Hypnosis techniques for stroke patients. Any experience?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Linda Roan on June 26, 2010 at 6:10am

Hi Deborah:

The expert in this field is Don Mottin. I just attended his workshop on this subject in Toronto. He is the ultimate expert because he has recovered from a stroke. His website is www.DonMottin.com and his booklet is called Rewire the Brain with Hypnosis for Stroke Survivors and contains lots of scripts on all aspects of recovering from a stroke. I used some of his scripts on an elderly client who is afraid of being forgetful and has dizzyness problems. Just the fact that I told her the source alone seemed to cause an improvement and she has far more confidence. Hope this helps.

Also get her to read The Brain That Changes Itself or read it yourself and tell her anecdotes from it. I find the hope the stories engender are very inspiring for people.

The best of luck in your endeavours.

Peace and harmony,
Linda

Permalink Reply by Melissa J. Roth on June 26, 2010 at 7:21pm

I used to do hypnosis for patients at a rehab hospital. Obviously, many of the patients were stroke patients. One thing I did was to have them perform some movement with the non-impaired limb. While they are performing it have them focus on the feelins/sensations, ie the muscle coordination required to flip on a light switch. Then, have them close their eyes and "feel" the same sensations in the affected limb. Then, have them actually practice it with the affected limb. It's the same thing you do with athletes. Always have them imagine making the movement first then attempting it.

All the while they were doing this exercise I would talk to them about how plants grow new roots and shoots. How one cell is addes to another and than another cell is added and so forth and before long a new root has grown into spaces created when old roots died. You don't have to use a formal trance. Their preoccupation with imagining and practicing movements creates it's own trance and you can simply blabber on about growing new nerves and brain cells.

Permalink Reply by Pattie Freeman CH.t, MST on June 26, 2010 at 10:13pm

I have worked witrh stroke patients just like Melissa and I have to say Melissa that is very creative about the Cells I love it..I did something similar and its amazing to see such great results...

Permalink Reply by Melissa J. Roth on June 27, 2010 at 8:55pm

One man had had part of his brain removed due to a tumor. I used this same imagery of growing new roots with him and more similar suggestions (can't remember what they were any longer but it was the same kind of thing as the roots). His arm had been numb since the tumor had been removed due to the other brain tissue they had removed. He started to get a tingling sensation in the arm again and more motor control. It freaked his doctors and family out. They started checking him for tumors again and did more nerve conduction studies, etc. It seems that 2 years after his initial surgery that he either grew new nervous tissue or regained transmission along his old nerves. His doctors became excited but his family became angry and made him quit seeing me. I had become fond of him and it broke my heart that something so positive came to cause him such grief.

Permalink Reply by Bridget McKenna on June 28, 2010 at 4:24am

I think you're on the right track with helping her body remember how it used to work. Since her belief that she can be helped is going to be important in getting results, I'd remind her how remarkable the brain is at making new connections, and the more she uses the arm and imagines using the arm, the faster she'll make those new connections and see amazing changes. If you want to add verisimilitude :), read The Brain That Changes Itself, by Norman Doidge, M.D. It contains some pretty amazing stories about people who've had strokes and other brain injuries and disorders.

In addition, if her other hand works well, I'd suggest asking it to help with the re-education. You might even suggest a mirror-box (http://neuromatrixtraining.blogspot.com/2007/10/how-to-make-mirror-...). These are not often associated with hypnosis, but I would imagine using it in trance would be quite useful.

Hope any of this helps.

Permalink Reply by Deborah Nelson on June 28, 2010 at 3:43pm

Thank you to those who have commented. I have done some research and reading and I am getting similar suggestions. I'm going to carefully plan a program of four sessions, one each week, with her practicing the imagery every day on her own. I'm very excited to begin and I'll post my results. Thanks again.
Deborah

Permalink Reply by Michael Ellner on June 28, 2010 at 4:46pm

Hello Deborah,

I suggest working in real time and space--

1. Give your client a reason to believe that she can be helped -- Which can be as easy as watching a very moving video with her during your pretalk. (You can click on it below...)

2. Teach her self-hypnosis

3. You are already plainning on giving her home work ... Sell her on the idea - that she was designed to heal and change because as the Neurologists love to say "Neurons that fire together -- Wire together!"

4. Ask her for ideas about imagery that could spark her nerves to make new and effective connections - If she has any ideas -- Go with her imagery -- If she doesn't have any ideas see number 5 for one option - You could also use Melissa Roth's beautiful "rooting" imagery as another or you can feel free to make up your own imagery.

5. I helped a client recovering from a stroke go from a wheel chair, to a walker in about six months. He continued to practice the imagery below about 6 to 10 times a day for about 5 minutes at a time and moved on to cructhes and then a cane. He was very satisfied with his improvements...

5A. I had my client imagine that he was projecting an energetic arm and hand into his left arm and hand and by exercising his energetic arm and hand inside his hand and arm he was helping his mind and body form new neural pathways in his hand and arm--I had him imagine that his energetic arm and and hand was doing what ever he wanted "it" to in the privacy of his mind..

6. Remember we empower the techniques that we use -- Make it fun for both of you...

Consider me a resource-

Michael E.


YouTube - Brain Plasticity - HypnoThoughts.com
http://www.hypnothoughts.com/video/youtube-brain-plasticity


Deborah Nelson said:

Thank you to those who have commented. I have done some research and reading and I am getting similar suggestions. I'm going to carefully plan a program of four sessions, one each week, with her practicing the imagery every day on her own. I'm very excited to begin and I'll post my results. Thanks again.
Deborah