people have a number of misconceptions about hypnosis. Some of them have to do with stage hypnosis and what people see in movies and on TV. Contrary to the way it appears, the subject is always in complete control of their behavior. If a hypnotist asks someone to cluck like a chicken in front of an audience, the person knows exactly what they are doing.
The subject is in control at all times. They will not tell me anything in trance that they wouldn’t have told me otherwise. I like to joke with people that they won’t tell me where the bodies are buried.
Most people will remember most of what happens, about like an ordinary conversation. Hypnosis feels quite normal because it is something people experience daily. I often hear people say they don’t think they were hypnotized, even when they pass all the tests with flying colors.
The other thing I want people to know is that hypnosis is both fun and super relaxing. You are just kicked back in a big comfortable chair, using your imagination and following a set of simple instructions. One hour of hypnosis is like four hours of sleep, so clients emerge refreshed and rejuvenated.
