Mental health is multifaceted, so there is no one right way to get through difficult times. While therapy and medication can help, people like Courtney Caldwell find that stepping outside the box is most effective.
It’s been about a year since she first stepped into extraordinary change hypnosis.
“I feel like I came out of the womb as an overachieving child, then grew up to be an excellent athlete, and then became an excellent wife, mother, and business owner,” she explained. “So I don’t know what it’s like to live a life where you sit in anxiety every day and never wake up.”
She was seeking help because of eye twitching, heart palpitations and a list constantly ringing in her head.
“Talk therapy, medication…been there, done that,” Caldwell said.
That’s when she discovered Colin Matthews Rutkowski.
“When you come to see me, you’re looking for a change in your life,” Matthews Rutkowski said.
A full-time clinical hypnotherapist since 2007, she helps people with everything from anxiety and phobias to smoking and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
“Basically, when I sit down and think about it, I’m like, ‘If my mind could change, so could I.’ That’s the scope of my work,” Matthews-Rutkowski said. Ta.
She worked hard to get here, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and 420 hours of clinical training using hypnosis. It’s not just a county fair act for fun.
“The big misconception is that it’s like some kind of mind control, right?” Matthews-Rutkowski said. “Nothing could be further from the truth. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. Others are just guiding you.”
Matthews-Rutkowski said it’s not for people with personality disorders or traumatic brain injuries that affect memory, but it can help almost anyone.
“The cardiologist came to see me. … What he told me was that I wasn’t getting enough sleep at night,” Matthews-Rutkowski recalls. “He only had one surgery. When he came in for follow-up, he was sleeping like a king, so he was much more confident going through the surgery.”
These are results Caldwell can prove.
“After the first session, I felt an immense amount of peace,” she recalls. “I can’t tell you the last time I felt that way.”
Sessions can be held virtually. They are all recorded so the client can go back to them.
“You can feel extremely focused, yet deeply relaxed,” Caldwell said.
Initially, Caldwell would return to those recordings multiple times a day. Now it’s only once a week or once every few weeks.
Her message is, if it’s something you’re considering, give it a chance.
“If you want to make a change, don’t want to expose your nerves, and are tired of hearing your spouse, kids, or parents say, ‘Things are a little rough right now,’ OK?” It’s time for a change,” Caldwell said.
These sessions typically range from $50 to $150 and are not covered by insurance, but Caldwell offers various discounts to help reduce the cost.
She says people can feel more depressed and lonely, especially during the holiday season. The amount of sessions varies depending on the person and what they’re trying to work on, but she says everyone deserves the opportunity to discover potential for change in their lives.
