In Brief…

Elena Mosaner Hypnotherapist is an ICF (International Coach Federation) Certified Professional Coach, NGH (National Guild of Hypnotists) Certified Hypnotherapist, and book author. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Creative Writing and Film, as well as a Master of Science degree in Executive Coaching and Organizational Behavior. She wrote, produced, and directed a feature-length documentary film Zaritsas: Russian Women in New York (2010), examining the stereotypes of Russian women, which emerged in the late 1990’s. Over the last 15 years, she has helped more than a thousand people transform into their best version, using hypnosis therapy and coaching. In addition, she founded the AlphaMind self-hypnosis app and the HypnoCloud online network and store for hypnosis downloads. Elena is a hypnotic storyteller, helping clients develop a better life.

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 a sudden? This was a mystery to me, which I wanted to understand.

I came to the US as an exchange student, then traveled 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 to 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 self-hypnosis tapes to help me be a better version of myself. I remember making the recordings, trying to rewrite the 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 tremendous potential in self-hypnosis and hypnotherapy altogether.  

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, and make money, and the idea of setting my schedule and being my 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 the 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 films.

Today, I enjoy using hypnotic storytelling to help people transform 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 in my offices in La Jolla, Los Angeles, and New York City, as well as online via Zoom. I also teach “Your New Chapter” workshops live and online, and I make unique self-hypnosis audio sessions in various areas of personal growth. You can find them online in my store.  

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 the stage hypnotist. It is a permission to act funny and silly. Elena Mosaner Hypnotherapist.

Traditional Schools, Degrees 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)

Non-Traditional Schools and Personal Growth Trainings

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, in Peru, New York, Italy, Puerto Rico.

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

When working with clients, I use a few approaches and models. Most are science and evidence-based approaches. However, over the years, I have developed a deep sense of intuition and (strategic) empathy, which is not entirely scientific, but purely experience-based. 

I can quickly tune into my client’s frame of reference and point of view, which allows for a better rapport and results-oriented therapy work. My inquiry method allows my clients to tap into their resources and deep insight and learning.

I am trained in the coaching style as set out by the ICF standards, which means the coaching I practice is mostly inquiry-based and does not involve advising, consulting, or mentoring. I see my clients as experts on their own life and trust them to find their solutions to problems, uncovered through the thought-provoking process. It is amazing to see the client discover their own solutions and get clarity, all with the right type of questions. I provide safety and space for a client to share and think through the problems with which they come to me, and I provide processes and tools to help my clients integrate their insight and learning for making changes and forward movement.

One of those tools is hypnosis therapy. I use it to help my clients establish rapport between their conscious and unconscious minds, experience deep trance for healing, insight integration, and reprogramming of any old habits, fears, and patterns of behavior.

Here are some specific evidence-based approaches and models I use when working with my clients:

Eriksonian Hypnosis, a non-direct approach

Traditional Dave Elman/Gill Boyne direct-style hypnotherapy

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

Cognitive Coaching

Strategic Inquiry

Appreciative Coaching

Adult Learning/Development Models

Psychodynamic theory

Humanistic Approach

Positive Psychology

Transactional Analysis