Trance

First & foremost, keep in mind that hypnosis / trance (I tend to use the term trance as hypnosis is such a misnomer) is an experiential phenomenon. We can only learn so much about playing the Saxophone by reading books and watching videos – learning can only really start once we actually get our hands on the instrument. So it is with trance: you can only learn so much about it from reading or the myriad of Youtube videos which – diplomatically – span the entire quality spectrum.

Trance is ephemeral. Each trance is its own unique experience. Different people will experience trance differently at different times and circumstances. Individuals will experience trance differently at different times and in different circumstances. Going in to trance with a fixed expectation of what it will be like – or what it is meant to be like – is generally counterproductive. This is especially true for those in the early stages of learning this valuable skill. It is more effective to simply practice, observe, reflect, and experience.

Trance is a natural phenomenon almost everyone experiences. We slip in and out of trance throughout our normal daily lives. Have you ever just ‘zoned out’? Perhaps you have drifted in to your own little world during one of those interminable business meetings or while wandering along a quiet country lane, or drifting through that first afternoon by the pool while on vacation. Or perhaps you have settled down to listen to a favourite CD and the next thing you know it has ended. Maybe you have experienced a feeling of not really knowing if you’re awake or asleep as you wake up, or drift asleep. These are all indicators that you have been in a form of trance. Hypnosis is simply us going in to trance as and when we choose, rather than it happening spontaneously. Extending this, hypnotherapy is simply the use of trance for beneficial outcomes.

Therapeutic trance is not something I would ‘do to’ you as a passive recipient. Rather, our live trance sessions will be mutual collaborations to support you in achieving your chosen outcomes. To make sense of this we can consider hypnotherapy as having evolved through three generations.

• Traditional. Based on the misplaced concept of the hypnotist exerting their will over a weak-minded subject. The nonsense you see in the movies. It is characterised by the notion of the hypnotist having special powers. We don’t! What we do have, are the skills to guide you through trance sessions for your benefit and show you how to develop these skills to use on your own.

• Ericksonian. Named after Milton H. Erickson and based on the concept of using relaxed states to by-pass your critical factor to achieve beneficial outcomes. It is characterised by specific language patterns, subtle communication, and the use of metaphors. Erickson developed this approach from the 1940’s to the 1970’s. Towards the end of this timespan, his approach was studied and codified as part of NLP’s (Neuro Linguistic Programming) development hence the crossover between Hypnotherapy and NLP.

• In the last half century, hypnotherapy has continued to develop based on advances in psychology and crucially in neuroscience. See the theories underpinning PERMA Hypnotherapy. Modern hypnotherapy – sometimes referred to as ‘third Generation’ or ‘Generative trance’ – is rooted in our understanding of the interplay between brain, mind, and body, to create the ‘space’ for you to develop as you choose. It is characterised by its straightforward approach and respecting the client as the expert of their own experience. There are no swinging watches, no spirals, no binaural beats, no subliminals, and no ‘looking in to my eyes’ or similar such theatrics.

There is a fundamental shift you need to be aware of. Both the traditional and Ericksonian approaches were predicated on the hypno making suggestions with the intention of the subject following. Modern hypno works differently. It creates the conditions for you to arrive at your own conclusions. Some of this you will do analytically and some you will do through trance. Any suggestions are purposefully vague. The stories and metaphors we use are, intentionally, wide open to interpretation. Their meaning is what they mean to you. During, and after, our trance sessions you will find your own answers and your own way forward. This is what we mean when we say ‘you are the expert of your experience.’ In this way, you develop your own agency (essentially, the degree of control you have over your life) rather than becoming more reliant on therapy on an ongoing basis. You will learn this experientially as we progress through our time together. And I hope you will continue to develop your skills thereafter.