Visualisation and Imagination

Engaging Cx in the visualisation of a special place or an activity they enjoy can help produce deep relaxation, calmness and serenity. Such visualisations are more powerful if the Cx is encouraged to use all their sense modalities. If the Cx enjoyed horse riding she would be encouraged to 'fill-in' such details as the smell of the stables, the sounds made by the horse, especially breathing, the touch of the skin as well as all the sights of the yard.

In this type of visualisation the therapist cannot provide all the details of the content of such a visualisation because these arise from the Cx's memories and imagination. The therapists instructions can only give an outline and structure to the visualisation. If the instructions on content are made as general as possible we will avoid contradicting the Clients ongoing experience or pushing her in what is perceived to be the wrong direction and breaking rapport.

If we suggest the Cx canters along the road whilst the client knows full well that her horse is nervous of cars the flow of pleasant feelings and sensations will be broken, even if only momentarily. This is a further example of how our suggestions are tested and rejected if inappropriate. It would be quite safe to suggest that the Cx is enjoying the sensation of the fresh air in her face, for example, but if we specify the sensation of the warm air in her face, when she actually take the horse for a run on a daily basis, whatever the weather we are creating unnecessary contradictions.

It's also important to get the pace right, if we go too slowly the Client may become bored and distracted. Visualisations require quite some practice and skill to do well!

When the Cx is enjoying a comfortable relaxed state through visualisation we can create an anchor to this state so that it can subsequently be triggered. The simplest way is to ask the Cx to touch and press finger and thumb together whilst being aware of all the sensations, feelings, sights and sounds that are present.

Next time the Cx wishes to bring back this state, pehaps later on at home when learning self hypnosis, or when she experiences an unacceptable level or anxiety or stress, she can simply activat the anchored state with the same signal. Each time such an anchor is used the effect is compounded, and it becomes a very useful part of the Cx Hypnotic Toolkit.

This anchoring technique is using the "Law of Dominant Effect", which is based on the idea that a strong emotion will replace a weaker one. In this case strong emotions are associated with the anchor.

The role of subconscious mind.

Many Cx, having seen stage hypnotists induce strange or foolish behavious in volunteers, worry that suggestions could be insterted into their subconscious that would against their will and totally abhorrant. This can produce distrust or a fear of loosing control. The fact of the matter is that hypnotic suggestions are evaluated and tested before being accepted, even in deep trance. If they go against the Cx sensitivites suggestions will always be rejected. Such a suggestion would produce a doubtful, questioning response and lighten the trance state. It is not possible to train an honest person to rob an bank!

Cx who are very goal orientated and have high expectations and a strong motivation my well construe the Hypnotherapy Session as yet another opportunity to succeed and out-perform all comers. This may induce a strong desire to comply with the therapist, which can be helpful, but this degree of expectation can easily set up counter-productive intellectual processes which introduce strain and resistance to the induction and deepening of the trance state. This is an example of the "Law of Reversed Effect", where clients find that the harder they try the less they are able, the corollary of this is that the more passive they remain the more easily they enter a trance.

It may be helpful to explain that Hypnosis produces a natural state of deep relaxation, and that in the trance state we are simply initiating a non-intellectual awareness of the nature of the subconscious mind.

The idea of the subconscious mind as a potent force for change abounds in modern therapeutic literature and advertising and it needs demystifying. The simplest description I have found is that it is the 'reservoir' (metaphors are pretty much unavoidable, and pretty much interchangeable) of all our past experience. It is our storehouse of impressions (Chitta). These impressions become hard and fast over time and with repetition and become habitual.

New impressions compound and strengthen the old and this compounding can be a nuisance if they result in patterns of bad habits. The compounding of new impressions can of course be useful, and this is utilised by the therapist who will compound helpful suggestions throughout the session.

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Concentration vs. Attention

Introduction - some lessons learned from T.M.

In TM the mantra, a 'meaningless' sound is given so that the person does not engage with the meaning and create a resistance to the deepening process. Engaging with the meaning and intention are active, left brain processes - the ones we wish to leave behind as we enter trance ... it is really the attention of the unconscious mind we wish to utilise.

Relaxation is only achieved by letting go of conscious intellectual processes and switching into a different mode, a parasympathetic mode in which endorphins naturally flow.

As in the example of the Blackboard script, the intellect is engaged in something which in, and of itself, doesn't actually appear to contribute to the deepening process; imagining the letters of of the alphabet and then erasing them, in this case.

The visualisation acts as a distraction ... keeping the left brain busy whilst the attention is free to listen to the therapist on other cognitive levels, which by nature function simultaneously. In TM relaxation occurs without forcing or trying - the phrase "try to relax" highlights this dilemma! This is an example of the operation of the "Law of Concentrated Attention", which maintians that as we concentrate on an idea it becomes spontaineously realised, which is what happens when suggestions are issued as commands.

We avoid this mode of concentrated attention by making suggestions that are very gentle and require no effort. This type of concentration (contention) would be invoked by a suggestion such as ...

"Place your attention on my voice lazily, effortlessly, dreamily."