Stephen Lankton, thanks so much for your reply. I was especially taken by your "Aikido" comment in that I have wrestled for 20+ years and studied jiu-jitsu and judo for ~5 years. I think I have been coy about asking the question that is bothering me the most.

I am drawn to comparing learning and utilizing "scripts" of hypnotic inductions and suggestions to my experience in learning to play jazz. Jazz has its own language and history, and yet what matters is the music we make in the moment (I, by the way, play string bass... glad to know you play another "rhythm section" instrument). The balance I have consistently struggled with is that I have been abundantly willing to spend hours (and hours) honing the craft of memorizing and "getting" the nuances of the masters, and yet have had a difficult time translating this into "the music of the masters" when the tune is counted off.

My concern for my personal development as an "operator" in clinical hypnosis is that I am taking time to memorize all sorts of scripts (for example, out of C. Hammond's works), and have devoted myself to carefully observing nonverbal behavior, and yet am struggling to integrate the two into a way of "being hypnotic." Long story long, I am willing to put forth the effort into developing my skills, ultimately want to do so in a way that will translate into beneficial results for clients, and yet I am unsure how to do so.

In terms of training, I completed an ASCH "basic" workshop in Dec., '03, have done a monthly training with an ASCH approved consultant since February (will complete the basic-intermediate sequence in Jan., '05), undergone knee surgery in April using autohypnosis as the only anesthetic/sedative, completed a weekend workshop with Dr. Yapko in June, and will be attending a 4-day workshop with Dr. Zeig in NY in November. Further, I have read everything Jay Haley has written (except "Changing Individuals" and "Changing Couples").

Thoughts on where to go or what to do from here?

Jim Stephens