MID SOUTH INSTITUTE OF NLP:

Perhaps you are one of thousands who has an insatiable curiosity to learn new things, coupled with a deep desire to feed your mind with new and interesting material. We are presenting an opportunity to explore three different subjects, NLP, Hypnosis, and the Energy Therapies, each will run for two and one half days. Such may satisfy your need or you may be captivated by one or the other and choose to complete a full study course in it. 

SEMINARS FOR THE CURIOUS

We are  excited over a series of new offerings beginning in August. They have been developed as a result of persons asking; "When are you going to offer more of those one and day, short term courses like you used to offer?", "Would you consider offerfing something like an introductory course, or a course on the fundamentals of hypnosis" I don't think I want to take the full course but I sure like to know more about it." "Can't you just do something on NLP? I don't care about being a practitioner but I would like to know more about the 'non-verbal communication, rapport skills, understanding the eye positions and movements, etc."

For you who have asked and made suggestions, these seminars are designed for you and other 'curious people'. Therefore, we are calling these classes "Seminars for The Curious", as you are the people who, in our opinion, who have an intense and near insatiable interest in exploring and leaning new things. Curious people are interesting and delightful, and, like children, they retain curiosity to learn, explore and experience  throughout their lives. Sometimes they are so eager to learn and take on something new that they put aside other learnings and skills that are useful to them. Therefore, each class is especially designed for persons of great curiosity to learn about new things, and yet may be reluctant to commit themselves to a long term study in either of the subjects covered. We believe the two and one half days that make up each seminar will allow the person an opportunity to learn the basics, the history, application of and possible benefits to self and others.

None of the subjects is designed to replace other skills, rather to supplement and augment, adding richness and diversity, enhancing performance, contributing to personal growth and skills to improve relationships. Should one decide to explore the subject further, they may have the opportunity to do so in subsequent training programs such as becoming a skilled and artful hypnotist or hypnotherapist, a Practitioner of NLP, etc.

The seminars we offer are in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Hypnosis, and the Energy Therapies.

The fee for each seminar is three hundred dollars ($300.00) or two hundred and fifty ($250.00) if registered and paid ten days prior the start of the seminar. Each seminar is independent of the other, thus it is possible to choose only one or to take all three if desired. Each will begin at one-thirty on Friday and continue until five PM. On Saturdays and Sundays, classes begin at nine AM and end at Five PM.


Seminar One: August 22-24,The Energy Therapies. While these are perhaps the oldest treatments of all, acupuncture of meridian points in China and the treatment of Chackras in India, only in the past twenty years or so have these treatments begun to come into the medical and psychological community and in a big way. While needles are no longer used, at least in the psychology and counseling communities, treatment is administered through the stimulation of accupoints (usually through the tapping of a finger, or the pressure of a finger (Accupressure) on a defined spot on the face, upper body and hands. The technique is easily taught to the patient/client enabling one to self treat a large variety of problems.

Chackra treatment is also used by a therapist trained in the technique and again can easily be taught to the subject for purposes of ongoing self treatment. Some years preceding the popularization of the meridian and chackra treatment procedures, therapeutic touch had been in use by nurses and others trained in this area. 

Ancient Chinese medicine recognized and identified energy systems running throughout the body (Meridians) and that through this system energy (Chi or Q- pronounced chee) flows.  Twelve of the energy meridians were identified as related to a specific body organ, while two others were identified as mid line meridians, the governing and the conception or central meridian. When the  energy flow is blocked or disrupted in some way, an illness can occur. Upon defining the problem, its severity or intensity, all major accupoints (Gary Craig) can be tapped until problem/symptom is relieved, Some therapists,  through muscle testing, identify the specific meridians needing treatment. Through this diagnostic procedure, it is necessary to treat only the meridian points identified, thus narrowing considerable the number of points to be treated. Considerable research  by reputable researchers validates the effective of these treatment modalities.

One of those studies, covering an extended time period and including thousands of patients in Uruguay and Argentina documented not only the effectiveness of this treatment, these patients continuing symptom free six months and twelve months later. A comparative group treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy AND medications also continued symptom free but with continued medications. While they were symptom free, petscans indicated there were no neural changes in the brain whereas there had been in those treated with Energy Therapy.

In this seminar you will learn more about the background, how the energy treatments (meridian, chackra, auric field, etc) came into our repertoire  of treatment modalities,  examine the rapid evolution (once discovered and learned) into traditional western therapy and psychotherapy, some of the techinques used and, you will learn the common "tapping points". the chackra system, and some simple treatment techniques. You will also have the opportunity to practice the skills.

Some of the specific techniques we will study  are Thought Field Therapy (TFT), Emotional Freedom technique (EFT). Semorg Matrix (a Chackra technique) and Be Set Free Fast (BSFF). a techinques that requires tapping only once - at the initial session and while tapping to state a word cue so that thereafter only the word cue is needed to ready the system for treatment. Most of the Saturday and Sunday time will be spent in reviewing and learnings the BSFF approach,This seminar will be repeated in February 2009.

Seminar Two, NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), September 26- 28. NLP was developed in the early seventies by John Grinder, a linguist, and Richard Bandler, a mathematician who was also trained in Gestalt Therapy. John was a teaching member of the University of California, Santa Cruz and Richard, a student. Richard was leading Gestalt groups at the time. As John and Richard became acquainted both realized that they shared an  interest in emerging therapy modalities and what ingredients made particular individuals highly successful in comparison to their peers with similar training. They were especially aware of the great successes being achieved by Fritz Perls, Gestalt therapist, and Virginia Satir, already internationally known for her success in Family therapy. Initially they and their students began studying these two persons and also Gregory Bateson, a well known linguist, specializing in transformational grammar. It was through the latter they learned of Dr. Milton Erickson, Psychiatrist and quickly gained his approval for being one of the subjects of their study'

Fortunately for Bandler and Grinder, all these therapists were willing and cooperative in being observed, taped, interrogated until the researchers had accumulated  sufficient data to study, synthesize and formulate  a theory relating to the importance of rapport, language skills, astute observation, etc. that could be taught others, enabling them to achieve success rates well beyond anything previously accomplished. Furthermore, these identified skills were not limited to therapists but could be equally applicable to  teaching, supervising, managing, sales, human relationships and all manner of performance in sports and otherwise. Besides, the NLP tools were to be applicable to all persons interested in  personal growth, improved communication skills , etc. In fact, NLP is for everyone.

The name, Neuro Linguistic Programming: neuro  stands for the total neurological system of the human body, Linguistic representing  communication both verbal and non verbal representation, and Programming referring the entire array of observable behaviors as well as emotional patterns, belief systems, individual perceptions, manner of self presentation and linguistic patterns, etc. Through observation of eye movement patterns, verbal expression, intonation and gestures it because possible to elicit decision and thought strategies, personal values and beliefs, and, when desired by the individual, to assist him/her in "reprogramming", discarding old limiting and negative programs and taking on new programs and strategies, ones most likely to insure success and self esteem.

In this particular seminar you will learn more about the background of NLP and its founders, how NLP in many ways became the leading edge of the development of new and effective therapy techniques as well as being equally effective in the fields of education, business and management, sales and promotion, sports, the military, improved personal functioning and personal growth,  and much more. You will learn some of the observation, rapport and communication skills as well as some of the easier change techniques.

Seminar Three: Hypnosis -October 25-27. Hypnosis, trance, dream temples, animal magnetism and by whatever name, Hypnosis has existed since prehistoric time. It has certainly had its ups and downs in how it has been viewed by society in general and more especially in the modern age, by therapists, physicians, dentists, psychologists and counselors. All too often how hypnosis is viewed is colored by movies, stage hypnotists and literature of the more macabre type.

The contemporary age of hypnosis began with Anton Mesmer, a physician, who popularized it as a treatment modality and almost as quickly brought it into disrepute through his grandiose behavior, need to be idolized, and his exaggerated claims. For several years only a few reputable physicians carried it forward, often achieving remarkable success in performing painless major surgery through the use of hypnosis. Dr. Clark Hull, a physician and professor in a medical school, engaged in extensive research, often using his medical students to aid him in the process. One of the students, Milton Erickson, popularized it through his incredulous successes and his lecture tours. It was through him and his efforts that hypnosis was approved by AMA in 1978 as a treatment modality within medicine, a year later by the American Dental Society and later by the American Psychological Association For the past few years it has continued to evolve into a frequently used modality by therapists, counselors and by many who have studied it extensively and created succesful hypnosis practices apart from the traditional treatment professions.

Our seminar is designed to provide authentic information on defining hypnosis: how, when and where it can be appropriately used and the medical and dental conditions for which it is most applicable, when it is applicable for other problem areas such as cigarette and other addictions, relaxation and sleep, self hypnosis, pain management, treatment of phobias and  anxiety states, enhanced learning, overcoming performance anxiety, etc. We will also dispel the many myths about hypnosis and teach you skills to recognize every day hypnotic states in yourself and others. You will learn simple induction techniques and have the opportunity to experience hypnosis yourself. 

CLINTON O. CLAY, LCSW,

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Prior to his "retirement" in April of 2007, Clint had worked for 58 years in the social work profession, advancing in the State of Alabama public  welfare program from case worker, child welfare worker, child welfare supervisor, to county welfare director. He also served in the U. S. army as a member of a neuro psychiatric team for two years during the Korean  War. this time being between social case worker in a pub;lic welfare program, completing graduate school and the child welfare supervisor job.  He then worked in the state's alcoholism out patient program as psychiatric social worker and clinic administrator, served as director and family counselor of Family Services Center, a United Way agency, in Huntsville, Alabama, for twenty two years and following that as a contract private practice therapist, until its closure when the owner of the practice retired. For the following years until retirement he was in a solo private practice.

Desiring to continue active and involved, at the age of eighty he began offering training in NLP, hypnosis and a breadth of workshops and seminars for therapists as well as the general public. This, he said, was his second career.

Clint has always been interested in studying and exploring new avenues of counseling and treatment, having gotten permission from his major professor in the School of Social Work at Florida State university to pursue an extensive study of  Carl Rogers' "Client Centered therapy" while most students continued pursuing the "Diagnostic" approach or Freudian psychology.

Following earning his MSW he continued to study a variety of treatment modalities, including Family Systems, Rational Behavioral Therapy, Transactional Analysis, NLP, EMDR, Hypnosis and more recently the energy psychology therapies. During the summer of 1958 he completed a training program on treatment of alcoholism at the Yale Summer School of Alcohol Studies. He also had summer studies at Case Western  Reserve University ( two summers) and a summer program at the University of Georgia.

Active in his professional organization, he has held several offices in the Alabama Chapter NASW, having served a term as president. He was awarded Social Worker of The Year by the Chapter in 1972. He has also been active in the Alabama Conference of Social Work and has served as president of the conference in 1985. During more recent years he has been active in the Huntsville Unit of the State Chapter, NASW, having been active on committees, being Unit chair for a year and as Unit Representative on the State Chapter Executive Board. He was  bestowed the honor as Huntsville Unit Life Time Achievement Award in  Social Work in 2005.

He has served on the advisory Board to the State Department of Human resources and served on  special  committee to study mental health needs in the state, and a   committee to  investigate allegations of lack of proper care and/or abusive treatment at one of the State;s juvenile detention centers. These appointments were during the tenure of governors Lurleen Wallace and Albert Brewer.

You are invited to view our students evaluation of Clint's instructional programs by going to the "What our student say" page.