Social Dysfunction

Question

     Hello Del, I have a brother who is in his 30’s.  For the last five years he's been living with my parents.  He's always depressed, negative, lacking ambition, argumentative, etc.  For the last ten years, he's been unable to hold a job for any amount of time because he is unable to get along with co-workers and supervisors. He doesn't have any friends, and hasn't dated for fifteen years.  He thinks everyone is talking about him and giving him “attitude”.  He's been talking to me about going to see a counselor for help because he feels he has self esteem issues and other issues from his past. Can you please tell me if hypnotherapy can help him? If so, please let me know. Thank you for your help!

Answer

    Thanks for writing to me about your brother's situation.  I'm sure it must be quite painful to have to see this process, but certainly hopeful since he wants to get counseling.  Hypnotherapy is, indeed, helpful in these situations, but I feel strongly that it needs to be someone who is ALSO a counselor--that type of person has more methods to assist, with hypnosis as a most important one.  Get someone who knows how to get to the sources of the problems he is having.  And they need to have been practicing for some time, and have had good training.  These are always questions that should be asked when hunting for ANY therapist.   

     I feel strongly that hypnosis can be an especially effective way to get at problems such as he is having.  But it is important that you get someone who specializes in getting at the root of a problem, instead of just giving suggestions.  A trained psychologist is especially adept at discerning whether there are any psychological issues which may need specific kinds of attention. Your brother might have a slight paranoia problem.  This is not something most hypnotherapists work with, unless they have special training in the psychological fields.  

    A most important fact is your brother's own decision to have counseling and hypnotherapy.  If he doesn't wish to go, then there is not much you can do about it.  Finally, it is he who must make the appointment, as a symbol of his own decision.