I recently attended a half-day workshop about rapid induction, getting people into trance quickly, and having fun with the process. It was very different from previous trainings which I’ve attended. Importantly, I’ve come away with lots of new ideas, lots of questions, and a desire to rethink how I use hypnosis. It’s all good stuff. And there are two key points for me. The first is that hypnosis does not require some elaborate induction to be effective. Secondly, it can be a lot of engaging fun. Of course, with hypnosis you actually are fully in control. Can you really say the same about your life right now.
When I learned hypnosis, it was about getting people into trance. Once you’re in trance, I, as the hypnotist, can make a whole host of positive suggestions that you can take forward. Those suggestions reinforce what you already know. You, of course, are fully in control, and you’ll only do what you’re comfortable doing. Crucially, as a process, it works. My clients have had the results that they want.
However, I’ve always felt that hypnosis seems very passive. You sit back, go into trance, and I do the work. Consequently, we are taking a very different approach to everything else that I do. In the coaching relationship, you set your goals and make your plans. Additionally, you define your barriers, and you take action to overcome them. At every turn, it’s you doing the work, you taking the action, and you getting the results.
Some time ago, I attended a workshop with Bob Burns. Bob has developed a technique called “The Swan”, which is very different. There is no trance here. Yet, Bob interacts with the unconscious mind. Which is what hypnosis is all about. Accessing the unconscious mind without the hinderance of the logical, conscious mind. Critically, you, the client, remain fully aware and fully in control. An active participant.
Suddenly, I have new ways of working. I can use the formal inductions if needed. Alternatively, I can bypass the inductions, get you to relax, and do what I’ve done before. That’s to say, I can make positive suggestions for your unconscious mind to accept or reject. Alternatively, I can get you actively involved with a technique like “The Swan”.
Further to this, there is the notion of monoideism, a term which Dr James Baird tried to make popular. We enter a trance state whenever we focus all of our attention on a single idea or point; reading a book, watching TV, driving. When a single thing consumes all of our attention, that monoideism, we go into trance. So the point of focus can be anything. We can actively engage or passively allow it to happen. And all can be used to enhance learning.
So, if you can take back control, do it now. If you’re not sure, book an initial consultation here, and then take the next step. You know that you can do it, and you know that it makes sense, don’t you?
