In a bit more detail.. ( if you have time:)

People often ask me how and why I became a hypnotist. It is still a somewhat rare profession, which often evokes many questions and some views built upon old stereotypes of hypnosis.

Here we go…  

My first exposure to hypnosis was at five years old in Russia, from where I am originally.  My mom took me to see a stage hypnotist show for fun. To this day, I remember the female hypnotist taking the stage, making adults act like children. I saw them playing with their imaginary toys and speaking in kid’s voices. I was perplexed.  

How could hypnosis make them act like little kids all of the sudden? This was a mystery to me, which I wanted to understand.

I came to the US as an exchange student, then travelled back and forth a few times, until I settled in New York City and started my life from scratch. It was not easy, because I didn’t know anyone and I was learning to survive while being exposed to the many life riches and exuberances of the big city. I wanted to be part of it, the rich social life and going to the best schools and thriving, like many people I met. I was a total newcomer into a new culture. I was 23, finding my way around in the big city of New York, sleeping on a floor mattress in Brooklyn with nothing else but big dreams. I had a long way to go.  

One day, I came across an ad in a newspaper for a hypnosis course. This rang a bell in my head. This was it, I thought. Not only could I solve the old mystery of hypnosis I had since I was five, but maybe…  

I could somehow use hypnosis to help me grow up faster and quickly reach my dreams. I wanted to be a thriving writer, speaker and filmmaker.

After taking my first hypnosis course, I began designing my own self-hypnosis tapes to help me be a better version of me. I remember making the recordings, trying to rewrite my old inner narratives I learned growing up. I made tapes to help me speak slower and more pronounced, to be more confident in my acting classes, to become a fearless driver, and tapes to develop a better relationship with money and success. As I dug deeper and worked with other hypnotherapists exchanging sessions, I saw a tremendous potential in self-hypnosis and hypnotherapy all together.  

I thought to myself, why don’t I become a hypnotherapist?

At least for now, while building my way up to my big dreams? It would be a great way to help people, make money, and the idea of setting my own schedule and being my own boss was very attractive to me.  

So, I made a tape and hypnotized myself to believe I was a successful hypnotherapist. I saw it, I felt it and I spoke to myself the words of confidence and courage in the state of hypnosis.

Upon awakening, I was on autopilot, fearlessly pursuing my goal of becoming a hypnotherapist in New York City, connecting the dots and having fun with it. Meeting other successful NYC hypnotherapists, learning from them and working for them. I bartered for sessions, wrote blogs and made videos. Soon, the NY Post interviewed me and then the NY Times. I had built a practice in Manhattan, on the Upper East Side, helping New Yorkers become a better version of themselves with hypnosis therapy.   

Meanwhile, I went to school for filmmaking at The New School University and made a documentary Zaritsas: Russian Women in New York (2010) about Russian women stereotypes, which emerged in late 1990s. I also wrote a science fiction book Quantum Voyeur (2013) for young adults, with another veteran science-fiction writer John Zakour. I felt complete.  

I know the best is yet to come, including many more books and creative media projects and film.

Today, I enjoy using hypnotic storytelling to help people trance-form their lives. I make mental movies for the mind with the power of words, guided pictures and sounds. This is modern hypnotherapy.

I help clients overcome specific fears and break habits, as well as increase their confidence, grow their mindset and empower  both their personal and professional lives.  

I see my clients one-on-one mostly on Zoom these days, because I travel. I still have an office in NYC, where I see clients in person. I am in New York at least two times a year.

P.S I’m happy to report that I did resolve that stage hypnosis mystery, which I saw as a kid. This puzzle was simpler than I thought. Stage hypnosis is a mere compliance by a subject. People on stage hypnosis shows - know exactly what they are doing. They are not asleep, even though it may appear this way. Their eyes are simply closed and they are waiting for an instruction from a hypnotist.  It is not mind control. It is an unspoken agreement between the subject and stage hypnotist. It is a permission to act funny and silly.  

My education, schools and certifications

New School University, New York, NY, Bachelor’s in Science, Film & Media

University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), Master’s in Science, Executive Coaching and Organizational Behavior

Society of Applied Hypnosis with Mark Cunningham, Hypnotherapy Course.

NLP Center of New York with Dr. Rachel Hott and Steven Leeds, Practitioner & Master Practitioner Certifications

The Institute of Mind and Body Research (IMBRE) with Dr. George Bien, Advanced Hypnotherapy Certification

National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH) Member and Certified Hypnotist

International Coach Federation (ICF), Professional Certified Coach ( PCC)

Two Arrow Zen with Diane Musho Hamilton, Mediation and Conflict Resoluion Facilitator

Spiritual quest schools

Vipassana 10 -day Silent Retreat, Massachusetts, USA Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin

“Ayahuasca School,” over a dozen of ayahuasca ceremonies, Peru, New York, Italy, Puerto-Rico.

Woman Within workshops, Woman Within initiation weekend, Wholeness 5-day Retreat, Skills workshop