People often ask "what is Alchemical Healing Hypnotherapy and how does it differ from other kinds of therapy? I think it might be useful to show where this work stands on the spectrum of counseling professions.
By David Quigley
COUNSELING refers to receiving the expert counsel of a qualified professional in whatever area you need help. Lawyers, real estate agents, vocational and educational counselors. They have expertise we need. While listening skills and empathy are critical for counselors, it is the specific expertise of the counselor that we are seeking in forming an action plan. An Alchemist has extensive training in many practical areas of counseling about hypnosis related issues like weight loss, anxiety control, pain management, etc.
PSYCHOTHERAPY is different. In this great work, the therapist is focusing on getting to know the client at very deep levels. In a deep relationship to their client , the psychotherapist is exploring the clients childhood experiences as well as their dreams, their relationship and career problems, and helping them see their life challenges as an opportunity to discover and then develop pride and confidence in their authentic self. Jungian Psychotherapy for example, is only one of many approaches the therapist can take to this exploration. In most cases psychotherapy is lengthy, costly, and is usually not aimed at solving the clients "problems" like addictions or anxiety, so much as promoting healthy self development.
HYPNOTHERAPY is among many short term interventions that is designed to help clients to quickly achieve their behavioral objectives by accessing and clearing the source of a particular pattern in the subconscious mind, and using potent hypnotic tools to anchor new feelings and behaviors to the clients challenges. Theoretically at least, there is no need for an elaborate understanding of psychological principles and theories, only a set of practical tools that can be applied to a given client situation. Hypnosis therapies can be refreshingly practical and just don't require 10 years of training and advanced degrees. As my friend and founder of the National Guild of Hypnotists Dwight Damon says: "hypnotists are ordinary people helping ordinary people solve ordinary problems." As members of the hypnosis profession, all Alchemists have extensive training in hypnosis technology including NLP, Ericksonian, and many other tools.
ALCHEMY is a unique career path that has some elements of all of the above. Legally our profession is known as "Consulting Hypnotist". But as Alchemists we come from a very different place than most hypnotists.
We are Scientists of the Inner realm who know that the spiritual world of the client and their inner guides are the real source of healing power. Alchemists are well trained in the principles of psychology. We know for example that the human mind is meant to be programmed by our parents for calm, self love, and success at an early age through love and affection.
Not by cognitive self talk. Or a kind therapist. Our parents.
So as Alchemists we help the client discover the negative programming handed down by childhood abuse, trauma, and neglect from their biological parents. We help free them from these core memories and the negative beliefs and teach them to bond every day to new inner parents. (This does not require "removing" ones external family, and instead often helps restore family harmony). And we teach clients to receive the loving words, smiles, and loving touches of their divine inner parents every time they face life's challenges. That's the way humans are meant to learn, right? (And these images are straight out of the ancient Alchemical writings).
We Alchemists are trained also to see far beyond the clients challenging problems of the moment. Through extensive training we are able to help them discover the Higher Self within that is calling them through these very challenges and behaviors to a destiny that is bigger than my puny wisdom as a counselor could ever understand. And we train our clients to work in that magic realm every day with these guides.
Do Alchemists, like other hypnotists, focus on short term solutions for the clients practical problems? Absolutely! But we also see these bad habits and limiting emotions as opportunities to lead our clients on a JOURNEY OF INITIATION into their inner temple where we discover that the problem is calling them to a destiny of their true authentic self. We help them solve their problem by reaching up to embrace that destiny.
An Alchemist is clearly aligned with all of the above professions. But mostly they are an initiator into the clients inner world and their spiritual destiny. Our work produces such powerful transformation that we refer to ourselves as "initiators" rather than therapists.
But an Alchemist is not a PRIEST. We do not expect to apply a set of cookie-cutter doctrinal formulas based upon our Religious dogma. Alchemy doesn't work in the context of religious dogmatism. It is a set of SCIENTIFIC techniques that work (I'm a former math and physics prodigy and atheist so have a solid scientific background as well.)
It's science, so it works whether you believe in it or not. This is one of the most surprising elements of the work for my clients, many of whom assume that my work is a kind of "faith healing." It's not. A common report from my clients is amazement that it worked so well in spite of their initial skepticism.
Alchemy is a new profession in the counseling field. When you are ready to break through with the help of inner guides, and begin an exploration directed by your own higher self (and not a priest or psychotherapist with an agenda) call an Alchemist!
