“You’re in the Evening Standard on page 3!”
After over ten years of working bloody hard to develop Cognitive Hypnotherapy into an approach that not only works, but which the public come to recognise, that has got to be a great message to get, so you can imagine how much I was looking forward to reading it.
The headline read: “You are feeling very slim: Hypnotist who wants to help Met lose weight”. Exsqueeze me? The interview with the journalist had been about the use of Cognitive Hypnotherapy as an alternative to gastric bands. This can’t be right…
I describe myself as “Derren Brown without the Jazz hands.” Errm, no I don’t. I vaguely remember the reporter suggesting the similarity and me, a bit embarrassed at the comparison, saying something dismissive like “well, without the jazziness”, meaning the needs of showbiz to spangle things up. I think I may have said that. But ‘Jazz hands’? What does that mean? Seriously, write and let me know. It’s the kind of thing an arse would say. Brilliant, so now people who don’t know me, up to and probably including Derren Brown, think I’m an arse. And I had hopes of us having a coffee together one day.
I’m described as a ‘cognitive hypnotherapist’. When I complained to the managing editor about the inaccuracies of the piece he replied that the article contained no criticism, either explicit or implicit. Predictably disingenuous. If I refer to the ‘reporter’ Tom Harper, you all understand I’m implying something by the inverted commas, don’t you?
He used Tom Harper’s notes to reject my complaint . Presumably the same notes that recorded the following comment, allegedly from me: “Supt Kholi wants to do the hypnotherapy programme. He was blown away by the idea as the Met are on a big health drive at the moment.” Both Supt Kohli and I are in complete agreement that we’ve never met or communicated. I didn’t even know his name, I just knew vaguely that he had spoken to my ThinkingSlimmer partner about the possibility of running a pilot study. I have no idea if the Met has an obesity problem. I did say, on the basis of personal experience, that it’s difficult to eat well and exercise on shift work.
So, it’s clear that the ‘reporter’ has been economical with the truth, but why? There were two positive bits of news here. The first is that the Met were investigating a promising method of improving the health of their officers at very little cost, and the second that Cognitive Hypnotherapy could provide an alternative, cheaper and non-invasive method of helping obese people compared to gastric band surgery. Why work so hard to make the story, “Met waste public money on wacky therapist? I rarely read newspapers – they never leave me feeling better – so I don’t know if my friends claim that the Evening Standard has an anti-police agenda is true. Whatever the reason, it’s a shame, and I was left deflated and feeling that I’d let my network of hardworking therapists down.
But on Saturday night I went for a meal with an ex-client. She reminded me, as she tucked into her goats cheese salad and garlic bread, that it was ten years ago that she first saw me. Her name is Chloe. Back then she was 17 and weighed 5 stone 2lb. She had anorexia and was going to be sectioned if her weight fell below 5 stone. She was told she would never have children as a result of the damage she had done to her body. Today, over 8 years since I saw her professionally, she is a mother of three lovely girls. She trained with me to be a Cognitive Hypnotherapist and now specialises in helping people with eating disorders. I didn’t watch her eat, the meal was just a natural medium to catch up in, but her plate was empty by the end. She used to cut her peas into four. Imagine how that meal made me feel. I mean it, imagine it. I love what I do. I believe it what it can achieve. So does she. So do the thousands of people who’ve been helped by this method over the last ten years by me or the people I’ve trained. So am I going to let inaccurate, lazy or dishonest ‘reporters’ stop me from banging our drum? Of course not. Onward and upward. And I haven’t given up hope on that cup of coffee.
I don’t believe for a minute that a ‘reporter’ like Tom Harper can get the same feeling from writing his stories that I do from being a ‘cognitive hypnotherapist’. And if he does, he needs to see one.
Great post Trev,
When I first learned the metal model, the trainer got us to read some newspaper articles at the beginning of the weekend and then we read the same articles at the end of the weekend and its was like unlocking some kind of code. I just couldn’t read news papers in the same way again, in fact I don’t don’t even buy them anymore.
I must admit, when I read the article it didn’t sound like any thing you’d say, and I think I naturally cut through the journalist crap when reading it and I remember thinking it was a positive article overall.
Anyway, I can categorically say that you never let anyone down.
Cheers
Lenny
Excellent article, I know how passionate you are about Cognitive Hypnotherapy and what it represents in the lives of those who practice it and those who are helped by it.
I have seen you get really excited about something you’ve read or heard that can be interpreted within the model and equally seen you get down when someone misinterprets your thinking.
I recently read your new book and Derren Browns new book and was struck by how many interests you share, and how you both read around your subjects, with same sorts of material, so I very much hope that you get to have coffee with him one day soon.
As for jazz hands…. I have no idea what they are but they sound cool, so maybe not so bad after all!
If more people get to hear about Cognitive Hypnotherapy, I hope at least some of them take the time to look beyond the newspaper blurb and find what we have found…. a gem!
This is great article , Trevor. And glad that you have put the record straight. As for your ‘reporter’, not actually sure how much reporting was done. Shame he couldn’t stick to facts, it would have made interesting reading.
Still, the fact remains it may bring our approach to more people, and that can only be a good thing.
You rock Trevor…no need for jazz hands:)
Loved reading your post Trevor and I have to say a small person inside my head started jumping up and down at the idea of submitting your post (or most of it at least as a few bits would need to be taken out) to competing newspapers to have it printed in the letter’s section of the paper. 🙂
Actually, it’s a shame the “reporter” didn’t say that you were like Darren Brown but with Jazz Hands. I love the metaphor of Cognitive Hypnotherapy being like Jazz. A combination of many musical styles creating a sound of its own and a lot of emphasis placed on improvisation with one or many different instruments. 🙂
All your hard work is paying off and you may not realise it until later, it may not even be the first time or the second time, it may be something you read or something some says to you that makes you become aware of the positive effect you are having on those that have come in contact with you and Bex and everyone else associated with Quest Institute.
May the article written by Mr. “reporter” spark people’s curiosity to visit the Quest site, find your blog and read your posting.
All the best and keep it up,
Un abrazo,
Daniel 🙂
It’s terrible that ‘Reporters’ can do this, makes you wonder what else they’ve gotten away with.
Abeo
(Derren Brown Web Admin)
over and over we have to learn the lesson – never trust the tabloid press to get anything right…if they ever do its a lucky bad guess when they thought the opposite more likely…
And for anyone who regularly reads newspapers take Trevor’s experience as a lesson in how much to trust as truth and how much to take as embellishment. I gave up newspapers some years ago, but find The Week can give an overview from many journals on the same issue, slightly more balanced.
And I always said Cognitive Hypnotherapy rocks, and when you really think about it we do jazz as well. Recently a client said I had de-fragged her brain, whether we are de-fragging or jazzing for people we all know that Cognitive Hypnotherapy is the thing that makes the difference.
Keep plugging away Trevor, I am sure that coffee is on the cards for you very soon.
Jacqui
A very interesting post on doppelgangers, maladaptive journalism, and accurate updates!
Hey Trevor!
I used to work in a communications team and that is the reason I don’t read newspapers! So much of what is in them is absolute rubbish that it is no wonder really that there is not a newspaper group in the land that is not struggling.
That said – you are so much better than this. You and Derren have a lot in common. A passion for this work, a massive skill set and knowledge of this field beyond what anyone can imagine. I am as much a ‘Trevor’ groupie as I am a ‘Derren’ groupie – I just get to see you so much more often! I am sure Derren is well aware of the rubbish put in newspapers, let’s face it – he is subjected to enough ‘stuff’ himself!
The type of people who read it and believe it will have no interest in what you do. Those who read it and are sufficiently interested will investigate it and quickly realise just how rubbish the article is. What a shame that we, cognitive hypnotherapists’ work so hard at what we do but lazy reports just write what they want for a quick buck!
I hope this brings you and the Quest Institute a massive amount of interest and those who it is right for are propelled your way to learn the truth.
Carole 🙂
Interesting article, thanks for clarifying everything these ‘reporters’ can be right pains.
Keep up the good work, Glenn.
You sound bloody lovely and the work that you do should be applauded and not ridiculed.
This is the second story I’ve read about newspapers completely making up stories and ruining people in the process.
Hi there Trevor I also hope this does not put a stain on the work you do as it seems like you and your team around you do a great job.
I could imagine the the meal it must have been hard for the both of you in the beginning but you both pulled it around i hope you get the best publicity you deserve.
You all fall into the unsung hero’s category I hope you do get to go for a coffee with the master himself good luck to you iand your team in the future and keep smiling
My perception:
The ‘reporter’ fails to demonstrate much talent in their chosen field, does not appear to listen to the person being interviewed, works within their own model of the world and goes on to ‘report’ their model of the world……..to a world of readers……..interestingly……tragic !
In reporting and in therapy one would imagine listening to be as imperative a tool as a screwdriver or a wrench would be to a plumbers tool box.
Quest training has been the difference for me that made the difference. To me, Trevor teaches Jedi style map reading ! lol 😉
Hope the feedback helps guide our ‘reporter’ on the correct road of reporting or at least back on the map !
And Trevor I reckon Derren would be a lucky chap to have a cuppa in your company.
Tricia
The positive vibe that your blog has generated says it all really.
Negative sniping ‘reporters’ can have their column inches and be forgotten, and genuine nice people like you Trevor, and everyone else at Quest, create waves of good feeling that come back your way when its needed.
Your new book is a great read and I’m sure is going to be a help to many people, and that’s really what counts, isn’t it?
yay let’s all let the true arse know how we feel about his ‘reporting’ and demand that they do another piece on you.
[email protected]
Trevor
I stopped reading papers quite some time ago and have to say my life has improved enormously as a result….That kind of journalism…and sadly theres so much of it….doesn’t warrant any time being spent on it. Such reporters are ‘cheats’ fortunately cheats never prosper. As for what he feels about what he writes, he probably doesn’t feel anything worth talking about…Sad really!!
Nice post. I’m betting you’ll get that coffee one day.
I can only just start to imagine what was going on inside as you read the article Trevor and thought about the potential ‘undoing of good’. At times like this (after a bloody good rant of course) I check back in with my mate Willy (Shakespeare) and recite ‘mantralike’ – “Nothing is either good or bad but thinking makes it so”. I also remember the story of the Chinese Farmer and his ‘maybe’ response that you wisely shared with us.
Only time will tell of the positive ripple effect of this article – who knows that maybe someone who was planning lapband surgery is having a rethink somewhere?
You are on purpose, nothing but nothing can stop the lives you have changed and saved and will continue to do so.
WHEN you have that coffee with Derren, give him a clip round the ‘earole for making me feel like a complete idiot on stage! Oh yeah ‘nothing is either good or bad but thinking makes it so’ :-)…..
Seems like you have won that one Trevor. When Derren Brown’s crew republish your article with the note “Do head over to his site and leave your comments once it’s up and running – please note – WE KNOW Trevor never maid (sic) that claim, so be nice” then it’s a done deal.
I have met a few (ex) journo’s who couldn’t stomach working in newspapers because of this (and much worse) kind of thing. And every time I have ever had any thing to do with a real story I was always amazed just how far off the reported story was from the truth (even understanding there may be many “truths”).
I guess the old adage is true: never believe anything you read in the papers.
Still this episode can only do you and CogHyp good I think.