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| Photo courtesy of Microsoft |
In
my previous blogs, I described how I help my clients “anchor” a positive
association to their new, desired behavior. This is done while the person is in
hypnosis and most likely to be enjoying the deep relaxation, calm and comfort
that this state naturally provides. He or she can activate this new anchor at
any time to reinforce the new, desired behavior and replace unwanted habits.
But, hypnosis isn’t the only time we create anchors. In fact, these
subconscious associations can occur in various situations and at any time
whether we intend to do this or not. This is how many of those habits that we
consciously want to change have been created in the first place.
Smells
can create very strong, pervasive anchors for many people. The scent of the cologne
or perfume can bring up a happy association with a beloved grandparent or may
trigger negative emotions if the smell reminds you of your ex. The smell of
freshly baked apple pie might take you back to coming home from college to
enjoy a holiday meals; but this same smell could be frustrating or even
torturous for someone who is on a diet. These are just a few reasons why I do
not wear perfume or even use scented candles when I work with my hypnotherapy clients.
I also want to avoid creating an unintended trigger to hypnosis that could be
activated if the person perceives a scent that their subconscious mind already
associates with me.
We
can also create subconscious anchors to food or physical sensations (touch). Do
you remember the first time you touched a hot stove? You may not if this first experience
happened when you were very young. However, your subconscious mind sure does; you
probably even can’t recall a time when you have not been cautious about
touching a surface that might be hot. The same is true if you have ever avoided
a certain food because you once got food poisoning eating that item, or you can
no longer tolerate the taste or smell of a favorite snack since you had your
child because that was all you could eat while you were pregnant.
You can even
create a subconscious anchor to sounds or music. For example, whenever I hear
Bon Jovi’s hit song, “Always,” my mind immediately flashes to an early memory
of lounging on a beach at the end of a summer day. The sun is still bright in
the sky but the temperature is no longer hot, and an almost-cold breeze is
coming off the ocean. The song sounds almost tinny as it blasts out of the
portable, one-speaker stereo that belongs to a nearby sunbather. I can barely
detect the scent of Coppertone® sunscreen as the salty air fills my nostrils. Do you see
how much imagery and how many associations are evoked by this one, specific
song? To this day, I only need to catch the first few bars and I see this
scene. I wasn’t even a Bon Jovi fan the first time I heard “Always” and I’m still
not overly fond of that song—or sunbathing on the beach, for that matter.
Isn’t that
interesting….
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/.
© 2014
