[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
then a very common process in Hypnotherapy is to proceed as follows:
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~dylanwad/morganic/ph_chap06.htm (4 of 7) [19/06/2000 8:26:44 PM]
Principles of Hypnosis (6) Classification of systems of most use in hypnosis
/L > \V
/L > \S > /Im > /E.
In words these shorthand sentences stand for two processes. The first is rather simple. By means of
holding the Subject's attention on the Hypnotherapist's voice, any internal verbal speech is reduced or
eliminated. This can be very important in some Hypnotic processes. As a very simple example, if as part
of an induction a Hypnotist is repeating, "You are feeling sleepier and sleepier", but the Subject is
repeating to himself, "I am getting more and more irritated by this", then the second suggestion will
predominate. More generally, internal verbal activity can be simply distracting: "I wonder if I should be
trying to feel more relaxed?", "I can still hear the sound of traffic", "What shall we have for lunch?",
"Perhaps I will have time to do some shopping on the way home", "When is he going to come to the
point?", "Is this going to work, I wonder?" All such thoughts are a hindrance to the changes that are
generally aimed at in Hypnotherapy. Of course if the thoughts are favourable, then there is often no need
to reduce them: it depends then on the particular goal.
The second shorthand sentence expands into the process of first inducing the Client to listen primarily to
the Hypnotherapist; then of achieving eye closure so that external sight is eliminated; this in turn will
make it easier to activate the internal visual system; by then using this to create images of emotionally
significant scenes, the appropriate emotions can be evoked.
As simple examples of this, it is commonplace to use images of relaxing situations (a sunny beach,
perhaps) in order to produce peaceful feelings. In treating phobias it is possible to induce the feeling of
fear in a controlled way by suggesting images of the feared thing or situation, in order then to eliminate
the phobia by a standard method of progressive desensitisation. This involves exposing the Subject to
increasingly intense experiences of the (imagined) thing feared in a controlled way in order to reduce the
fear felt. If the agreed aim of therapy is to uncover repressed traumatic material (which results when an
experience was so emotionally painful that it cannot be consciously recalled), then using the imagination
to set the scene of the experience will commonly be enough to allow in the associated emotions.
For many people the catch-all word "subconscious" refers almost exclusively to processes which are
primarily to do with emotion, and when they think of "Hypnosis getting through to the subconscious",
they are simply thinking of its power to influence feelings about things.
We may emphasise again at this stage the very important fact that in different individuals the different
systems can function VERY differently. There are, for example, individuals who are very poor at
imagining things, even though they can be strongly influenced by what they see around them - e.g. the
TV. It may be that in a particular person words are a far better way of activating emotions than any
amount of pictures. (A quick idea of the balance between the two can be obtained by asking the Client if
she prefers a fictional book or a film for relaxation or entertainment.)
Although we have listed only the primary internal systems of imagination, internal verbal thought and
emotion, there is no suggestion that this list is more than a first approximation, appropriate as an
introduction to thinking in a systems-oriented way. We can also think in a kinaesthetic way, for example:
I can imagine the sense and feeling that go with lifting a spoon without ever verbalising or visualising it.
Music has not been mentioned, but it can be a strong activator of emotions, and some people can call it to
mind at will as easily as a visual memory. And we can think in more abstract conceptual ways which are
of a higher order and harder to locate as a cerebral function. And we should be aware that each of the
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
