Looking for Advice Regarding Group Hypnotism

Hello everyone. I'm interested in starting a small 10-20 person group stress-buster session. So far, I've been very successful working with individuals but never worked with multiple people. Is there something that you could share about your experience with groups v. individuals that could be helpful? I would really appreciate your insight.

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Permalink Reply by John B. Lee IV on March 8, 2011 at 9:59pm

Great question! Before I had the hypnothoughts community, I did something like that. never having done stage work or groups I scrambled for solutions and had NO go-to guys for help. i may get dogged by every one on this site but this is what I did, the results actually seemed pretty good (people came back :/)

I started with a pretalk...details based on repeat attendees. I tried to be interactive. I then, to prove the power of the mind, did a few rounds of anchoring to the usual thumb/forefinger---left hand was amazing relaxation/ right hand was some other feel good biz?. This part was a bit cumbersome but it served as a convincer, fractionation and a safety net. I then took them through an expectation induction followed by a brief prog. relax followed by the double anchor fire to create a sensation that felt really good and relaxing---like i say safety net--- the rest, I ran like a non-interactive 1-on-1.

I am glad you asked this and can't wait to see what is said.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Ellner on March 9, 2011 at 4:20am

Hi Rob,

Setting the stage for successful outcomes: Remember:

"THEY MAY FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, BUT THEY WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL."

CARL W. BUECHNER

Scan the room - look at your audience and smile -- Remember: You are relaxed, focused and in the moment - Enjoy it! --

I find groups love the "Imagine a Lemon exercise" - If you feel confident you can just use their imaginations: See the lemon , hold it in your hand, roll it around on a counter top, - Imagine slicing it, and picking up a slice, now imagine sniffing it and finally imagine hearing yourself taste it -- How many of you tasted the Lemon?

Lot's of hands wil go up -- Explain that what we just did is a lot like hypnosis - We used our minds to influence our bodies... Blah, blah, blah.

Or, you could bring a lemon and knife and begin your presentation by slicing the lemon into quarters -- Select a quarter - spritz a little juice for effect and bite into and suck the lemon --

Now ask the group to use their imaginations and memories and imagine that they are slicing and biting into the lemon -- How many of you tasted the Lemon?

Lot's of hands wil go up -- Explain that what we just did is a lot like hypnosis - We used our minds to influence our bodies... Blah, blah, blah.

Point out that they have just demonstrated that their minds and brains can and did produce chemical changes simply by using their memories and imagination --

Switch gears and let people know that hypnosis works the same way - Let the people know that you can help them learn how to use their memories and imagination to help them increase their coping skills and abilities and you can teach them creative and healthier ways to react to the stressors in their lives...

This is very important because how we react to the stressors in our lives can produce health and well being or pain and disease. I recommend pointing out the difference between stressors and stress - Hypnosis helps people change their negative reactions to the stressors in their lives into positive reactions by helping people change they way think about the stressors in their lives....

Give them a list of stress related diseases and conditions---

Your audience really wants to know:

What is necessary for achieving their desired results? How long will it take? What to expect? How much will it cost? After you have addressed these issues, ask if there are any questions and have fun answering them.

Wrap up your talk by thanking them for their attention and enjoy the applause!

Michael E. @ http://www.nycanxietyhypnosis.com

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Permalink Reply by James Malone on March 9, 2011 at 6:12am

I've have done a number of these types of groups at the local community college. Like John and Michael shared, make sure there is plenty of experiential exercises, it holds the groups attention. Additional tip: develop a handout that is a skeletal outline of the program. It helps keep you organized and reinforces what you are teaching as they fill it in with their notes. Of course you will also put your contact info on the handout. If possible ask for the group members contact info so you can send them follow up material after the program.

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Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig - HypnosisAustin on March 9, 2011 at 7:52am

Rob,

I've done this kind of thing as well, and you've received some great advice so far. I'd like to add a few things to keep in mind:

Groups are easier than individuals because of the contagion effect. This is especially true in a group session vs. a show. You will basically be using hypnosis to help people feel good, and everyone wants to feel good!

Your success rate in a group will increase if you keep your language generic. With an individual, I can determine that my trancer is a mostly visual person who loves the beach in Waikiki, and then I can give a mostly visual description of the beach in Waikiki. In a group, you'll have people who relate to all the representational systems, so use all the senses in your descriptions. (I find the Lemon Exercise MIchael mentioned is a good place to start practicing that.) Don't describe your favorite scene; instead, say, "Think of a place where you would love to go to relax."

Likewise, keep in mind that you'll have different levels of experiential talent. So rather than saying, "See the yellow lemon," I say, "Think about the color of a lemon, that beautiful yellow in the sunlight." Some people won't "see" the lemon, but anyone can think about what it looks like.

Fractionate, fractionate, fractionate. I have fractionation built into the structure of the talk, so that by the time they're formally experiencing hypnosis, they've been in and out of trance multiple times.

Have fun!

James

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Permalink Reply by Rob Pickett on March 9, 2011 at 2:58pm

Thank you, everyone!

James M., I would never have thought about handing out an outline. Great idea!

James H., I'll work on the generic language. And I love fractionation as a tool. Fun is the goal!

Micheal, I just watched a National Geographic streaming video about how stress, well, KILLS primates! It's what motivated me to start working on this project. So, yes, information about stress-related diseases is part of the program, for sure. And I look forward to the applause! (BTW, I'm hoping to make it to your Seattle event with Scott Sandland. Maybe I'll be able to meet you in person.)

John, thanks for the suggestions and encouragement!

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Permalink Reply by Jason Nagle on March 9, 2011 at 7:29pm

James do you have more information you can give on how you fractionate them during the pre-talk in and out? Sounds like a good idea...

Jason

James Hazlerig said:

Rob,

I've done this kind of thing as well, and you've received some great advice so far. I'd like to add a few things to keep in mind:

Groups are easier than individuals because of the contagion effect. This is especially true in a group session vs. a show. You will basically be using hypnosis to help people feel good, and everyone wants to feel good!

Your success rate in a group will increase if you keep your language generic. With an individual, I can determine that my trancer is a mostly visual person who loves the beach in Waikiki, and then I can give a mostly visual description of the beach in Waikiki. In a group, you'll have people who relate to all the representational systems, so use all the senses in your descriptions. (I find the Lemon Exercise MIchael mentioned is a good place to start practicing that.) Don't describe your favorite scene; instead, say, "Think of a place where you would love to go to relax."

Likewise, keep in mind that you'll have different levels of experiential talent. So rather than saying, "See the yellow lemon," I say, "Think about the color of a lemon, that beautiful yellow in the sunlight." Some people won't "see" the lemon, but anyone can think about what it looks like.

Fractionate, fractionate, fractionate. I have fractionation built into the structure of the talk, so that by the time they're formally experiencing hypnosis, they've been in and out of trance multiple times.

Have fun!

James

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Permalink Reply by Jason Nagle on March 9, 2011 at 7:32pm

Loved that show on GEO...seen it on NetFlix recently :0.

Jason

Rob Pickett said:

Thank you, everyone!

James M., I would never have thought about handing out an outline. Great idea!

James H., I'll work on the generic language. And I love fractionation as a tool. Fun is the goal!

Micheal, I just watched a National Geographic streaming video about how stress, well, KILLS primates! It's what motivated me to start working on this project. So, yes, information about stress-related diseases is part of the program, for sure. And I look forward to the applause! (BTW, I'm hoping to make it to your Seattle event with Scott Sandland. Maybe I'll be able to meet you in person.)

John, thanks for the suggestions and encouragement!

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Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig - HypnosisAustin on March 9, 2011 at 8:47pm

Sure.

Typically during the pre-talk, I use the lemon visualization. For most people, that's a trance induction right there, so that's once.

Next, I might use Nongard's exercise that teaches people what hypnosis feels like. (Close your eyes, count to five, open your eyes.) That's twice.

Then I say, "All right, I'm going to teach you how to hypnotize yourselves," and I ask them to pick out a favorite location and revivify it. Of course, you and I know that's an induction, but they think I'm teaching a lesson. So that's three times.

During that experience, I have them pick out signals for going into trance and coming out, and I have them suggest to themselves that these signals will work wonderfully. "In fact, we can use the one for coming out right now." A few words later, I tell them to use their signal to go back into trance (#4).

At this point, I reinforce the signal and suggest eye catalepsy. Then I have them come on back. Usually a lot of them are blown away by having experience eye lock.

Then I can say, "All right, we're ready to do some hypnosis now," and have them use their signal to go back into trance. I might even do some eye opening and closing at that point. So it's not until the fifth time they've been in trance that I start giving suggestions for improvement . . .

Hope this helps,

James

Jason Nagle said:

James do you have more information you can give on how you fractionate them during the pre-talk in and out? Sounds like a good idea...

Jason

James Hazlerig said:

Rob,

I've done this kind of thing as well, and you've received some great advice so far. I'd like to add a few things to keep in mind:

Groups are easier than individuals because of the contagion effect. This is especially true in a group session vs. a show. You will basically be using hypnosis to help people feel good, and everyone wants to feel good!

Your success rate in a group will increase if you keep your language generic. With an individual, I can determine that my trancer is a mostly visual person who loves the beach in Waikiki, and then I can give a mostly visual description of the beach in Waikiki. In a group, you'll have people who relate to all the representational systems, so use all the senses in your descriptions. (I find the Lemon Exercise MIchael mentioned is a good place to start practicing that.) Don't describe your favorite scene; instead, say, "Think of a place where you would love to go to relax."

Likewise, keep in mind that you'll have different levels of experiential talent. So rather than saying, "See the yellow lemon," I say, "Think about the color of a lemon, that beautiful yellow in the sunlight." Some people won't "see" the lemon, but anyone can think about what it looks like.

Fractionate, fractionate, fractionate. I have fractionation built into the structure of the talk, so that by the time they're formally experiencing hypnosis, they've been in and out of trance multiple times.

Have fun!

James