Ericksonian Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a highly focused state of attention in which one is able to access a wealth of unconscious resources for self-growth and change. A hypnotic state can occur naturally and spontaneously, such as when you are absorbed in a pleasant task, or when daydreaming. Clinical hypnosis is the deliberate induction of an altered state of awareness.

It is not one person controlling the mind of another. The patient is not unconscious and does not lose control of his or her faculties. People will not do things under hypnosis that they would be unwilling to do otherwise
With Ericksonian hypnosis, the language used is less direct than an authoritative approach. People don’t like to be told what to do, even in trance! We all know unconsciously what is best for us, and if it can be suggested that we make changes for our own benefit, the effects will be positive and lasting.

For example in getting a client to close their eyes, communication might go somewhat this way: "Good hypnotic subjects begin by taking in a few deep breaths and letting their eyes close" (a generalization): "When you go home at the end of a long, tiring day, isn't it nice to let your eyes close" (an embedded command); "Aren't you tired of keeping your eyes open?" (an embedded question). The structure of each statement differs, yet in effect says, "Close your eyes."

This is much more realistic than expecting someone to change just because you tell them to. The Ericksonian approach emphasizes the cooperative relationship between the subject and hypnotist and acknowledges that each person is unique.

Ericksonian hypnotherapy, as far as possible enters the subject's world of reality (“Everyone is as individual as their own thumb print) and uses that perceptual frame to assist the subject in the process of change.

This is so different from the understanding, which appears to give power and control to the hypnotist, since it restores power and control to where it can most effectively be used - to the client.

Mindfulness & Meditation Thich Nhat Hahn & Sogal Rinpoche

"When I wrote Living Buddha, Living Christ, I said that mindfulness is the energy of the Buddha that is in you and its nature is the same nature as the Holy Spirit, because where there is mindfulness, there is life. Where there is attention, there is life.

When you drink a glass of orange juice in mindfulness, you are real and the juice is real, and because you and the juice are real, life is real. If you drink your orange juice in forgetfulness, you are caught by your anger, your jealousy; you are caught by the past, by the fear of the future, you are not really there for your orange juice and your orange juice is not really there for you. So you and orange juice, both of you are not real, and therefore, life is not real at that moment.

So to drink mindfully means to be alive again, to live deeply that moment of orange juice drinking. Since the energy of mindfulness is in you, the energy of holiness is in you. Where there is mindfulness there is life, your presence and the presence of life in you. Then if you continue to contemplate mindfulness, you will see that you will become more concentrated. Yes, you drink mindfully your orange juice, you are concentrated, even if your juice is not concentrated. Every step you make when you practice walking meditation makes you concentrated. You touch life deeply every step you make. So mindfulness is there and concentration is there, also.

Mindfulness carries within itself the energy of concentration. If you are concentrated, you are strong. When you look deeply, you touch deeply, and because you are able to look deeply and touch deeply, you get insight. You understand the nature of what is there: the object of your touching, the object of your looking. Therefore, the energy of concentration carries itself. The energy of insight is a liberating factor. If we suffer because we don't understand, because we are overwhelmed by illusion, ignorance, once we get insight we no longer suffer. We are no longer angry and suspicious. Therefore, our insight is the liberating factor, and without concentration and mindfulness, insight would not be possible. That is why I said that the energy of mindfulness is the vehicle transporting concentration and concentration carries itself."

Reframing problems into postive concerns

Reframing can be defined as the process whereby people come to think about and experience their situation differently. Reframing changes the original meaning of an event or situation, placing it in a new context in which an equally plausible explanation is possible. Reframing is directed toward relabeling the problem or redefining what a person has defined in a discouraging self-defeating manner.

Using language to re-frame a problem into a positive statement is an extremely effective method in the healing process. Transforming a client’s problem into a positive concern affirms their legitimacy as valid human beings and converts a defective client suffering a problem to a whole and good person who is then more able to manage their situation. Adlerian psychologists call it "turning a perceived 'minus' into a perceived 'plus'"

A client came to see me about his poor communication skills which was affecting his self esteem. When I responded by saying that’s because being understood is important to you, his face changed from one of bewilderment and he nodded his head saying, yes I never thought about it like that before.

The subsequent change in his body posture was ssignificant. He drew his shoulders back, raised his vision and smiled. We then discussed what things had been useful to him in the past about good communication and he mentioned that he often admires other people who in his opinion are good communicators.

My response, what types of things do they do that would be useful to you, How can you bring the things that you have learned from others in to your day-to-day life etc.

Since that discussion, the client has enrolled with Toastmasters where he has excelled. More importantly he no longer sees himself as a person with a handicap but rather as someone who has a lot to offer.