The Genius of Erickson

Milton Erickson is well known for the vast amount of work he did related to Clinical Hypnosis, which we now know as Hypnotherapy.

Many clients that I have arrive, with the belief that the process of hypnosis is complex, mystical and controlling in some way. It's not. All that it requires is a level of expertise in it's induction, and then, importantly in the case of related therapy, a wealth of knowledge of the approaches required for your client's issues.

Here is a very old clip that I found, of Erickson, simply demonstrating the use of inferred directives, amnesia, catalepsy, but most importantly I believe, the gentleness and speed of the induction into the trance state itself.

Milton Erickson, 3 hypnosis sessions by funkypitt

Of course, methods vary, times change, and we don't all have Erickson's approach, voice or accent, but I like the clip for it's simplicity.

Pure genius.

The Question

This is a short article, for both Hypnotherapists and people with an interest in the mind. There are four distinct, very subtle, sometimes confusing questions, which can be utilised in any therapy session. They can also be used by oneself in order to create solutions for personal issues.

These questions set in train a deeper pattern of thinking, which more often than not becomes an enlightening answer.

With the final question of the four, I can almost guarantee that it will send your mind into a really deep thinking mode, almost akin to a light hypnotic trance. Try them for yourself and see. Where I have inserted (change), you can substitute it for whatever issue you're attempting to resolve. For example, 'lost that excess weight', 'become less stressed' .... you get the picture.

The four questions go like this:

1. What would happen if you did (change)?
2. What would happen if you didn't (change)?
3. What would not happen if you (changed)?
4. What would not happen if you did not (change)?

There we have it. Looks simple, does it not. Try it. Feel free to comment.