I was fortunate enough to attend a London Hypnotherapy Masterclass Workshop hosted by the QCHPA. The event was presented by Trevor Silvester. Special guest speaker was Rubin Battino MS. As a legend with his own practice in Yellow Springs, Ohio he is far removed from my Northwood, London practice, so this really was a once in a lifetime opportunity. With over 40 years of practice in Eriksonian hypnotherapy, Rubin is one of the living masters of therapy.
“Basically, if you expect something to happen or change in your life, then the anticipation changes how you respond and actually makes your mind/body receptive to the changes.”
The Eriksonian approach is named after Milton Hyland Erikson. His underpinning belief was that we all have the strengths and resources within us to become the ultimate versions of ourselves. There is nothing we cannot overcome once we are aware of our own abilities.
Rather than being concerned with how deep a trance a client is in, Rubin’s approach focuses on a conversational approach. As he brilliantly put it: “My preferred method of working with clients now is something I call ‘chatting.’” For Rubin to be able to distill 40 years of practice into a natural conversation that leads a client towards their solution is truly a phenomenal gift.
Hypnotherapy: A Break From Mainstream Counseling.
Battino pioneered “brief therapy”. One session is all a client needs. This is a welcome break from a lot of mainstream counseling. You could usually continue sessions for years at a time. Rubin Battino teaches us to understand the resourcefulness of the mind. This means you harness your own power for immediate and lasting change. As he put it, “…no matter how many times you see a client, it is really only a minuscule part of their life. In that (or those) short times two people come together: one is seeking meaningful change, and the other is their guide.”
A Psychological Pleasure Cruise
“People see us because they are stuck. They have not been able to work out solutions on their own. That is, in their lives a particular stimulus always results in one interpretation and/or one response. Our job as therapists is to provide them with choice: different and healthier ways to respond and/or think about that stimulus.”
Throughout the day we were subject to group inductions (all 200 of us!). It was difficult not to feel somewhat lightheaded as this memorable day came to an end. Something had shifted a little in all of us. We floated from the venue in a pleasure cruise of tears and group hugs. What a soppy lot!
Rubin Battino is a professor emeritus of chemistry.
We were emailed some further reading and MP3\’s after the event to allow us to continue enhancing our own work. (It was also a nice way to relive the day!) At 89 years of age this will be one of Rubin’s last public appearance. I am so grateful to the QCHPA for organising this opportunity to learn from a living legend. It was great to be inspired by a master in their field. His spirit and enthusiasm reminded me how lucky I am to be doing the work that I do. Thanks Rubes!
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