Are you lucky to have some incredible people in your life who are like unicorns? You know what I’m talking about…Dynamic people who magically appear in your life, who give off amazing energy, make you smile and make you a better person just by knowing them? That’s Declan Lestat for me and many other fortunate folks.
Declan Lestat is a Master Hypnotist who specializes in phobia cures and peak performance. He is a Neurolinguistics Practitioner (NLP), a life coach as well as a business coach. Declan also specializes in mindfulness techniques and meditation. If that isn’t impressive enough, Mr. Lestat is a student of Eastern philosophy and a lifelong martial artist holding black belts in six different martial arts.
I had the great fortune (or maybe it was karma?) to connect with Declan through social media many years ago. At first interaction, I knew Declan was a straight-shooter and highly skilled as a Master Hypnotist and Coach. What I’ve always appreciated most about Declan is that he consistently proves to be passionate about helping others.
He has a Titanic drive to genuinely help others live the life they are born to live (and deserve to live!). Combine this kind of compassion, with his no-nonsense attitude and a killer skill-set…Declan Lestat is the guy you want to know and have in your corner when it comes to acing your self-improvement goals.
Having said all that, it should be no surprise that an interview with Mr. Lestat was inevitable! Declan was kind enough to agree to answer a few questions about what he does, hypnosis, past life regression, martial arts and more! I think you will find his insights as illuminating as I did!
Please note, this is a TWO-part article. Please be sure to check out the second part of this riveting interview with Master Hypnotist Declan Lestat!
Interview With Declan Lestat, Master Hypnotist
Part One
Avia: What got you interested in hypnosis?
Declan: I’d have to start at the very beginning, and it’s a little weird! A lot of therapists will say they were inspired by a desire to do good or help people – and that’s definitely what moves me today – but it’s not what got me interested.
For me, it started at a 6-year-old boy, in a small movie theatre in the middle of Ireland, watching Star Wars. Like every one of my generation, it made a huge impact. But while my friends were flipping out about the space battles and light-sabers, for me it was the moment everyone else seemed to miss: “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for”. This old guy avoiding conflict and bending people to his will blew me away.
A few years later when I saw a hypnotist on TV I connected the dots – this guy can do what Obi Wan did! And naturally, I wanted to learn how to do it too. This was way before the internet and YouTube, so an 8 or 9-year-old boy can’t find that kind of information readily! Luckily, by the time I got to mix with real hypnotists and motivators, I knew there was a world of difference between what is done on the TV or movie screen and what is possible in the clinical setting.
But it was those early experiences that got me interested, and meeting people like Cliff Mann of Time 4 Change that kept me motivated to learn and, eventually, become a hypnotist myself. At the time we were motivational speakers for a company called Motivation in Business.
A large part of what we did was provide fire-walking (walking on hot coals in your bare feet) events for charity. What elevated his events was his artful use of hypnosis to help participants access states of motivation to take that walk. We spent MANY hours talking hypnosis and he motivated me to want to formally study.
So like I said, a little weird and not what most people expect when they ask that question!
Avia: People are better educated about what hypnosis is today than ever before, but there are still clinging misconceptions. What are a few myths about hypnosis you would like to see banished from public perception?
Declan: It’s closely related to my previous answer, actually! People too readily believe what they see on a stage or screen. There are a million miles between what happens for entertainment (which is largely play-acting) and what a professional therapist can do, or is indeed motivated to do. It’s akin to someone avoiding going the ER because they’re afraid the doctors will be joking around and making wisecracks with the janitor because they saw an episode of Scrubs!
There’s also a lack of understanding about what “trance” actually is. It’s a natural state we go in and out of all day! Daydreaming, watching movies (There’s a reason you get scared or sad for characters even though you know it’s not real. You’re in a trance!), chatting with friends and suddenly you realize you’ve been there for hours (You’ve been hypnotized by your friends). Do you finish a meal and immediately reaching for your cigarettes without thinking? Trance! Ever got off an elevator with everyone else only to realize it’s not even your floor? Trance!
In fact, there’s a school of thought that we are in trance 100% of the time – we spend our lives moving from trance to trance. It’s a school of thought I subscribe to, but way beyond the scope of this chat!
So hypnosis is a collaborative experience. A hypnotist’s skill is, essentially, getting the words in the right order to guide your trance, to help you unlock your potential. I can show you where the key is kept, but it’s up to the client to pick up that key and open the door to their new life without addiction, negativity, fear, etc.
So in short, a hypnotist can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. This was evidenced recently on an episode of Good Morning America where the hypnotist did an awful job of putting the hosts into trance – there was a group of people who just didn’t want to look foolish on national TV, so didn’t do go along with the process.
It’s very upsetting because it’s definitely the number 1 thing that stops people coming to myself or another hypnotist for help; “Oh, you’ll make me cluck like a chicken!” Nope! (Unless that’s something you really want to do, for some reason!) Also, you can’t get stuck in trance. You can’t be made to reveal secrets that you’re not comfortable sharing. A hypnotist cannot “get inside your head.”
Avia: How long do you help your clients until they can begin to see results?
Declan: This varies. Studies – and my experience – indicate an average of 6 – 8 sessions for more deep-rooted issues like self-image issues, but phobias can usually be cured in 45 minutes to an hour. Hypnosis is very client-centered, and indeed to reinforce what I said earlier about it being a collaborative process, it’s the client who leads the structure of the sessions.
Avia: I would assume hypnosis would be an ideal solution for just about any issue but are there certain conditions that are more receptive to hypnosis treatment than others?
Declan: I personally specialize in phobias and they respond very well to hypnosis, but largely it’s down to the therapist. How flexible they are in their approach, and how responsive they are to clients needs and limitations, etc. But keeping in mind that hypnosis doesn’t carry side effects, there’s no chance of overdose and it doesn’t contra-indicate with medications, I always advise trying it out!
Avia: What are some benefits of using hypnosis over other types of treatments?
Declan: It’s fast. Reliable. Non-invasive. There are no chemicals involved. Hypnosis simply works! But the thing most people don’t realize – and the thing I love the most about the process – it’s great fun!
——————————End of Part One—————————
See Part Two of this interview with
Declan Lestat here.
Can’t get enough of Declan Lestat? You’re in luck! Check out Part Two of this Interview With Master Hypnotist Declan Lestat Here.
In this second part, we discuss past life regression, martial arts, and the mind as well as the concept of “flow.” You don’t want to miss it!!
GET MORE!
Be sure to go to Declan’s website, which is: herosjourneytwincities.com
Declan is available for therapies in person or via Skype.
Declan also provides training in meditation and self-hypnosis (especially for deep relaxation and confidence-boosting) .
Other ways to reach Declan include:
- Instagram: @declanlestat
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeclanLestat/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/declan-lestat/
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–> An influential presence in Declan’s life is Mr. Cliff Mann, who is a world-leading motivational speaker and provider of charity Firewalking events Cliff Man can be found at T4C.org.uk
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–> The professional portrait photo of Declan was provided by Angela Divine Photography in Minneapolis. She’s an award-winning Wedding Photographer and specializes in personal branding. You can learn more about Angela and her photography at:
- www.angeladivinephotography.com
- Facebook: @angeladevinephotography
- Instagram: @angeladevinephoto
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See Part Two of this interview with Declan Lestat, Master Hypnotist here.
