Can you hypnotize a skeptic person?

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on November 19, 2008 at 8:55am

Thank you for sharing John.

Doreen

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Permalink Reply by Jason Shoup on November 19, 2008 at 2:42pm

I'd suggest bringing up the control issue, even if it's a subconscious thing. Maybe if he understands what he's doing and faces his fear, it'll help him get past it.

Also, perhaps you could let him bring in a trusted friend or loved one who is interested in getting hypnotized. If everybody's comfortable with it, you could practice on the 3rd person and let him observe the session to see exactly what it's like. Hopefully, he'd see realize how simple & safe it really is and how unfounded his fears are, and relax a bit.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Shoup on November 19, 2008 at 2:47pm

Besides, isn't this guy already in a form of hypnosis anyways?

I think of hypnosis as being a mindset that you have created that influences your view of the world. If you believe you can't do something (like touch a spider) for fear it will result in harm, I'd say you've hypnotized yourself into believing that. And the role of a hypnotherapist would be to make that person believe that they CAN , in fact, touch a spider without consequence.

Even the most rational person believes plenty of illogical things, when you get down and examine them. Have you heard of the book "Predictably Irrational"?

If he believes he can't be hypnotized, or that his analytical mind won't let him go there, he is in fact hypnotizable because he has already been hypnotized... by himself.

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Permalink Reply by John Cerbone - The Trance-Master on November 19, 2008 at 2:56pm

I can, I have, and I usually do.
The trick is to get them comfortable and open up their minds, like getting them to laugh, and then do something to reinforce in the way of making them laugh at something or react in a certain way. Quite often will take several tries Speed-Trance them, If the resistance is in fact great, but as hypnotists we all know here, we always learn but we never fail.

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on November 19, 2008 at 3:02pm

Thans jason, the topic of control issue was covered with my client, in fact, I am comfertable with helping him.

As to your sugestion to bring in a trusted friend or loved one who is interested in getting hypnotized is not going to help, in my opinion, it will only allow a sketical person to clown around it more... again my opinion, since it is a privet session and not a group therapy...

I do bring in loveones to my session only with children and only if it is going to help the child to trust me... after that they parents are out waiting for the child to be done with the session...

As to my client, he was hypnotized before and he did unter into a deep trance, for some reason his panick attack is a trigger of something we are working around it, their for it will take longer to find out the real cause.

Thanks and keep posting here your suggestions or experiences.
Respectfully, Doreen

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on November 19, 2008 at 3:06pm

No I have not herd about the book "Predictably Irrational", what is it about and why would you recomand it?

Please note, this discussion is an open discussion to collect more information around the skeptic subgect and not really relevent to my client, his situation was an example of skeptic person, so the readers can related to my discussion.

Thanks again, Doreen

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Permalink Reply by Michael Ellner on November 19, 2008 at 5:25pm

Utilize every thing your client brings to your session--

(Reminder I am sharing a recipe and you are a master chef modify to taste)

Continue to be playful - TV is the most powerful hypnotic device ever invented - and it hypnotizes you with your eyes wide open- heck, every one knows about highway hypnosis -- you've probably heard something about it on TV... change the rules ask him to keep his eyes open no matter how tired or heavy they are feeling until he is ready to move into a healing state--

Now whip out Michael's magic hammer and guide the man through an Ellner/Barsky Emotional Detox--

Now create a resource state - your heart is happy, your mind is peaceful and your spirit is playful and we will be installing a signal so you can signal your mind and brain and recreate feeling this way every time that you give it the signal without even thinking about it... Blah, blah, blah-

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on November 19, 2008 at 5:36pm

Hi Bonnie,

Yes I remeber those days when I was in the class and I was wondering if the student were a paid actors, lol.. how wrong was I? :) for the last six years, I mostly have been working with skeptical people and I have to agree with you, as soon as they reach their goal with full success, they become your best referral market.
I had client who left smiling and telling me, that was hypnosis, hell I wasn't hypnotized, but then they called me the next day and said wow, I have not smoked the entire day, or I have no pain or I don't feel phobic and so on... that is a wonderful feeling when they call.
Today my phobic client called me to tell me that the encoring didn't help, but he feels relax and he was good all day until at night, he was worried and started feeling panicked, until he feel a sleep not remembering how... when I said we still need to re in force all the new suggestions and he said, I am just reporting that I am feeling better, it was only one incident that I felt panicky... and I said good, that is normal and you doing great.
call me if anything changes and you feel more panicked, he didn't call me yet...
Sometimes we just need to hear them out... my thought on it, I don't fight them or put any energy into convincing them, I just tell them.. Good, It sounds like things are getting better... or that is how it should be as a process of being free, that all it takes...

Doreen

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on November 19, 2008 at 7:38pm

OK, I don't know instant inductions, I mean I am not fast...so no instant inductions... I did arm raising he was freaking out and didn't follow... I did heavy light, same reaction, progressive relaxation... with all of them, once he needed to close his eyes, he was fighting it... he also said I am here because I am open to any suggestions but I can't be hypnotized, but willing, so I knew he was fighting it and I said that's right, I cannot, unless you allow me... we even did the agreement contact to be hypnotized, no luck... but with open eyes he did go in... I am for example very skeptical that I can ever do this instant rapid induction, even though I took many seminars for that, that is why I didn't go to the last one I was planing, since I done it over and over and after the class I could not do it.. I know I know I sound negative, but I was and still willing be be fast, and I will do anything to be good at it.. well not anything lol... I am so jealous of anyone who can hypnotize people on stage
or even use the instant rapid inductions on clients...
Yes he really want to be hypnotized, that is why he came and that is why he pays.
As a past skeptic person, I use to allow hypnosis to take place even though I didn't think it will work on me...
so I believe he wants to be helped and hypnotized.

Doreen

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on November 19, 2008 at 10:05pm

lol good one, I don't have problem when they say I can't be hypnotized, I just tell them sure you can't and they become defensive.. but not all are the same lol.. of course I do explain to them why they can or cannot.
Usually that is all I need to do for them to ask for me to hypnotize them.

Doreen

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Permalink Reply by Roy Hunter on November 19, 2008 at 10:06pm

If you are a skeptical person, you can actually use that to your advantage with skeptical clients...

When I studied hypnosis under Charles Tebbetts in 1983, my own analytical resistance prevented me from entering hypnosis during the many practice sessions that Charlie asked us to do. The GIFT in that is the realization of the value of mental confusion inductions for the analytical resister.

Over the years, my own difficulty in entering deep trance states has helped me to be more patient with the analytical client who has difficulty entering deep trance. When I'm client, a MENTAL CONFUSION induction does far more for me than a rapid induction (or any other induction)...especially when followed by several deepening techniques.

Be PATIENT AND PERSISTENT with the analytical client. Several years ago a client saw me after having FIVE totally non-productive sessions with five other hypnosis professionals; and he told me, "Help me Obi-wan, you are my only hope..." How's that for pressure? I used a mental confusion induction, followed by several deepening techniques AND several convincers...keeping him in trance for 50 minutes, along with a time distortion suggestion. He left my office as a totally satisfied client.

Be sure to inform your clients that IMAGINATION is the language of the subconscious, so that they realize their own responsility in their success. Example: You can tell a client to be a non-smoker, but if he/she IMAGINES lighting up a cigarette because they hear every word you say, what do you think the subconscoius will buy? ALL my analytical clients are informed of he importance and power of imagination before I ever start a hypnotic induction.

If you wish, you may email me privately for a free copy of my mental confusion induction.

Roy Hunter, M.S., FAPHP
Published Author & Hypnotherapy Instructor
www.royhunter.com

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on November 19, 2008 at 10:17pm

Thank you Roy and I do agree with you that being in nature skeptical myself, I have more advantages with same type of clients, beside I love the challenge.
Yes, I like the mental confusion induction, followed with several deepening techniques AND several convincing techniques along with a time distortion suggestion leaves my clients with a big WOW!

I always make sure my clients are aware of their power in regards to Imaginations and the language of their subconscious, and they do understand that I am only giving them the tools, in the end, they have to drive the car... I never take the responsibility to their success, I just tell The Success is planted within yourself.
success is in you.....

I don't have a script to the mental confusion induction, I just use my imagination and my creativity.
Thanks for the offer.

Doreen

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