November 2004 | Whole Health: Practitioner Profile
Uncommon Healer
Who: Larry Garrett, certified hypnotist and board member of the National Guild of Hypnotists, is the founder of Garrett Hypnosis and Wellness Center in Chicago.
Quick Take: Hypnosis is a relaxed state of mind that heightens suggestibility. “Most conflicts seem to take root in the subconscious,” Garrett said. “The subconscious mind creates barriers to protect us from pain or fear but the barriers can work against linear or conscious mind,” said Garrett. “Under hypnosis clients are able to remove or set aside the invisible wall that separates them from mental and physical wellness.” Hypnosis can be practiced independently or as a complementary therapy, according to Garrett, who works with physicians and psychologists. “Some of our clients come in to get help dealing with a fear, like public speaking; others, being treated for cancer, might be referred by their physicians to help deal with the anxiety associated with the disease.” Hypnosis works for both mental and physical illness because all healing comes from being in a state of peace, Garrett said.
Old vs. New: People who cannot be hypnotized fall into four categories, including children under the age of 6, people who have an IQ of 70 or less, people diagnosed as psychotic and people who do not feel comfortable being hypnotized. Hypnotism evolved as a meditative method employed to relax the mind. Contemporary hypnotists focus on positive affirmation, whereas the old tradition used negative suggestion. Garrett often sees clients trying to quit smoking. “In the old days the suggestion would be cigarettes taste terrible,” Garrett said. “Now, instead of the negative suggestion I would say ‘you will feel confident without your smoking addiction.’”
Knowing the Difference: “Hypnosis not only reconditions the mind, it cleans the mind of past, including negative thinking, old habits and unwanted behavior,” Garrett explained. Hypnosis has a myriad of applications, including weight loss, smoking cessation, memory improvement, exam preparation and stress reduction.
Biggest Myth: The most important thing to remember is everyone’s experience is different. Some participants leave Garrett’s office doubting that they experienced hypnosis on a “deep enough” level or wonder if they really “went under.” “’Deep enough’ is irrelevant and ‘went under’ is a phrase used on TV,” Garrett said. Hypnosis is a learned wellness skill, not a medical procedure. “Hypnosis does not make you do anything, it simply helps to relax that compulsive feeling and reminds you of your intent,” said Garrett.
Case Study: “I recently consulted a young woman who suffered from irritable bowel syndrome, which is typical in today’s world,” Garrett said. Intestinal bowel syndrome is characterized by cramping, bloating, gas and diarrhea, often caused by anxiety and stress. “In about three months, after four or five sessions the client learned to use hypnosis to quiet her mind,” Garrett said. “Soon after that her symptoms went away.”
Personal File: Garrett has been on the board of directors of the National Guild of Hypnotists for 15 years, comprised of more than 10,000 hypnotists from around the world. The association named him hypnotist of the year in 1999. Garrett taught hypnosis at Morton College and Wright College for 29 years. The Garrett Hypnosis and Wellness Center, 3020 N. Kimball Ave. in Chicago, opened in 1970, and is open to the public from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month for discussions on hypnotism and other alternative therapies.
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