Clinical Hypnotherapy and Mental Suggestions:
Clinical hypnotherapy is a therapeutic approach that uses hypnosis to help individuals address various psychological and behavioral issues. It involves inducing a relaxed state of focused attention, often referred to as a trance, during which the therapist can make suggestions to the subconscious mind to promote healing and change. This technique is commonly used to manage conditions like anxiety, stress, chronic pain, fears, smoking cessation, and weight loss.
Mental suggestions in the context of clinical hypnotherapy refer to the verbal cues or instructions given by the therapist to the client while they are in the hypnotic state. These suggestions are designed to guide the individual’s thoughts, behaviors, or perceptions in a positive direction. The underlying idea is that the subconscious mind is more open and receptive to suggestions during hypnosis, allowing for deep-seated changes that might be difficult to achieve through conscious efforts alone.
How Mental Suggestions Work:
- Relaxation and focus: During hypnosis, the person enters a deep state of relaxation, reducing the influence of distractions. This creates an optimal environment for the mind to accept therapeutic suggestions.
- Positive reinforcement: Suggestions are often framed positively to encourage self-empowerment, such as “You are confident and calm in social situations.”
- Rewiring thought patterns: Suggestions can be used to reframe negative beliefs or behaviors, replacing them with more positive and adaptive responses.
- Access to subconscious resources: In a relaxed, focused state, individuals may tap into subconscious resources and memories, leading to insights or new perspectives.
Applications of Hypnotherapy with Mental Suggestions:
- Stress and Anxiety Management: Hypnotherapy can help people manage stress by teaching relaxation techniques and providing positive suggestions to foster a sense of calm and control.
- Behavior Modification: Suggestions can be used to change habits, such as quitting smoking, managing overeating, or reducing procrastination.
- Emotional Healing: Mental suggestions can help resolve emotional issues by reframing negative memories or fostering self-compassion and emotional resilience.
- Performance Enhancement: Athletes or individuals aiming to improve their performance can use mental suggestions to increase confidence, focus, and mental clarity.
Here are some specific techniques and examples of mental suggestions used in clinical hypnotherapy to help clients achieve positive change:
1. Progressive Relaxation Induction
This is often used to help clients enter a hypnotic state. The therapist guides the client through a process of relaxing each muscle group from head to toe. Once the client is deeply relaxed, the therapist can begin introducing therapeutic suggestions.
Example of Mental Suggestion:
- “With each breath you take, you feel more deeply relaxed and at peace.”
- “As your body relaxes, your mind becomes calm and clear, open to positive changes.”
2. Direct Suggestions
Direct suggestions are straightforward and clear commands or positive affirmations designed to influence the subconscious mind. These suggestions are typically given once the person is in a trance-like state, allowing them to be more receptive.
Example of Mental Suggestion:
- For stress reduction: “You are becoming more relaxed with every breath you take, and all stress melts away.”
- For smoking cessation: “You find that the idea of smoking no longer appeals to you, and each day, it becomes easier to live without cigarettes.”
3. Post-hypnotic Suggestions
These are suggestions given during hypnosis that will take effect after the session ends. Post-hypnotic suggestions help create lasting change by influencing the client’s thoughts, behaviors, or emotional responses in their daily life.
Example of Mental Suggestion:
- For confidence building: “Every time you enter a social situation, you will automatically feel confident and at ease, and you will express yourself clearly.”
- For stress management: “Whenever you feel tension or stress building, you will take a deep breath and feel a sense of calm wash over you.”
4. Ego Strengthening
This technique involves reinforcing the person’s sense of self-worth and inner strength. It helps clients tap into their own resources and can build resilience in the face of challenges.
Example of Mental Suggestion:
- “You are strong, capable, and confident. You have all the inner strength you need to handle any situation that comes your way.”
- “You trust in your abilities, and you are worthy of all the success and happiness you desire.”
5. Age Regression and Reframing
In this technique, the therapist might guide the person back to earlier life experiences or memories that could be causing current issues. Once there, the therapist can offer reframing suggestions to help the individual view the experience in a more positive or empowering way.
Example of Mental Suggestion:
- For past trauma: “You are safe now, and the experiences from the past no longer have control over you. You can heal from this and move forward with strength.”
- For self-esteem issues: “You are capable of learning and growing from your past experiences. You have the power to rewrite your story and feel worthy of success.”
6. Visualization
Visualization uses imagery to help the person envision a positive future or desired outcome. This technique is often used to reinforce the goal the client wants to achieve, such as overcoming a fear, losing weight, or performing well in a job interview.
Example of Mental Suggestion:
- For fear of public speaking: “Imagine yourself standing in front of an audience, calm and confident. You speak clearly and engage with the audience with ease.”
- For weight loss: “Picture yourself enjoying healthy food, feeling satisfied and energized. You are taking care of your body and making choices that support your health.”
7. Confusion Technique
In some cases, a therapist may use confusion to break the client’s typical thought patterns and make the subconscious mind more receptive to change. This is typically done with more advanced or experienced clients who are familiar with hypnosis.
Example of Mental Suggestion:
- “You may not know exactly when or how it happened, but you find that you no longer feel the urge to engage in old habits. It simply becomes easier not to do them, without effort.”
8. Future Pacing
This technique involves helping the client imagine a future scenario in which they have successfully achieved their goal. This helps anchor the positive change and build motivation.
Example of Mental Suggestion:
- For overcoming procrastination: “Picture yourself waking up in the morning feeling motivated and focused. You easily complete tasks and feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.”
- For fear reduction: “Imagine yourself in the future, facing the situation that once scared you, and noticing how calm and confident you feel as you handle it effortlessly.”
9. Parts Therapy
In this technique, the therapist may work with the client’s subconscious mind to address internal conflicts between different parts of the self (e.g., the part that wants to change and the part that resists). This approach helps integrate these parts to work together for the individual’s well-being.
Example of Mental Suggestion:
- “The part of you that seeks change is strong and determined. The part of you that feels hesitant is now ready to understand and support your goals, and together, you can create lasting transformation.”
10. Anchoring
This involves associating a specific physical action (like touching a finger or tapping the palm) with a positive state of mind or feeling. The anchor can then be used in real life to trigger the desired state whenever needed.
Example of Mental Suggestion:
- “As you touch your fingers together, you immediately feel a wave of calmness and confidence rushing through you, ready to handle any challenge.”
Let’s walk through a hypnotherapy session that incorporates several of the techniques and mental suggestions we’ve discussed, to give you an idea of how these might be applied in practice. I’ll create an example where a client wants to manage stress and boost their confidence in social situations.
Example Hypnotherapy Session: Managing Stress and Building Confidence
Step 1: Induction (Progressive Relaxation)
The therapist will begin by guiding the client into a deeply relaxed state, using progressive muscle relaxation.
Therapist: “Take a deep breath in… and as you breathe out, allow your body to begin relaxing… Feel the tension in your muscles start to fade away. Now, focus on your feet… feel them relax… feel a wave of calmness spread up through your legs… Your calves, your thighs… relaxing more and more with each breath. Continue relaxing your body as I guide you through each area. Allow your body to become so relaxed, your mind feels calm and peaceful… You are in a safe place, where you can let go of stress and open yourself to positive changes.”
This continues until the client is in a deeply relaxed state, ready for the next stage.
Step 2: Deepening the Trance
The therapist will deepen the hypnotic state by encouraging the client to imagine they are going deeper into relaxation.
Therapist: “As you continue to relax, imagine yourself standing at the top of a staircase. With each step down, you feel more deeply relaxed and calm. I will count down from 10 to 1… and with each number, you will feel yourself sinking deeper into relaxation… 10… taking a step down… 9… deeper still… 8… calm and peaceful… all the way down to 1, feeling deeply relaxed now.”
Step 3: Direct Suggestions for Stress Reduction
Once the client is in a relaxed state, the therapist gives direct suggestions to help them release stress and feel calm.
Therapist: “Now, in this calm, relaxed state, every time you take a breath, you feel more and more at ease. You are letting go of all stress, all tension, and all worries. You are in control of your emotions, and you choose to feel calm, centered, and at peace. Any stress that you feel melts away with every breath. You are safe, and you feel completely relaxed and in control.”
Step 4: Confidence Building (Positive Suggestions)
Next, the therapist focuses on building the client’s confidence in social situations.
Therapist: “Imagine now that you are about to enter a social event, something you might have found stressful in the past. But now, you feel calm, confident, and at ease. As you walk into the room, you feel a sense of self-assurance. You smile naturally, knowing that you are comfortable and confident in social situations. You find it easy to engage with others, and they respond to you with warmth and respect. You feel empowered, confident, and completely at ease.”
Step 5: Post-hypnotic Suggestions
To reinforce the changes, the therapist introduces post-hypnotic suggestions that will take effect after the session ends.
Therapist: “Whenever you find yourself in a social situation in the future, you will immediately feel that sense of confidence and calmness return. You will walk into any room with your head held high, feeling at ease, comfortable, and in control. You will find it easy to speak, to connect, and to engage with others. This feeling of confidence and calmness is now a natural part of who you are.”
Step 6: Future Pacing
To solidify the changes and help the client envision their success, the therapist uses future pacing.
Therapist: “Now, imagine yourself in the future, a few weeks from now, at a social gathering. You walk in, feeling calm, confident, and empowered. You interact with others effortlessly, and you feel a deep sense of accomplishment. This is who you are now — a person who moves through social situations with ease and confidence. This future you is already within you, and it is just waiting to unfold.”
Step 7: Awakening from Trance
Finally, the therapist helps the client return to full awareness, bringing them back from the relaxed state.
Therapist: “As I count from 1 to 5, you will begin to bring yourself back to full awareness, feeling refreshed, confident, and alert… 1… becoming more aware… 2… feeling refreshed and energized… 3… slowly coming back… 4… your body is awake and alert… and 5… fully awake, feeling confident, calm, and empowered.”
Step 8: Reflection
Once the session ends, the therapist may ask the client how they are feeling.
Therapist: “How do you feel now? Do you feel more relaxed and confident than before?”
The client may describe feeling calmer, more at ease, and more confident in themselves, with a sense of relief from the stress that previously overwhelmed them.
Summary of Techniques and Mental Suggestions Used:
- Progressive Relaxation Induction to help the client relax deeply.
- Deepening the Trance through visualization (staircase).
- Direct Suggestions for stress reduction, guiding the client to release tension.
- Confidence Building suggestions to foster ease in social situations.
- Post-hypnotic Suggestions to ensure lasting changes in behavior and confidence.
- Future Pacing to envision future success and reinforce new behaviors.
- Awakening from the trance to bring the client back feeling empowered.
By the end of the session, the client has experienced a sense of deep relaxation and has received positive suggestions that will influence their behavior in social situations and help them manage stress. These suggestions will remain with them in the future, helping to reinforce the changes even after the session is complete.
Great! Let’s go through another example hypnotherapy session, but this time, we’ll focus on a different issue: overcoming a fear of public speaking. This is a common area where hypnotherapy can be incredibly helpful, as it works to reframe negative beliefs and behaviors, replacing them with more confident and positive responses.
Example Hypnotherapy Session: Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking
Step 1: Induction (Progressive Relaxation)
Just like in the previous example, we start by helping the client relax using progressive relaxation.
Therapist: “Take a deep, slow breath in… and as you exhale, feel all the tension begin to leave your body… You are in a safe place, and as you continue to breathe deeply, your body becomes more and more relaxed… Focus now on your feet… feel them becoming warm and relaxed… moving up through your legs, your hips, your chest, your arms… all the way up to your head… Each breath makes you feel more at peace and more comfortable… You are in control, and you are completely relaxed.”
Step 2: Deepening the Trance
To deepen the relaxed state, we guide the client to imagine descending a staircase, going deeper into trance.
Therapist: “Now, imagine that you are standing at the top of a staircase. With each step you take, you are going deeper and deeper into relaxation. You feel calm and peaceful as I count from 10 down to 1… 10… stepping down, feeling more relaxed… 9… with each step, your body and mind become even more peaceful… 8… deeper still… 7… every muscle relaxed… 6… you feel safe and calm… 5… even deeper… 4… letting go of all tension… 3… your mind is quiet and calm… 2… so deeply relaxed… 1… fully relaxed, calm, and peaceful.”
Step 3: Addressing the Fear (Positive Suggestions)
Once the client is deeply relaxed, the therapist addresses the fear of public speaking with positive suggestions, reframing the experience.
Therapist: “Now, in this deeply relaxed state, I want you to imagine yourself standing in front of a group of people. This could be a small group, or it could be a large one. As you stand before them, you feel calm, confident, and self-assured. You realize that they are simply people, just like you, and they are there to listen to you, not to judge you. You feel at ease with them, and you speak clearly, with a calm and confident voice. You are comfortable in this situation. You trust in your ability to express your ideas with ease and confidence.”
Step 4: Reframing the Fear (Transforming Negative Beliefs)
At this point, the therapist can use reframing to address the negative beliefs the client has about public speaking, helping them see the situation in a new light.
Therapist: “In the past, you may have felt nervous or fearful about speaking in front of others. But now, you know that this fear is simply an old habit, a habit that no longer serves you. You are in control of your emotions, and you choose to feel calm and confident. Every time you speak in public, it becomes easier and more natural. You no longer fear the experience; instead, you look forward to it, knowing that you are fully capable.”
Step 5: Post-hypnotic Suggestions
To ensure that the changes last beyond the session, the therapist gives post-hypnotic suggestions.
Therapist: “From this moment on, whenever you find yourself in a situation where you need to speak in front of others, you will automatically feel calm, confident, and at ease. You will no longer experience anxiety or fear when standing before a group. Instead, you will feel confident, poised, and relaxed. Every time you speak, your confidence will grow, and you will feel more and more comfortable.”
Step 6: Future Pacing
Next, the therapist helps the client visualize themselves speaking in public in the future, reinforcing the success of the new behavior.
Therapist: “Now, imagine yourself in the future, standing confidently in front of an audience. You are calm, clear, and articulate. Your words flow easily, and you feel strong and empowered. You notice how the audience is engaged, and you feel a sense of accomplishment. This is your new reality — a confident speaker who is in control, calm, and poised. And every time you stand in front of a group, it becomes even easier.”
Step 7: Awakening from Trance
The therapist brings the client back to full awareness, reinforcing the positive changes they’ve experienced.
Therapist: “As I count from 1 to 5, you will slowly begin to come back to full awareness, bringing with you all the positive changes you have experienced today… 1… becoming more aware… 2… feeling refreshed and alert… 3… waking up feeling confident and empowered… 4… your body is awake and energized… and 5… fully awake, feeling confident and calm, ready to speak with ease.”
Step 8: Reflection
Once the session is complete, the therapist might ask the client how they are feeling.
Therapist: “How do you feel now? How do you feel about public speaking?”
The client may respond by saying they feel calmer, more confident, or less anxious about speaking in front of others. The positive suggestions are now embedded in their subconscious, and they are ready to put their new mindset into action.
Summary of Techniques and Mental Suggestions Used:
- Progressive Relaxation Induction to help the client relax deeply.
- Deepening the Trance using the staircase visualization.
- Positive Suggestions for feeling calm and confident in public speaking.
- Reframing Negative Beliefs by transforming the fear into self-assurance.
- Post-hypnotic Suggestions to ensure lasting change in public speaking situations.
- Future Pacing to visualize future success in public speaking.
- Awakening from the trance to return to full awareness with new confidence.
By the end of this session, the client will have reprogrammed their subconscious mind to feel more comfortable and confident when speaking in public. The therapeutic suggestions will continue to work even after the session, allowing the client to approach future public speaking engagements with ease and self-assurance.
Shervan K Shahhian
LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 