A TYPICAL HYPNOSIS SESSION

I believe that salesmen, preachers, healers, Shamans, and politicians, to name a few, have
been consciously or unconsciously using the knowledge of trance states as a way of
enabling them to achieve their desired goals. If we focus on an individual we can observe
their body language, their eyes, or their voice and take note of when they enter, experience,
or leave a state of trance.

The knowledge of trance states can prove to be a powerful tool in helping a client change
habits.

To use this tool in my practice I must first learn how my client naturally goes into a trance.
begin to study their mental DNA the moment I meet them. How do they greet me? Is their
body stiff? Are they resistant to the process of change? I set about guiding them into their
natural trance states. I may speak at the same speed they do, breathe as they do, sit as
they do and talk about anything but what they set up an appointment for.

I want to know about their work, their hobbies their interests and favorite places they might
like to go where they can escape or be with people. Are they involved in athletics? I want to
know how they know what they know and how they create what they create. I watch
them enter into and out of trances. My voice has slowed and I begin to emphasize key
words as I reflect the client’s own words back to them. I ask questions like, “Can you
imagine picturing a special place? Can you see yourself in the picture? Is it in color? Is it
moving or still? How clear is it? Are there sounds there, smells, and how does it feel?”

I want to know if they can hear music or other sounds in their mind, slow it down, speed it
up, or adjust the volume. What do they like about the music, the words, melody, beat or the
feeling? Do they have a favorite smell? Can they experience it at that moment? How about
food? Do they have a favorite? Is there a food they don’t like? Is it because of the feel, the
smell or the taste? During this part of the hypnosis session I have now watched a typical
client go in and out of trance many times. I inform them that they have been in and out of
hypnosis many times in our conversation. I explain that the mind works backwards,
accessing memories, projects into the future, and is also in the moment which is constantly
changing, influenced by the past and perceptions of the future. It is now time to address the
reason for the appointment.

The word “quit” creates the expectation that one must give something up in order to change.
“Quitting” implies an ominous task, one that provides little enjoyment and intrudes on a
person’s right to do something. It takes away their freedom. It is important to understand the
benefits of the unwanted habit. How does it feel, smell, taste, sound and how does the
client view their own participation in the habit? I ask what it is like to imagine the habit at that
very moment and what part of them likes and dislikes the experience. What is it like at
different times of the day or night and in different situations? What is it that they don’t enjoy
about the experience and why do they want to change? Then I ask the big questions. What
good will it do anyone else if they change, and how will the change affect other people and
circumstances in their lives?

I have found that many clients put themselves last and others first. They do not treat
themselves in the same manner as they do others. I create another trance. I ask them to
imagine they have a new friend, a relative, a customer or a client. When they have that
image I ask them to take a good look and see themselves as the other person. Many times
the client’s eyes open wide as they are taken a-back when they look into the mirror of their
mind and see themselves. I ask if it would not be better for others if they treated themselves
in the same way.

Together the client and I have now identified both negative and positive trances that they
have been experiencing. There is more to do. I’m still not ready to do “hypnosis” yet.

I explain that I believe all communication is either permissive or authoritative. We are told
what we should believe by others, and then we try to convince ourselves. Most of the time
this doesn’t work. Our intuitive mind searches for something to give us an outlet, an escape,
and this often manifests itself in a negative habit.

The next step is to imagine changing the negative habit and substitute a new positive one in
order to see if the change will be affective for both one’s self and others. How does it
work? Do we need to make some adjustments? I ask the client to project the new image into
the future. Is it comfortable and will it work? While there I ask what it would be like if the old
habit had not been changed. I intertwine the different images the client has given me over
the time spent with them and create a holographic swirl of words with both negative and
positives that move in the past, the future and the present. During this time, the clients are
totally involved in creating their own trance for a positive change. From this moment on, they
will quite likely never view their unwanted habit the same way as they did before their visit.
If they so choose, they may now give themselves permission to make the change, to go
beyond the impulse of the moment, to experience their own positive trances so they may
provide the benefits of the old negative trance without the negative effects.

Now it’s time to “hypnotize” the client. I tape the induction and recommend they play it once a
day, and each time they listen to it they reinforce the suggestions formed in the session.
They now have the tools to continue the change if they so choose to use them.