About Dr. Bonnie old

I have been a counselor and hypnotherapist for over 25 years.  In the last 10 years, I have also added health and wellness coaching to my certifications.  I hold a PhD from U.C Berkeley and have practiced in Canada, California, Washington and Hawaii. I have presented over 30 workshops on a myriad of topics such as self-care, stress management, parenting, healing through illness, mindfulness, and moving through life transitions. In staying current with the latest research on the impact of a multifaceted approach to mental health, I have spent several years training and becoming certified in both Hakomi, (a body centered therapy) and health coaching.

In 1991, I was certified as a master hypnotherapist and clinical hypnosis has remained a passion of mine throughout my career. I have been a certified consultant/member for several years with the  American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.   https://www.asch.net/.  ASCH is the largest U.S. organization for licensed health and mental health professionals who use clinical hypnosis.

My past career as a therapist enhances my ability to have insight and compassion for my coaching clients.  Traditional talk therapy is useful however it can take several months to years for clients to see lasting results.  In the last several years of my practice I found that that the combination of coaching and customized hypnosis was much more effective in helping my clients.

As a long time therapist who specialized in trauma, illness and anxiety I have learned to incorporate all aspects of health, be it physical, mental or spiritual. The growing use of pharmaceuticals can often create serious health complications for people with medical issues.  I work closely with physicians and other health and mental health care providers to improve outcomes for their patients/clients.  Many of my referrals come from physicians and therapists. The importance of nutrition and activities such as movement and meditation also contribute greatly to our mental health.