How Hypnosis Can Help You Avoid Self-Sabotage at the Poker Tables

Mental coaching has long been recognized as an essential part of the training of athletes and poker players, and hypnosis can be a  powerful tool in this respect. The foremost benefits of psychological skills training are increased self-confidence, motivation, and concentration.

Hypnotherapy can have a tremendous impact in all of these respects and can help us cope with irrational fears  and negative thought patterns; with specific issues such as facial tics and nervous twitches or revealing tells; and with that mighty saboteur that makes us our own worst enemies: tilt.

Elliot Roe, who was recently interviewed by Dr. Tricia Cardner for UK PokerNews, is a qualified hypnotherapist who offers tailored services to poker players.

"Hypnosis can be used to improve any issue at the table that’s being caused by an irrational emotional response. This includes rage tilt, anxiety, shaking during hands, lack of motivation, lack of focus, and other forms of self-sabotage like procrastination and irrational thinking."

In an ad for his hypnosis audio package, Roe promises that, 'within just a few sessions of hypnosis:

• you will find yourself in a better mind set on the table,
• you will have more control over tilt and be able to
• read your opponents far more naturally and easily.'

For those unable to see him in person in Las Vegas, Elliot Roe offers skype sessions and special MP3's, such as Online Cash/MTT Warm Up, Post Game Cool Down, Tilt Buster. I personally found particularly intriguing his take on what would usually be considered a superstitious and/or compulsive-obsessive routine but can actually be highly effective pre-game preparation:

You can consult Elliot Roe's website for more information and if you are still skeptical, here is one valuable insight from the 2+2 thread:

"I do think the mp3s help and even if it's partially due to a placebo effect it's still helping nonetheless. Just taking the effort to work on my mindset makes me feel like I'm more in control of my emotions and any real gains from the actual hypnosis are a nice added benefit." 

It would be great to hear from other mental coaches and from RankingHeroes who've tried hypnosis - whether to deal with a fear of dogs, to quit smoking, or to improve their mental game. Please share your experience :)

UK PokerNews: Hypnosis for Improved Poker Performance: An Interview with Elliot Roe