A few years before that I had attended a mass hypnosis session to quit smoking and was successful for many years with that. Not long after seeing the shop, I was at the SC State Fair where they did a group hypnosis which was actually quite funny. They sought volunteers, however, I felt it would be more fun to watch and it was. I since discovered that hypnosis is a great technique for behavior modification. In fact, hypnosis is said to be the most successful method for quitting smoking and losing weight.
Last fall, I had an art show at Frame of Mind on Main St. and this is where I met Dr. Fredric Mau and we became facebook friends. Although we had read each other’s news feeds and saw each other at various art events, I didn’t know he was a hypnotist or the owner of Watermark Gallery until I was in search of a canopy for an art show where someone suggested that Fredric may have one for sale. After talking with him I finally read his profile and discovered who he was. The idea of hypnosis and finding out more about it from an expert intrigued me and I thought it might make an interesting story, so I offered to do a story on him and his business of hypnosis.
Dr. Mau explained to me what hypnosis is, how it is used and what it actually does physically in the brain and body to alter human behavior. He tells me there are many levels of awareness and relaxation and hypnosis done correctly can slow the brain waves to various levels depending on what you are trying to achieve. Most of us operate in daily life somewhere around the beta state with brain waves of 14-20 cycles per a second. Many artists operate at 9-14 brain wave cycles per a second and this is a great state in which to be creative, it is a state of mind in which you lose track of time. When one is dosing off or deeply relaxed the brain waves slow to 4-9 cycles per a second. It is in this state, the theta level that the stress hormone cortisol is reduced, serotonin and beta endorphins increase, making you feel good and you become open to suggestion.
The hypnotist and the client may chat a bit first and decide on goals for the hypnosis session. Once the client is relaxing at the theta level, the hypnotist can make suggestions in line with the client’s goals. If the patient wants to lose weight for example, reducing the level of cortisol is a huge help as high levels of cortisol in the body is known to increase body fat especially around the mid section. The hypnotist can make suggestions which lead to better food choices, increased activity and the combination results in weight loss. This is how Dr. Mau became interested in hypnosis through his own weight loss using this method.
Using hypnosis for behavior modification can lead to many areas of improvement in the client’s life. Hypnosis can be used to help and improve muscle movement memory which means it can give athletes and dancers better performance. It also is very effective for pain relief for chronic pain sufferers and people with fibromyalgia. When the brain waves slow down, it physically changes which are equivalent to an anesthetic without the drugs.
For creative types, (like myself) it opens what Dr. Mau refers to as a learning channel. The subconscious draws connections between things you didn’t connect consciously. The hypnotic process actively engages the part of the right brain which enhances the non-verbal creative side of the person. The suggestions for this process will be to engage the creative side with new insights and openness to new connections to see, feel and hear more possibilities. Thus it is like opening up a learning channel for visual artists, musicians and enhances the kinesthetic for performers as well.
After our discussion Dr. Mau offered me a sample hypnosis session. He had me put on headphones and wear some strange glasses and lie back in the recliner. I was awake yet relaxed throughout the session. I could hear his voice and the sound in the headphones was a very gentle pulsing music. He talked about seeing me flying and I could see myself flying; from there I saw painting after painting. His suggestions were merely to relax, be myself and meet people that would enhance and expand my interests and creative life. I felt very happy and was certainly under hypnosis. I enjoyed it so much, I wanted to laugh because I love laughing.
After the session I was totally relaxed even though I had been stressed when I got there. At the time I met with him, I was struggling with a habit and am pleased to say within 24 hours I totally lost all interest in that habit and have walked away from it without any problems. He gave me a cd of the session and said I could use it anytime I wanted to relax. I really enjoyed my meeting with Dr. Mau at Watermark Hypnosis and would strongly recommend others to try hypnosis to increase their creativity.
Dr. Mau has since moved Watermark Hypnosis from the Park Street storefront and is now located near the Governor’s Mansion at 1903 Gadsden St. Suite 202 in Columbia, SC 29201. Dr. Mau was an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church and later went to work for corporate America. After a layoff, he began doing consulting, lost weight and eliminated pain, through hypnosis. This intrigued him and he decided to get trained and certified in hypnosis. Dr. Mau offers hypnosis to clients and also offers training for interested students of hypnosis.
You may reach him for consultation and hypnosis therapy at 803-750-2000 or check out his website at http://www.watermarkcolumbia.com/. Dr. Mau also teaches classes in religion, philosophy and humanities at the University of Phoenix in Columbia, SC.
yours truly,
Jean BourQue
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