THE STAGES OF HYPNOSIS

How will I be hypnotised?

I use a variety of methods in which to hypnotise clients although I generally use a progressive muscle relaxation technique. This method is the one more often not used by hypnotherapists in which to induce a hypnotic state. I speak to the person asking them to concentrate on their breath and to close their eyes.They then are asked to concentrate on a particular body part which usually starts from the top of the head and work down the body. The instructions are said in a low melodic tone which has been found to assist a person enter a hypnotic state. It is sequential and normally takes between10-30 minutes. This is known as the induction phase. I then deepen further by using a number of metaphors in which to deepen the trance level. When the person is in a trance this is when the major part of hypnosis takes place and is called the suggestive phase. Suggestions are given to the client whilst under trance which then go deep into their subconscious. The types of suggestions, whether direct or indirect will depend on the issues/problems the client has presented.

What are the stages of hypnosis?

Stages of hypnosis are similar to the stages of conscious in which we may enter each day. What I mean by this is that you may be alert in the morning (If you are an evening person your alertness may well be more acute in the evening). When you are alert you may be dealing with normal behaviour involved with going about your day-to-day activities. This type of behaviour is associated with beta waves which are fast brain wave patterns which show that we are alert.

Light Trance

During the day some of us may get caught up in gazing out of the window or day dreaming or let our minds wander. You may feel a little ‘light headed’. This is often referred to a a light trance albeit it in our day-today lives it may be quite small. Our brain patterns become longer and slower and are associated with alpha waves. This state of awareness is referred to as a light trance and can be brought about quite easy with hypnosis. However, it is not deep enough to do the more in-depth work hypnotherapists do so they ‘Deepen’ by using metaphors to take the client into a deeper trance.

Moderate trance

This is where there is a loss of awareness of your surroundings. Noises become so distant and you become ‘detached’ from the outside world. A person often experiences intensified imagery and the body becomes deeply relaxed. At this stage a person exhibits theta waves which are much slowly. Most people obtain this stage and it is a therapeutic stage in which deep suggestions can be made.

Deep trance

This state is the deepest and the person usually experiences a complete loss of their surroundings and their limbs become deeply relaxed. At this stage a person is more receptive to suggestions made under hypnosis although in some circumstances, if the person needs to respond to the therapist whilst under hypnosis i.e. as in the case of hypnoanalysis, then they may need to be brought up to the moderate stage of trance. This is achieved quite simply by the therapist counting them up to the moderate trance similar to deepning but in reverse.

How do I come out of a trance?

The therapist counts you out by counting up and uses a faster louder voice.

What happens if I cannot come out of trance?

Everyone will come out of a trance. Sometimes if a person is in a deep trance they may take longer to come out of it. Ordinarily the therapist will simply take longer to count them round to give them time to come back to complete awareness.