INTERVIEW

Sandstad:
“I like to think of our head as having two brains. The first is the neo-cortex, located in the top and frontal part of our skull. It’s relatively new in evolution, about 6 million years old, with its famous prefrontal cortex being only about 600,000 years old. This brain is the analytical, chatter-box brain that speaks concepts and worries at night when we can’t sleep. Many refer to it as the seat of the conscious mind.

The second brain is the sub-cortex, located in the middle of our skull and connected to the spinal cord. This ancient brain is over a billion years old. It doesn’t speak English but communicates through visceral forms, symbols, imagery, dreams, and emotions. It’s where we feel panic and worry, often referred to as the seat of the subconscious mind.

The two brains struggle to communicate: the neo-cortex speaks in concepts and reason, while the sub-cortex communicates in images, emotions, and intuition. Talk therapy works best for the conscious mind, while therapies like Mindfulness, Hypnotherapy, EMDR, Deep Brain Reorienting or DBR and Brainspotting are more effective for accessing the sub-cortex.

I like to compare the conscious mind to the captain of a cruise ship, directing the crew in the engine room—the subconscious mind. The crew doesn’t question orders; they just follow them. If the captain gives faulty instructions, the ship may hit rocks or icebergs. Similarly, if the conscious mind believes negative things about itself, such as ‘I am unworthy,’ the subconscious takes it literally, affecting our emotions, actions, and outcomes.”

Sandstad:
“Our subconscious mind is like a five-year-old child—it takes everything literally and doesn’t judge. For example, if you constantly tell yourself, ‘I’m a loser,’ or ‘Life is hard,’ the subconscious will say, ‘Your wish is my command,’ and make those beliefs your reality.

Another trap is organ talk—phrases like, ‘I need a break,’ ‘You’re killing me,’ or ‘You’re a pain in the neck.’ Clients who habitually use such language often find their bodies reacting to it. One client kept saying, ‘I work hard,’ and her job became a constant source of stress, leaving her exhausted every morning.

I encourage my clients to speak kindly to their bodies. Say, ‘I appreciate you,’ or ‘Day by day, you feel and look better.’ When you speak lovingly to your body, it listens, responds positively, and begins to heal.”

Sandstad:
“I see clients for everything from stopping smoking to overcoming self-esteem issues and trauma. I specialize in medical support hypnosis and often work with clients referred by psychiatrists, surgeons, and allergists for issues like chronic pain, migraines, or IBS when medical interventions have been unsuccessful.

The first step is understanding a client’s inner beliefs, such as, ‘I don’t deserve health,’ or, ‘It’s my fault.’ These beliefs often stem from childhood or past trauma. Many clients are stuck in self-punishment cycles, believing they must suffer. I help them uncover and reprogram these beliefs, replacing them with affirmations like, ‘I am good enough.’

For clients with unresolved trauma and hypervigilance, I use hypnotherapy and Brainspotting to show the subconscious that the danger is gone, allowing them to finally move forward.”

Sandstad:
“The term ‘weight loss’ implies losing something or being a loser. Instead, I focus on weight reduction or management. Our bodies listen to our language, and we must speak kindly to them.

I tell clients to treat their bodies as friends, saying things like, ‘I accept and love you the way you are.’ If a client cannot speak positively to their body, I won’t proceed with therapy. For the body to accept change and healthy behaviors, it first needs to feel loved and appreciated.”

Sandstad:
“I had a 23-year-old male client from Somerset, KY, who suffered from intense, unprovoked anger episodes lasting up to three hours. Using techniques like Brainspotting, we discovered that his anger stemmed from a middle school belief that he was stupid and a bad person, triggered whenever someone said the word ‘retarded.’

After several sessions, he learned to release the buried emotions, reprogram his beliefs, and speak positively about himself. Today, he sleeps peacefully and no longer experiences frequent rage episodes.”

Sandstad:
“Clients who come seeking help for themselves heal the fastest. Healing requires a willingness to let go of secondary gains, like attention or disability benefits, and to embrace the unknown.

Some clients are afraid of who they’ll become once healed. I often ask, ‘What do you gain by scaring yourself? When will you know you’ve suffered enough?’ These questions help clients confront their fears and take steps toward complete healing.”

Sandstad:
“Our brain consists of the neo-cortex (logic and analysis) and the sub-cortex (emotions and subconscious beliefs). The subconscious stores memories and beliefs, influencing our behaviors and results.

The subconscious can be accessed through body awareness, eye movement (gazing along x and y axes), or self-hypnosis. These techniques allow us to identify and reprogram limiting beliefs stored deep within.

Even in surgery, I remind medical staff to speak positively. The subconscious mind is always listening, even when anesthetized. Careless words can program negative beliefs into a patient’s mind, affecting their recovery.”

One of my favorite quotes about the power of the brain comes from Dr. Richard Davidson, a renowned psychologist, and founder of the Center for Healthy Minds, who explains:
“The radical idea is that we can use our minds—mental training—to influence the expression of our genes. While the mechanisms are still being explored, the fact that it can occur is well-established. This opens up exciting possibilities for the future.”