Client Falls Asleep

Hello,

I did a session the other day day for weight loss. I went over how hypnosis works and what would happen...etc.. The clent had told me he uses hypnosis at night to help him fall asleep. Body Scan is what he uses. Other then that he never used hpynosis before. He was in a comfortable possition and I started doing the body scan and telling him to relax and breath in and out and he had somewhat of a smile on his face..like a grin. So I proceed to relax him with the boday scan and then went on to the deepening. In the middle of the deepening I thought I head him snoring and he was snoring throughout the whole session.

When I was exiting him out of hypnosis and told him he would be aware of the sounds..etc. ..he would not wake up, so then I told him "I'm going to touch your right hand and you will more aware of the sounds and come back to a full alert state". As I was touching his right hand and telling him he would open his eyes and become back to a full alert state. He opened his eyes and was then finally awake.

He said he felt like he was sleeping and didn't remember anything other then me doing a body scan on him. He said once I got to the middle of the body scan he felt like he went to sleep.

I did go ahead and do suggestions for him to lose weight.

So I'm wondering if anyone else has had this happen and what did you do? I'm trying to figure out how to handle this the next time he comes in because he doesn't need a deepening and I'm thinking he's going to go to sleep as soon as I start the body scan.

(I recorded the session for him to listen to later if needed)

It was suggested from another hypnotist to use a confussion induction, which I haven't used before and I'm not sure if I have any of them. I have a lot of scripts, but not sure where to start.

Thank you for any suggestions.

Tammy Ellison

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Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on April 8, 2009 at 7:37am

Tammy,

Sounds like the guy was a very easy subject. You just took him deep, thats all. That being identified about him, it should make your next session with him very easy.

John

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Permalink Reply by Tammy Ellison on April 8, 2009 at 7:48am

Thanks, I've been kind of worried about his next session so he doesn't fall asleep again. I'm doing his next session on Monday.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Barter on April 8, 2009 at 7:52am

Sounds like his only association with hypnosis is related to falling asleep! and I would try to create a new experience with a more conscious hypnosis using a different method of induction than the body scan. Also use lots of suggestions that this method allows deep relaxation and hypnosis but he will remain conscious. Since the body scan works so well at night to help him sleep I wouldn't want to change that effect for him.

Jane

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Permalink Reply by Jill Semonin PhD- CHt on April 8, 2009 at 7:54am

YES.... i recently had this happen. It was crazy.... I had a client that when I dropped her into hypnosis, she slept. Only she snored extremely loud. I kept trying to grab her arm, in-between snores, because I couldn't talk over her snoring. I kept trying to wake her up enough to respond, as I suggested key words, I grabbed and shook her arm (at wrist). Which I noticed the snoring became quieter at that point. The weird thing was.... as I counted her out, she woke right up, no issues. She claims not to remember any of it.

I found out one issue: She was taking anti-anxiety medicine. I asked her not to take those medications until after the session. The next time worked like a charm. No snoring and no having to keep her awake.

I also found that she is basically walking around in hyper suggestibility, so I counted her out first, before counting her back in again the next time. I also gave her a CD to listen to on her own terms.

As long as they show signs that they are listening (Idiomotor response) then even if appearing to be sleeping, they hear you. When they don't respond.... they are in too deep and should be awakened. However, I think the session still worked while she slept. I just had to pause between snores.

:)

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Permalink Reply by Tammy Ellison on April 8, 2009 at 7:54am

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Tammy Ellison on April 8, 2009 at 8:40am

Great, thanks for the reply. I wasn't really sure on what to do. I do think he was really deep in sleep. I tried to do the hand to face and he would not raise his hand at all.

I think I might suggest to him before and during he will remain awake just relaxed. He just went to sleep super fast.

How do you do with Weight Loss? I am doing a 3-5 session for weight loss and giving them a CD to listen to for reinforcement. I also need the weight loss program .... just curious how you handle weight loss.

Thanks for your help,
Tammy

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Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on April 8, 2009 at 8:46am

yes it happens from time to time,

there are various reasons for it, but in this case, I agree with Jane, the client had a preset association with using this technique leading to sleep. so use a more active induction.

other reasons why clients fall asllep during a session:

Tiredness... avoid doing sessions late in the evening, or with people who are already tired.

Avoidance... sometimes clients will slip into sleep as a way of avoiding responding to therapeutic suggestions. This warrants a bit of tactful exploration with the client, (without accusing them of resisting).

Deep relaxation lends itself to sleep: it can just happen that in the middle of a long session people naturally drift into a short (or longer if allowed) sleep.

sometimes people do make snoring sounds while in relaxation or hypnosis, but this does not always mean they have fell asleep.

At the first suspicion that a client is sleeping, I would do something to test wether or not they are still responding. It could be an IMR... but I prefer to be upfront, and say something that invites them to respond, to confirm that they can still hear me. If no response, then I would raise my voice gradually, and again try for a response. after that, I would speak louder still and terminate the session, revue with the client what their experience was, and then honestly tell them that I think they drifted off into a natural sleep for a few minutes. then either resume the session, and stay at a lighter level of bodilly relaxation, or rescheduale for another time.

I have known people who carry on giving twenty or thirty minutes of suggestions to sleeping clients, (in the vague hope that they were really awake?, or that some of it might stick?) either way, it is a bit of a waste of their voice and both theirs and their clients time.

I have also known people who after the sleep, try to bluff the client into believing that they were responding well... the incongruity usually is picked up at some level by the client, and it breaks whatever rapport/trust has been established. don't fall into the trap of lying to your client to save face.

Hope some of this is helpful.

LOve and hugs,

Fable

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Permalink Reply by Tammy Ellison on April 8, 2009 at 9:19am

I always tape record the session for the client. It make them feel at ease to know while they are under and it's being recording and they don't have to worry about what happend. ..

Great suggestions. Thanks!!

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Permalink Reply by Jill Semonin PhD- CHt on April 8, 2009 at 9:49am

The two best weight programs that I know of are by Roger Moore and/or Kathrine Zimmerman. Both use this site frequently.

I know that one simply cannot do it without some kind of food management and exercise, which is the bottom line to any weight control.

Katherine's program is 8 weeks long and the hypnotist records about 4 or 5 cd's to give to clients.

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Permalink Reply by Tammy Ellison on April 8, 2009 at 10:04am

Thanks, I've been trying to figure out a program to use. I will look into Katherine's program.

Great talking to you!!

Keep in touch.
Tammy

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Permalink Reply by Doreen Cohanim C.Ht on April 8, 2009 at 12:00pm

Hi Jill,

How are you?
I understand that asking your client not to take her medication worked for you, but FYI some of those medication if they are not taken as they should, or changing the schedule, can cause more chemical confusion...
Sorry I hope you don't get it as I am trying to be an expert, I am just doing what I learned, especially dealing with clients who are on medication.

As to having client fall a sleep, I always tell them, that is great, that means you needed the rest, while your subconscious still receives the information, and that is true.

Respectfully, Doreen Cohanim C.Ht
www.EnterYourMind.Com

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Permalink Reply by Jill Semonin PhD- CHt on April 8, 2009 at 12:31pm

Yes Thank You Doreen, You are correct. I also gave you all the short version of the session. She normally didn't take the meds prior to our appointments (we are talking xanax here). She only took them due to having a bad day and she doubled her dose (bad for sessions). I explained that she shouldn't do that, especially just before her appointment. She said she was arguing on the phone prior, which stressed her out and forgot all about the appointment which normally helps her with stress. She also finds that she doesn't need them as much afterwards. I do not tell her to discontinue but instead ask her to consult with her doctor if she feels they are no longer needed as much. I know her doctor would have been upset at her double dose. I told her to be careful.

I always explain that I am not a doctor, so please ask the doctor what is best for her, I also had already been seeing this client several times prior, for non-related issues (smoking cessation). I did tell her that I had a doozy of a time due her unusual double dose too, so I asked her to keep it the same as before, if she could.

Our last session was GREAT. She didn't take it and even told me that the session was wonderful. YAY!

I am doing GREAT Doreen, Thank you. I hope this finds you well as well. :- )