The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners.

by Dennis Parker

The following testimonial letter is from a First Responder I worked with as a client who sent it to me as a “Thanks for the Help” gesture. He said he wanted to direct more people to hypnotherapy (and myself) for assistance with the types of mental and emotional problems with which he had suffered.

At Certified Hypnotherapy Training School, we train students and clients in: Hypnosis, Suggestion Hypnotherapy, Clinical Hypnotherapy, what we call Positive Mind Management Hypnotherapy skills and tools to manage their emotions and behaviors. My personal claim to fame, so to speak in therapy, is that I have discovered and learned how the imagination works and how it can be a control point over the emotions when understood and managed correctly.

These skills and tools are amazing for desensitizing abuse – traumatic PTSD – stimulus experiences and other fears and phobias for children who are experiencing nightmares and night terrors, and so forth. We assist clients to be self-reliant and in self-control with knowledge of how to use these skills and tools at the right times to enjoy peace of mind, be stable and happy, and remain anxiety, and depression FREE.

Testimonial

I have worked as a certified police officer for 12 years. I am also a member of the Army National Guard. As a police officer and Soldier, I have seen some of the great things along with the terrible.

Following a combat deployment in 2007 I experienced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that led to times of being alone with my thoughts. Those thoughts would consume my mind with depression. I still have a difficult time to this day of watching fireworks. I have taken lives and have seen fellow Soldiers hurt and killed. The answer for treating the PTSD was medication. In my experience, this did nothing to help. It only took time to overcome some of the memories I have from combat.

I began Positive Mind Management following a police shooting that left a man dead. Sparing the details, I was informed several months later that the County Attorney was considering criminal charges against me. I was an absolute mental wreck. Lack of sleep along with constant crying occurrence during those days. I gained weight and had suicidal thoughts on several occasions. The stressed and reality of criminal charges led to a path of my unknown future. I let my thoughts destroy me and recognized the depression enter into my mind. I would relive the shooting on a daily basis. I had killed men before in the Afghanistan but this was different. This killing was of a man at home and not in a far off land. I was refereed to Dennis by way of a religious leader who wanted to help me control my stress and depression.

Meeting Dennis allowed me to fight against the horrible things I was saying about myself. I went to Dennis with a mindset that I wanted to learn all I could to change my thought process. His plain blunt approach was what I needed. During our time together, he taught me how to identify and fight against “potty” words that brought me down. Dennis was able to assist me in identifying where those suicidal thoughts come from. One important lesson I learned was not allowing untrue things enter past the “Critical Factor Filter”.

Since very little communication was happening between lawyers, I was left to assume many things. My mind began to wonder and think of the worst case scenario. Every time I would leave a visit with Dennis I would leave feeling wonderful inside. We would confront the assumptions, fears, depression, feelings, anger and other emotions to include taking someone’s life.

I would put forth the effort in what steps we were working on. I kept a journal every day since the shooting and I would reflect on the days that I visited Dennis and the tools he taught me to have a positive mind.

The tools Dennis has taught me saved my life. To this day I constantly think of that shooting. There are permanent effects from that day that I will always keep with me. What will also stay with me are the tools Dennis taught me.

I know I am not the only first responder who sees horrible things day after day. Suicide is a real thing with first responders and service members alike. Positive Mind Management is something that I cannot put into words of how grateful I am to learn of this tool in my life. To this day, I still fall asleep to Dennis’ voice from his hypnotherapy tape.

Thank you, Dennis.

C

Dennis Parker was a noted Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist registered with the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners in 1991. He is a Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Examiner, Instructor, and Approved School Operator. Dennis owned and operated Certified Hypnotherapy Training School in Farr West, Utah. Dennis passed away in 2021.