Frequently Asked Questions

	Why did you choose to focus your practice on helping people with weight loss?
	I have chosen to help people who are working with losing weight because of the amazing level of motivation I see in people wanting to lose weight. I find that they are very motivated to change. In any process of change the key ingredient is motivation. With motivation and the right support system in place there is a very high likelihood that positive change will occur. Without motivation change is very unlikely. I have also chosen the field of weight loss because of the fact that we cannot get away from food, we need it to survive. People who have other substances as their triggers can at least physically distance themselves from the object of their cravings. People who are trying to stop or change their relationship to food cannot stop eating food. It is emmeshed in our lives. Our relationship with food is there to meet us every day of our life. Either it is a healthy nurturing relationship or it is unhealthy and filled with shame. It is a great feeling to work together with someone and see them transform how they relate with food, see them tranform how they feel about themselve and their live!
	Why do you feel that people have such a hard time losing weight?
	There are a number of theories and perspectives on why people have such a hard time losing weight. I will approach the issue with the basic premise that their conscious desires and wants are not in line with their subconscious needs and wants. I go into that in more depth in the next question. But really I have no idea why a person has a hard time losing weight until we take the journey together into who they are, and then we find out together.
	Is there a certain body image you suggest that your clients strive for?
	Absolutely not. My goal for each individual is for them to be at peace with who they are. My process with the people I work with is to help them to explore why their actions are not in line with their intentions. With client’s whose focus is weight loss, their intention is to lose weight but their actions often go contrary to their intentions, i.e. they eat foods that are unhealthy and high in fat, or they do little or no physical activity. Once we have worked together so that their subconscious desires are inline with their conscious desires we are on the rode to success. At that point whether they attain the weight they want is often irrelevant, but my experience has been that the default of the human system is to make decisions towards health. It is our wounded aspects of self that lead us away from health. At that point an individual has a clearer perspective of what a healthy body looks like and it may or may not be the image they started with.
	What is your dieting program?
	I do not have a dieting program. My preference is that my individuals are already enrolled in a proven weight loss program. If they are not then I ask them to research what is a good self administered program that they feel will work for them.
	What are your qualifications?
	I am a certified hypnotherapist and have studied western and eastern psychology for over 15 years. In my opinion my qualifications come mainly from my own personal healing journey. My ongoing training and certifications are a refining of my skills of translating what I have learned from my journey into useful information for my clients. My ongoing training is also a refining of my tools for affecting change.
	What has been your healing journey?
	My journey began in a household of alcohol addiction and the subsequent coping strategies that stem from that atmosphere. From the point of leaving home I have worked on moving from addictions, fear, and low self-esteem to being authentic in every moment and ultimately to realizing the true nature of self and mind.
	What is your ideal client?
	I would rather turn that around and try and answer the question of who would I make the ideal therapist for. I feel that I would be the ideal therapist for someone who has realized that their struggle with weight is deeper than a lack of will power. They have also realized that the benefits of reaching their weight goals will impact their life in areas they have not even imagined.

What is your program?

Usually we will spend the first session doing an initial interview in which we explore different aspects of the individual’s life. Basically we explore what makes them who they are. From that point we begin to work on what makes for a successful weight management program and what walls of resistance the individual is encountering in following the program. I also teach the individual a number of techniques that they can use on their own to enhance and continue the work we have done in the sessions.

If you have questions that were not answered in the above area, please feel free to contact Shawn and he will get back to you as soon as possible!