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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