This is the second part of a riveting interview with a valued colleague of mine, Mr. Declan Lestat. He is a tremendously gifted hypnotherapist and neurolinguistics practitioner (NLP).
I’ve known Mr. Lestat over many years, and he is proven himself to be a consistently bright light in what could otherwise be a dark world. Through our professional relationship, Declan has offered inspiration, insight and just the right delivery of motivation to get me through some tough times.
As I was going through the interview with Declan, I wondered if he realized the impact he has had on me and countless others. He has superhero skills, but you would never know what a world-class expert this guy is. Why? Because he is modest, kind and approaches his craft with admirable humility.
When so many are looking for accolades, Declan is looking for improvement and well-being on the behalf of others.
Are you looking for a way to change your life around? Hypnosis is a heavy-hitter when it comes to getting results and permanent change within body, mind and spirit. Thankfully, we have a professional like Declan Lestat to provide revolutionary tools to guide us all on the path of life-changing improvement and spectacular results.
Oh, and you don’t want to miss the first part of the interview with Declan. In this article, Mr. Lestat goes into the basics of his profession, what hypnosis is about, and dispels many of the myths surrounding hypnosis. You’ve got to check it out! Here is the link to Interview with Declan Lestat Part One.
Avia: One misconception about hypnosis might be that it is a quick fix to some nasty behavioral problems like addiction or weight loss. Is this true? Or, do you prescribe your clients with additional tools in combination with hypnosis to ensure long-term success to achieve their goals?
Declan: I always say quick fixes don’t exist, but hypnosis will certainly do until one comes along! There’s a wealth of studies, and more appearing every week (Google them!) that show that hypnosis is by far the simplest, most reliable, and indeed quickest way to quit smoking, lose weight, fight stress and cure phobias.
The time varies, depending on the client and the therapist. I’ve stopped people smoking in a single 1-hour session, a few have taken as long as 3 sessions. My record was with a girlfriend many years ago who wanted to quit chocolate. I think I did that in under 10 seconds, but that was obviously an exceptional circumstance!
A good hypnotist should always offer a range of tools and resources to the client. Unconstructive habits and beliefs are usually a result of choices made by a person with a limited “toolbox”. I give clients more tools to play with, open up more choices of behavior. I offer extra “ego strengthening” suggestions, and I always teach my clients how to hypnotize themselves so they can continue the work after our sessions are done. Plus I guarantee all my work – all clients get free “top-up” sessions if at any time they feel they’re slipping back into old ways.
Avia: What kind of training is required of a certified hypnotist?
Declan: It varies, and unfortunately, the industry is largely unregulated. I trained in the UK which is a little different to here in the US, and I was very fortunate to be able to spend time with Cliff Mann (a world-leading motivational speaker). But my formal training took a few months of training – both online and in-person at classes – and since then I’ve dedicated myself to continued learning and development. By far the best teacher is the client in front of me! Every session is a lesson and I’m constantly refining my technique, improving the process.
In the US, there’s a ton of great teachers out there. For my money, the best is a guy called Jason Linett. He operates in Virginia but has a wealth of resources online for beginning hypnotists. If anyone is interested in finding out more, that’s the guy!
Avia: I know you are a highly accomplished martial artist. Do you find hypnosis and martial arts are complementary to one another?
Declan: Absolutely. A personal mentor and motivator of mine, Cliff Mann of Time 4 Change , is also an accomplished martial artist, as it happens.
Both activities deal with developing a level of self-control over the mind. There’s also a lot of “Flow state” activity going on in martial arts, where the higher self “takes the wheel” and the movements become automatic and instinctive.
The art I teach, Aikido, is closely linked to the fighting arts of the Samurai so we develop a state called “mushin” which translates as “no-mind”. We cease thinking about the situation or the incoming attack, the hostility or even our emotional response to the events developing around us. We leave judgment, fear, the anger behind and simply be. We don’t respond, we reflect.
This way, we can join with the attacker and use their force against themselves. Good aikido should be effortless, and as a result very powerful. This all relies on a very refined state of mind, not unlike those experienced in hypnotic states – Flow. This kind of “waking” hypnosis where the subject is actively engaged in activities is actually called “uptime trance”. The kind of eyes closed process we see in the office is “downtime trance”
It’s funny, but “flow” has been doubted for years, but since science has caught up to things we already know (as often happens), and proved that flow exists and EVERYONE wants some! The military, pro sports teams, and athletes, top corporations, are lining up to have their people taught how to access flow – or hypnotic – states.
Avia: Do you practice past life regression with hypnosis? Either way, what are your thoughts on PLR? Is it really possible for people to explore past lives through hypnosis?
Declan: I LOVE doing Past Life Regression! In fact, the dissertation I submitted as part of my qualification was a new approach to PLR for people who are resistant to the process. One of my very first clients came to me for PLR and was a great subject – right up until we crossed that threshold into his past life. At that moment, he’d immediately open his eyes and sit upright and say “No. Something’s stopping me.” After several attempts, I devised a process where I enlist the higher self to act as a kind of intermediary to guide the subject through the journey. It worked great!
As to what PLR actually is, I honestly have no idea. Is it a genuine past life experience? I’m open to the idea. I’ve heard some very interesting things over the years that have definitely given me pause. As an aside, I lived in a Buddhist temple for 3 years. Part of that belief system is reincarnation. A nun there told me she’d often talk with people who were in touch with their previous selves. At that time, she’d met 3 Cleopatra’s 5 Napoleons and a couple of Elvises!
I’ve heard of a process that guides people to a “Life Between Lives” state. This is incredibly exciting to me, and I have to learn how it’s done sometime soon. The client is guided to find that spot between this life and a past one where their soul is in transition.
Again, I’ve no idea what is actually experienced but there’s a lot of corroborating evidence and similarities between stories – all from people who have not met each other and don’t know what’s been reported elsewhere. Somehow, they’re all experiencing events that are strikingly similar. Way beyond the “tunnel of light and all my loved ones are here!” kind of thing.
Avia: Who is your ideal client? What traits do you really appreciate in a client who is seeking your hypnosis treatment?
Declan: Personally, anyone motivated enough to make the changes needed to improve their lives is welcome! If someone shows up because of other people’s wishes, they tend to not be so invested in the process. The guy who’s here to quit smoking because his partner wants him to, or the person who wants to lose weight because they “feel I should” usually get politely sent away or we work on something else. Again, hypnosis can’t make you do something you don’t really want to do.
Can’t get enough of Declan Lestat? You’re in luck!
Check out Part One of this Interview With Master Hypnotist Declan Lestat Here.
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
