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Hypnosis
& Hypnotherapy Articles for Professionals
The
Four Cornerstones of
Successful Hypnotherapy
by C. Roy Hunter, M.S., FAPHP
©2000, revised ©2007
Occasionally
professionals ask me my opinion regarding a flier promoting a workshop, and
claiming to offer a unique technique that is “so effective” that it will work
for almost everyone. I personally have received numerous such fliers over the
years, and perhaps you have too. How can you evaluate the efficacy of such
techniques?
Overview
With a little research on the
internet, you can find thousands of scripts containing suggestion and imagery
to help clients with myriads of various goals. Numerous script books are
offered for sale at virtually every major hypnosis convention. How effective
are these scripts?
Certainly suggestion and imagery have
proven their ability to help some of
the people some of the time.
Thousands of hypnotists purchase and use these various hypnotic script books,
and/or write their own scripts. The downside of relying on suggestion and
imagery is when either the hypnotist or the client expects the scripts to be
sufficient by themselves. They can help some of the people some of the time,
but I believe that a competent hypnotherapist can help most of the people most
of the time. We can accomplish this by building the therapeutic approach on a
foundation of four primary hypnotherapy objectives, discussed in this article.
Charles
Tebbetts referred to these objectives as four main
therapeutic steps to facilitate change (helping a client remove problems), and
he described them in the very first chapter of Miracles on Demand (2nd
Edition). I discussed them briefly in both The Art of Hypnosis and The Art of Hypnotherapy (Kendall/Hunt,
2000). I expanded on them in Hypnosis for Inner Conflict Resolution (Crown
House Publishing, 2005).
What Are They?
These four cornerstones are
at the foundation of client-centered hypnosis. Building your hypnotism practice
on a solid foundation with these cornerstones will increase the probability of
permanent client success:
1.
Suggestion and imagery
2.
Discover the cause
3.
Release
4.
Subconscious relearning
Refer to the
diagram:
1. Post‑hypnotic Suggestion and
Imagery
With
either a minimal amount of subconscious resistance or a strong motivating
desire to change, post‑hypnotic suggestion (direct or indirect) may be
sufficient for some of the clients some of the time. This is because
emotion is the motivating power (or energy) of the inner mind. Many hypnotists
who excel at marketing skills often gather great testimonials from the few who
require only suggestion and imagery in order to achieve goals.
Without
a strong emotional desire to accept the suggestions, either the conscious or
the subconscious may easily block hypnotic suggestions and/or affirmations.
(This is further evidence that the person in hypnosis is not under the control
of the hypnotist!) This is what Charles Tebbetts
called band-aid therapy, because often the improvement is only
temporary. Our 19th Century pioneers of hypnosis called it prestige
suggestion. Hypnosis script
books abound; but without a strong emotional desire to accept the suggestions,
either the conscious or the subconscious may easily block hypnotic suggestions
and/or affirmations.
That being said, my first session normally begins
with suggestion and imagery. Even when I believe there is a high
probability of subconscious blocks, I begin the first session with suggestion
and imagery in order to enhance the client’s desire to achieve the desired
goal. For example, we can induce positive feelings associated with the
fulfillment of a desired goal by using a hypnotic progression: progressing a
person forward in time in the imagination. I ask the client to imagine his/her
emotional satisfaction while fantasizing the benefits of achieving the desired
goal…and to imagine the attitude of gratitude while enjoying the most important
benefit. This enjoyable first trance trip also increases the probability of the
client returning for the important follow-up sessions.
Appropriate
Techniques:
Both direct and indirect suggestions
and/or imagery may be employed. Countless scripts abound.
Cautions:
a. Remember the importance of proper suggestion structure.
b. Suggest the desired result rather than avoidance of the problem.
c. Avoid aversion suggestions.
d. One person’s peaceful place is another person’s phobia.
e. No script is good enough to help all the people all the time.
If using printed scripts, remember
that the scripts serve you (not vice versa). Be sure to edit the scripts
according to both your personality as well as the client’s needs. Also remember
that imagination is the language of the
subconscious, so be aware of how the wording will impact the client’s
imagination.
After
employing the next three steps at a subsequent session, I return to this first
step. In other words, when any subconscious resistance (or blocks) are
discovered and removed, we can (and should) employ suggestion and imagery
techniques to help clients believe they can achieve the desired goal(s). This
enhances subconscious re-learning, which is the fourth step. Now let’s discuss
Steps 2, 3 and 4.
2. Discover the Cause
If
subconscious resistance exists, there is a reason, whether from the past or the
present, and we must somehow discover the core cause.
Note
that I use the word “discover” rather than diagnose. First, a hypnotherapist
does NOT diagnose unless licensed to do so. Second, when facilitating
client-centered hypnosis, my approach is based on the concept that the client’s inner mind can reveal the core
cause of a problem by employing appropriate hypnotic techniques. If we take it
upon ourselves to form our own opinions as to the causes of our clients’
problems, our preconceived opinions could easily result in inappropriate
leading – which may take many clients down the wrong path. This is
therapist-directed trance work, which often leads to wrong conclusions.
Many
hypnotic techniques may help uncover the cause(s) of resistance, whether the
cause lies in the client's past or in the present. Sometimes the subconscious
can discover and release a cause without emotional discharges, such as with an
overweight client of mine whose subconscious indicated that she would keep
snacking until she started creating some “fun time” for herself. She had to
make an agreement with herself in order to be released from the problem.
Although
certain hypnotherapy techniques may sometimes gain release without the client
ever consciously knowing the causes, Tebbetts taught
that if the problem (or symptoms) resulted from a childhood perception of a past event, we should guide the client
back to the past in his (or her) imagination. This is called a hypnotic
regression. Recall of an event during hypnosis can provoke the emotions
associated with the event, resulting in an emotional discharge. This is called
an abreaction, and is easily
accomplished in hypnosis, because we are dealing with the emotional mind rather
than the intellectual mind. Once the emotional energy comes into awareness, it
can be redirected and/or released in a positive way.
Parts
therapy is another advanced hypnotic technique that a trained facilitator may
employ to discover the cause(s) of a problem, especially when a client has
inner conflicts.
Appropriate
Techniques:
The three most effective techniques
are: regression, parts therapy (or variations), and ideomotor
responses. Refer to the ideomotor response handouts.
Sometimes a client may be deep enough in hypnosis to simply discover and
release the core cause with suggestions to do so.
Techniques abound that allegedly
“release” a symptom (phobia, etc.); but if the core cause remains, there is
risk that the subconscious may either replace the removed symptom with another
one, or the original one may return. Sometimes the subconscious may
spontaneously discover and release the cause(s) with these releasing
techniques; but it is better to be sure. Verify that the subconscious has
discovered the core cause.
Cautions:
If the cause is an
unresolved issue from the client's present, then the client may have to make
some decisions at a conscious level. We may need to refer that client to
cognitive counseling or other professional help.
Also be certain you have
received competent training in any techniques employed to discover the cause of
a problem. For example, use regression therapy only after receiving competent
training in the technique. The same holds true for parts therapy (or any
variations of parts therapy, such as voice dialogue or ego state therapy).
3. Release
After
the relationship of the symptom to the cause is established emotionally as well
as intellectually, we may use one or more hypnotherapy techniques to facilitate
forgiveness and/or release from the
cause(s) of a problem.
If
the cause(s) resulted from perceptions of past events, not only does this
involve forgiving (without condoning), or at least releasing others who
might have victimized the client, it also includes forgiving one's self
for participating and/or carrying grudges, etc. If we hold a grudge against
someone who hurt us, we are the ones in bondage to that grudge. We can
still protect ourselves without staying angry. Whether the client's memories
are real memories, false perceptions, or a combination of both, the client can
still release them in a therapeutic way without the necessity of “confronting”
another relative for what might not have been an accurate perception in the
first place.
Appropriate
Techniques:
According to Tebbetts,
the client must release his/her emotional attachment to the subconscious cause of
the problem. This requires that the subconscious discover the core cause,
whether or not the actual cause is revealed to the conscious mind. If you
employ EFT, NLP, and/or other modern techniques, be certain to verify that the
subconscious has actually discovered and released the core cause; otherwise the
client’s success may only be temporary.
Regression and/or parts therapy (or
its variations) are valuable for helping clients release the causes of
problems. Any appropriate technique may be employed as long as the subconscious
also confirms that the core cause was discovered and released.
4. Subconscious relearning
We
might also refer to this as subconscious reprogramming. We may choose from
among numerous client‑centered techniques in order to facilitate adult
understanding at a subconscious level, where it gets results. The goal is
to help a client create a more mature understanding (or new perception) of the
problem, including its cause(s) and solution(s). Sometimes it is sufficient
simply to have the subconscious relearn; however, the client‑centered
techniques taught by Tebbetts often result in total
conscious recall of the entire hypnotic process.
Note
that many qualified and trained counselors employ hypnosis to discover causes;
but instead of completing the vital third and fourth hypnotherapeutic steps
with a client in hypnosis, they often try to deal with those causes at a
conscious level - and sometimes needlessly keep clients in therapy for months
or years!
Appropriate
Techniques:
The client must believe that his/her success will be permanent; otherwise there is
a risk of backsliding. For example, a smoker was regressed back to the original
cause of his smoking habit, and discovered that his strong emotional attachment
to cigarettes originated when his father disciplined him for smoking with a
friend. His father said: “Do as I say, not as I do!” He smoked for years as a
statement of his own freedom. Although he released his father and forgave
himself, his success was temporary because he believed that he would backslide again just as with other previous
attempts to quit.
After a successful hypnotic
regression, we may ask the client: “As a result of what was discovered and
released, how will you best benefit in the here and
now?” We may then paraphrase the client’s response in the form of suggestions
and imagery…adding additional suggestions as appropriate. If parts therapy (or
a variation of parts therapy) is employed, be certain that you understand the
technique thoroughly, including possible detours and potential pitfalls.
After
accomplishing the third objective, I often ask a client to verbalize his or her
own relearning. Then I paraphrase their words back in the form of suggestions
and imagery, which help to accomplish subconscious relearning. Notice the arrow
going both directions between #1 and #4 on the diagram. Suggestions and imagery
enhance subconscious relearning, and become much more powerful once the
subconscious has discovered and released the cause(s) of a problem.
As
you learn other hypnotic techniques from various places, consider how each
technique you learn can help accomplish one or more of these four steps. In my
opinion, all hypnotic techniques should accomplish one or more of these four
very important objectives. I suggest that you memorize them and make
them an integral part of your therapy.
Additional
Comments
Each
of these four therapy objectives serves as a stepping-stone towards the next
step. Although the first step may be sufficient for some of the people some of
the time, if the problem remains, consider the accomplishment of ALL FOUR steps
as your prime hypnotherapeutic goal.
The numbers of various hypnotic
techniques keep growing as new ones are invented and old ones are updated or
modified. While it is not necessary to know every technique ever invented, the
competent master of the art of hypnotherapy should have width and depth of
training, as there is NO technique that is effective enough to work for all the
people all the time.
Some years back, a businessman told me
that his employer wanted to send him to
Over the years I’ve heard
presentations from trainers who get very fond of a particular technique and
become experts, making broad claims. It is quite possible that many of these
techniques work alone with some of the people some of the time because all four
hypnotherapy objectives are accomplished spontaneously by the inner mind. Here
is my professional opinion: let’s
accomplish these hypnotherapy objectives on purpose. Why leave them to
chance?
******************
NOTE: The
above article is based on information covered in
Click Here to Order your copy now!
******************
Roy Hunter,
M.S., FAPHP, practices hypnotherapy near
You may
purchase
http://www.royhunter.com/hypnosis_books.htm
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Last
updated: January 8, 2008
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Originally Posted December 4, 2007