From time to time, in every profession and walk of life, we stumble upon magnificent people who quietly, but with purpose, go about their life changing the world one step at a time. In the past, I have stumbled across many hidden heroes — as I'm sure you have. Sometimes they are discovered by Oprah or Dr. Phil, but most often, they move through their lives with heads down, focused on the doing, shrugging off accolades that may come their way.

A Hypnotism Ministry

by Rev. Dr. C. Scot Giles

The Rev. Dr. C. Scot Giles makes his living as a working hypnotist and, for the past 20 years, has run a specialty practice in medical hypnotism in the Chicago area.

A Unitarian Universalist clergyperson, Scot holds board certifications both as a chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains and as a Diplomate, the highest level of certification awarded by the National Guild of Hypnotists.

Scot became interested in spiritual healing at a young age and wondered if hypnotism could be used as a tool. After training at a National Guild of Hypnotists–approved school, he began to look for ways to use hypnosis to help in medical treatment. There were nine women with breast cancer in the congregation he served who asked him to use hypnotism to help them. Scot agreed, and all nine of the women did better than anyone thought they would do. Their doctors were impressed and wanted to send Scot other patients. Scot opened his full-time practice the next year.

Today, Scot sees between 20 and 30 private clients each week from his home office. He has run the “I Can Act Now” program at LaGrange Memorial Hospital for 19 years. This program, the first medically approved, hospital-based program in America for the hypnotic treatment of cancer, is where Scot tests out new material and techniques.

As a purely charitable effort, Scot runs four free clinics for cancer patients in the Chicago area. He sees up to 100 patients each month without charge. The programs are sponsored by Wellness Place in Palatine, Wellness House in Hinsdale, Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, and the University of Chicago Medical Center. Because he is able to show scientific results, the medical community welcomes his work.

Scot’s work with a cancer patient has two parts. First, he helps the patient deal with the side effects of treatment. Chemotherapy and radiation are hard on the body. However, the patients who do the best are those who are strong enough to take the full dose. Scot helps them build their resilience. Research shows that cancer patients who undergo hypnotism do about twice as well as those who do not, mostly because they are able to take the optimal dose of treatment without nausea, pain, low blood counts, or loss of appetite — all problems overcome by the skilful use of hypnotism.

The second part of the work comes after the treatment is over. Scot shifts his focus to helping clients discover what they need to change in their life to become happier. Happiness and satisfaction change the long-term biochemistry of people’s bodies and seems to help prevent the return of the disease.

Another important aspect of Scot’s work with a client is the spiritual aspect. Hypnotism is used to help clients boost their creative thinking, imagine a happier future, and mobilize unconscious wisdom to find a new path. Most of Scot’s clients reinvent themselves to some degree during this part of the work.

Over the years, Scot has won many awards. He has also received a letter of congratulations from the president and first lady. You can find photos of him with President Obama on his website.

The Unspoken Words

by Rev. Timothy Jones

At one point while I was still in a hypnotic state, one of my wife’s cats jumped onto the chair and, purring, walked around my head along the back of the chair. I knew that next she’d start a gentle head-butting for attention, but, not wanting my deep relaxation disturbed, I impatiently thought, Oh, geez, cat. Not now!

Immediately, the cat stopped purring and froze, and at some level of awareness, I thought, Uh-oh, you’ve hurt her feelings now. With the next breath, I released the impatience and welcomed the cat’s presence into my awareness.

The cat started purring again, but instead of touching me as she would normally, she just sat there, as if waiting for me to finish so she could get her 30 seconds of attention. It wasn’t until I brought myself to full awareness that I wondered, Did I just communicate with the cat while in state?

Naw, I thought. Couldn’t be. Coincidence.

Ironically, later at the chapter meeting, during a roundtable discussion, one of the newer consulting hypnotists said that although she speaks excellent Mandarin and English, sometimes she wonders whether her clients truly understand some of her words and whether the language barrier detracts from a session.

It was a good question. Communication itself alters consciousness by shifting attention, inciting emotions, and calling up memories or anticipation. During an intake meeting, for example, our pre-talk, both verbal and non-verbal, is structured to welcome, allay misconceptions, foster a state of openness and positive expectation, and inspire and motivate.

Linguists have determined that although people may not understand specific words in conversation, they’ll automatically interpret them when they understand the couching phrase. Beyond the words, though, is the transmission of non-verbal messages accompanying the phrasing.

Scientists know that the ability to communicate non-verbally and the capacity to feel empathy are independent of each other, and that the more congruent the practitioner is with him- or herself, the more these two abilities can work in concert to transmit positive impressions to another person.

Did I actually communicate with the cat at some level while I was in a hypnotic state? Did she sense my irritation then acceptance and change her behaviour accordingly? And does a client respond similarly when we “transmit” during a session, regardless of words?

By releasing my impatience, welcoming the cat into my awareness, and transmitting a thought of affection to her, it appeared we became congruent with each other on some level.

Driving home after the chapter meeting, I found myself wondering if I could keep the backyard mosquitoes away the same way....

A grief counsellor, an NGH instructor and Board-certified consulting hypnotist, Rev. Timothy Jones, B.Min. M.Ht. M.NLP, BCH, C.I., is an OHC grad in private practice at the Vaughan Counselling Centre in Woodbridge, Ont., and the founding president of the Mississauga NGH chapter, which welcomes everyone the last Tuesday of every month. Click here to visit his website.