Shari and I met up in a park in Lakewood to shoot her business portraits for her company, Blossoming. She really wanted shots out in nature, because she wanted to reflect not only her love of nature, but the fact that the form of therapy she practices truly is “all natural.” As we walked through the park, we talked and laughed, and she shared with me some of the new developments her business is taking.

For someone who seems to hate having her picture taken, she was a great subject. As we shot frame after frame, I witnessed a common transformation in many portrait sessions: stiff and uncomfortable to soft and relaxed. As a photographer, I enjoy fostering that level of trust and ease so that a person’s true essence can shine through.

In her line of work, Shari often sees a similar transformation in the clients she works with. When they come to her, they can be closed off, unsure, or hurt. She helps people to bloom, to open up, to let their inner self glow. Shari is a personal transformation specialist.

When most people hear the word “hypnosis,” they think of a magic show act that gets a pretty girl up on stage clucking like a chicken against her will. They imagine someone using “mind control” to manipulate someone into doing things they would not ordinarily do.

Used therapeutically, hypnosis is a powerful tool to overcome the conscious mind and help a person to become a better version of themselves, whether it be to quit smoking, lose weight, or simply deal with emotional issues that are difficult to face.

So rather than calling herself a hypnotherapist, Shari Gordon has titled herself “Chief Blossomer.” Shari uses a variety of techniques to teach people how to become the best version of themselves. She hosts a series of classes called “Project Blossom” and is available for private sessions as well. She can be reached at 303-570-5661, or you can email her.

If you would like to hear some of my own personal experiences with hypnosis under Shari’s guidance, please feel free to email me.

The rest of her portrait session can be found here.

I have recently had the pleasure of becoming the official photographer for artist Allyson Porter Daley. Allyson is a mixed-media artist in Northern Arizona. She has a variety of items that she creates and sells, and all of her work can be found at http://www.allysonsart.com/.