There are 3 basic categories of hypnotic inductions that I will be talking about. Instant, rapid and classic relaxation. There are many variations of each category that have no relevance in this discussion.
Classic relaxation is what most people think of when talking about hypnosis. "your foot is getting sleepy", "Your whole right leg has gone to sleep", etc.. This induction can take over 30 minutes to do and accomplishes inconsistent results. While this can be comfortable, a person that just finished work and is tired can fall asleep (NOT OK for hypnotherapy - more on this later). A person that is fidgety or distracted will get bored. A person that is an analytical thinker will just wonder when they're supposed to be hypnotized. Because of this it does not consistently provide an appropriate depth of hypnosis. It can provide limited success, but with so many downfalls, this technique is slowly becoming less common.
Instant inductions are what you will generally see at a stage show. Distractions like noise and activity are almost a non-issue. An analytical or fidgety person does not have time to wonder much of anything before they are in trance. This technique is reliable in accomplishing appropriate depth, hence it's use in front of an audience. Another obvious reason for it's use in these situations is the entertainment aspect of watching this type of induction.
While there may be situations where both of the above techniques are appropriate in the office, rapid inductions combine the best parts from both. Rapid inductions last just a couple minutes with an additional couple minutes spent on deepening when appropriate. This leaves the rest of the session being spent on addressing the presented issue. A good rapid induction should have built in tests for depth of trance that help show the client they are in a different mental state.
Rapid inductions are what I will use most of the time. I am partial to them and for good reason. I will use the other techniques but rapid induction provides my clients the best possible results in the most cost effective manner. I have had clients request relaxation techniques before, because they may have used them in the past. While I will do what they ask me to do, I always feel like I'm cheating them. like they are not getting their money's worth. Maybe I should use self-hypnosis to deal with that guilt.... and even in those cases I will often show them a rapid induction and post hypnotic so we can use them in the next session if they choose.
There is much more that can be brought up in this topic, but it would be wasted time since the result would be the same.
The topic has been a point of debate among hypnotists. I do not bring it up here to create debate, but simply to state the facts as I know them.
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Back to the point
If you apply How we learn behaviors to the earlier example you can see how the autority figure, strong emotions and repetition played their parts in creating this woman's habit. The habit was strong enough to continue, even where there was no longer a logical reason. Logic rarely has much to do with our learned reactions.
The techniques used to address this issue will next be discussed and compared to the older techniques still used today.
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
The techniques used to address this issue will next be discussed and compared to the older techniques still used today.
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
How we learn behaviors - continued
We learn behaviors in roughly 3 ways. Often it is a combination of these ways that will establish a Grade A habit.
Strong emotions – Any emotions, positive or negative make room for a behavior to become established. Emotional associations with things are what give rise to “triggers” and “habits”. If a young child sees another child scream with fright when she sees a spider, it is likely that child will now experience fear when he sees a spider.
Authority figure – Parents, teachers, pastors, doctors, anyone seen as an authority figure, are more likely to have people take on their traits and beliefs. If that child sees his mother scream when she sees a spider he is very likely to experience fear the next time he sees a spider.
Repetition – this is the most basic. You do something enough times, it becomes “automatic”. Like locking the door when you get in the car. You may have experienced the need to check to make sure you actually locked it because your conscious mind has no idea.
Now, taking the spider example further. The child sees his mother scream when seeing a spider, he experiences fear. When this scenario repeats over several years the child will tend to create a strong, uncontrolled, and possibly disruptive learned reaction.
Each of the 3 learning situations above creates a state of mind that is more open and receptive. What can be described as critical faculty bypass. With emotions, authority figures and repetition, our conscious, critical mind lets it guard down and allows the situation to create an imprint or belief in the subconscious mind. You can think about a time when listening to someone talk about a subject you strongly agree with. Your mind was open to accepting new ideas about the subject and taking these ideas on as beliefs. In contrast, when listening to someone talk about a subject you strongly disagree with, your critical faculty is on high alert, countering what is being said.
Hypnosis creates this same state of mind to change the old behavior and even create new ones.
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Strong emotions – Any emotions, positive or negative make room for a behavior to become established. Emotional associations with things are what give rise to “triggers” and “habits”. If a young child sees another child scream with fright when she sees a spider, it is likely that child will now experience fear when he sees a spider.
Authority figure – Parents, teachers, pastors, doctors, anyone seen as an authority figure, are more likely to have people take on their traits and beliefs. If that child sees his mother scream when she sees a spider he is very likely to experience fear the next time he sees a spider.
Repetition – this is the most basic. You do something enough times, it becomes “automatic”. Like locking the door when you get in the car. You may have experienced the need to check to make sure you actually locked it because your conscious mind has no idea.
Now, taking the spider example further. The child sees his mother scream when seeing a spider, he experiences fear. When this scenario repeats over several years the child will tend to create a strong, uncontrolled, and possibly disruptive learned reaction.
Each of the 3 learning situations above creates a state of mind that is more open and receptive. What can be described as critical faculty bypass. With emotions, authority figures and repetition, our conscious, critical mind lets it guard down and allows the situation to create an imprint or belief in the subconscious mind. You can think about a time when listening to someone talk about a subject you strongly agree with. Your mind was open to accepting new ideas about the subject and taking these ideas on as beliefs. In contrast, when listening to someone talk about a subject you strongly disagree with, your critical faculty is on high alert, countering what is being said.
Hypnosis creates this same state of mind to change the old behavior and even create new ones.
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
How we learn behaviors - continued
After consciously understanding the emotional association she had made with sweets, she was able to change the memory in a way. While still in hypnosis, she let go of that in-accurate emotional association. Her younger self misunderstood what she was experiencing. So, she imagined her younger self there feeling the affection, love and caring and associating that with her grandfather who was showing her these feelings in the way he knew how.
Then we reinforce this new lesson by applying it to similar situations as she was growing up. Changing and letting go of the associations she had created with food.
Reading this brief history and understanding it in an intellectual way can not compare to the actual absence of the craving this woman experienced. A habit she had been fighting against for years was just not there.
Simple? Yes. Effective? Yes.
Next I will begin explaining the different factors present that made this early learning situation have more impact on her young mind.
Thank you for reading.
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Then we reinforce this new lesson by applying it to similar situations as she was growing up. Changing and letting go of the associations she had created with food.
Reading this brief history and understanding it in an intellectual way can not compare to the actual absence of the craving this woman experienced. A habit she had been fighting against for years was just not there.
Simple? Yes. Effective? Yes.
Next I will begin explaining the different factors present that made this early learning situation have more impact on her young mind.
Thank you for reading.
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
How we learn behaviors
To illustrate changing a behavior, I'll use a stereotypical, though real example.
A woman in her late 40's comes in for a session. She has trouble managing her weight. After talking, she says the biggest problem area for her, where she feels the least amount of control, is with sweets. Candy, ice cream, cake, etc. Having control of this particular craving would make all the difference to her.
After further talking about the craving, she is able to create the "feeling" of the craving. The driving force behind compulsion, habit, desire, whatever you want to call it. When in the mental state of hypnosis, she is able to "follow the feeling" to the first memory she has that involves this feeling. Much like when you hear a song on the radio that reminds you of earlier years but not remembering when. Or seeing a face and not remembering the name. If you try to remember, it will not as often come to mind. If you relax your mind or let it focus elsewhere, the memory will often come up.
When applying this process to a hypnosis session, the memory almost always becomes available.
This woman remembered being very young, only 8 or so. She remembered being in a small store and her grandfather buying her candy. It was a sort of ritual when she was staying with her grandparents. To her 8 year old self, this act was very important. It was a show of affection, love and caring. Her mind associated these feelings with the candy. When she remembered this moment, it all made sense to her.
continued -
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
A woman in her late 40's comes in for a session. She has trouble managing her weight. After talking, she says the biggest problem area for her, where she feels the least amount of control, is with sweets. Candy, ice cream, cake, etc. Having control of this particular craving would make all the difference to her.
After further talking about the craving, she is able to create the "feeling" of the craving. The driving force behind compulsion, habit, desire, whatever you want to call it. When in the mental state of hypnosis, she is able to "follow the feeling" to the first memory she has that involves this feeling. Much like when you hear a song on the radio that reminds you of earlier years but not remembering when. Or seeing a face and not remembering the name. If you try to remember, it will not as often come to mind. If you relax your mind or let it focus elsewhere, the memory will often come up.
When applying this process to a hypnosis session, the memory almost always becomes available.
This woman remembered being very young, only 8 or so. She remembered being in a small store and her grandfather buying her candy. It was a sort of ritual when she was staying with her grandparents. To her 8 year old self, this act was very important. It was a show of affection, love and caring. Her mind associated these feelings with the candy. When she remembered this moment, it all made sense to her.
continued -
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Monday, March 26, 2007
Hypnosis - a mental state
In my job I spend a lot of time with clients just describing what hypnosis feels like. I came up with a simple example that seems to do a good job of explaining things.
Just focus on your breathing and notice how it works automatically. Your "deeper mind" and body know how to do this. Then, use your conscious mind to control your breathing. Regulate how deeply and how slowly you breathe. Continue this and very soon it becomes more awkward and ineffective. Eventually, your conscious mind "gives up control" and your automatic functions continue.
You can take that same mental state at the moment of "giving up control" and compare it to the moment we act out any behavior or habit we may do. We get in the car and without "thinking" lock the door. We get home from work and have a desire for food - even when we're not physically hungry. Actions that have become automatic and work automatically when our mind is in a state of "hypnosis"
The next step is using hypnosis to change the behavior that has become unwanted.
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Just focus on your breathing and notice how it works automatically. Your "deeper mind" and body know how to do this. Then, use your conscious mind to control your breathing. Regulate how deeply and how slowly you breathe. Continue this and very soon it becomes more awkward and ineffective. Eventually, your conscious mind "gives up control" and your automatic functions continue.
You can take that same mental state at the moment of "giving up control" and compare it to the moment we act out any behavior or habit we may do. We get in the car and without "thinking" lock the door. We get home from work and have a desire for food - even when we're not physically hungry. Actions that have become automatic and work automatically when our mind is in a state of "hypnosis"
The next step is using hypnosis to change the behavior that has become unwanted.
Patrick Glancy, CH
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Managing weight
Hypnosis is a means for a person to gain control of their actions around food and exercise.
Many people that have trouble managing their weight feel like they are constantly fighting themselves. Food choices, portion size, "nervous eating", cravings, chewing speed, and aversion to physical activity, are all things that can have learned reactions or habits affecting them. When these habits are addressed, the person gains control. Proper nutrition and exercise become a matter of simple choice rather than an internal struggle. Hypnotherapy focuses on doing away with these old habits, creating new beneficial habits, and increasing the motivation needed to succeed. This makes the difference.
When you are fighting yourself over you food choices it might not feel this simple to change. I can spend days telling you about successful client storys, but until you experience it for yourself, it just won't make as much sense to you.
Patrick Glancy
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Many people that have trouble managing their weight feel like they are constantly fighting themselves. Food choices, portion size, "nervous eating", cravings, chewing speed, and aversion to physical activity, are all things that can have learned reactions or habits affecting them. When these habits are addressed, the person gains control. Proper nutrition and exercise become a matter of simple choice rather than an internal struggle. Hypnotherapy focuses on doing away with these old habits, creating new beneficial habits, and increasing the motivation needed to succeed. This makes the difference.
When you are fighting yourself over you food choices it might not feel this simple to change. I can spend days telling you about successful client storys, but until you experience it for yourself, it just won't make as much sense to you.
Patrick Glancy
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Reduce your stress
Stress is something many talk about yet a definition of it is not very clear. There are numerous definitions around, but one of the most useful is: "Stress is any change to which you must adjust".
Stress is shown to be indirectly linked to such things as insomnia, hypertension (high blood pressure), depression and anxiety, smoking, weight gain or weight loss, alcoholism and other substance abuse, gastrointestinal problems, arthritis, and skin breakouts.
Stress can reduce the effectiveness of our immune system. This can increase the risk of cancer, infections, the common cold, and NK cell function. (Morikawa et al., 2005; Kiank et al., 2005; Saul et al., 2005). Stress is linked to all leading causes of death, including cancer, heart disease, lung diseases, accidents, cirrhosis, and even suicide.
It is evident stress management and stress reduction can prevent so many problems. Prevention is far less costly, and far easier, than the alternatives.
Hypnosis has an immediate effect on current stress levels evident by reductions in blood pressure, breathing rate, and pulse
Hypnotherapy can go further toward long-term stress management with behavior modification and teaching effective self-hypnosis techniques.
Patrick Glancy
www.glancyhypnosis.com
Stress is shown to be indirectly linked to such things as insomnia, hypertension (high blood pressure), depression and anxiety, smoking, weight gain or weight loss, alcoholism and other substance abuse, gastrointestinal problems, arthritis, and skin breakouts.
Stress can reduce the effectiveness of our immune system. This can increase the risk of cancer, infections, the common cold, and NK cell function. (Morikawa et al., 2005; Kiank et al., 2005; Saul et al., 2005). Stress is linked to all leading causes of death, including cancer, heart disease, lung diseases, accidents, cirrhosis, and even suicide.
It is evident stress management and stress reduction can prevent so many problems. Prevention is far less costly, and far easier, than the alternatives.
Hypnosis has an immediate effect on current stress levels evident by reductions in blood pressure, breathing rate, and pulse
Hypnotherapy can go further toward long-term stress management with behavior modification and teaching effective self-hypnosis techniques.
Patrick Glancy
www.glancyhypnosis.com
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