Hypnosis: A Comprehensive Guide Ericksonian Methods

begin by telling them, "Trance is about learning how to go into inner realities. Using Milton Model patterns from Chapter 4, you
trance... don't expect to feel hypnotized." Use the suggestibility too can engage the client's Unconscious Mind and focus their
tests as convincers. Then begin the induction, using indirect, per- attention on inner realities.
missive techniques. You will achieve a high rate of success.
The client comes to the Hypnotherapist with a fully developed
Erickson's methods allow a client to feel wonderfully comfortable 'model of the world,' which contains their values, their beliefs, and
with the process of hypnosis. Erickson said that one of his best their concepts of how things work in the world. The client stores
subjects became a good subject after 300 inductions. It is hard to this model of the world in their Unconscious Mind. If the strongly
imagine that he could have gotten the client to sit still for 300 held values and beliefs in their model conflict with their conscious
inductions if he had not been using an approach that was com- desires, the client's unconscious model of the world will block
fortable and easy to relate to. their attainment of those desires. Hypnosis can unseat deeply held
success-blocking beliefs that the client has about himself and his
Not only is Erickson's approach comfortable for the client, it is also environment.
the easiest way for a new Hypnotherapist to begin inducing
trance. When a new student learns a permissive approach to hyp- Erickson recognized that in order to help the client create changes,
nosis before learning other techniques, they will install skills and he first needed to loosen the client's model of the world, so that
beliefs that will increase their success rate with clients later in their the client's Unconscious Mind would be open to changes in beliefs
career. and values. While the client was in trance, Erickson used distraction,
shock, surprise, doubt, confusion and any other process that chal-
lenged their model of the world. Erickson's purpose was to lead
Erickson's Utilization Approach the client into an unconscious search. He used ambiguities,
implications, questions, puns, and other indirect forms of sugges-
Erickson's approach is a utilization approach, which has three tion to activate that unconscious search. The client would then
stages. move through an unconscious process, activating new associations
The first stage is Preparation, which we discussed in the and mental mechanisms. The client's hypnotic responses, often in
chapters on personal history, pre-talk and suggestibility the form of deep trance phenomena, would show Erickson that
tests. major change had occurred.
The second stage is Trance Work, which will be our main
focus in this chapter. When you are obtaining your client's Personal History, your use of
The third stage is joint Evaluation of Results by the client the Meta Model will begin loosening their model of the world by
and the Hypnotherapist, which locks in convincers for the focusing their conscious attention on details that they have been
client and enables deep integration of changes. deleting.

Here are specific questions to loosen the client's model and pre-
Steps in Trance Work pare them to move to new beliefs:

Essential to Trance Work is fixation of the client's attention. We What specificallvdo vou want?
have discussed how hypnotists from the time of James Braid had 0 Where are you now?
the client focus on an object positioned to make the eyes fixate in What will you see, hear and feel when you have
an upward stare. In contrast, Erickson achieved hypnosis by what you want?
utilizing the client's beliefs and behavior to focus their attention on
Hypnosis: A Comprehensive Guide Ericksonian Methods

How will you know when you have it? "Yes," and walk away. Typically, however, "I'm wondering
* if you can close the window," will get the desired response.

2. Embedded commands. Erickson often used embedded

commands, or commands 'hidden' within longer sen-
tences. If he said, "You don't need to go into trance right
now," the client's conscious mind would be distracted by
hat resources do you need vvnat resources do
the surface sentence about not needing to go into trance,
have now, and what do you need to get your
while their Unconscious Mind would hear and respond to
ome? Have you ever had this or done this
the embedded command, "Go into trance right now."
fore? Do you know anyone who has?
the result that you want ecological? (That is, will
ts on you and the peo- Sometimes Erickson would combine an embedded com-
purpose do you want mand with punctuation ambiguity (as described earlier in
se if you have it? the Milton Model) and say, "I want you to tell me only the
things you want to tell me everything." The embedded
command, "You want to tell me everything," would tend
As you lead the client into trance, you can use Milton Model to bypass the Conscious Mind.
language to engage their Unconscious Mind in more profoundly
loosening the model and becoming open to major change. 3. Embedded descriptions. These are ways of thinking that
work like embedded commands. If you are talking to a
client about trance, you might say, "You may think that it's
Erickson's Hypnotic Patterns of Indirect Suggestion not easy to go into a trance. You may not find that trance is
delightfully relaxing. Because you've never been in trance
Erickson left us with a rich variety of hypnotic patterns to use in before, you don't know what to expect. In fact, you may
Trance Work. While you are developing your personal style, you not expect to feel that calming. relaxing sensation that you
can use this section as a reference to review these patterns. are about to feel." As the client is conscious of hearing
things that they may not do, their Unconscious Mind will
Indirect suggestions. The first major difference between be hearing and responding to your embedded commands
Ericksonian hypnosis and other forms of hypnosis is that and descriptions.
Ericksonian hypnosis is generally indirect rather than
direct. A direct suggestion appeals to the Conscious Mind There is no standard way to 'voice' embedded commands.
and invites evaluation. When you say, "Please close th In class, I often pause and change to a gravelly tone of
window," the listener's conscious reaction is to choose voice to emphasize embedded commands, so that students
between agreeing and disagreeing to do what you have can notice them easily. You may find it effective to pause
asked. and shift to a slightly deeper tonality, which might be very
attractive to the client's Unconscious Mind. Try embedded
An indirect suggestion resonates with the Unconscious commands with and without pauses just before them, with
Mind and is less likely to trigger evaluation. When you and without a change in tonality. Develop your own style
say, "I'm wondering if you can close the window," the lis- of speaking embedded commands in any way that pro-
tener's unconscious reaction is to hear your 'embedded' duces results.
suggestion and follow it. Of course, a teenager might say,
Hypnosis: A Comprehensive Guide Ericksonian Methods

4. Yes Sets. Erickson used Yes Sets extensively to get the Now if I say to the client, "In a moment, one of your hands
agreement of the client's Unconscious Mind. A Yes Set is a is going to feel different from the other," the client is going
series of statements or questions that has the client saying to think in astonishment, "That's right... it does!" (I am not
or thinking, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes," so that when the going to point out to the client that it is a different hand.)
Hypnotist adds a crucial instruction or question, the client Once this convincer has entered the client's Unconscious
again responds, "Yes." Mind, I can add, "Most people can experience one hand as
being lighter than the other," and my truism about
sensation is a powerful suggestion paving the way to arm
levitation and arm catalepsy.
and while you are doing that, are thinking 6. Truisms utilizing time. Saying that something is about to
about certain things. Because you are interested in many
happen (leaving the timing up to the client) is suggestive in
things that have led you to study this subject, aren't you?
itself and acts as a convincer when the thing happens.
That means that you will be able to learn hypnosis easily.
Everyone blinks fairly often. You can say to the client, "In
a moment you're going to blink." When the client blinks,
Notice how reading that paragraph felt in your body. I say, "That's right." The client's Unconscious Mind will
drew four automatic, effortless Yeses from your think, "Interesting, they said I was going to blink, and I
Unconscious Mind, so that my embedded command to blinked. So I really did accept the suggestion." This makes
learn hypnosis easily would glide smoothly into your the Unconscious Mind more amenable to future sugges-
Unconscious and get still another yes. tions.

5. Truisms about sensations. You can use a Yes Set of truisms Truisms utilizing time fit smoothly into double binds
about sensations to lead to a statement of what the client is (described earlier in Chapter Four on the Milton Model), as
feeling, and the client is likely to feel just what you have in "Sooner or later, your eyes are going to close," or "Your
suggested. Here are some Ericksonian truisms: "Most peo- headache can leave now... or as soon as your system is
ple enjoy the refreshing coolness of a light breeze." "Many ready for it to leave."
people find the sound of water very relaxing." "Some
people blush easily when they recognize certain feelings 7. Not knowing, not doing. Erickson often talked about not
about themselves." These truisms could be part of a Yes Set knowing or not doing: "You don't have to talk or move or
leading up to, "I wonder if you will feel absolutely com- make any sort of an effort. You don't even have to hold
fortable and at peace recognizing your feelings about.... your eyes open. People can sleep and not know they are
sleeping. They can dream and not remember the dream.
As preparation for the next paragraph, I want you to notice You just do not know when the eyelids will close all by
something about your hands. Just for fun, put your hands themselves. And you may not know just which hand will
on your lap. I want you to really feel your hands, and notice lift first." This paradoxical type of suggestion can be
that one of your hands feels different from the other, intriguing to the Unconscious Mind. You can suggest that
doesn't it? Really notice this, one of your hands definitely it is fine for the client not to know or do something, and at
feels different from the other.... It does. Do you know why the same time expand the Unconscious Mind's awareness
one of your hands feels different from the other? Because it of that something.
is a different hand. It is true. Look at your right hand, and
look at your left hand.
Hypnosis: A Comprehensive Guide Ericksonian Methods

Whenever a client said, "I don't know," Erickson would state or different from the waking state?" In response, the
say, "That's right, you don't know." He would validate the client would go back into trance to compare the two
client's not knowing and not doing. In a sense, this is very possibilities.Similarly, we can induce trance just by asking,
Shamanistic. "Have you ever been in a trance before... right now?"

8. Open-ended suggestions. Erickson used open-ended Ericksonian questions can facilitate internal change with a
suggestions to invite the client's Unconscious Mind to sup- very suggestive double bind, giving the illusion of choice:
ply all the details from the client's own experience. He "What will be the more effective way for you to lose
might say: "We all have potential we are unaware of, and weight? Will it be because you simply forget to eat? Or
we usually don't know how it will be expressed." Or "You because you have little patience with heavy meals, since
may not be aware of how much you are learning, and you they prevent you from doing more interesting things?"
are learning a lot. And it isn't right for me to tell you,
'Learn this,' or 'Learn that,' so you can learn whatever you Compound suggestions. Erickson used compound sug-
want, in whatever order you wish." gestions, in which one element was readily assumable or
already happening, and the second element would gain in
9. Covering all possible responses. Erickson liked to suggestive power by being connected with the first. There
describe a whole range of possibilities, so that no matter are several types of compound suggestions.
what happened, the client's attention would be focused on
a sensation or movement in the range he described. He The simplest compound suggestion is the Yes Set with only
might say, "Soon you will find a finger or a thumb moving one preparatory Yes: "It's such a beautiful day, let's go
a bit, perhaps by itself. It can move up or down or to the swimming."
side. It can be slow or quick, or it may not move at all." The
client would eventually find a thumb or finger doing Association creates almost instant trance simply by the fact
something, and this would act as a convincer. And no that it is natural and nearly inevitable: "With every breath
matter what the client did, they were right, for purposes of you take, you can become more aware of the natural
developing trance. rhythm in your body and feelings of comfort that develop."

This is one of my favorites: "Tonight when you sleep you Opposites form a compound suggestion, especially when
may dream. You may have wild dreams... you may have one of the elements is already in progress: "As one hand
exciting dreams... you may have mild dreams... you lifts, the other can press down."
have boring dreams. Your dreams may be memorable o
they may not. In any case, let that be a sign... that Tag questions and Why nots work well for regaining deep
integrating everything at the Unconscious level. So rapport with your client's Conscious and Unconscious
this time tomorrow, you will know everything you need to Mind. They help dissolve any resistance which may be in
know in order to have the problem disappear." the way of deeper levels of trance. In addition, they are
perfect for Mismatchers. "And you are, aren't you?" "You
10. Questions to facilitate new response possibilities. can try, can't you?""You can't stop it, can you?" "Why not
Erickson was also fond of using questions to focus atten- let it happen?"
tion or facilitate internal change. With a client who had
been hypnotized before, he would ask, "Did you experi- Negative + until suggestions release the client from feeling
ence the hypnotic state as basically similar to the waking any pressure to 'perform.' "You don't have to go into a
Hypnosis: A Comprehensive Guide Ericksonian Methods

trance until you're ready. And you won't, until your Evaluation of Results
Unconscious is ready." Released from worries about
whether they are 'doing it right,' the client can go into a The third stage of the utilization approach is joint Evaluation of
trance much more quickly. Results by the client and the Hypnotherapist. This might mean
asking the client questions that will lead you and them to perceive
Implications or If..., then... statements are also highly sug- the changes that have taken place. It might be a single direct ques-
gestive: "If you sit down, then you can go into a trance." tion: "That was a big one, wasn't it?" The client's acknowledgment
"Now, if you uncross your legs and place your hands com- of changes will act as a powerful convincer, building confidence in
fortably on your lap, you'll be ready to enter into a trance." the process and allowing deep integration of the changes they
Sometimes the ifs and thens are just implied: "As that have made.
comfort deepens, your Unconscious Mind can relax, while
your Conscious reviews the nature of the problem; and Here is one way to set up the client's evaluation of changes. When
when a relevant and interesting thought reaches your the client comes into the office with a certain unwanted behavior,
Conscious Mind, your eyes can open as you carefully con- you can ask them to perform the behavior in the office. For
sider it." example,

12. Double binds. Erickson set up compelling double binds Hypnotherapist: "How do you know when it is time to
for his clients: "Would you like to enter into a trance now smoke?"
or later?" His attitude about double binds seemed to be, "I Client: "I have a feeling."
think my client should have the freedom to do exactly Hypnotherapist: "Can you get that feeling of wanting to
what I'm telling them, in any way that they like." The smoke now?"
double bind appears to give a choice to the client.
If after your intervention the client cannot get in touch with the
The Conscious /Unconscious double bind is intriguingly feeling of wanting to smoke, that result will act as a clear acknowl-
truthful because, in fact, we have no way of knowing how edgment of the change.
much the Unconscious knows. You can say, "I think your
Unconscious knows more about that than your Conscious By far the most powerful way for the client to acknowledge results
Mind does. And if your Unconscious Mind knows more is to convince the Hypnotherapist that they have changed.
about that than your conscious Mind does, then you prob-
ably know more about it than you think you do." Hypnotherapist: "I don't think you have changed fully yet."
Client: "No, I think I have."
A special instance of the double bind is double disassocia- Hypnotherapist: "Really?"
tion: "You can, as a person, awaken; but you do not need to Client: "Yes!"
awaken as a body. (Pause) You can awaken when your Hypnotherapist: "Are you sure?"
body awakens, but without recognition of your body. Client: "Yes, I am!"
(Pause) Just awaken from the neck up." Hypnotherapist: "Good. Then you are sure you've changed."

These hypnotic patterns defined Erickson's indirect, per- Let the client convince you of the change whenever possible, and
missive approach. In the next chapter, we will see many he will become more convinced of it himself.
of them in the context of two examples of classic
Ericksonian inductions.
 Chapter 10
Two Ericksonian Inductions
 Two Ericksonian Inductions

We are ready to begin practical work in hypnosis. The best way to

master hypnosis is to experience it as a client yourself and to prac-
tise simple inductions first, moving to more complex and elegant
inductions later. Obviously, such practice requires a partner. Find
one who shares your interest and enthusiasm so you can take
turns. For learning purposes, detailed explanations follow some of
the steps of the inductions below. (For later quick reference, these
inductions are duplicated in the Appendix without explanations.)

Ericksonian Induction No. 1: Question Set Induction

We are going to begin with an induction called a Question Set,

which will take about 10 minutes. By doing this induction and
experiencing it as a subject, you will discover how to induce trance
simply by asking questions. When you assume the Therapist's
role, pay attention to what the client does each step of the way.
Each time they exhibit trance-like behavior, say, "That's right," in a
soothing and encouraging tone of voice.

Have you ever been in a trance before... right now?

To consider their answer, the client will have to 'try

on' a trance. You have already explained trances
like the driving trance or the elevator trance in the
pre-talk. If the client answers "No," ask, "Can you
remember the state you were in just before you
completely woke up this morning?" or "Can you
remember the last time you were completely
absorbed in a book or a movie?"

Did you experience that state as being similar to

the waking state, or different from the waking
state?

You are asking the client to recall a trance state.

Doing this is likely to lead them into trance.

Can you find a spot that you would like t o look a t

comfortably?
Hypnosis: A Comprehensive Guide Two Ericksonian Inductions

As you continue comfortably looking at that spot Give your partner-client some suitable desired sugges-
for a while, do your eyelids want t o blink? tions, such as, "You can integrate all the things you are
learning, and find it very easy to do hypnosis. Your
When they blink, say, "That's right. " At this point or Unconscious Mind can supply to your Conscious Mind
any other through Question 8, if the client's eyelids whatever you need to know so you will be able to say
suddenly shut firmly and heavily, you can go right whatever you need to say in the moment, so that your
to Question 9. client will go deeply into trance."

Will those lids begin t o blink one a t a time.. . twice Bring client out of trance: In a moment, I am going to
or three times before they close altogether? count backwards from 10 to 1, and I want you t o awaken
one tenth of the way with each number until you are fully
As soon as you see a blink, pause in the questions awake. 10... 9... B... etc.
and say, "That's right. "
Count back in whatever way you are most comfortable
Rapidly or more slowly? with as the Hypnotherapist.

"That's right. "

Will they just close, now, or will they putter all by Physiological Responses to Trance
themselves first?
When you have done the induction for each other, consider what
This is especially useful if the client's eyelids are you noticed while you were the client. You may have breathed
fluttering, which is usually indicative of the firs more deeply, or your breathing may have become more shallow.
stage of hypnosis. We cannot set up specific physiological guidelines to gauge trance,
because people go into trance states differently. Even for the same
Will the eyes close more and more as you get more person, different trances can have different brain wave patterns,
and more relaxed? different rates of respiration, different galvanic skin responses,
and different subjective experiences. Chapter 8 described hypnot-
That's right. Can those eyes just stay closed a ic phenomena which typically correspond to various levels of
you're comfortable t o go deeper, just like when you trance, but the correspondence between the phenomena and the
go to sleep? levels of trance can vary widely.

Or would you rather really try in vain and find During trance the muscles relax in many different ways.
you cannot? Sometimes the body moves into different positions. I have had
clients who looked as though they were about to fall off the chair,
And just when will you soon forget about then but they did not. As the Hypnotherapist, you must pay attention
altogether because you're unconscious.. . want to your client's body posture and safety, especially if they are in
you to dream! trance for a long period of time. You can give the client suggestions
for bodily safety: "You can relax your head... straighten your
Insert suggestions. neck... place your elbow gently on the armrest (especially for
eliciting ideomotor signals in trance)... relax your feet on the
Hypnosis: A Comprehensive Guide Two Ericksonlan lnductions

floor... in an alignment that will bring you deepening comfort and 2. Did you experience that state as being similar to
support." the waking state, or different from the waking
state?
Sometimes trance is so comfortable that the client wants to stay in
this peaceful state as long as possible. After you have suggested In Breath
desirable changes for the client, you can give them suggestions to
come out of trance. You can feel comfortable resting your hands gen-
tly on your thighs, can you not? (Demonstrate)
With this first trance induction, you and your partner have begun
to experience a powerful process for healing yourselves and That's right, don't let them touch each other.
others. The more easily you can go into trance, the more skilfully
you will be able to use hypnosis in assisting your clients. When you ask this and the followingquestions on
the client's in-breath, her breathing will give a
light lift to the arms.
Ericksonian Induction No.2: Arm Levitation
Can you let those hands rest so-oo lightly so that
We are now going to expand on the first induction by eliciting Arm the fingertips just touch your thighs?
Levitation during the client's trance. You will again be inducing
trance simply by asking questions. This time, however, you will Make sure the hands and fingertips barely touch
want to pay close attention to the client's breathing. For the ques- the thighs.
tions you ask to deepen the client's relaxation, speak on the client's
out-breath. For the questions you ask to elicit arm levitation, speak That's right. As they rest there just so lightly,
on the client's in-breath. In this way, you will be using the client's have you noticed yet how they tend t o lift up a bit
own breathing to reinforce your suggestions physiologically. all by themselves (Hypnotherapist, take a deep in-
breath here) with each breath you take? Good.
To see how this breathing reinforcement works, put your feet flat Now we will just wait and see.
on the floor and rest your hands and fingertips lightly on your
thighs. Take a sharp, deep, full breath. Notice how your hands feel Take several deep, full breaths. If you are in rapport
like they are lifting up. with your client, the sound of your breathing will
cause them to breathe with you. It may cause her
As before, each time the client exhibits trance-like behavior, say, arms to begin to lift. If this happens, move straight
"That's right," in a soothing and encouraging tone of voice. to Question 16. If the client's arms have not begun
to lift, switch to speaking on her out-breaths and
Out Breath continue with Question 6.

1. Have you ever been in a trance before. ..right now? Out Breath
Asking Questions 1 and 2 on the client's out-breath 5. Now, can you find a spot that you would like to
will suggest relaxation while her breathing action look a t comfortably?
supports it.
Hypnotherapy: A Comprehensive Guide Two Ericksonian Inductions

As you continue comfortably looking a t that spot As that goes on, does one hand or the other... or
for a while, do your eyelids want t o blink? maybe both.. . continue lifting, lifting, lifting even
more?
I. Will those lids begin t o blink one a t a time.. . twice
or three times before they close altogether? And does that hand stay up and continue lifting,
lifting, lifting even higher and higher all by itself?
1. Rapidly or more slowly? Does the other hand want to catch up with it and
go up too, or will the other hand just relax in your
LO. Will they just close, now, or will they flutter all by lap?
themselves first?
That's right. And does the hand continue lifting,
11. Will the eyes close more and more as you get more lifting, lifting as it is, or will the lifting get
and more relaxed? smoother or less smooth as the hand continues
upward toward your face?
12. That's right. Can those eyes just stay closed as
you're comfortable to go deeper, just like when you Vary what you say according to the client's move-
go t o sleep? ments!

13. Can your comfort go more and more deeply, inside, Now.. . Does the hand slow down or go faster and
so that you'd rather not even try to open your faster as it approaches your face deepening your
eyes? comfort? Will it... pause a bit before it finally
touches your face so you'll know you are really
14. Or would you rather really try in vain and find going into a trance? And it won't touch until your
you cannot? Unconscious.. . is really, really ready to let you go
deeper.. . will it?
15. And just when will you soon forget about them
altogether because your unconscious.. . wants you And... will your body automatically take a deeper
t o dream!... of lifting, lifting, lifting. breath when that hand touches your face and you
really relax and experience yourself going deeper
In Breath and deeper?

16. Have you noticed your hands lifting, lifting, lifting Out Breath
even more lightly, even more easily, and by them-
selves... as the rest of your body relaxes more and 22. That's right. And will you even bother t o notice
more? you're deepening the comfortable feeling as that
hand slowly goes back to your lap all by itself?
With Question 16, begin again speaking on tht And will your Unconscious be in a dream by the
client's in-breaths. See the example that follow! time that hand comes t o rest?
these questions to get the breathing exactly right.