Establishing a Healing Relationship
The first and most important step in hypnotherapy is establishing a relationship
with the client. It is a cooperative venture, and if the suggestions are to be effective,
the therapist and client must work together. The relationship is one in which clients
are as receptive as possible, and the therapist commits to working for the clients’
well-being. The therapist gets to know clients, develops treatment plans, explains the
hypnotic process, dispels myths and fears, answers questions, encourages positive
attitudes about hypnosis, and with people’s permission, trains them in self-inductive
procedures. This process is as applicable for a short-term case of test anxiety as it is
for a lengthy terminal illness. A measure of trust is needed to start the process and
to develop the relationship.Entering the Subconscious
The induction phase is generally a period of relaxation or focus on the breathing
that disengages people from other concerns and helps them focus their attention. In
other words, the induction phase is similar to meditation and elicits the same physi-
ological response. The induction starts with “easy” suggestions, such as focusing on
breathing and closing the eyes. Directions are given to relax physically and men-
tally and to focus on the therapist’s voice and words.
Training in induction may take one or two sessions. When the client is comfortable
with entering the trance experience, the hypnotic suggestion begins. Based on the
assessment process, the practitioner suggests an image known to be pleasurable to
the client and related to the desired outcome. Hypnotic communications contain
cues and explicit instructions for focusing attention and imagining in line with the
aims of suggestions.Making the Suggestion
The imagery is intensified by incorporating the five senses: The person is asked not
only to visualize the scene but to smell the scents, touch things in the environment,
hear the surrounding sounds, and even taste anything appropriate. The client is
asked to focus attention on as many details about the situation as possible, and
then is walked through the session focusing on the desired events. The hypnothera-
pist’s suggestions of are translated by the client into ideas. These ideas then lead to
corresponding behaviors in the nontrance state.
When the directions of the hypnotherapist help the patient imagine a situation
when the desired change has already been made, the process is sometimes referred
to as Guided Imagery (GI), which is explored in more detail later in the chapter.220 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOALTERNATIVE MEDICINE