Don't Try Too Hard - Part 3

DEEPENING

(Subject's name), I would like you to imagine, just imagine in your mind, a staircase, an elevator, or an escalator, something that goes down one floor at a time. When you have one of those in your mind, let me know by nodding your head ... Good, that's the way.

Now I'd like you to go down that staircase or whatever you're picturing in your mind, down from ten to one, at your own pace, in your own way, letting your experience deepen with each number down, and when you've gotten there, you will know and I will know because you will take one more deep, comfortable breath ... Good, that's the way.


REALERTING

After therapy, the subject may be realerted with the following: "In a few moments, your eyes will open. When you awaken, you may forget to remember, or you may remember to forget (bind of comparable alternatives/suggestion for amnesia) the important unconscious work you did here today. Soon, but not just yet, you'll be opening your eyes. You will feel great, just as though you have had a very pleasant nap. Your whole body will feel relaxed and refreshed. Everything about you will be comfortable and relaxed, your body and your mind, very relaxed and comfortable. And now, take several refreshing, energizing breaths and let yourself become fully alert and awake."


DEBRIEFING

As this induction is heavily oriented toward bodily relaxation, trance-ratifying questions should be directed accordingly. Since a suggestion for amnesia was given at the end, you may ask, "Do you have any conscious recollection of unconscious things that came to mind back there when you raised your finger?"


NOTES FOR PRACTICE

A period of silence is provided at the end of the induction. A "quiet time" such as this is one of the most effective deepening techniques we know, and it certainly follows the law of parsimony: less is more, and sometimes the absence of our words can be highly beneficial. For many subjects, further deepening wil be unnecessary.

The formal deepening portion is very permissive and, in effect, allows for subjects to go down any way they choose. This is important for people with pain or without mobility.

Notice that nothing is taken for granted. You know when they are ready to go deeper because they respond with a finger signal. When you ask the person to imagine something, you verify it by eliciting a head nod or some other signal. Occasionally they may not signal. If that happnes, some therapists repeat the request. However, we believe that this may create a power struggle or possibly lead subjects to think that they have failed or "got it wrong." Such negative situations are probably best avoided by simply moving on it no response is forthcoming. You can broach the problem during debriefing.

This induction introduced another way for the subject to communicate in trance: the finger signal. To be effective, subjects must place their hands on their lap where you can see them. What if you ask for a finger signal with the right hand and they move their left index finger? It may mean the subject is trying her best to cooperate. If confounding responses continue in subsequent sessions, it may be better to use a head nod instead. Finger signals will be discussed further with other inductions.

It is normal for subjects to forget some or all of what you tell them during trancework. However, you may nurture this process with suggestions for amnesia, as in this induction. Erickson and others believed that most problem-solving occurs at the level of the unconscious. Amnesia allows unconscious work to continue without interference from the conscious mind. Other ways to facilitate amnesia will be addressed in subsequent inductions.