Meet Jim Colton of Jim Colton Hypnosis in Grant Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jim Colton.

Jim, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My interest in hypnosis began more than 40 years ago. My father-in-law was a very talented hypnotist, and I got to watch from the sidelines as he worked with a variety of clients. At one point, he was injured in an airplane crash and used self-hypnosis rather than anesthetics so that he could make sure the surgeons reattached the muscles in his arm and shoulder. Needless to say, I became a believer!

At the time, it never occurred to me that I could do hypnosis also, so I focused on my career and education. Over my life, I’ve had the opportunity to do many things, including serving as a Naval Intelligence Officer, training executives and managers at Lockheed, and teaching a variety of management and marketing courses at several colleges and universities.

I found that I had a talent for analysis, presentation, and communicating complex ideas in simple terms. More important, I had good listening skills.

Like many people, life threw me a curve ball in 2008, and I ended up accepting a position with a non-=profit company that placed no value on any of these. I got frustrated and depressed. I gained weight and began to lose my self-esteem. I was well over 50, and searching for other jobs was fruitless.

I like to invent things, and one of my co-workers suggested that I go on Shark Tank with one of my products. She had gone to a hypnotherapist to lose weight and dropped 75 pounds, completely changing her life. She thought a few sessions would boost my self-confidence.

Remembering my father-in-law’s activities, I decided to take the plunge!

Dr. Robert Crow and I discussed what I wanted to do. He honed in on two things: my dissatisfaction with my job and my weight, which would not help in an interview. I ended up losing 45 pounds and boosted my self-confidence in the process.

A year later, Dr. Crow and his wife, Inga Chamberlain, began a training program and invited me to be one of their first students. It was one of the toughest in the country and involved 6 months of training and two exams – one for certification by the National Guild of Hypnotists, and the other for advanced certification by Dr. Crow and Inga.

It was tough doing this around my work schedule, but I made it work (the boosted confidence really helped). I ended up graduating at the top of my class.

Has it been a smooth road?
Fun roads are seldom smooth, and I’ve definitely had fun on my journey.

Initially, I started doing hypnosis part-time. I loved helping people, and hypnosis is perfect for so many issues. I felt frustrated though, as I couldn’t see how could make the move to a full-time operation.

Then, one morning at 3 AM, I woke up and told my wife that I was retiring from my regular job and taking my practice fulltime. As a small business owner (attorney), the prospect of forgoing a steady income and good benefits was a bit daunting BUT she gave me her blessing.

Things started to fall into place. I used my 401K to get me started. I got a phone call from Dr. Li Liu of Acuwellness Atlanta about renting a space from her. My last concern was medical insurance, and then I discovered that both my wife and myself were covered because of my status as a retired Naval Officer. I joined Business Networking International and started to get referrals from the other members.

That was three years ago, and I’ve never looked back. My business is growing – and my reputation along with it. I love what I do, and my clients appreciate my work.

There have been lots of challenges. Since both my wife and I are entrepreneurs, we often lead a “hand-to-mouth” existence. That’s frustrating, but we’ve survived and are seeing the payoff.

My hypnosis training included a good business model, so that was helpful in getting started. But some things you just have to experience and figure out.

I’ve learned that I am my own worst enemy. Like everyone else, I had accumulated a load of limiting beliefs. These kept me from realizing my potential.

Fortunately, through hypnosis, I have learned that I’m also my best friend. I use self-hypnosis every day to help my focus and confidence. More important, I clear out those mental roadblocks and seek out the help of others.

I’ve changed the way I look at success and failure. There really is no such thing as failure – as long as you learn from the experience and keep moving.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m certified as both a clinical hypnotherapist and a consulting hypnotist. I actually prefer that latter title, as therapy can be a bit off-putting. I’ve done a lot of consulting in my life and know from the inside out that a consultant helps the client figure out what they need to do and then help them do it.

I help clients with a variety of issues: stopping smoking, weight loss, stress reduction, anxiety, phobias are just some of them. It’s also good for pain management, depression, and enhancing creativity.

Because of this, I often have people come to me for one issue and then coming back later for help with things that pop up. That’s when you know you’re doing your job right!

Although I don’t consider it a specialty, I am very good at helping people fight anxiety. I have people brought to me who could barely breathe, because of their degree of panic. They leave smiling and laughing. After a few sessions, they have their lives back. That’s what I’m most proud of.

I’m a good detective. I use my sense of humor and compassion to keep my clients on track. I’m a great storyteller – and I guess that’s what sets me apart from my hypnotists.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that I’m a mental toughness coach. I help people improve their performance in a variety of competitive activities.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Atlanta is a great place for my business. It’s got tons of bustle, lots of sports, and people who need help managing their stress and dealing with life’s issues.

I belong to Business Networking International and am constantly amazed at how much opportunity there is for small businesses here. My advice to someone considering starting their own business here is to join a networking group and get going!

My only criticism of the City of Atlanta is that its business licensing process is a bit cumbersome and slow. Other than that, this is an incredible marketplace.

Pricing:

• Single hypnosis session: $125
• Four or more sessions (paid in advance): $100 per session
• Single Mental Toughness session: $250 per session
• Four or more Mental Toughness sessions (paid in advance): $200 per session

Contact Info:

• Address:318 Cherokee St SE, Suite 104 Atlanta, GA 30312
• Website:www.jimcoltonhypnosis.com,
• Phone:404.434.4847
• Email:jimcoltonhypnosis@gmail.com

Image Credit:
Erin Fisher

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