Dominant Laws of Suggestibility: Law of Repetition

(This blog was originally posted on February 19, 2015)

Photo by Rick Hustead

During a typical hypnotherapy session, I reinforce hypnotic suggestions in various ways during the hour or so I spend working with a client, but mostly I do this through repetition. In other words, I simply (and literally) repeat the suggestion many times and at different times during the session to reinforce the new behavior in the person’s subconscious mind.

A common and oft-repeated suggestion that I give a client during his or her hypnotherapy session is “deep sleep.” These words are employed to deepen the person’s relaxation and comfort in hypnosis so the individual can go even deeper into this state (not to encourage the person to actually fall asleep). The real work of behavior change occurs in the subconscious mind. Therefore, the more times I make this suggestion to deepen the hypnosis, the more receptive the client becomes to other hypnotic suggestions designed to implement the desired behavior change. 

Depending on the client’s suggestibility (how the person learns), if the individual is an emotional suggestible and is more inclined to learn through inference, I may also use metaphors in this context. Regardless of the language I use, I will repeat the suggestion because the more often it is given or made, the more automatic the behavior becomes.

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® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2017

Are You Sure I Was Hypnotized?

(This blog was originally posted on January 5, 2016)

Photo by Rick Hustead

After each hypnotherapy session, I always ask my client if he or she has any observations or questions about the experience. Following the first session—especially if the person has never experienced hypnosis before—I am almost always asked the same thing.

“Are you sure I was hypnotized? I could hear everything you said and knew what was going on around me, the whole time. I don’t think it worked.”

It did.

As a certified hypnotherapist, I am trained to induce hypnosis for my clients as well as (and especially) to recognize subtle physiological signs that indicate when the person has entered this state. These include: changes (deepening) in your breathing, a “glassy” appearance of the eyes, and slower and softer verbal responses. In addition, a person who is in hypnosis tends to move more slowly when walking from the straight chair in front of my desk to the recliner, for the deeper hypnosis work.

Hypnosis is different for every client. Some people remember every detail about the hypnotherapy session, from the sound of the heater or air-conditioning unit coming on to physical sensations such as tingling or heaviness in their limbs as they become more deeply relaxed. Others report they were only vaguely aware of what I said (the hypnotic script) but felt very comfortable and safe, and even more confident that they could achieve their goals

After the hypnotherapy session, I make sure to count the client completely up and out of hypnosis. I offer the person some water and give him or her a chance to sit up for a few minutes and even stretch to increase circulation and feel more alert and aware for the drive home.

For more information about hypnosis, I invite you to visit the Hypnosis Facts link on my web-site.

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® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2016