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Hypnosis |
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Hypnosis Training
and Methods
- Multi-Method and Client-Center Approach
to Hypnosis
- Private Hypnosis, Meditation and Visualization
Training
- Ericksonian Hypnosis
- Neurolinguistics Programming (NLP)
- Time-Line Therapy
- Past-Life Therapy
- Medical Hypnosis
- Visualization and Interactive Guided
Imaging
Multi-Method and Client-Centered
Approach to Hypnosis
There are countless hypnosis methods, and
hypnotherapists are creating new ones every day. I practice
"client-centered healing" instead of "treatment-centered healing."
Client-centered healing focuses on each patient's own needs,
goals and therapeutic process rather than having each patient
follow a pre-ordained form of treatment. Client-centered healing
means the hypnotherapist must remain flexible and creative to
meet the particular objectives of each patient. Besides the
methods listed, I may employ many other hypnotic techniques,
such as age regression, hypnoamnesia, negative hallucinations,
positive hallucinations, post-hypnotic suggestion, therapeutic
dissociation and time distortion. During each hypnontherapy
session, I usually combine several hypnosis methods for optimal
results.
Private Hypnosis, Meditation and Visualization
Training
Frequently clients opt for private hypnosis, meditation or visualization
training because they learn better one-on-one, or they don't
want to wait for my class. The advantage of private training
is that all my time and instruction are geared toward you and
your goals. You will receive handouts for each method that you
learn, and you have the option of receiving a video or audio
tape of your private training.
Ericksonian Hypnosis
Most of the hypnosis techniques in use today
come from the work of psychiatrist Milton Erickson. Despite
being stricken with polio, Dr. Erickson had a long, productive
and distinguished hypnosis career. He was a genius at motivating
and helping people improve their lives. Some of Erickson's techniques
include enlarging the possibility, prescribing the symptom and
the utilization principle.
Dr. Erickson believed that most physical and mental health problems
stemmed from a "rigid mind set" or "fixed mental attitude."
According to Erickson, the solution for a rigid mind was enlarging
the possibility. This usually meant having patients break their
own rules, prohibitions or inhibitions. For example, if a man
had rules that severely limited his food choices, Erickson would
motivate the man to expand his diet and selection of restaurants.
In prescribing the symptom, the problem behavior is actually
recommended to the patient. For example, a ten-year-old child
sucks her thumb intermittently throughout the day. She is not
told to stop sucking her thumb. Rather, she is prescribed 15
minutes of daily thumb sucking so she can become the best thumb
sucker in the world. The thumb sucking problem is prescribed
more intensely until the child says, "I don't want to suck my
thumb anymore."
Utilization principle means that the hypnotherapist employs
all of the patient's resources and behaviors, including any
resistance. For example, a client came to Erickson for obsessive-compulsive
behavior. He had been thrown out of a dozen psychiatrist's offices
because of his frantic pacing. The patient said, "Do you mind
if I pace." Erickson replied, "No, as long as I get to tell
you which direction to pace in." The patient agreed to follow
Erickson's pacing commands. Erickson directed the patient to
pace right, pace left, pace backward and pace forward for twenty
minutes. Finally, Erickson said, "Now sit down in that chair
and go into a trance." The tired patient whose defense mechanism
was worn out by Erickson's commands complied with the suggestion
to sit and go into a trance.
Enlarging the possibility, prescribing the symptom and utilization
principle are just three of the many Ericksonian methods.
Neurolinguistics Programming
(NLP)
Richard Bandler and Tom Grindler were trained
linguists who observed Dr. Milton Erickson's work. NLP helps
people become better therapists and communicators by following
the effective patterns of Dr. Erickson. The N in NLP stands
for the nervous system; L, linguistics or language; and P, our
physical, mental and emotional programs. According to NLP, our
verbal and non-verbal language reveals the deep programs that
influence how we think, feel, act and react to others. NLP techniques
help patients identify and improve the programs that are governing
their lives. For more NLP information, read my article "NLP
as Simple as XYZ" in this web site's Article's section. NLP
teaches hypnotherapists how to very carefully listen and watch
for clients' verbal and non-verbal communications. There is
surface communication and deep communication. When clients make
surface communication statements, they omit part of their message
or meaning. After surface statements, the hypnotherapist asks
follow-up questions so the clients can access their own deep
communication. Each time clients discover their deep communication
it is an opportunity for them to reframe the underlying programs
that are influencing their impulses and behavior (see Figure).
Surface Communication
Transderivational Search
Deep Communication
Transderivational searches occur as clients
switch from surface to deep communication. Clients complete
their partial messages or meaning by exploring their own deep
communication.
Insert Figure
Besides initiating transderivational searches
and reframes, some other NLP techniques are anchoring, conflict
resolution and depotentiating conscious sets. Clients can also
schedule appointments for personal NLP training. Sales people
who want to earn more money, supervisors who want to become
better managers or couples who want to improve their communication
can request private NLP lessons.
Time-Line Therapy
The primary focus of time-line therapy is
feelings. Time-line therapy founder Tad James refers to his
method as "content free." Time-line therapy does not concentrate
on the specific content of events, but rather the emotions and
toxic residue in the body. Time-line therapy traces anger, fear,
nervousness, resentment and worry to their original sources
and alleviates them through the learning of crucial life lessons.
Because this therapy helps patients learn from their mistakes
and suffering, it follows the principles of psychiatrist Viktor
Frankl's logotherapy. As time-line therapy patients work through
and release their emotional pain, they perform the basic tenet
of logotherapy: "Derive meaning from suffering." Sometimes time-line
therapy clients find that their current life's pain or challenges
began in a previous life.
Past-Life Therapy
Past-life therapy provides answers and relief
that other methods do not address or attempt. Past-life therapy
helps to uncover health challenges, relationship problems or
career choices that began in a previous life. Unresolved conflicts
or repressed memories from a past life will carry over and influence
this life. Past-life therapy attempts to discover the previous
life where the problems began and bring closure by understanding
the implications of what occurred before you were born into
this life. During past-life regression, you learn about your
life between lives and find out the reason why you chose to
reincarnate. Your life will have more purpose and meaning if
you discover what your intentions were before you were physically
born. Please note that not all clients who come for past-life
therapy actually discover a past life. Recalling a past life
utilizes the sum total of everything you have done to spiritually
evolve and emotionally mature. Don't be discouraged if you don't
recall a past life in your session; the work you do to try to
recall a past life may prepare you to remember one in the future.
Clients should come to a past-life regression appointment with
some specific therapeutic goals. By setting and attaining one's
goals, the session can be a complete success even if one doesn't
recall a past life.
Medical Hypnosis
Medical hypnosis is intended to complement
and support your current health care. Hypnosis is not a replacement
or substitute for any kind of medical treatment. Hypnosis can
help you heal faster, manage your pain, instill positive expectations
for a successful recovery, prepare for surgery or childbirth,
and cope with the stress that is often associated with illness
and injury. Hypnosis supports your recovery because your mind
concentrates on healing while your body completely relaxes.
Visualization and guided imagery are often key components to
medical hypnosis. For more visualization and guided imaging
information, please review the description of "Visualization
and Interactive Guided Imaging" listed in this web site's section.
Caution, do not stop taking medications, change treatment plans
or cancel medical appointments without first consulting your
primary health care provider.
Visualization and
Interactive Guided Imaging
Visualization and guided imaging can help
you achieve goals, lose weight, release emotional pain, instill
positive expectations, silence your inner critic, relieve stress
and recover from physical illness. While performing experiments
with a positron emission topography (PET) machine, researchers
discovered the human brain and body can't distinguish between
a real or imagined experience. First, researchers had subjects
see, hear, feel, smell and taste actual objects as the PET and
other machines recorded changes in the subjects' bodies. Next,
the subjects were told to imagine that they were seeing, hearing,
feeling, smelling and tasting objects as the PET and other machines
again recorded changes in the subjects' bodies. The brain and
the body's response to the imagined sensory impressions were
nearly identical to the actual ones. Some people use their imaginations
to create negative goals, social problems or physical illnesses.
If the imagination can cause problems, then the imagination
can prevent and solve them. If necessary, I will teach you visualization
so you can develop a habit of using your imagination in a positive
and healthy way. Intrapersonal communication is communication
that occurs within a person. Our right and left brain hemispheres
communicate internally with each other. The left brain hemisphere
primarily communicates with words and the right brain hemisphere,
with pictures. The left brain hemisphere is literal, the right,
metaphorical. By improving the communication and understanding
the messages that passes between our two brain hemispheres,
we can lead happier and healthier lives.
First, the hypnotherapist helps clients to feel relaxed. In
a relaxed state, clients are more likely to produce an image
that accurately portrays their problem. Next, the hypnotherapist
helps clients uncover the meaning or message that is contained
in the image representing their problem. Finally, clients transform
the problem image to an image that is happier, healthier or
better. By improving the intrapersonal communication between
the left brain hemisphere's thoughts and the right brain hemisphere's
images, you will find peace within yourself and with others. |
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