AHA Hall of Fame
Roy Williamson
Well I grew up in the UK and in
1946 after being discharged
from the Royal Navy I immigrated to Australia where I started work as a
carpenter.
Not long afterwards I
met my future wife Lorraine, got married and started to build our house
in Regent. Building work was scarce at the time so my father in law
suggested I apply for a job as a ward assistant at Bundoora Repatriation
Hospital. The reasoning behind his suggestion was the unusual working
hours of two days on and two days off which would give me plenty of time
to work on our house.
I became so interested
in the subject of psychiatry that I applied for the position of student
nurse. I completed my three years study, eventually became a charge
nurse, got really interested in normal and abnormal psychology and in
the course of these studies I came across a text book entitled "Hypnotherapy of war neurosis" by Dr. John Watkins. That started my
interest and eventual fascination of using hypnosis in treating some of
the patients in the hospital with some encouraging results.
At that moment in time
the Australian Hypnotherapists’ Association had just formed and I
happened to come across an advertisement in a magazine by Peter Murray,
Hypnotherapist who was one of the original members. I contacted Peter
who invited me to his clinic to exchange views on our respective
interests. Peter's knowledge of psychiatry and abnormal psychology was
limited as was my knowledge of hypnosis. So, Serendipity!!
I met the other
members; Paul Savage, Eddie Leech and James Momson. Eventually I was
interviewed, tested and examined and became the 8th member of the
A.H.A., after which we held monthly meetings lasting all day - literally
teaching each other and exchanging ideas and knowledge.
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