T.C., 3-Day Eventing Rider, S.F. Bay Area

“Joy’s compassion and her passion for helping others are clear from the moment you meet her. Working with Joy allowed me to find happiness in riding again. Fear will never disappear but the unique tools she brought to the table helped me accept that and deal with it more serenely. Instead of fear being the driver, a few sessions with Joy allowed me to understand that I am the driver and anxiety is an annoying passenger that you sometimes notice and sometimes forget is there. And for that I am deeply grateful to have met Joy and tried something different.”

Anonymous, Venture Capitalist & Motivational Speaker, Santa Barbara, CA

I’ve spent most of my professional life speaking in front of audiences of various sizes. I’ve always loved it. It’s been second nature to me from the start and I’ve always been extremely good at it. Best of all, speaking engagements have always been very lucrative for me. I considered it “the cake walk of my career.” 

Then one day, I was speaking to a small group whom I’d presented to on several prior occasions. I should have felt quite comfortable, because it was a warm crowd - all these people loved me. But the funny thing was, that day I noticed I had a few butterflies in my stomach. It seemed completely bizarre to me and yet, I couldn’t seem to shake them throughout the entire talk. This was an omen of worse things to come. 

I started noticing my voice quavering on conference calls. And then, not long after, the unthinkable happened. I was the keynote speaker at a well attended industry event, and three sentences into my talk, I started to freeze up. I couldn’t catch my breath, my heart was pounding and the whole room started disappearing down a long, dark tunnel. I couldn’t believe it was happening to me - ME of all people! There was a loud buzzing in my ears and my fingers were tingling. I only vaguely remember how I stubbled through the rest before a colleague stepped in to rescue me and keep the event on track. 

I was mortified. Not only that, I went from being a fallen-log of a sleeper, to laying awake night after night, imagining the details of how my career would go swirling down the commode in the weeks that followed. 

I had met Joy at a professional function a few months earlier and now, in a panic, I dug through my belongings to find her business card. I’ll be honest, I had invisibly rolled my eyes when she politely explained her line of work, as we sipped and chatted at the hosted wine bar. But now I was desperate and ready to try just about anything. Her words were coming back to me. I decided I had nothing to lose by giving hypnosis a try. 

The process of hypnosis was nothing like I expected, though I’m really not sure what I expected - something weird I suppose. It was so deeply relaxing, I wish I could do it several times a week, with no particular problem but just because it feels so nice … if only my schedule allowed. Yes, I’m the guy who inspired her “Mind Massage” offering. 

Joy was masterful in her approach. I knew right away that I was in good hands. The change was immediate and lasting. I am back to my confident best in front of crowds … perhaps even a bit better and more creative in my approach. I look forward to working with Joy again in the future. 

If you are at all hesitant about trying hypnosis, please take my word for it - work with Joy. You’ll be glad you did!

H. H. M.,

Walnut Creek, CA

"Coming into the process, I was very hesitant on may levels to try this style of seeking help.  I have tried many types of counseling and psychotherapy as well as self-help books and even sound advice from pastors, family, friends, and the like.  I had finally come across an issue so difficult and intense that I could not figure out a way to deal with it and had 'hit a wall.'

In desperation, I sought out Joy and InnerWork Integrative Hypnotherapy and Brain Coaching and tried one session, tentatively.  She immediately put me at ease with her calm demeanor and clear understanding and clarity in her field of practice.  She carefully explained the process and what it is and what it is not, and really made sure I was comfortable moving forward. By that point, I did feel comfortable. And much to my surprise, I got immediate relief and saw a positive shift in my situation right away.

I admit, I had a lot of irrational hesitations from hearsay and wives-tales that had crept into my understanding of what hypnotherapy is, and even more importantly, what it is not.  I felt at ease enough to move forward and try an abbreviated session which turned out to be very comfortable and calming.  I had always thought a person “gives their mind over” when they are hypnotized but I learned this is not the case, at least in the type of work Joy does, and that if a hypnotist says something that isn’t true or tries to convince the client of something untrue, the client will reject it and “snap” out of hypnosis.  Joy did not try that on me because she is very ethical and wouldn’t, however, I know that I still had control over my mind entirely when I was hypnotized and felt very capable of bringing myself "back" if needed at any time. 

I found hypnosis to be a very relaxed state much like the state before one falls asleep and nothing like what I imagined it would be.  Just as in the case with falling asleep, you don’t lose yourself, you are simply in a more relaxed state of mind and can work on things under the surface of life’s busyness.  Joy’s help was integral to helping me change deep seated beliefs and uncontrollable habits, and was instrumental to me moving forward through an intensely difficult time in my life.

Lastly, she did not encourage me to continue on with her after the problem was resolved.  I have found that many mental health practitioners drag therapy out, perhaps to their financial benefit and security.  Joy was not like that at all and recommended I wait some time between sessions to see if I needed more and was never pushy at all.  My experience at InnerWork was excellent and I highly recommend this practice to any people needing this type of service."