Self hypnosis and hypnotherapy an article for therapists

For me Self Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy go hand in hand when I am treating clients. I see them as completely complementary of each other and a must for greater success and empowerment of the client.

Each and every client that starts Hypnotherapy with me first learns that art of Self-Hypnosis. This doesn’t mean that they get a tape or a cd to listen to, but they actually learn the process without the need for any recordings.

This is REAL empowerment.

My theory is that if a client comes for smoking and in a few years time they are struggling to lose a few pounds, they shouldn’t have to turn back to me, but use their new skill of Self Hypnosis to tackle it themselves.

My other goal is to get a client to a place where they feel that THEY have made the change – thus allowing them to be their own hero and not me. This is so important as with this attitude they begin to take charge and begin achieving even more great goals in their lives.

So how do you teach Self Hypnosis in just fifty minutes so that they client goes away feeling confident and motivated to practice?

First I do Chevreul's pendulum and explain how there is a mind/body connection. So as we imagine our bodies relaxing that they will just relax the same way that the pendulum swings when we imagine it doing so. This is an inevitable response and will always occur if done correctly.

Then after this I may sometimes do a short ‘eyes closure’ induction and then the sway test all while standing with the client. This really confirms to them the connection between mind and body as they can actually feel the relaxation in their eyes and body.

Then I would have the client sit in the chair and do a short landscape induction. This is something that I have created and added to each client’s induction to help with imagination. Unfortunately I can’t cover this process all here as it would take too long.

After this I use the Self-Change Hypnosis induction, which has three key elements and then onto the post hypnotic suggestions.

I take about twenty minutes to do this.

Then I encourage the client to do the first element of the Self-Change Hypnosis induction for themselves and I do the rest, thus allowing them to experience Hypnosis for a second time in the same session. Then after that we do a third round of Hypnosis with the client doing the whole of the Self-Change Hypnosis induction and giving themselves some post hypnotic suggestions.

Using the Self-Change Hypnosis means that if is foolproof for the client to learn.

Well I hope that you have enjoyed this article and have gotten something from it.