Eye Fixation Hypnosis - Part 3

DEEPENING

Now, in a moment, (subject's name), I'm going to count backward, down from ten to one, and as those numbers go backward, down from ten to one, I'd like you to imagine, just imagine, yourself sinking a bit deeper and deeper into an even more comfortable and satisfying state of relaxation, as I begin to count now, ten, nine, ... (subject's name), when you are sufficiently deep in order to do the work you need to do today, you can let me know by nodding your head ... very good.


REALERTING

Following the therapy portion of trancework, the subject is realerted. We often say something like this in a voice that is higher in volume:

"In a moment I'm going to count from one up to five and by the time my voice gets up to three, or four, or five, you can then resume your normal waking state. One...Two..."


DEBRIEFING

Several minutes should be spent debriefing the subject, especially in the first few sessions of trancework. The subject may share important basic information, e.g., "You need to speak louder," or let you know that something you said was distracting. The overall goal for the first session is for the subject to feel comfortable. Whatever you can do or say to aid in the subject's comfort will facilitate the therapy process. This may be as simple as making the room darker or something more involved like choosing a different kind of induction. Asking for feedback provides the information you need to individualize and fine-tune your approach with a particular subject.

Another important aspect of debriefing involves eliciting and ratifying (reinforcing) trace phenomena. You may ask open-ended questions such as "How do you feel?" or "How does your body feel?" or, more specifically, "How does your left hand feel? And your right?" Time distortion is detected with a question such as "Without looking at the clock, what time would you guess it is right now?" Also, subjects are queried regarding the index feeling. If they report a feeling of relief, e.g., "My neck doesn't feel so tight," this also ratifies trance.


NOTES FOR PRACTICE

You may notice that the subject's name is mentioned frequently. Even in a deep level of trance (and, in fact, in the delta stage of sleep) people hear their name, so you are connecting with them in a strong and personal way. Repetition is also used for important suggestions. A general rule is: If it is important, repeat it, either the same way or in different ways, perhaps buttressing the idea with metaphor. You may notice that in the deepening the person is asked to imagine going deeper. In a more authoritarian induction subjects would be asked to do something in their mind, for example, walk down a staircase. It is difficult for a subject to resist simply imagining something.

In deepening, the subject is asked for a head nod to verify subjective depth. What if you receive no head nod? Maybe you did not wait long enough. Always give subjects at least a minute to respond. Sometimes when questioned during debriefing, they say, "Oh, I thought I did nod my head." At any rate, if you don't get a discernible response, just move on.

We make careful note of everything subjects tell us after being realerted, especially during the first few sessions. If they report a pleasant warmth in their chest, in the next session we may say, "I wonder when you will begin to notice that pleasant feeling beginning to develop in your chest ..." If they say something was negative or distracting, like a noise in the hall, next session we may say, "... and all the sounds you hear can be incorporated into the your experience as you notice yourself going deeper and deeper ... " In these ways, we utilize the subject's experience in the service of the therapy.