Yellow posters are displayed around Salt Lake Community College campuses announcing that hypnotherapy provided by Clyde Young is available to students as an aid to combat the test-taking pressures that are rampant during this time of the semester.
Young, the hypnotherapist, claims that hypnotherapy can lessen test anxiety, increase concentration and retaining/recalling information and teach students more productive study habits.
“I feel like I can help people on a more one-on-one basis,” Young said.
He got into hypnotherapy because he enjoys helping others. On October 15, 2010, Young graduated from a one year course in hypnotherapy from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute.
Anxiety seems to be the most common issue that Young helps individuals deal with. He has also worked with many individuals who desire to quit addictions such as pornography and smoking.
Young’s inspiration to try hypnotherapy with students came about when his son, who was attending college, was put on academic probation. Young used hypnotherapy to help his son learn better study habits. His son’s grades improved to “Bs”. He realized from this experience that hypnotherapy could benefit other students.
Young understands that people usually have preconceived notions about hypnotherapy before they begin therapy. Therefore, Young does not charge for the first session. Rather, he uses it to explain to clients that hypnotherapy is not the same thing as hypnosis.
“Hypnosis is [simply] a state of relaxation,” Young said. He emphasized that hypnotherapy is not used to make you act like a chicken on stage in front of an audience.
He explains to patients that hypnotherapy is used to teach concentration and how to organize your thoughts to study properly. Young uses the first session to prepare individuals to work with their issue. He then puts clients into a state of hypnotherapy so they understand clearly that they are in control.
When working specifically with students who want to learn better study habits, Young teaches them how to relax before studying and during the actual test.
He teaches his clients to organize their studying into “folders.” For example, if someone were to begin studying for a math test, he would teach them to tell themselves, “This studying is going into the math folder.” He teaches students how to access that correct “folder” once the test begins. Clyde says he aims to “give students a short cut to manage their life.”
It is not until the second session that Young actually puts clients into hypnosis to work on their issue. He charges $60 for the following sessions.
“If [the hypnotherapy] were free, it would not be worth anything. Everything has to have a value,” Young said.