For those who Doubt the VALUE OF HYPNOSIS

"Hypnosis just can't be as helpful as you suggest. It is just too easy."

Perhaps you have heard people make statements like this concerning hypnosis. For those who doubt the value of hypnosis, I'd like to tell you this story found in II Kings: 5:1-15 concerning Naaman the leper. Now this story has little to do with hypnosis … or does it? It does have something to do with belief and expectation.

If Naaman were to live in our day, he would wear the metal of honor and would probably be the chairman of the Military Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was a proud and successful man who had many servants. Among those servants was a young captive taken in battle with Israel. She was the maid of Naaman's wife. When it was discovered that Naaman had leprosy, she told her mistress of the Prophet Elisha in her home country of Israel. The maid was certain that Elisha could work a miracle and restore Naaman's health.

Following the advice of his wife's maid, Naaman set out for Israel with an official letter from the King of Syria and gold worth about $1000.00 at today's rate. When he arrived at Elisha's house, Elisha sent a messenger out to greet him. The messenger said to Naaman, "go and wash in the Jordan seven times and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be cleansed."

Naaman was angry because Elisha did not come out to meet him and perform some spectacular act to restore his health. Instead, a messenger tells him to go wash in the Jordan River. Naaman probably thought to himself, "Waste of time. We have better rivers in Syria that the Jordan and our rivers cannot heal." Naaman left Elisha's house in anger, but his servant said, "If the prophet had commanded you to do some great thing, would you have not done it? How about following his suggestion that you wash and be healed?"

In order for healing to take place, Naaman had to change his belief system and his expectations. If Naaman could muster enough faith to believe, perhaps change would be possible. What happened? When Naaman went to the Jordan and bathed seven times he was healed.

Those who have trouble believing that hypnosis can be helpful need to be reminded of the power of one's beliefs system. Believe it will work, expect it to work, imagine it working, and practice it working. When Naaman gave up his anger and his arrogance then his mind could begin to change and be open to the Elisha's suggestion. It was only as Naaman could believe, expect and visualize and actually go to the Jordan and wash seven times that he could he be healed.

Chaplain Paul G. Durbin, PhD. is Director to the Department of Hypnotherapy at Pendleton Memorial Hospital in Now Orleans, LA pgdurbin@home.com

Presently Chaplain Durbin sits on the Board of Advisors and is the President pro-tem of the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association™.

He is a featured speaker at many Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy Conferences.