Not in a conventional way.

The Sexual Health Solution program is a holistic, and goal-oriented intervention. The therapeutic vehicle of this intervention is advanced clinical hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy is not talk therapy! It does not include advising, diagnosing, or prescribing medication. That would be the domain of other professionals, usually licensed to counsel. The primary aim of hypnotherapy is self-change. The hypnotist’s job is to assist the client to achieve those natural states of mind where change and healing best happen. Used correctly, hypnotherapy is especially useful for leveraging the innate power of the human mind for change, healing and recovery.

A clinical hypnotherapist is not a mental health provider or a medical provider.

No. This is an individualized program tailored to your specific needs and challenges.

No. This method is most effective when practiced alongside your current medical care. Hypnosis or any other methods of conditioning (Relaxation, Creative Visualization, Visual Imagery, NeuroLinguistic Programming, etc.) offered by Avinoam Lerner cannot and will not substitute any current or future appropriate medical or psychological care or treatment, and if any concerns i.e. medical or psychological arise, you should first consult a qualified health care provider for diagnosis and professional advice.

We do not accept insurance.

YES! We do not release any information without written authorization from you, except as provided for by law. Your personal details, the nature of your visit, and your identity will remain confidential according to current Federal Regulations known as HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

Your appointment time is reserved specifically for you. If you are unable to keep your appointment for any reason, please provide 24 hours’ notice. The full fee will be billed for any appointment cancelled without 24 hours’ notice.

Say the word “hypnosis” or “hypnotherapy” and many people immediately think about Hollywood’s portray of people with “special human powers” or people doing unusual things on stage. Other people think of pocket watches, or spirals twirling.

Needless to say this view of hypnotism is pure fiction and has little basis in reality. It is now much more common for hypnotists to use techniques which consist of soothing words and suggestions to focus patient’s attention.

Unfortunately, many of these myth and misconceptions about hypnosis and hypnotherapy cause unnecessary fear and apprehension in those who can benefit from the practice the most. In the clinical setting, hypnosis is a safe, effective and scientifically recognized intervention practiced all over the world. In the United States, the American Medical Association (AMA) formally recognized the benefits of hypnosis in 1958.

Yes, it’s real. Researchers have found that when someone is hypnotized, they actively respond to given suggestions. During hypnosis, it is as if the brain temporarily suspends its efforts to validate incoming sensory information, allowing new perceptions and thoughts to occur. And, some people are more hypnotizable than others, although scientists still don’t know why.

Hypnotherapy (hypnosis) was officially recognized as a viable and safe therapeutic tool by the British Government through the Hypnotism Act in 1952. Then, in 1958, the British and the American Medical Associations (AMA) sanctioned the official use of hypnosis by physicians. In 1958, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) also approved hypnotherapy for use by professionally responsible individuals.

Hypnotherapy is the clinical application of hypnosis, and many medical facilities either have a hypnotist on site or can refer you to a trusted practitioner. Myths still abound regarding hypnosis, although it is becoming more widely accepted and trusted. Unlike Hollywood’s portrayal of hypnosis, it cannot be used to control someone else’s mind, or their actions. By using hypnosis, and through the practice of hypnotherapy, people gain greater control over their own minds and their own actions.

The hypnotic state is a familiar state we all experience daily. It is a state of focused attention and heightened believability in which the mind can more readily accept new ideas that are not in conflict with your personal values. There is also a higher threshold to pain.

I mentioned it’s a state which we enter on a daily basis… think of what happens when you watch your favorite TV show or a good movie. We tend to become so involved in the plot that we can feel what the character or hero is feeling. In the case of scary movies, for example, it’s hard for us to separate ourselves from the scene in front of us to the point we feel fear. That’s what a state of focused attention and heightened believability means.

In the hypnotic state, the body is relaxed, but the mind has heightened awareness. At all times, you can vocalize and communicate, and most importantly, because the goal of The Lerner Method is healing, you will be able to remember everything you hear and say. From a body perspective, your limbs may feel leaden or light, tingly or somewhat numb. The perception of time is also distorted due to the experience of being involved in your internal story. This is similar to the experience of watching a great movie and getting so involved with the plot to the extent that time flies i.e. where an hour might seem like just a few minutes.

The fear of someone taking control of us may be real, but it has no grip on reality. Stage shows and Hollywood’s portrayal of hypnosis hyped this fear because they showcase the subject surrendering their ‘will.’ This is not real; it’s entertainment, much like any other tale of the imagination.

It is helpful to remember that stage hypnotists design their shows for entertainment purposes, including participants doing strange things. People don’t realize that the stage hypnotist has a strategy in place; they choose only those who are highly suggestible and may have a strong desire to have a “different” or less inhibited experience.

In a hypnotic state, people can permit themselves to do many things they may not otherwise be able to do.

Hypnosis cannot, and should not, stand alone as the sole intervention for any disorder. Hypnosis should not be used instead of appropriate medical, dental, or psychological treatment. Individuals with a medical or psychological problem should first consult a qualified health care provider for diagnosis and professional advice. Hypnosis should only be practiced by those who have been appropriately trained, who practice properly, and within the scope of their training.