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These are from my client session handouts.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HYPNOSIS.
THE MAJORITY OF PERSONS WHO ENTER HYPNOSIS, A STATE OF BEING WHICH INCLUDES DEEP RELAXATION OF BOTH MIND AND
BODY, FIND IT A PLEASANT AND BENEFICIAL EXPERIENCE. HYPNOSIS APPEARS TO COMBINE SEVERAL CAPACITIES
OF MIND, WHICH OCCUR NATURALLY IN ALL PERSONS. IT MEANS LITERALLY, "SLEEP OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM". CONTRARY
TO BELIEF AND APPEARANCE, PERSONS IN HYPNOSIS MAY ENTER A STATE OF "SUPER - CONSCIOUSNESS", OFTEN BEING MORE AWARE
OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS THAN USUAL, HEARING EVERYTHING WITH A CRYSTAL CLARITY. DEEPER HYPNOTIC LEVELS, NOT ALWAYS THE
BEST FOR MUCH HYPNOTIC "WORK", CAN PRODUCE MEMORY LOSS. OF COURSE, IT IS NOT USUAL TO BE AWARE
OF ANY "GAP", SO A COMMON ILLUSION IS CREATED, THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN!
JUST BEFORE A PERSON FALLS ASLEEP, OR ON AWAKENING, A STATE OF PLEASANT DREAMY
DROWSINESS CAN BE EXPERIENCED. THIS ALTERED STATE OF MIND, OUR AWARENESS FLOATING FREE, SEPARATING FROM OUR BODIES
AND PRESENT SURROUNDINGS, IS A LIGHT TRANCE, WHICH NORMALLY EVERYONE PASSES THROUGH TWICE A DAY! MOST PEOPLE
HAVE ALSO PERFORMED AN EVERYDAY ACTIVITY, ON "AUTOMATIC", WHILST THEIR MIND WAS, "SOMEWHERE ELSE".
AN ACTIVITY SUCH AS WALKING OR DRIVING A COUPLE OF BLOCKS OR MORE, WITHOUT CONSCIOUS RECOLLECTION. THIS IS DISSOCIATION,
ANOTHER FACTOR OF HYPNOSIS. MOST PEOPLE ALSO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BECOME DEEPLY INVOLVED IN A BOOK, MOVIE OR TELEVISION, ETC.
TO GET THEIR ATTENTION AND "BRING THEM BACK", ANOTHER PERSON MAY HAVE TO USE TOUCH, OR REPEAT THEIR NAME
A FEW TIMES. THIS IS FOCUSED CONCENTRATION. THE NORMAL FOCUS IS OUTWARD, BUT IN HYPNOSIS,
THIS CONCENTRATED ATTENTION IS TURNED INWARD. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A HYPNOTIST, THESE MENTAL ABILITIES
CAN BE USED TO CREATE YOUR HYPNOTIC TRANCE. GUIDED BY YOUR HYPNOTIST, WITH YOUR EVERYDAY "THINKING
MIND" BYPASSED, YOUR DEEPER INNER MIND BECOMES OPEN TO YOU, AND HELPFUL CHANGE OF MIND AND BODY OFTEN EASILY BECOMES
A POSSIBILITY.
Hypnosis: fears, fact and fiction - myth and magic.
"What if I can't be hypnotized?" Hypnosis uses mind capacities everyone
possesses, as previously described, so a hypnotist can assist clients to enter their trance state at will. The
only need is for the client to understand the meaning of the hypnotists words and the client's genuine co-operation with the
suggestions of a competent practitioner. Persons may place limitations on their ability to enter trance,
due to misconceptions, doubts or fears.
"What if I enter a trance, and cannot return to normal?" There has never been a recorded case of
a hypnotized person remaining in trance. Imagining the very worst case possible, a person would pass into a natural sleep,
then awaken. In fact, just as with sleep, hypnosis can be resisted, or the trance ended by the client at any time, should
a strong need or desire to do so exist.
"What if hypnosis could be dangerous?" In the past hypnosis
has been mistaken for a supernatural, magic or an otherwise occult event. In fact, this state of deep relaxation is no more
dangerous than sleeping or dreaming. When practiced by an ethical qualified hypnotist your trance is safer than any drug.
"What
if I lose total control of all I say or do?" Does not happen. Naturally, in this relaxed
state of mind and body, a person feels reduced concern, just as when drowsy, prior to sleep. But a person will not say or
do anything they really do not wish to, despite stage shows and the exaggerations of the mass media. Clients retain ultimate
control over their words and actions, though feelings such as shame or embarrassment are reduced; now the person is less concerned.
Stage/media hypnosis compared with actual hypnotherapy, can be likened to sniffing glue in order to become intoxicated, rather
than using it to build furniture. Hypnosis itself is a neutral tool, so motive is everything.
"What if I am weak willed, or
gullible, to be hypnotized?" As hypnosis is a natural state produced with the clients consent and co-operation,
the inner mind is open to suggestions, but can still reject any regarded as unsuitable. This state, of suggestibility, is
not to be confused with gullibility, which means easily taken in. The ability to be hypnotized seems to be a fixed personality
trait, independent of other traits. If anything, highly intelligent, imaginative, strong willed persons are able to co-operate
well. They can produce the required mental concentrated focus with greater ease.
Responses
To Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy.
The following (paraphrased)
quotes in bold, are from THE USE OF HYPNOSIS... by BARON A. VON SHRENK-NOTZING, (pp 98,115,116),
psychiatrist, in a book on hypnotherapy published in Munich, Germany, over 100 years ago,
and reprinted in New York, 1956. (my comments, lower case in brackets). I was amazed at how little people's stereotypical
reactions had changed over the years.
"IN NO FORM OF TREATMENT IS THE TENDENCY TO BREAK OFF SO PRONOUNCED AS IN HYPNOTIC TREATMENT. CLIENTS
EXPECT-ATIONS CAN BE SO HIGH THAT, IF WONDERS DON'T TAKE PLACE AT ONCE, THEY MAY BE EASILY DISAPPOINTED."
(Though hypnosis and
hypnotherapy lend themselves to rapid profound therapeutic results, time, effort and emotional honesty may be required from
both the client and the hypnotherapist, as in any therapeutic effort).
"THE SIMPLICITY OF THE PROCEDURES ALSO DOES
NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS, AND THE FIRST IMPROVEMENTS RESULTING FROM HYPNOTHERAPY OFTEN ARE UNNOTICED AND THE PATIENT STAYS UNAWARE
OF THEM."
(Even
as improvements do take place, they may be taken for granted, but in reality, they are often more rapid and much greater than
the usual results from other therapies. Clients therefore need to pay attention, and take notice of emotional & attitudinal
changes, new behaviors or recent decisions).
"THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE OFTEN CREDITED TO OTHER CAUSES, AND NOT ALWAYS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HYPNOTIC
"SESSIONS."
(Due to incomplete recollection, and, in general the unreliable nature of memories of trance events, and their unexpected
power, even if recalled as very simple. I used to quote clients as saying, "I feel better because my grandmother
has come to town," or "I feel better because my grandmother has left town," etc. etc.)
"MANY CLIENTS BELIEVE SLEEP, (UNCONSCIOUSNESS),
IS NECESSARY FOR THE SUCCESS OF THERAPY, THOUGH ACTUAL LOSS OF MEMORY/UNCONSCIOUSNESS OCCURS ONLY ABOUT ONE OUT OF THREE OR
FOUR TIMES, AND IS NOT ESSENTIAL."
(Many clients are very surprised
that, despite hearing my suggestions, powerful results still occur.. "You need to understand that, even if
suggestions are heard and recalled consciously, none of us have any way to know how open/ receptive our inner minds have become
to a hypnotists words ...because none of us possess any dial, gauge or indicator with which to measure this response."
Often trance will not conform to a preconceived idea).
"MANY CLIENTS, IN DEEP UNAWARE HYPNOTIC TRANCE, HAVE BUT INDISTINCT MEMORY OF THE EVENTS, AND
OFTEN HAVE LITTLE IDEA HOW MUCH TIME HAS PASSED, (time distortion BG). SOME TEND TO DENY THEY WERE IN TRANCE. SOME INSIST
THEY WERE ASLEEP. LITTLE WEIGHT CAN BE GIVEN TO THE CLIENTS MEMORY OF EVENTS."
(This confirms the general unreliability of trance memories... Many clients find
it difficult to give up belief in their own perceptions ... "Before hypnosis, you knew of only two states, awake
or asleep, so that if no memory of trance remains, using your old information, you deduce you were asleep!" Sometimes
I point out to the client, that they in fact awake by responding to my suggestions, in fact coming awake as I say, "Eyes
opening, opening, opening." unlikely to happen if you were asleep! Many times, clients believe they remember
all that took place in trance, but a few questions reveal that in fact, much is not maintained for conscious recall).
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