“The other day, I heard from my college age daughter. A visit to the doctor meant she had to have some blood drawn, and at the same time she received a vaccination. This was relayed to me as a matter of course. There was no drama. Of course she was able to accomplish this.

The fact that this was possible is directly attributable to a hypnosis session with Joshua Syna about 15 years ago. At the time, I was at my wit’s end. My daughter was simply unable to endure a shot of any kind. She had extreme needle phobia. Any immunization was stressful, not only for her, but for me, my husband, and any medical staff. In one episode, she bit the nurse, kicked another, ripped my shirt, and holed up under an examining table. We left without the shot. The medical staff came to know us as “that family” and prepare for our visits.

I researched needle phobia, and tried everything that was suggested. Nothing worked. A friend of mine had had success quitting smoking through hypnosis with Mr. Syna. My daughter was highly skeptical, and I remember as we left the session, she turned to me and said, “That was a waste of time.” Nonetheless, I made an appointment for the required vaccination. I brought my husband, advised the medical staff, and dreaded what was to come. When it came to the moment for her shot, I held her close, and even though I knew she was ready to bolt, for some reason she didn’t make a move. She whimpered a bit but allowed the nurse to give her the shot. Relief flooded through me (and her, I imagine!). I could exhale.

Since then, she has been able to tolerate the occasional shots and blood draws. This is such an achievement. It sounds like a small thing-for your kid to get the shots she needs, and you would be surprised at the stress and anxiety it caused for me as a mom.

I am grateful to Mr. Syna for his help. Hypnosis may not work for everyone in every instance, but it worked for us in a very difficult situation.”

Mary Wiggins – Houston, Texas