Hypnotherapy and Divorce

(This blog was originally posted on September 4, 2014)

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

Hypnotherapy can facilitate divorce mediation proceedings by

Helping the spouses reach an amicable settlement.

 

If a couple decides to divorce but cannot amicably agree on a settlement, the petition is likely to go to a jury and mediation will be required. Hypnotherapy can help ease the tension between the estranged spouses and facilitate an amicable (or at least, less hostile) divorce.

Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D., believed that a hypnotherapist can facilitate the mediation by helping both parties to construct an equitable settlement and encourage them to seek counsel from separate attorneys. The hypnotherapist’s professional stance in divorce mediation should always be one of objectivity and non-judgment, he continued. “You only need a mediator if one party contests the divorce,” Dr. Kappas said. “Have the facts already agreed/discussed before you get to court. If you’re volatile in court, the judge almost always rules against you.” 

Dr. Kappas recommended that the hypnotherapist explain Emotional and Physical Sexuality to the couple to enlighten them about each other’s behavioral patterns and motivations and work toward a settlement that both people can live with. Specifically, the hypnotherapist can help to ease tension between the estranged spouses, such as if a partner wants to “hang on” to the relationship or seeks revenge on an unfaithful spouse. In that case, the hypnotherapist may employ hypnotherapeutic techniques to address anger, guilt, sadness/disappointment and rejection by guiding the person through the stages of loss, systematic desensitization and de-loving techniques. A hypnotherapist can also work with the client to build or re-build the person’s self-confidence and self-esteem, accept responsibility his or her role in the break-up, and motivate the individual to pursue new interests.

In terms of mediation proceedings, Dr. Kappas recommended that the divorce lawyer(s) be included in the therapy sessions. Payment to each professional should be equal for each session. The attorney would be responsible for explaining the divorce proceedings and give the couple a mediation sheet that outlines each spouse’s equity. The hypnotherapist would help each partner “agree to disagree and work out hostility between the spouses.”

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/

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