Julie Docherty

Word Count: 1944 A Personalised Induction Will Always Be More Effective. Discuss, Base your answers on theoretical concepts and techniques presented in class.

Introduction In this essay I will try to describe the advantages of a personalised induction, I will also look at the disadvantages and why you might not use a personalised induction. I will discuss the methods and techniques that are used to personalise screeds when working with different clients by looking at modalities and different types of scripts and in conclusion whether I feel it is important to personalise the induction. A Personalised Induction When anyone goes to see a hypnotherapist today, on the initial appointment the hypnotherapist will assess the client to get an understanding of what they want to achieve from the therapy sessions, what they expect to happen to see if they have a good understanding of how hypnotherapy can work, and how hypnotherapy is achieved. The hypnotherapist will start to build up a rapport with the client which will help to build a trust up between the hypnotherapist and the client which will hopefully help to reassure the client so that they can get the most from the sessions. It is usually necessary to correct the patients expectations and beliefs and to allay fears, since any misapprehensions or anxiety will interfere with the entire experience and may possible even prevent him from entering the hypnotic state. (Karle et al, 1987, 23). Each client is unique and different in many ways, and no two assessments will give the same results and this is because of many different factors like different backgrounds and how different people are brought up. Everyone has different opinions, different likes and dislikes, fears and phobias, different alcohol and drug use, and most important if they are taking any medications, before a hypnotherapist can start a programme with the client if there is any doubt the hypnotherapist should contact the clients General Practitioner to get their medical history. This is what makes us all individual so therefore as hypnotherapists we need to know many different techniques to help devise the correct therapy for each individual client so they can achieve the best possible result from the therapy sessions. By personalising the induction we can tailor it to suit a specific individual, when we work with the subconscious mind we need to achieve the best possible result to help the clients achieve their goal. We can personalise the screed that we will use by using language and phrases that the client uses, by trying to include as many likes and dislikes that the client has as this will help relax the client and feel more at ease, we can do this by using all of the senses in the screed, which is known as compounding, this creates the most authentic experience for the client, as

Julie Docherty

the more relaxed the client is the more success we will have, as a danger of only using one modality in the screed can make it not appropriate to the client and not effective as you may want it to be. Usually we all communicate with each other through language, but we not only use words when we communicate we also use body language which work well together when communicating to each other. In fact the words we use make up only 7% of our communication, with tone and volume coming in second at 38% and body language being 55% (Chrysalis pg2). When we are working with a client they will have their eyes shut so they will not be able to see any body language, so for the therapy to be effective we can adapt or personalise the way we speak, the words we use to suit the individual, and this is done by assessing the client to see which one of the senses is their most prominent. There are six senses in total, and these are known as languages of the mind or modalities. Modalities When we think we dont just use words we create an experience that involves the modalities, we use the senses as a means of expanding and enhancing the thinking process. Most people favour one modality and these are the visual modality for sight, the kinaesthetic modality for touch and the auditory modality for hearing. There are two more modalities called olfactory modality for smell and gustative modality for taste. The sixth modality is known as the digital modality which refers to people who think mostly in language and symbols. We use all of our senses in a particular situation but all of us will have a favourite which we are more comfortable with and likely to fall back on in times of crisis (Chrysalis pg4). By assessing the clients modalities, is a way of personalising the screed that you will use with them. The best time to assess which modality your client uses is during the initial appointment by listening to them to see what type of speech patterns they use, what sort of style speech they use and by using the types of words will help put them at ease. People with a kinaesthetic (feeling) modality will use words and phrases like I personally feel, I know how you feel and I cannot put my finger on it. So when constructing a screed for people with a kinaesthetic modality we could use words like touch, smooth, gentle, pushing all types of words and sentences to do with touch and feeling of things. People with a visual (sight) modality will use words and phrases like I see your point, I see what you mean and it is as clear as day and it looks good to me. So when constructing a screed for people with a visual modality we could use words like look, watch, imagine and bright. People with an auditory (hearing) modality will use words and phrases like thinking out loud, sounds like a plan, I hear what you are saying, and it is loud and clear and

Julie Docherty

we are on the same wave length. So when constructing a screed for people with an auditory modality we could use words like say, remark, discuss and harmony. Elman vs. Erikson In the history of hypnosis two of the most important influential people are Dave Elman and Milton Erikson. They both developed very different approaches to hypnosis. Dave Elman was famous for using authoritarian screeds and Milton Erikson was famous for using permissive screeds, although Milton Erikson originally learned the authoritarian technique, he changed his style to permissive because he considered a permissive approach to be more effective in helping his clients experience change in their lives. Styles of Screeds Another important factor to consider when personalising the induction is the style of screed we will use. Different people need different approaches to achieve hypnosis. There are two types of hypnotic inductions which are generally used and these are known as permissive (indirect) screeds and authoritarian (direct) screeds. The characteristics of each differ drastically, and each one tends to be more effective in different situations and with different subjects. (Hadley et al, 1996, 26). We can do this by giving a client a score by using a chart which gives a score out of 10 for things like the colour of the clothing the client tends to wear, whether the body language they use is minimal or animated and what type of personality they are. Each answer gives a score which we can then tally up, we can then analysis the score and this can help determine what type of style screed would suit the client best. The authoritarian approach is where the hypnotist directs the client into the trance often using a scripted set of words. (www.nlpacademy.co.uk). The authoritarian direct style is as the title suggests direct and authority based and is commanding and with no choices, this style can come across as quite harsh but is very effective when treating people who wish to give something up or want to make a specific change to a particular behaviour. The authoritarian technique works better in individual sessions and is quite difficult in group sessions. In the early days this type of approach was used as they believed that the authority they had over the client increased the chance of success. Generally people who are most responsive to this type of screed have a great respect for figures in authority. An example of an authoritarian screed would be: You will listen to my voice and my voice will help you to relax very deeply. I want you to relax deeply. As you relax deeper and deeper you will respond to the suggestion I give you. You will now stop smoking, you will now stop smoking. This is your wish and you will act on it now. (Hadley et al. 1996, 27).

Julie Docherty

In ye olden days, direct suggestions was virtually the only approach used in hypnotherapy. Today, most therapists now find only using direct suggestions to be restricting because many other approaches have been developed that complement and enhance their use. (Bryant et al, 2006, 25). With the authoritarian technique once script can be used on many people, whereas the permissive technique can be tailored to suit many different types of clients and this is where the importance of getting as much information from the client about themselves in the initial consultation is very important. Generally people who are most responsive to the permissive screeds are more imaginative and creative. The permissive indirect style is as the title suggests a more indirect technique and relies on the hypnotherapist suggesting to the client that they may wish to choose to do something rather than being directed to do something, the client is then reassured that they have the right to choose whether or not they wish to comply with their suggestion and feel in control and it will lead the client into the trance more gently by using a softer tone of voice to help the client relax. In contrast to the authoritarian technique the hypnotist and the subject are equal partners in the process. (Hadley et al, 1996, 27). An example of a permissive screed would be: As you listen to my voice let it help you to relax, as you relax deeper and deeper, just imagine yourself in a peaceful place. It may be the ocean or in the mountains. Any place is fine. Imagine how great you feel in the place. Now let yourself relax deeper, and as you relax deeper your desire to feel healthy and free of any habit grows strong, then stronger, and soon you realize you truly are a non smoker. (Hadley et al. 1996, 27, 28). It is important to remember that even when in trance, you are still in control throughout your hypnotherapy session. Your unconscious mind will always protect you. You cannot be programmed to accept any suggestions that go against your own moral or ethical framework. (Bryant et al, 2006, 26). Conclusion So inclusion then, I feel it is important to personalise the induction for each individual client because everyone is unique and we can then make sure we treat each client with respect and treat them as individuals and not merely as hypnotic subjects as they deserve a personal service with a personal touch when they are being treated. We can make sure we take into account the clients likes and dislikes, their hobbies and work and so on to make sure we do not use anything in our screeds that could unsettle or frighten them during their therapy session, this can only help, and I am sure, to provide a much more effective treatment plan.

Julie Docherty

References

Bryant, M., and Mabbutt, P., (2006) Hypnotherapy for Dummies West Sussex. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Chrysalis Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (2010) Hypnosis and mental Health Year One, Module Two. Hadley, J., and Staudacher, C., (1996) Hypnosis For Change (3rd Edition) Canada. New Harbinger Publications. Hellmut, K., and Boys, J., (1987) Hypnotherapy A Practical Handbook London. Free Association Books Ltd. Michael Carroll. The Structure of Permissive Hypnotherapy [online] available from http://www.nlpacademy.co.uk/articles/view/the_structure_of_permissive_hypnotherapy. (Accessed 29/January/2013).