Thursday, December 20, 2007

Good PR (public relations) for World Hypnotism Day

As I sit warming up my poor, cold hands on the coffee cup, I have debated long and hard about posting anything about a "news" item that pinged into my email last night. It was infused with so much grumbling, I thought at first it would not be worth it, but thanks to Tom Nicoli and Debbie Lane, I am giving it a go. Please note that this is more of a hurrah! for these two.

Here the gist:

Apparently, the county commissions for Hernando County, Florida, at their December 18 meeting, made a proclamation proclaiming World Hypnotism Day in Hernando County. For many of the readers of this blog, this may not be news. For everyone else, World Hypnotism Day is a time when many of us hypnotist do various things within the community to raise awareness for hypnosis and educate people about its good applications. It is in early January.

So, here are the nice commissioners of Hernando County, who gave the day a thumbs up. It seems like a fairly benign thing all in all - but apparently not to one resident of the county. On Hernando Today, he wrote his woes and issues. Sure sounds like someone had a really bad day, as well as being taken in by media portrayals of evil hypnosis. He moans about hypnosis and the county commissioners being under hypnosis for a little while and then complains about the commissioners' meeting schedule. I cannot quite tell if he is more upset with the idea of hypnosis or the long break between commissioner meetings (they break for about a month). I suspect it is the latter. Perhaps he believes all the county employees have a month off? Somehow I doubt that, but if they do actually get a month off with paid leave, I may well be in the wrong profession. LOL. Then he mentions something about Sunday being a time for family-activities (church-going and the upcoming holidays). What do Sunday's have to do with anything? World Hypnotism Day is on a Friday, and I believe those who celebrate Christmas are doing so on a Tuesday?

But this is exactly why we need World Hypnotism Day. I applaud this man for making the need for the day so evident!

And I applaud both Tom Nicoli and Debbie Webber who responded with comments that were well written and informative in defense of both World hypnotism Day and hypnosis in general. And they were both incredibly kind. Kudos, you two!

Source:
Hernando Today

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for supporting World Hypnotism Day, our profession and the replies both Debbie Lane and I made. It was Debbie Lane that received the proclamation the man grumbled about. Well, in fairness I'm not sure he was focusing on the proclamation as much as he was the commissioners.

And yes, being the originator of what has become a global movement I have to agree WHD is necessary for the general public still has no idea of the truth nor the benefits hypnosis has to offer.

My goal, and the goal of the people involved in World Hypnotism Day, is to have WHD as well known as the Great American Smokeout... or maybe Valentine's Day. : )

Merry Christmas,
Tom Nicoli
WHD Chairman

The Transparent Hypnotist said...

Thanks for stopping by the blog, Tom! It is great to hear from you.

Debbie said...

It is actually opportunities like this that are so wonderful. Mr. Lewis held concerns out of misunderstandings about hypnosis. He stated what many believe to be true. This has allowed for this conversation to open up and shed some light. Tom's dedication to World Hypnotism Day is to shed the light, through many avenues. Conversations such as this are just one opportunity.

Blessings for Christmas and the New Year!
Debbie Lane

The Transparent Hypnotist said...

Thanks for responding, Debbie! Maybe we will actually hear from Mr. Lewis, too?

Ralph Benko said...

Hi Ellie, thanks for stepping up for World Hypnotism Day (Jan 4), which is a visionary project to help raise public awareness about the realities of hypnosis and dispel the tired old myths. That said, Transparent Hypnotist is one of Pnosis.com's favorite reads, clearly one of the very best and most interesting blogs on hypnosis and we are looking forward to featuring and celebrating your work, and you, in a Pnosis issue early in 08!

Ralph Benko
Editor
Pnosis.com
Washington, DC