I want to stop smoking but wait a minute whilst I deceive you... Lie Detection and Hypnosis

We always knew from the get go that some very enthusiastic folks we put our heart and soul into training, would for their own reasons have to put hypnosis aside to focus on whatever is right for them right now, though my love remains first and foremost with hypnosis.

The ultimate deception is lying to oneself which most clients do and as I have always said, what WE do is UNhypnotise them. I speak personally do, as we teachers of deception analysis and hypnosis are the most difficult subjects to hypnotise or UNhypnotise and as the Universe and the world at large cause our expansion whether we like it or not, and often NOT(!), we all get to learn how we deceive ourselves out of our best interests for the reasons our conscious mind contrives.

I am focused on the MicroExpressions and hypnosis without words, mesmerism, because many of my clients cannot speak English and it is by their expressions I know their pain and by their MicroExpressions I know when it has diminished. I cannot trust my foreign language skills and I cannot trust their English and I am realising I've never really 100 percent trusted the conscious explanations of each client.

Folks don't say what they mean and don't mean what they say and huge confusion can distract the best of hypnotists so being asked to treat those that do not speak English has helped me phenomenally improve my skills. These two approaches of deception analysis and hypnotherapy are, to me, just an extension of the hypnotic and therapeutic skill set. Perhaps I need to work on being able to explain myself more succinctly and somehow put that over on the electronic wizardry of cyberspace and hope I see some of the Hypno crowd at our teeny tiny 1 hour speed trainings in October this year 2016.

We miss everyone and are attempting to revisit what we offer to make it more accessible, affordable and useful to people. I hope one of the sessions grabs attention of whoever it will be useful to. I am basically sharing everything I know in the best way I know how and hoping folks want to watch me perform stop smoking sessions, fight phobias, install hypnotic gastric bands and much more - in an interesting and mesmerising way.

Will the real you please step forward

I've been musing on the profile pics I see, well, everywhere nowadays and the digital version of ourselves we cast out unto the world. I came up with this article; let me know what you think.

Do YOU doubt your Digital Self?

"I don't care what you say, I'm not employing an axe murderer as my lawyer!"

Creating an image of oneself to convey an honest, or even idealised, version of yourself to the wider world has been a task undertaken by us throughout history. Thank your lucky stars you don't have to spend weeks in an artist's studio attempting to hold the same posture and expression, only for the artist to 'get it wrong'. Yes, getting it wrong today is much quicker and easier and your dour digitised self is viewed by a much wider audience at the click of a button.

Your digital self can be your best friend or worst enemy and you may have no idea which one they are.

"Don't you want to even glance at the certificates on the wall?" I ask my nervous hypnotherapy client. "Actually, no, it's okay, I trust you, just go ahead please".

New clients often say they feel like we've met before, that I have a nice face, that they were booked in somewhere else and then changed their mind and came to me instead. All because of a picture.

Now, a picture is not me. In fact, often I think I look entirely different in real life to the static image of perfect shiny pixels and wonder if the 'real me' with my ever changing expressions and odd bad hair day is a disappointing shock to the new client. However, I would know that, I mean. I would know whether my client was disappointed or shocked to meet the real me, because I have an advantage: I have MicroExpressions expertise!

I'm not saying it is a blessing to know when someone is sad to meet you or displeased in your presence, but knowing that they are gives you opportunity to do something about it.

There you are, or rather, there your digital image is, staring unblinkingly into cyberspace hoping to give the real you justice, authenticity and to inspire confidence or at least to attract some attention to your work, to your talents and abilities, to you. However, get it wrong and you may glare out menacingly to your world of potentiality and scare off new contacts with what you thought was a confident expression but one which is read by the unconscious mind of the viewer as utter contempt.

Contempt is the most frequent MicroExpression I see on profile pictures, with the sour faced pout running a swift second. Then there is just plain bad luck, bad lighting, bad angle, bad, bad bad. You cannot explain away your temporary bad mood or unfortunate contemptuous expression to the hundreds or more daily viewers of your profile picture on the Internet.

Nowadays, we are certainly not forgiven for such misrepresentation like we used to excuse away our sombre passport photo with amusing understanding from family and friends.
The digital you is more real to the thousands of strangers out there than the physical, breathing you AND it could be costing you money and losing you sales and credence, or it could put off that potential new lover, or redefine your present lover's perception of you as workmates comment on your profile pic  Yes, cruel, though unfortunately it happens.

Your world went digital almost without you noticing. Gone are the days of the formal letterhead with the list of faceless partners in tiny type listed discretely down one side, tucking you away quietly in your corner, with clients not knowing whether you were friendly, sincere, professional, approachable, good-looking or good-humoured.

Now, you may argue whether anyone can judge those qualities from a photograph - well, YOU do don't you? You decide on 'face value' whether you wish to meet or employ or befriend someone, merely from a static array of pixels. Done well, your fabulous face can exude a sincerity and confidence you didn't know was tucked tightly away somewhere or radiate a ravishing appeal that will light up your Facebook profile, your dating picture, or business website and also light up someone's day.

The dangers of the selfie stick are hopefully apparent though we seem to be woefully inadequate in arranging our face to present it in its best possible light. For one thing, you do not know your own face as well as you think. No, you don't. You don't see it in the mirror in the same way others see it.

A skilled photographer, one that is able to not only operate their intricate photographic equipment, but one that is able to elicit the responses within you so that you use the 43 muscles in your face to arrange your features into a pleasingly acceptable digitised image of your real self is a real asset.

Then you have your photographer whose skill is more targeted in convincing you that you look great, so that they can run off to their next appointment and leave you with a fabulously professionally produced image that is just intimidating or smirky or, well, just not you.

Get a good one and you'll realise how your face finds favour. Consider enlivening the following with your professional radiant self.

Your face sells. A good one sells more. A bad one costs you dearly. It's not just having a good face, it's what you do with it that counts!


So, when you end up with a good one, what can you do with your face? You can:

1. Have it printed on your business cards to remind networking event attendees who on earth they were talking to!
2. Use it in your marketing materials so folks put a face to your product
3. Make it your professional networking profile picture and shine out from grouchy competitors
4. Give consistency and branding to YOU!
5. You can include with press releases and get noticed more
6. Place it in your newsletter and bring messages to life
7. Put it on your web site and brighten up your Company profile
8. Use it on your email signature sign off
9. Use it on your CV to open doors with your face
10. In your company annual reports to brighten those figures
11. Have it ready for Employee of the Month so Ian from Accounts doesn't come up with his cell phone to take it whilst you are unaware
12. Announce Career Accomplishments and be associated with success
13. Have it printed onto magnetic signs for the side of your Vehicle
14. Never run an Advertisement without it
15. Display it in your Office Reception or waiting room so you are instantly recognised rather than having your new client blindly shaking your hand wondering how on earth you are
16. Shine out from your Corporate Brochure
17. Always accompany articles you write as you send them off to publications
18. Send out prior to speaking engagements
19. Send copies out to local press as often they only publish when there is a good picture to accompany your oh so interesting article
20. As a leave-behind for prospective clients to remember you by
21. Use it to build visual recognition and brand awareness
22. Contacts will more likely remember you with a picture reminder
23. Job applications
24. Dating agency profile
25. Have available before a reporter calls to do a profile on you
26. Send copies out to the trade press
27. Do you dance, perform, sing or play music? Use your photo
28. Project it onto the side of your office building – it will beat all the competition and get you noticed!
29. Mugs. T shirts.. Keyfobs. Mouse Mats.
30. Photoshop a Santa hat onto it and send it out at Christmas!
Have fun with your face and make it a good one. Never doubt your digital self!

Buying a car and the fine art of Deception Analysis

"So it is mechanically sound then", we ask for the second time from behind the counter of the petrol station, to the burly guy who we are told owns the garage and the dusty 4x4 parked outside that we are interested in buying.

It's hot, he's busy, we're fed up of searching the Internet for the perfect vehicle and now we don't care what it looks like, just as long as it runs okay and can carry a week's worth of shopping, plus the occasional teenager and two small but rambunctious dogs.

He had been quite good up until this second attempt at the question. Now he seemed a little distracted, irritated even at the question.

"Yes, yes, of course!" This was the second time he looked down and away and busied himself with something other than the potential sale standing in front of him.

If I were in Basil Fawlty mode this is when I would be explaining that I was so awfully sorry to interrupt the fanatically important job of counting buttons or whatever but I would in all honestly like to BUY YOUR CAR that has been showcased within this very forecourt for the past 18 months with not so much as a glimmer in the eye of a potential purchaser for, well, ever, probably.

No, you are right, it was not that he was distracted, he was in fact hiding the fact that he was lying.

No one is ever truly comfortable when they are lying, thank goodness. So the body displays the nervous energy and the perpetrator just wants to get the whole ghastly business over with.

I also know that everyone needs to lie sometimes for all the worthy reasons we tell ourselves and I accept that, though buying a car is a risky business when parting with hard earned cash. However, the language of lies is the same the world over, so when this happens, keep your money and walk away.

You ask THE question, such as 'is it in good condition mechanically?', 'has the timing chain been replaced?', 'are there any problems I need to be aware of?' etc and....

The subject looks down and away before or during answering.

They scratch or rub the back of the neck.

Some part of them starts tapping, such as fingers or foot.

They move a finger or hand over their mouth.

They place an object between you and them (like a cup or bottle).

These are just five 'red flags' and people will do these things randomly when in conversation with each other HOWEVER, this is how to know if they are LYING to you. Catch and fully observe the movements when you ask the all important question. So many questioners look away at this point! It's amazing! It is as if we feel embarrassed for the person we are questioning and we give them a little privacy as we do not want to be perceived as intimidating. Look and keep looking.

Next, once you have seen one of the above, change the subject. Let there be a little calm, a little laughter or joviality even. Then, ask the SAME question again. Ask again later, though in a different manner and if you get three red flags, run like the wind.

Okay, go get your lovely new car and lookout for those lies!

To learn more sign up to my my new online course Human Lie Detection: How to catch a liar! Click Here