Hypnotist Dr. Olga Stevko

Interview with the Very Successful Dr. Olga Stevko of San Francisco, California

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I have really enjoyed the feedback we have received about our interview series, and it has been a pleasure doing them. I like the idea of helping everyone get to know and learn from these successful hypnotherapists! Given the feedback I have received so far you are enjoying them as well.

One or two emails have asked me how I got the idea. I had several influences that caused me to decide to do this, but I think that most of all, it was a particular discussion on an email group about how an individual thought that it was not possible to make a living as a hypnotherapist. I knew that wasn't true. I have been full time in the profession for over 10 years now. As a matter of fact, today I received an email from Piers Day, one of our Week of Power grads in England. He emailed me to let me know that he as seen 150 clients using 5-PATH® during the last four and a half months. That is not 150 session, but 150 clients, and since 5-PATHers see clients for 5 to 6 sessions on average, you can tell that he is doing very well, thank you!

In the months ahead you can come back and read more interviews from even more successful hypnotherapists. And, in the future I am planning on asking them more questions about just how they did it. I'm sure everyone who reads these articles will love to hear more about how they became so successful. So, keep checking back!

So now to keep things rolling along, I am happy to introduce to you a hypnotherapist who came to America all the way from Russia! Dr. Olga Stevko, is a National Guild of Hypnotists, Certified Hypnotherapist, and 5-PATH® practitioner.

Recently, Dr. Stevko appeared on the NBC News in which the story covered the success she had with a client who lost 100 pounds in just 14 months. Click the link below to see the short video on MSN Video.

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=205ad726-b799-48ca-8409-896d2726f121&f=05&fg=rss

With all of the recent notoriety she has been experiencing, I was especially happy to find out that she was interested in doing this interview with me when I approached her about it. Dr. Stevko (a Russian trained physician, not licensed to practice medicine in the USA) was quick to tell me that she wanted to do the interview, and she credited much of the success she is now having to her training in 5-PATH®.

Well, let's go on to the interview. Note that some of Dr. Stevko's answers may seem short, but I'm sure she would have been happy to go on a bit more if the interview was done in her native language of Russian.

Cal: Olga, first I want to say thank you for taking the time to do this interview! I am very proud to have contributed to your background and training in hypnosis and hypnotherapy. Please tell us about your background before coming to the USA and becoming a hypnotherapist?

Dr. Steveko: I am a licensed medical doctor from Russia. I also studied nutrition and alternative medicine as part of my integrative medical training.

Cal: Why did you decide to learn hypnosis (and become a hypnotist/hypnotherapist)?

Dr. Stevko: I enjoyed psychiatry immensely at Medical School and I was fascinated when I observed some psychiatrists in Russia using hypnosis. Russian psychiatrists were also using guided imagery and visualizations for Olympic Athletes, and creating spectacular results. After researching many different options for establishing a private practice in the U.S., I chose to practice hypnotherapy, because it has so many incredible and powerful applications.

Cal: That is very interesting, and you are absolutely right, hypnosis, and especially hypnotherapy, using advanced techniques is incredibly powerful. Your patients are very fortunate to have such a dedicated practitioner working with them.

Why don't you tell me about your practice? Dr. Stevko: I have a successful private practice office in San Francisco, California.

Cal: I'll have to come up there and visit some time. I would love to drop by and see your center. Now that we are in Tustin, California, we are not that far away. And, I have always thought that it would be great to see San Francisco.

Tell us about your training.

Dr. Stevko: In addition to my medical degree, I received my initial Hypnotherapy certification at The Center for Hypnotherapy in Oakland with Marilyn Gordon. I also received 5-PATH(R) training from the Banyan Hypnosis Center with Calvin Banyan. I have training in Parts Therapy with Roy Hunter, and Weight Loss training with Tom Nicoli. I also have attended many courses through the NGH, and I have extensively studied NLP, EFT, Milton Erickson's works, and various experts in alternative medicine and healing.

Cal: That is wonderful, I know all of those trainers very well. They are all excellent trainers, and I have especially learned a lot from Roy Hunter's books.

I can tell by the trainers that you have selected that you like working with the best! Good for you.

Tell me, what is your approach to doing hypnosis and hypnotherapy?

Dr. Stevko: I primarily use 5-PATH®, and additionally use NLP. I also teach my clients EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).

Cal: That is an excellent combination. In my classes I always encourage my students to learn NLP and EFT. We also have some of those kinds of training materials on our http://www.hypnosis.ORG website. And, by the way, I am very glad to find that you have decided to take me up on my offer to have a column in our e-zine on the website. It is a great place for hypnotherapists to get more information about hypnotherapy and on how to build their practices.

Tell us about an interesting case you had recently if you can.

Dr. Stevko: I had a client recently who is a Vietnam veteran. He had nightmares every night since the war. I was able to stop his nightmares completely with NLP. Another client came to me just two weeks before her due date-her baby was in a breach position. I was able to turn the baby around in two sessions so she could avoid a c-section. She also had the least pain and the shortest labor of her three births.

Cal: That is really great. Hypnotherapists can help people with such a broad range of issues when they have the right training.

What area do you serve, and what kinds of issues do your clients have?

Dr. Stevko: I have clients from different states and different countries. My clients are mostly professional people. And, I have helped hundreds of people lose weight using hypnosis. I think that is one of the issues I work with most.

Cal: Do you have any specialties or favorite issues you like to work with?

Dr. Stevko: I work frequently with weight loss, stress management, insomnia, performance and public speaking, and all types of health and healing issues.

Cal: Beautiful. Why do you think that your clients select you over other hypnotherapists?

Dr. Stevko: Most of my clients come from other client's referrals, or referrals by other medical doctors and alternative medicine practitioners. I don't think many of my clients consider other hypnotherapists in these cases.

Cal: Having a good working relationship with other professionals is a wonderful way to receive new clients. Do you teach any classes? If so tell me about them.

Dr. Stevko: I teach classes, including overcoming performance anxiety and memory improvement, at the Blue Bear School of Music in San Francisco. I also give seminars at the Senior Center, health clubs, spas and other groups for stress release, weight loss, sleeping better and other topics.

Cal: That is great. You are a very "well rounded" hypnotherapist. I believe that doing both, individual sessions and teaching is a great way to go. I also like it that you are helping to educate people about hypnosis and basically get the word out. With that in mind, what would you like everyone to know about hypnosis?

Dr. Stevko: I think hypnosis is one of the most powerful approaches I have used to dramatically improve people's lives in virtually any area they choose to focus on.

Cal: What do you see as being the future of hypnosis? I believe in the future EVERY hospital will have hypnotherapists on staff and hypnotherapy will become a mainstream part of medicine, psychology and personal development.

Well, that is all the questions that I have for you Olga. Thanks again for taking the time to do this out of your very busy schedule.

I want to encourage everyone to take a look at the video on MSN Video that I placed at the top of this article. I hope that this interview encourages more people to consider hypnosis to help them make the very best of their lives.

Also, it is a truly wonderful profession, and if you are a caring person, who would like to work in a profession of helping people, I suggest that you look further into, and consider hypnosis training and certification for yourself.

Training Materials Mentioned in this Article:

5-PATH® 2.0 DVD - Hypnosis Training DVD Set

Join Cal Banyan, award-winning hypnosis and hypnotherapy trainer, as he teaches you and demonstrates how to do 5-PATH® hypnotherapy.