The Dave Elman Induction by H.L. Elman and D.H.Patterson

Title: The Dave Elman Induction
Author: H.L. Elman and D.H. Patterson
Format: 2 DVD set
Source: Amazon
Price: $99.95
Rating: Excellent

Even after reading (and loving) Dave Elman's classic book, Hypnotherapy, I was never a big fan of the famous Elman induction. I tried it a few times while in training, but I never seemed to get the results Elman claimed it could produce--so I moved on to other inductions that were more my style and produced (for me) great results.

So I was curious when Sean Michael Andrews (aka Donald Patterson) announced that he was making a video entirely about the Elman induction. When I saw that it came in a package deal with an interview of Dave Elman's son, I decided to take the plunge. If nothing else, the interview would be worth the price, as it would surely shed some insight into the work of one of the most important hypnotists of the 20th Century.

Well, I was not disappointed by the interview; it's absolutely fascinating. Hearing firsthand anecdotes about Elman's life and experiences as a hypnotist, performer, and trainer is a wonderful opportunity. The account of how Elman taught his son is simply delightful, a real pleasure to watch. There are some slightly odd moments in the cinematography of the interview that make me wonder if there was a technical glitch—but these are minor and fall short of detracting significantly.

Well, I liked the interview, but I was extremely impressed with the instructional video. Patterson's teaching style is excellent, and for once, here is a hypnosis video with high production values. After watching the video once, I found that the menu made it easy to zip right to the parts I needed to review.

After only a little study of the video, I find that I'm now getting great results with an induction I had previously had trouble wrapping my head around. I now see why it's such a favorite, and it's quickly becoming one of mine.

The section on deepeners should not be overlooked. Since I've never been fond of methods that involve a lot of counting, the one-to-fifteen fractionation method was never a favorite. But after watching this video, I'm finding myself using that method more and more.

Patterson really thought this product through. It's details like the insert with a copy of the induction script that show you that this video is a labor of love, a fitting tribute to a hypnotist who changed the world.

I hate giving a purely glowing review, but I'm afraid I have to. I'm finding it hard to complain about anything in this product. In short, this DVD set should be on every hypnotist's shelf.