Hypnotizing Difficult Subjects

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Permalink Reply by John Sannicandro on September 28, 2010 at 2:03pm

These two don't sound motivated and are not ready to quit. It may have gone better if you had them alone in individual sessions. My sense is that they want to keep smoking and came in because they wanted to say "I even tried hypnosis and that didn't work." Working with one at a time I'd suggest an Elman induction because convincers are in the induction. If they are skeptical then convincers are a must. When they leave after that initial session you want them to be convinced that something special happend and build on that for subsequent sessions.Ultimately it is their choice to cooperate and allow the process to work or not.

John
www.jslmhc.com

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Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on September 28, 2010 at 2:42pm

James,
While I profess using the philosophy of the filtering of clients for stop smoking success, I will make a suggestion or two that may help you.

First of all, your clients need to be the ones they are quitting smoking for, not their children. Make sure they understand that hypnosis will not quit for them. and that it is THEIR desire to be a non-smoker that will make them successful.

You can take away their cravings and withdrawal symptoms, but you can't affect their free will. If you could, you would start with the bank accounts...heheh. Meaning; It will be up to them not to go buy another pack after you are done with them and start the process all over again.

Also stress the importance of following your instructions. It won't work if they cannot do that.

I would then do an instant induction and look for evidence of resistance. You might try this one:

Say:
In a moment, I will say a hypnotic word...that is so powerful...that when I say it, you will instantly go limp and fall into a deep relaxing trance. Is that okay with you?. (get approval)

Are you ready? (get the yes)

Good. But first, I will need to see how fast your mind operates; Please tell me, what year did you first learn to ride a bicycle?

(When you see them going internal to look for the answer...even if you have to interrupt them...)

SLEEP! (snap)

You should see them shut down, and you can begin to deepen. If they are resisting, as soon as their eyes close they will pop back open again. Now you have blatant evidence that they are indeed resisting, and you can inform them that you can't make them do something that they don't want to do. So either they have to start following your instructions, or quit wasting everybody's time.

If they decide to continue, and be more cooperative, I would use a session to exclusively focus on suggestions of how much they realize they really want to quit, to build up their desire, and press on from there.

I do have a complete stop smoking intervention available on my website if interested.

I hope this helps you
John

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Permalink Reply by Michael Ellner on September 28, 2010 at 2:48pm

@ John S.,

Jimmy's clients came in, signed up and paid for 5 sessions in advance -- They sound motivated to me...

Jimmy-

When people share that they don't think that they can be hypnotized - We have to change the way the way that they think about being hypnotized or convince that they have been hypnotized... Your first session demonstrated that they have a low hypnotic IQ-- The great news is you can help them develop their hypnotic skills and improve their self-hypnotic abilities.

I recommend using a session or two focusing on developing their hypnotic IQ and tell them they will soon have enough hypnosis skills and abilities to do what every smoker on the planet secretly wants to do -- Stop smoking!

I'd start by helping them identify and appreciate their every day trance experiences and suggesting that since they are so much better going into trance when they do so automatically like when they drive, or watch TV or get lost in their thoughts. you are going use inductions that have them imagine doing those activities and they can go into trance without thinking about it....Blah, blah, blah...


Michael E.

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Permalink Reply by Jess Marion on September 28, 2010 at 4:19pm

There are quite a few things going on here. Firstly even if they paid up front for the session, that does not mean they are motivated to quit. They could be motivated to show up the hypnotist, or to make their kids happy, or to prove that their craving was just to strong, or any number of other reasons. Use your judgement, if they aren't willing to take responsibility, as in they aren't willing to do this because they really want to, then fire your clients. (They'll come back if they are really serious about this)

Next, you need to change their views on hypnosis. It sounds like they are creating a self fulfilling prophecy here. Reframe their views on hypnosis and what to expect.

Next, you used a one size fits all type induction and as you know one size doesn't fit all. That type of induction may not be what they need. You may want to do something a bit more conversational and remember that they are two individuals and the same induction may not work for both of them.

If they still aren't going into trance, there may be other issues there between the two of them and you may want to work with one at a time. Their may be other issues that need to be cleared up as well which can't happen when they're together.

Good Luck.

Jess

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Permalink Reply by Ricky Strode on September 28, 2010 at 4:37pm

Difficult subjects? Are there any? I think the response we get is the one we get for what we did. However, if we change what we are doing we will get a different response. If you have people that wonder whether it will work, I'd suggest by starting out the session intoducting yourself, some more about yourself, describe naturally occuring trance states, associate that the only difference between trance is it occurs on its own, hypnosis is a trance directed, focused and led by a hypnotist. By now their breathing rate has slowed down, if of course you are not talking fast. By now they are already going into one. I like to start telling them what I want them to do, by futher describing what a trance is and this starts with a going inside, noticing that they are there, its ok, people can relax more and go deeper inside, (This up to here takes maybe 2 minute or so) anything from here can be negotible, because most are usually in a light state of hypnosis by now. I do not ask them whether they have any question until the end unless they seem really uneasy before we start. I ask all the question I need before they come in. I also have found that this makes the session flow much more smoothly. It also give you much more time to get through all you want to during a session, so no matter what they walk away with what they feel is their moneys worth.

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Permalink Reply by bob burns on September 29, 2010 at 4:41am

I do believe I use both John and Michael't techiques in these type of situations. Firstly I'll try John's (instant induction) because if it works I don't need to use Michael's and the 'battle' is over.
But of course it's great to teach a client 'know how' and how to put their underlying hypnotic skills into action. And I do love watching and hearing from them of their progress in entering hypnosis. Remember, if they say it then it's true.
If I could flit back to the instant induction for a moment, as a trained magician I always had 'outs' and hypnosis is no different. So a no-fail prorocol is a must. Magicians make lots of mistakes but the audience NEVER know it. It has to be the same in hypnosis. So... "We're just running some tests right now now to see how your brain works and hey, don't worry you're really going to enjoy this!" (first suggestion!).
I had an interesting phone conversation with a guy only last night who is a really great stage hypnotist. He is also a therapist who only does progressive inductions and strongly believes that it's wrong to do any form of tests in a clinical setting. I actually found myself getting angry with him (LOL). I do hope I won him over.
My wife, who is also a therapist and has seen me do stage hypnosis used to be very anti of me testing phenomena in the therapy room, but now is a 100% believer in this.
Remember, the use of instant inductions gives you instant information, which is totally invaluable.
Regards,
Bob

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Permalink Reply by Jimmy Graham on October 5, 2010 at 1:53pm

Thanks to each and every one of you who has responded... thats why this forum is so great!

Ive talked to the clients again by phone... niether of them has used the audio hypnosis cds Ive given them and both are still smoking.
Neither blame me , but both confessed they arent really trying either.

Tonight it will be up to them whether they continue or not..

Ill keep everyone posted!

Jimmy Graham C.H.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Baboch on October 6, 2010 at 7:19am

you can talk to them first and get them to really get into the problem state where they find themselves unable to stop smoking and then try to make them more than motivated about quitting. get excited and psyched about quitting, and do another type of induction like the dave elman, or try to switch and change your style: what i mean is change from direct suggestions to indirect ones or vice versa, from covert to overt, or from authoritative style to permissive style etc...

i hope you get the meaning of my words.

Chris

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