Scripts & Strategies in Hypnotherapy

The Complete Works

Roger P Allen

• Publisher: Crown House Publishing
• Year: 2003
• ISBN:
  9781845903664
• Topic: Medicina
• Subtopic: Teoría, práctica y referencia médicas

Scripts and Strategies in Hypnotherapy Volumes 1 and 2 have been combined to create the single most comprehensive source of scripts and strategies that can be used by hypnotherapists of all levels of experience to build a successful framework for any therapy session. It covers inductions, deepeners and actual scripts for a wide range of problems from nail-biting to insomnia, sports performance to past life recall, pain management to resolving sexual problems. There is a particularly comprehensive section on smoking cessation. All scripts can be used as they stand or adapted for specific situations. "Provides an imaginative source of scripts covering the most commonly met cases. For the newly qualified therapist it is a useful addition and for the more experienced it is a source of inspiration." - European Journal of Clinical Hypnosis

Part One

Inducing the Trance State

Putting Your Client at Ease

It is my belief that anyone can be hypnotised or, to be more accurate, is capable of attaining a state that we recognise as hypnosis. Much has been written by many learned theorists on the hypnotic state, and I do not intend to become embroiled in that particular debate. As a therapist, I content myself with the fact that my clients are able to achieve a state that I am happy to describe as hypnosis, which is of immense benefit as an adjunct to therapy. The state is a natural ability we all have and use every day of our lives in order to focus our attention.

When a client is sitting in your consulting room for the first time, they will have brought to the session some preconceived ideas about hypnosis and those who use it in their practice. In the main, their perceptions will have been shaped by the experience of attending a stage show or watching a movie. I find that it is always good practice to explore my clients’ perceptions to allay the fears that are usually present. It is sheer folly not to give over just a few minutes of the initial session to deal with these anxieties; it can save a lot of time later on.

A common question is, ‘Will I be asleep?’ I explain that they will be fully awake and fully conscious of everything that happens: ‘You will be very relaxed and comfortable to the extent where the exact meaning of everything I say to you will not concern you.’ I may then provide some examples of how they may have experienced hypnosis before, such as an absorbing television programme which makes everything else fade into unimportance, or the motorway journey when, having travelled for some distance at speed, there is a sudden realisation that the conscious mind was not fully involved in the driving. I’m sure you will think of many examples to use.

Another question is, ‘Will I do everything you tell me to do?’ This should be recognised as an expression of the client’s concern that they will not be in control and that, in some way, you will have power over them. This is easily dealt with: I explain to my client that they will be in complete control and that if I were to suggest to them that they do something that was not within the realms of their moral code – either dangerous, illegal or harmful – then, quite simply, they would not do it.

Metaphors are always useful, so I often tell the story of how I went to see my bank manager in order to obtain funds for a particular project and how, having succumbed to my hypnotic powers, he led me to the vaults and told me to just help myself. The point is usually effectively made.

My usual preamble is contrived because I want the person sitting in my therapy chair to accept my suggestions from the start and to avoid the problem of what some people term ‘resistance’.

‘Okay Mary, what I would like you to do is make yourself very comfortable in that chair. Now, would you prefer to go into hypnosis with your hands resting on a cushion in your lap or just resting on the arms of the chair?’ (double bind)

‘Now, I realise that you will be wondering whether or not you will be able to go into hypnosis. If you just follow the simple instructions that I am going to be giving to you, there is no way you can fail … Of course, you can resist me, but then that’s not what you came for, is it?’

In this way, you will have established a rapport with your client that assures you of their compliance. Try it!

The next thing to do is to achieve eye closure. There are a few ways to do this. You can quite simply ask the client to close their eyes, but I prefer them to do it in their own time, with the thought that they are doing it because they want to go along with my suggestions. I ask the client to look at a spot on my hand as I hold it just above their normal line of sight, so they have to strain their eyes upwards. The eyes tend to close quite naturally.

Eye Closure

Now, Mary, I want you to pick a spot on the palm of my hand and just focus your eyes on that spot. You may notice that it is rather uncomfortable focusing your eyes on that spot and that it would be so nice to just close them, but I really don’t want you to not close your eyes too quickly. You may notice how quickly your eyes begin to tire and become heavy, but that is fine. Just focus on that spot as you listen to the sounds of my voice. Nothing bothers you or disturbs you now as you listen to the sounds of my voice … and the words that I say relax you … and as I bring my hand down past your eyes you can follow that hand down past your nose … down past your mouth … down under your chin, allowing them to close down quite naturally … closing now … closing … closing … and that’s fine … I wouldn’t want you to know now how much more comfortable you can feel as your eyes relax and you relax, completely in control now as you allow my words to just wash over you, each word relaxing you more.

To continue the process, use the induction of your choice.

From this point on, it doesn’t matter if you are reading from a script – after all, your client’s eyes are closed and they cannot see what you are doing. Very soon now, as the trance state continues, they will not be concerned one jot, just comfortably relaxed.

Voice modulation is important, but it is very difficult to explain how to deliver a hypnotic induction. I have used ellipses […] to indicate pauses in the text. I would suggest that if you speak in a manner which is flowing and soft, and that you reduce the speed of your delivery to about 70% of your normal speech rate, then you will not go too far amiss. Experience and practice will, of course, make perfect.

Eyes Sealed Shut – Rapid Induction

The first thing to do is achieve eye closure, and there are a few ways that you can do this. You can quite simply ask the client to close their eyes, but I prefer them to do it in their own time, with the thought that they are doing it because they want to go along with my suggestions. I ask the client to look at a spot on my hand as I hold it just above their normal line of sight so that they have to strain their eyes upwards.

It is best if the client is seated in a comfortable chair; I ask them to remove their glasses and loosen any tight clothing so they can relax in complete comfort.

Okay, now we will do some hypnosis, and I know that you will be wondering whether you will easily go into a trance … I can tell you now that what will happen is natural and normal as I ask you to utilise your own ability to relax and drift into a very deep state of relaxation … the state known as hypnosis. It is so very true that provided you just follow the simple instructions that I give to you … you will drift into hypnosis. Of course … you can resist me … but that is not what you came here for … is it?

Await response.

So make yourself very comfortable now … and just look at a spot on my hand right here as you listen to my voice … concentrating fully on that spot on my hand … without allowing your eyes to move away from that spot on my hand … Very soon, perhaps now … you will become aware of how heavy your eyes become so quickly … they will want to blink and that’s fine … perhaps they become a little watery … or a little dry … and that’s fine too … they can feel so heavy and so tired … droopy and drowsy … and it would be so nice to just allow them to close … as I bring my hand down slowly … past your eyes … past your nose … past your mouth … closing … closing … and closed now. That’s good … already you are beginning to relax and feel so very comfortable.

Now I am going to touch your forehead with my finger … here. I am locking your eyes from the outside as you lock them from the inside … and as I count from one to five you will find them locking tighter and tighter:

At this point, do not allow more than a second or two before continuing.

One. Eyes tightly closed.

Two. Locking tight and sealing shut.

Three. Sealing shut as though they were glued.

Four. The more that you try to open them the tighter they become.

Five. Now satisfy yourself … make a try and find them locking tighter and tighter. Now allow that feeling … a wave of relaxation … to flow down through your body … arms … legs … your whole body becoming loose and free as all tension flows from you and you relax deeper … ever deeper … with every word that I speak.

Continue with deepener and session.

Two Finger Eye Closure – Relax Induction

This is an induction for adults. I have found this technique to be very effective when dealing with a sceptical client. It provides the client with proof that they have entered a trance state by not being able to open their eyes. The arm-drop test also provides an excellent deepening technique.

Now (client’s name) … Take a long deep breath … now just open your eyes wide, looking upwards towards your eyebrows, without straining your neck … Now I am going to pull down your eyelids … shut … like this (use thumb and forefinger to gently close the eyelids). Now I want you to relax those muscles right there under my fingers … just allow them to relax … Relax them to the point where they just do not want to work … and when you are sure that you have done that for yourself … relaxed those muscles completely to the point where they just will not work … then satisfy yourself … have a try and find your eyes locking tighter and tighter …

Wait about three to four seconds.

That’s fine … there is no need to test them any further. Now you can allow that feeling … that relaxation, to flow down through your body … relaxing every muscle … every fibre … all the way down to the tips of your toes. I am going to lift up your right hand now … and shake, gently shake, relaxation into that hand … that arm … and when I release that arm, it will fall back into your lap just like a wet towel … and you will go ten times deeper into relaxation. (Repeat with left arm.)

Continue with session.

Ticking Clock Induction

If there is a clock in the room, this can be utilised with this induction as you suggest that the client concentrate on the ticking of that clock. This, however, is not a necessity, as it can be suggested to the client that a clock be imagined and that the ticking of that clock can be something that suggests relaxation.

Now that you’re resting comfortably there … with your eyes closed … feeling safe and secure … I want you to take three very deep breaths and then breathe normally … So go ahead now … breathe in … very deeply … and now exhale … Now take a second breath … inhale … and exhale. And now … another … inhale … exhale … Now be aware of your eyes … how comfortable they feel … closed … and just breathe normally. I want you to concentrate on only my voice now … putting aside any other thoughts that come to mind … and I’m going to draw your attention to various parts of your body … and as I draw your attention to that part … then I want you to relax every muscle and nerve … in that part of your body … as I refer to it in turn.

First of all I want to draw your attention to your fingers … and your hands … your wrists … your forearms … and your upper arms … and as you consider this area of your body … I want you to be aware of any tension in those muscles … and concentrate on that tension. Now … relax all those muscles … every nerve … every fibre … in your hands and arms … allow all of that tension to flow away … to drain down … let those muscle come to rest … lengthen and loosen … let them just feel very comfortable … heavy … very relaxed … very … very relaxed.

And when you have relaxed those muscles in this way … then I want you to co...