Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get started with GI Health Psychology? Contact Dr. Dug and she will send you a screening questionnaire. If she thinks that what you are seeking is a good fit for her services, she will send you paperwork and let you know about next steps. Please note that that intake paperwork will also include brief paperwork for your GI doctor to complete.

What kinds of patients does Dr. Dug work with? Dr. Dug primarily works with adults and adolescents, but will work with a limited number of younger children who already have verbal skills. Dr. Dug gives priority scheduling to BIPOC and LGBTQI+ individuals.

How does treatment end? GI Health Psychology begins with a 7-session program of clinical hypnotherapy over the course of 13 weeks and then may progress into 7 weekly ACT sessions. However, treatment can end at any point at which the patient is satisfied with the symptom improvement.

Who is typically in the room during treatment? For patients under the age of 15, the parents/caregivers will participate in treatment. For patients aged 15 and older, they have the option of bringing in family members or significant others. It can oftentimes strengthen treatment when loves ones are actively participating in treatment and continuing to support the patient outside of sessions.

How do I get started with Clinical Hypnotherapy? Contact Dr. Dug and she will send you a screening questionnaire. If she thinks that what you are seeking is a good fit for her services, she will schedule an initial session.

What kinds of patients does Dr. Dug work with? Dr. Dug provides clinical hypnotherapy treatment to any patient with verbal skills. That typically means that patients must at least be toddlers with typical language development. For children under the age of 15, parents will stay in the room during the hypnosis (for teenagers over the age of 15, they will decide whether they want their parents in the room or not). This is not only for the comfort of the child (and the parents!), but also so that parents can remind the children of the hypnosis skills they can use in between sessions. Dr. Dug gives priority scheduling to BIPOC and LGBTQI+ individuals.

How does treatment end? Clinical Hypnotherapy treatment can end at any point at which the patient is satisfied with the symptom improvement - this is typically between 2-12 sessions. The patient is also welcome back for a booster session in the future.

When I'm in a trance, do I lose all free will? Do I black out? No, patients retain self-determination during hypnosis. When a patient is in a hypnotic trance state, they have the ability to speak and move. In fact, patients can pull themselves out of a hypnotic state whenever they want.

Are people asleep when they are in a hypnotic trance? No, although adults certainly can look asleep when they are hypnotized. However, research clearly indicates that brain waves show wakefulness when hypnotized. In Dr. Dug’s experience, no matter how deeply the person appears to be asleep, when Dr. Dug lets them know that the hypnosis is over, patients can immediately open their eyes.

What qualifications does one need to practice clinical hypnotherapy or hypnosis? The legal requirements differ from state to state; however, there is a general lack of regulation and therefore, people call themselves hypnotists or even hypnotherapists even though they have little-to-no legitimate training. One strategy for patients is to determine if a provider 1) has a degree and official state license in a healthcare field and 2) received training from one of the sites approved by the American Psychologist Association (i.e., American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, ASCH; Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, SCEH; The Milton H. Erickson Foundation; New England Educational Institute; Harvard Medical School; West Virginia University; Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Pennsylvania Psychological Association).

Are there possible risks - is hypnotherapy safe for everyone? There are certain situations in which hypnosis should be approached with caution (and sometimes avoided), such as when patients have mental conditions with severe symptoms (e.g., psychoses, suicidal ideation, certain personality disorders, trauma, debilitating depression/anxiety). Dr. Dug may tell you that she cannot provide hypnosis due to your current symptoms or that you must be actively engaged in psychotherapy with another provider at the same time as hypnosis with her. Patients coming to Dr. Dug for medically-related hypnosis should already be engaged with medical providers for their condition and have notified their medical providers that they are going to engage in hypnosis. Dr. Dug requires that patients give her permission to share progress notes with their other relevant healthcare providers.

Can hypnosis be used to help me regain repressed memories? There are clinicians who do use clinical hypnotherapy for memory work; however, this is controversial because our memories are incredibly malleable and not completely trustworthy. Further, if those memories are from childhood, there is also the concern that the memories stored within the concrete and limited perceptions of a child could be inaccurate. Also, please note that if you are ever going to be engaged in any kind of legal proceeding, having a history of hypnotherapy for memory work can potentially be used against you.

In what ways is hypnosis with children different than hypnosis with adults? Fortunately, hypnosis with children has been shown to be even more effective and more quickly effective than hypnosis with adults. Children have more cognitive flexibility and imaginative skills, allowing them to easily access the parts of their mind that are integral to hypnosis.

What kinds of child problems does Dr. Dug treat? For child patients, Dr. Dug treats any mental challenge that is causing undue distress or impacting the child’s ability to function. This may include: phobias, fear of medical procedures, school avoidance, test anxiety, acting out, etc. Dr. Dug also provides treatment to help with GI disorders and chronic pain.

How do I get started with Clinical Hypnotherapy?

How much does this cost? My updated fee schedule is posted on my website, www.dr-dug.com/newpatients. If we meet more than the usual time, I will charge accordingly. In addition to weekly appointments, I charge this same hourly rate for other professional services you may need, though I will prorate the hourly cost if I work for periods of less than one hour. Other professional services include report writing, telephone conversations lasting longer than 10 minutes, attendance at meetings with other professionals you have authorized, preparation of treatment summaries, and any other service, even if the request comes from another party. If I am asked or required to perform in relation to any legal matters, I charge $500 per hour. I also charge a copying fee of $5 per page for records requests.

What is your cancellation policy? Appointments that are cancelled with less than 24 hours advance notice or patients who no-show for appointments will be charged the entire fee of the missed session – this will be automatically charged to the credit card on file. If you are ill, you are taking care of someone who is ill, or perhaps other circumstances beyond your control, I may make an exception and credit that amount to cover the fee of the next session. However, please note that if this happens more than once in any six-month span of time, the subsequent times will not be treated as exceptions. If it is possible, I will try to find another time to reschedule the appointment on the same day. If you think you are getting sick or not feeling well two days before the appointment, it is better to cancel. If you suddenly feel better, you can always reach out and I can see about getting you in.

Do you provide psychotherapy? Currently, the only treatment I provide is GI Health Psychology and Clinical Hypnotherapy.

Can you see me sooner if I’m in crisis? No, unfortunately my practice is not a good fit for people in crisis. I am a single practitioner and I do not provide crisis services. If you are in crisis, please contact your local crisis clinic, 911, or go to your local emergency department for assistance.

What type of cases will Dr. Dug not accept? Individuals who are actively suffering from substance abuse or dependence, have a history of chronic suicidal ideation or self-harm, have a recent history of suicide attempt, or have a serious mental illness (typically involving psychoses or significantly impaired functioning).

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