West Hills CA Hypnosis
Teresa Van-Zeller CCHT, C.H.I.
Hypnosis for Child Birth, Hypnosis Certification,
Help for Weight loss, Smoking, Anxiety, Sleep
and more......

West Hill CA hypnosis Teresa Van-Zeller natural childbirth, hypnosis certification, weight loss, smoking, sleep, anxiety

It is my pleasure to introduce you to West Hill CA Hypnotherapist, Teresa Van-Zeller in this interview.

Teresa is a hypnosis author, trainer and hypnotherapist with an international reputation. A big step from her other profession of 30 years as a book keeper!  Find out how Teresa came to hypnosis and is helping thousands of people with her many skills.

Hello Teresa and thank you for sharing your time with us today. Please take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers.

Hello to all. I have been a hypnotherapist for 20 years. I got my original training through the NGH. A year later I became trained in HypnoBirthing.

Within the next two years, I became an instructor for both Marie Mongan, the HypnoBirthing Institute, (training HypnoBirthing practitioners) and for Roy Hunter, teaching his Client Centered Diversified Hypnotherapist Certification course.

I have also been self-employed for over 30 years with a full charge bookkeeping practice.

I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley where I still reside. I have two adult children whom I am very proud of and currently live with my 10 ½ yr old, 150lb Rottweiler, Max whom I mention because there are about 2000 students out there that took trainings with me at my home and would like to know that he is still doing well.

I am the author of “Birthing As Nature Intended A Guide to Achieving The Birth You Envision” and teach the childbirth preparation course by the same name.

Thank you Teresa . Now tell us if you will, how long have you been a hypnotherapist?

I received my “Advanced Hypnotherapist” certification from the NGH in September, 1998.

Can you recall how you were first drawn to a career in hypnosis?

So many people talk about how they have been interested and fascinated with hypnosis since childhood, etc., etc., etc. That was not me. I remember being exposed to hypnosis 3 times growing up.

  1. First time: I remember the “professor” on Felix the Cat swinging a pendulum to hypnotize a character on the cartoon. I was approximately 4 years old. It was something I saw and apparently it left an impression on me because I remember it vividly.
  2. Second time: I was 12 years old and my parents had a friend that was a hypnotist. I didn’t think anything about it other than I had never met a hypnotist before.

    Not too long after my brother was a passenger in a terrible car accident. He sustained a broken arm and a broken collar bone as a result and had no memory of the incident. The hypnotist came over and hypnotized my brother, regressing him to the actual accident.

    My brother was apparently still conscious while the car was rolling over and he saw the license plate of the “hit and run” vehicle as it was racing away from the scene. He lost consciousness soon after but had retained the memory of the license plate as it pulled away.

    The hypnotist was able to give the license plate number of the suspect to the police. With the information my brother recalled, the police were able to track the license plate, retrieve information from additional witnesses and arrest the driver who was then prosecuted and sent to jail.
  3. Third time: I was in 10th grade and my English teacher brought in a record (album) of the “Bridey Murphy” case. I couldn’t tell you why he brought this recording in, however he played the album for us. What could this possibly have to do with an English class?

    I found it totally fascinating and in hindsight, perhaps my teacher was personally interested in hypnosis back then. I really don’t recall the details of why the teacher was exposing us to this recording however I do remember talking in detail about the case and why it was “inadmissible” regarding research on hypnosis.

    Perhaps I should state that I was very fond of this teacher due to the fact that he took me under his wing all through high school. He had met my father during “back to school night” and knew that my parents were divorcing and that I was living with my dad which was virtually unheard of in the 70’s.

    This teacher would have me come in early, before class or stay late, after class, to give me recipes and instructions to cook for my family. He was overall a very positive role model for me.

    I found the “Bridey Murphy” class and discussion very interesting however I can’t say I focused on the topic of hypnosis after that.

It was my husband’s interest in the topic of hypnosis, (two decades later) that caused me to check out the financial aspect of the course he was interested in taking. It seemed intriguing to me, (on a personal enlightenment level), and out of curiosity, I signed up for the course as well.

What are the top three things that you most enjoy about being a hypnotist?

  1. The fact that something so natural and so easy to learn can effect so much real change in someone’s life. I always say that hypnosis is not a miracle cure however when someone is ready for change, hypnosis creates miraculous results.
  2. Manifesting goals. We really do create our realities.
  3. Teaching people options. I love watching their “light bulb” click. When they realize the power within themselves and the excitement of personal empowerment that brings.

Have you experienced any personal benefits from using hypnosis for yourself that you would care to share with our readers?

Where do I begin?

  • Pain management – I have one leg that is 1 ½ inches shorter than the other. Back issues are now an occasional nuisance rather than a daily problem.
  • I am the stage hypnotist who used to have stage fright.
  • I used to be terrified of flying, getting anxiety at the sight of an airplane flying overhead. Now I look in the sky at an airplane and think, “Where will the next one take me?”

Teresa, you have an international reputation for successfully teaching hypnotherapy to other professionals including doctors and nurses and psychologists as well as potential hypnotists. One course you teach is Roy Hunter's “Diversified Client Centered Hypnotherapist Course.” Can you tell us a little about this approach to hypnotherapy please and the course you teach it in?

I have trained thousands of people (LITERALLY) – whether as hypnotherapy students, childbirth preparation instructor students, childbirth parents, and even accounting clients.

One absolute fact is that 10 different people have 10 different ways of receiving information and learning. There is no ONE way to teach or learn. What I love about Roy’s course, (and my own for that matter) is that each person learns differently.

There is no ONE right or wrong way. There is just the way that is right for each individual. My job is not to teach “a particular” way but rather to help each individual/student/client find “their way” that resonates with them in a manner that gets them where they need to go. In doing so, I believe that person then develops the confidence and expertise to help others to do the same.

Thousands of people have also experienced natural child birth as a result of reading your book Birthing As Nature Intended (B.A.N.I.) - A Guide to Achieving the Birth You Envision and taking your childbirth education classes, practitioner trainings, seminars and lectures. What would your main message be to mothers who are wondering if such an experience is possible for them?

Once again, the main message I would be SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOPS is that there is no right or wrong way to have a baby. There is just each woman’s individual way that is right for her and her baby. Every mother and every baby is different than every other.

The medical community is practicing archaic medicine… (handing down) “what has always been done” even though the US is like #47 (approx.) in mother/baby mortality.

We are behind most 3rd world countries when it comes to the most natural event since the beginning of time. This is so wrong on so many levels. I am obviously passionate about this topic and will refrain from going totally overboard in my ranting.

Are there other issues that your clients typically come to you for help with, if so what are they?

I have found that if you have worked with an issue more than 2 or 3 times, you are probably the expert in your area on that issue. Fortunately, because I have worked with so many clients, I am probably the expert in my area for most issues.

All I can suggest is that if you aren’t sure how to deal with something, call someone for guidance. I am always available for someone wanting to help someone else. Most good hypnotherapists are happy to help and share their knowledge because we believe in what we are doing.

Who are some of the professional hypnotists that you have studied or actually trained with who have influenced your approach to hypnosis the most?

  • Marie Mongan – HypnoBirthing
  • Roy Hunter – Hypnotherapy
  • Ron Eslinger – Pain Management
  • Will Horton – NLP
  • Lynsi Eastburn - Fertility

These are all people that I have either trained with/for or held their trainings at my school for my students. I believe they are all exceptional in their fields.

Please, please, please ask your questions. I guarantee that most readers are wondering the same thing you are and are too afraid to ask. Good hypnotists are happy and eager to share their knowledge.

What are the three most important bits of advice would you give a client before their first session of hypnosis?

For the client:

  • 1) Use your imagination,
  • 2) It is a natural process
  • 3)It feels great.

For the Hypnotherapist:

  • 1) Be confident
  • 2) You are the expert in the room
  • 3) Have a game plan and know that the game plan will change.

Do you have a favourite book, or books, on hypnosis that you would recommend to others?

Roy Hunter's Art of Hypnosis and Art of Hypnotherapy.

What is the most frequent misunderstanding about hypnosis that you encounter with clients or the public Teresa ?

The same issue that I had. Hypnosis is not mind control.

It is about allowing someone to guide you where you want/need to go. It is all about trusting the practitioner.

I don’t tell that to the client however that is the bottom line. If the client doesn’t trust you, you have no business even attempting to work with them.

My task with every client is to eliminate every and all fallacies and reservations about hypnosis.

As we both know, Hypnosis as a healing and helping modality has existed for hundreds of years now. However, it is more widely known and more accepted in some areas more than others. How would you rate the public acceptance of hypnotherapy in your region?

I am in Los Angeles. LA is synonymous with trendsetters so things are much more readily accepted.

I have had students however, (in Bakersfield or Israel) where the word “hypnosis” is synonymous with Satan or “the work of the devil”. I usually suggest simply replacing the word “hypnosis” with the word “relaxation” or “guided visualization”. It gets the job done.

Thank you very much Teresa for your interesting story and ideas. 

Ask Teresa about sessions and training with her here.
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