JACQUIE MANNINGThefinejewellerydesignerturnedan
appreciationofhypnotherapyintoa thrivingsecondcareerthankstothe
guidanceofRhondda StewartMe & MYGURU
PNOTHERAPYcameintomylifealmost 20 years
go.Atjust 66 yearsold,myveryactivefatherwas
iagnosedwithadvancedlungcancerandgivenjust
hreemonthsto live.A friendof hiswasa hypnother-
pistandreachedoutto helpduringthistime.Along
ith his medical treatment of chemotherapy and
adwashypnotisedduringweeklysessionswiththe
goaltoreducethetumoursinhisbody;theprocesshelpedchangehis
mindsetandhehada renewedwilltolive.Mydadgainedtwomore
yearsoflifeandthisexperiencehada profoundeffectonme.
Forthefirsttime,I sawthepowerof themind:whatwebelievein our
mindcantranspirein ourbodies.Aftermyfather’spassing,I wentonto
experiencemyownhypnotherapysessionstodealwithgriefandloss.
I turnedbacktohypnotherapyseveralyearslaterwhenI wasstrug-
glingtofallpregnantwithoursecondchild.Afterfourfailedrounds
ofIVF,I committedmyselftoa ritualofmorningandnightlyself-
hypnosis(visualisation)andweeklysessions witha hypnotherapist.
Thefirstthingwetackledwasmystress.A stressed-outbodyis nota
fertileground foran eggtogrowandbenurtured.Wefocusedon
growth,lifeandlightat a deeplyunconsciouslevel,wherethechanges
hadto happenfirst.Mymindwasbusyworkingonpreparingmybody
forfertilityandgrowth.It wasa powerfultooltouseinconjunction
withIVF,andfallingpregnantwithmydaughterfeltlikea miracle.
Oncemydaughterwasborn,I startedtogeta growingsensethat
theseprofound,life-changingexperienceswerea calling.I had seen
first-handtheincredibleimpacthypnotherapyhadonmylifeandI
wantedto formalisemyowncapabilities.I hada burningdesireto share
thispowerfultherapeutictoolwithothers,andtodothisI wanted to
beprofessionallytrainedbyanexpertinthefield.
I spentmonthsresearchingtherighttrainingcentre.I found
RhonddaStewartat theCloverInstitute[inSydney].Assoon
as I metRhonddait feltlikeI alreadyknewher.She’sincred-
iblykindandempathic,butalsoveryprofessional.Sheempow-
eredmetolearnandunderstandtheprofession—she’sso
insightfulandexperienced.Shehasinspiredmeto gowithmy
instinctsandalwayslistentomyinnervoicewhileharnessing
myuniquestyle.WorkingwithRhondda, alltheconcepts
andideasI hadinmyheadhavebeenformalised.She’sgiven
mesomuchconfidencetobea therapistandhelppeople.
Mypassionis tohelpwomenonbotha professionaland
personallevel.I haveseeninbusinesshowself-visualisation
canreallyharnessyourself-confidenceandself-esteem,and
equipwomenwithwaystocopewithanythingfromstress
andanxietyto fertilityandweight.Hypnotherapyisn’tcoun-
selling;it’s a very forward-thinking and positive kind of
therapy.– As toldtoJanna Johnsono’Toole
Fromtop:Claire
Aristides;with
Rhondda Stewart.190 HARPERSBAZAAR.COM.AU September 2019
HEALTH