Some patterns in life are easy to notice. Others can sit beneath the surface for years, influencing how we react, make decisions or deal with fear without us fully understanding where they came from.
In this episode of Peek Inside, Lyanne Richardson speaks with Leo Dulay about his journey into hypnotherapy, NLP and personal development. Leo explains that his interest in this work began after spending 22 years in the corporate world and later being laid off around the beginning of the COVID period. After returning to corporate life, he says he eventually reached a point where something still did not feel right, which pushed him to look more closely at his own patterns and experiences.
How Past Experiences Can Shape Present-Day Patterns
A major theme of the conversation is the idea that people can carry patterns from earlier experiences without always recognising their influence.
Leo describes discovering NLP and hypnotherapy as part of his own period of self-reflection. In his view, the subconscious mind can hold onto emotional responses and learned behaviours that later appear as anger, procrastination, fear or a general feeling of being stuck. He explains that part of his approach involves identifying an earlier emotional event connected with a present-day reaction and then revisiting how that event is understood.
Lyanne raises an important point during the discussion: memories may shape a person, but they do not necessarily define that person completely. She also questions how the process actually works in practice and asks Leo to explain what a hypnotherapy session might look like.
Leo gives the example of someone who experienced embarrassment while performing when they were younger and later struggles with public speaking. His view is that the memory itself cannot be changed, but the meaning attached to it can be reconsidered.
Hypnotherapy, NLP and the Importance of Openness
The conversation also looks at one of the biggest challenges in this kind of work: willingness to talk honestly about difficult experiences.
Lyanne asks what happens when someone is closed off, hesitant or uncomfortable discussing the past. Leo says that, in his experience, openness is essential because the process depends on being willing to examine what may be behind a recurring emotional or behavioural pattern. He argues that if a person avoids the underlying issue, the same patterns may continue.
They also discuss whether hypnotherapy is a one-session process or something that may take longer. Leo says there is no single answer because different people arrive with different histories and concerns. According to him, one issue may be connected with several others, while some people may prefer ongoing sessions. He also distinguishes between hypnotherapy, which he sometimes describes as working with the surface experience, and NLP or timeline-based approaches that he sees as addressing deeper causes.
You Are Not Your Past and Looking Deeper
Leo’s book, You Are Not Your Past, brings many of these ideas together. He explains that it includes scenarios involving anger, procrastination, feeling stuck and unwanted habits, along with self-hypnosis exercises designed to help readers reflect on their own experiences.
Lyanne keeps the discussion grounded by returning to personal responsibility and self-awareness. Her point is that books, professionals and different processes can offer guidance, but the individual still has to be willing to look honestly at their own experiences.
The result is a thoughtful conversation about identity, old habits, emotional triggers and the possibility of understanding ourselves differently. Whether or not every listener agrees with Leo’s views on hypnotherapy, the broader discussion raises an interesting question: how much of what we do today may be influenced by experiences we have never fully examined?
Watch the full episode to hear Lyanne Richardson and Leo Dulay explore these ideas in greater depth.
For feedback on Leo and his work, check out and contact his website Leodulay.com.
Watch the full conversation on Peek Inside:
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