In the swing of hypnotherapy

By Glen Atwell
HYPNOTIST Rohan Gazzard turned residents of Greater Dandenong into barking dogs and clucking hens at the Dingley International on Friday night.
The Bizarre Gazzard show turned a number of sceptics into believers and also answered a number of intriguing hypnotic questions.
Mr Gazzard, 43, is a member of the Australian Clinical Hypnotherapists Association and spent Friday night transporting audience members to paradise islands, made people invisible and even had volunteers forget their names.
Contrary to popular perceptions, hypnosis has nothing to do with swinging fob watches and clicking fingers, according to Mr Gazzard.
“It is about achieving a state of deep relaxation and focusing only on my voice,” he said.
“Being hypnotised is a very enjoyable experience, it has the same effect on the body and brainwaves as a deep sleep does.”
Mr Gazzard said most people experience semi-hypnotic states on a daily basis.
“Have you ever driven somewhere but couldn’t remember how you got there or been totally absorbed in a book?
“They’re all forms of hypnosis and that’s why the movie theatre industry will never die – it’s a form of escapism,” he said.
But hypnosis is not all about fun and laughter.
Mr Gazzard is a qualified clinical hypnotherapist and has helped countless people quit smoking and lose weight.
“The best way to describe the hypnosis is being in a state of altered awareness where the sub-conscious is open to suggestions,” he said.
“When someone is hypnotised, a belief can become a reality.
“If I hypnotise a smoker and say ‘you enjoy being a non-smoker’, that belief can become a reality for them,” Mr Gazzard explained.
Mr Gazzard discovered hypnosis on a 1990 trip to Canada.
At the time, he didn’t believe in it and considered it all ‘show’.
“I was apparently witnessing the best hypnotherapist in the world,” he said.
“I got up onto the stage and, just by listening to his instructions, found myself in a deep trance.
“The hypnotist said I couldn’t open my eyes, and when I tried, I couldn’t,” Mr Gazzard said.
Mr Gazzard has since studied hundreds of hypnosis books and completed a university degree on the subject.
He said public perception of hypnosis was slowly starting to change.
“Most people will give it a go these days but it still is usually a last resort,” he said.
“What people still don’t understand is that you don’t need a problem to utilise hypnotic therapy, it can simply reaffirm self-confidence or increase other positive aspects of life.”
To talk to Mr Gazzard about hypnosis or to organise a private session phone 0419 355 482.