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The Environment In
Hypnosis © 2010 by Jon Robinson |
A Bright Idea
If you live in the United Kingdom, you are probably well
aware of how mercurial the weather can be. From one minute
to the next, gleaming sunlight is eclipsed by furrows of
dark cloud, plunging everything into a dismal darkness. If
you are fortunate, the clouds soon drift by and the sun
peeks through again.
I first considered the potential influence of the weather as
an impromptu ‘hypnotic convincer’ during a session a couple
of months ago. It was a mild day, although cloudy, and we
were both seated by a large window. I was finishing off with
some typical ego-strengthening suggestions, and just as I
mentioned ‘you are finding yourself radiating warmth and
optimism, as you move forward into a brighter, happier
lifestyle,’ the clouds parted and the most brilliant
sunlight emerged.
If your eyes are closed it is still possible to become aware
of such changes. A sudden warmth fills the room, prickling
the minute hairs on the arms and face, and the darkness
decreases ever so slightly as a blanket of light confronts
the closed eyelids. It was sheer coincidence that the
weather shifted just as I was suggesting warmth and
brightness but my client appeared to respond positively,
with the same visible indicators they might demonstrate
after a successful convincer. This got me thinking.
For my next session I went through with my treatment plan as
usual, but each time the skies cleared during the induction
(or suggestions), I experimented with an improvised metaphor
of warmth and brightness. If clouds loomed and the room
started to grow dark, I gave suggestions of going deeper
into hypnosis, as descending is often associated with
darkening.
Using Noise To Your Advantage
Like more or less every hypnotherapist on the planet, there
are cars occasionally passing outside the window of my
consulting room. Fortunately the sound is minimal (as the
room is soundproofed) but if you listen out for them they
can be heard drifting by and gradually disappearing.
I was demonstrating some mindfulness techniques to a client
when I improvised an exercise to make the sound of the cars
passing by to symbolise the coming and going of their
thoughts. Usually I give examples of the thoughts being
carried by on banners, or like photographs floating down a
stream, but the sound of cars passing by seemed most
appropriate on this occasion, considering my client was an
insomniac who occasionally listened to cars driving up and
down the road while they were trying to sleep.
Because the sound was in our current environment, it was
easy for them to practice this during the session. They were
also able to take what they learned during the session with
them, and apply it at home.
An awareness of the surroundings, I think, is perhaps
something to take into account. Although it is unlikely that
this will have any real impact on treatment outcomes, there
can be no harm in making suggestions as seamless and
congruent as possible. In some occasions - like the above
example - it may even prove to be useful.
Author's details:
Jon Robinson is a clinical hypnotherapist
with a private practice in Trafalgar Square, London. You can
contact him via his website, www.hypnosis-in-london.com, or
his blog http://secretdiaryofahypnotist.blogspot.com/ .
Article posted
19th January 2011
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