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| Photo courtesy of Microsoft |
Compulsive
behavior can affect hypnotherapy by increasing the client’s resistance to
modifying behaviors or habits that enable him or her to repress “unacceptable”
feelings that may produce a secondary gain. Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D. observed
that obsessive-compulsive behavior can even impede therapy because the client
may not be able to evaluate or accept the need to change the compulsive
behavior that is helping to achieve specific goals. Furthermore, the person may
also wonder how he or she will be able to resist the urge to repeat the
compulsive behavior outside of the therapist’s office.
Treating
someone with an obsessive-compulsive issue is often a long-term process. While
the client is completely dominated by thoughts about the presenting issue
(e.g., fear of being alone), he or she may also have a strong abreaction (resistance)
to any suggestions about changing the compulsive behavior (e.g., repetitive hand-washing).
Therefore, it is important for the client to perceive that he or she will
direct the progress of the therapy before
the individual goes into hypnosis. “Tell the client what the problem is, where
it came from [and] what you (the hypnotherapist) plan to do, and give the
person options for treatment,” Dr. Kappas recommended.
As
the individual begins to change behavior, he or she must face unknowns in accepting
the hypnotherapist’s suggestions for modifying those behaviors or belief
systems that are no longer working. Furthermore, the possibility that the
compulsive behavior garners a secondary gain, such as being identified as/receiving
attention for someone who possesses a particular trait. Such identification may
increase the client’s subconscious desire to resist letting go of the compulsive behavior, the hypnotherapist
warned.
Most
important to facilitating a successful therapeutic process is for the
hypnotherapist to accept the client and to provide unconditional positive
regard for him or her, regardless of the presenting issue. Meanwhile, the
hypnotherapist should gently direct the client toward recognizing which
behaviors no longer work for or in that person’s life, and replace these with
beliefs and actions that do.
“If
you don’t do anything in moderation, you won’t take pain in moderation, either,”
Dr. Kappas said. “You’ll develop a mechanism of feeling how you want to feel,
now. You don’t have to hold onto that pain.”
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
