Emetophobia

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Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on November 24, 2009 at 8:58pm

You really didn't include what you did with her so it's hard to tell if it might be related to it or not, or if it is an underlying issue.
More information is needed.

Sorry,
John

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Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on November 25, 2009 at 7:51am

Hello Gerry,

Obviously, this client benefited from your work together, congratulations! It's not uncommon for a client who has success in one area to then move onto other issues over which they seek to gain power.

A good method I use for dream work is the "reverse metaphor". I ask the client to tell me a story (waking trance). I prompt with "Once upon a time..." I take brief notes (I make them on the left hand column of paper) and then paraphrase it back, asking if she wants to make any changes or additions.

Next, I begin at the beginning and, focusing on each segment of the tale, repeat it back to her and ask, "How does this relate to what is going on in your life?"

I write her answers on the right hand column of the paper. By the end of the story, she has some insights about her current issue(s) and also some ideas about how she might deal with it. All of this is given up by her subconscious mind in an easy and delightful manner. You can then go on to the appropriate hypnotic work to affect the changework.

At the end of the session I give the "story" to the client to keep.

Note that this method is only useful to the un-indoctrinated, so is effective only once with the client and not at all with anyone reading this!

Regarding your original emetophobia session: I am also curious as to your approach. I have some experience with it and found some childhood event usually set the phobia in place. Your client's comment, "its as if I have grown up", is interesting...

Best wishes,

Kelley

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Permalink Reply by Gerry on November 25, 2009 at 12:32pm

Thank you Kelley, this is something that I haven't had experience in and it sounds like a good way to go. I might email you later in the week with a few questions if you don’t mind. I have put together the jist of the session, without going into too much detail but it still looks a little long winded. If you don’t understand any parts of it then please ask and I will do my best to explain it better.
She says as far back as she can remember she has always had emet that her mother has it also. She was so relieved to know that she wasn’t born that way and that it has become a learnt behaviour. So explaining to her why she feels the way she does made her feel so much better.
So session followed as explaining about phobias and the flight and fight
Explaining to focus on what you do want and not what you don’t want. I know that she is working with a woman that is pregnant which has been bothering her so going over with her triggers for her and making them rational.

Hypnotic repatterning

Then while establishing a –anchor, asking her questions such as
When was first time you realised you had emet....?
What did it feel like??
Where in the body did any feelings start??
What does this learnt behaviour stop you doing??(-anchor) enforcing the –anchor
Asking her on a 1-10 how she feeling about watching a short movie clip of a man vomiting (obviously its going to be high)
Then establishing a +anchor (I like to anchor times of inappropriate laughter in some situations) then collapsing the –anchor while running through memories we have already discussed..
Then going onto the fast phobia cure
Followed by a hypnotherapy session
Then while firing the +anchor watching the movie clip.
Within this we also go over breathing exercises.
I hope this makes sense during a session it flows so much easier than writing it down for somebody.

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Permalink Reply by Gerry on November 25, 2009 at 12:46pm

Gerry said:

Thank you Kelley, this is something that I haven't had experience in and it sounds like a good way to go. I might email you later in the week with a few questions if you don’t mind. I have put together the jist of the session, without going into too much detail but it still looks a little long winded. If you don’t understand any parts of it then please ask and I will do my best to explain it better.
She says as far back as she can remember she has always had emet that her mother has it also. She was so relieved to know that she wasn’t born that way and that it has become a learnt behaviour. So explaining to her why she feels the way she does made her feel so much better.
So session followed as explaining about phobias and the flight and fight
Explaining to focus on what you do want and not what you don’t want. I know that she is working with a woman that is pregnant which has been bothering her so going over with her triggers for her and making them rational.

Hypnotic repatterning

Then while establishing a –anchor, asking her questions such as
When was first time you realised you had emet....?
What did it feel like??
Where in the body did any feelings start??
What does this learnt behaviour stop you doing??(-anchor) enforcing the –anchor
Asking her on a 1-10 how she feeling about watching a short movie clip of a man vomiting (obviously its going to be high)
Then establishing a +anchor (I like to anchor times of inappropriate laughter in some situations) then collapsing the –anchor while running through memories we have already discussed..
Then going onto the fast phobia cure
Followed by a hypnotherapy session
Then while firing the +anchor watching the movie clip.
Within this we also go over breathing exercises.
I hope this makes sense during a session it flows so much easier than writing it down for somebody.

When I asked on a 1-10 at the beginning of session for watching the clip she was a 9...then before she watched the clip and I fired the anchor she was a 4 after the clip was watched she was 0 she said she felt no anxiety .

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Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on November 25, 2009 at 6:03pm

Hi Gerry,

It sounds like it is important to listen to your client when she next comes in and discover what is driving the dream thing: is it to fill in the hole in her imagination where the phobia used to reside? Your work with her dismantled a program that had been running for decades and she may miss it! It's a good idea to do some ecology checks and perhaps some parts and/or inner child work to get things balanced and reintegrated.

Kelley

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Permalink Reply by Michael Ellner on November 25, 2009 at 9:59pm

Hi Gerry,

The battery in my smoke alarm died and the alarm woke me up... I figured I'd check HT- before going back to sleep... I am gald that I did because -- It's great to see ya!

I agree with Kelley-- My guess is that her fear of vomiting concealed other social anxieties. After-all, I would think that she would be thrilled that she got "so" much relief in one session, instead she shares that: "I find it difficult to come to terms that after one session I feel “different” about things that would normally make me panic ."

Gently, point out that feeling differently about things that used to make her panic was her goal-- that's what she wanted when she came to see you -- Right? How much relief did she expect after one session? How many sessions does she think will be necessary to totally enjoy her new found freedom?

I would suggest adding some relaxation and focusing on how she is plannng on enjoying her new found freedom before going to sleep for the next 10 days in addition to the "repatterning" with the suggestion that her new sleep ritual-- will quickly help her sleep soundly and generate "sweet dreams" while she continues to discover all the benefits and advantages of setting herself free...

Sweet dreams...

Michael E.

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Permalink Reply by Gerry on November 30, 2009 at 4:14am

Sorry I didn't reply sooner new puppy chewed the laptop cable..

Thankyou both for your valuable advice.
I totally echo what you stated concerning the emet concealing other social anxieties so without going into to much detail, she has emailed me to say that since our session she has remembered times that she had forgotten such as being sick on a bus and people moving to different seats to get away from her.
I am seeing her again tomorrow

Michael that was a key part in this for her wondering how many sessions it would take before she felt any relief, so as you say asking her how much relief did she expect after one session? How many sessions did she think would be necessary to totally enjoy her new found freedom...as she asked me a number of times those questions.
With her trying exposure therapy for quite some time and her feeling worse than she started hasnt helped her belief system so me helping her empower her own belief system and reframing past triggers oh I do like the suggestion that her new sleep ritual-- will quickly help her sleep soundly and generate "sweet dreams" while she continues to discover all the benefits and advantages of setting herself free...
Thank you both so very much
Gerry

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