Demonstration of Hypnotic Inductions 1. Presenter: 2. Presenter: 3 ...

Demonstration of Hypnotic Inductions
39 th Annual Workshop in Clinical Hypnosis, June 10-12, 2010, Minneapolis, MN
Introductory Workshop Objectives
Be able to identify and facilitate 3 or more inductions
1. Presenter:
A. Induction
B. Notes
2. Presenter:
A. Induction
B. Notes
3. Presenter:
A. Induction
B. Notes
4. Presenter:
A. Induction
B. Notes
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PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION INDUCTION
D. Corydon Hammond, Ph.D.
University of Utah School of Medicine
FIXATION ON BODY AND BREATHING
I’d like you to begin by just resting back, very comfortably, and closing your
eyes. Just rest back in the way that is most comfortable for you right now, just resting
your hands on your thighs, or on the arms of the chair. And as you just settle back
comfortably, this will be an opportunity, for you to become even more comfortable, and
to experience a hypnotic state, very easily, and very gently.
And as you rest back, you can begin noticing the feelings, and sensations in your
body right now. Just notice some of the sensations, that you can be aware of right now.
For instance, you may become aware of the feelings in your feet; or you may notice the
sensations in your hands as they rest there. And as you continue listening to me, I’d like
you to simply allow yourself to breath easily and comfortably. And as you do so, you
can pay particular attention to your breathing. Just pay particular attention, to the
sensations associated with every breath you take. And as you attend to those feelings,
you can notice that the sensations are different, when you breath in [timed to inhalation],
and when you breathe out [timed to exhalation]. Just notice those feelings as you breathe
in [timed to inhalation], and fill your lungs; and then notice the sense of release, as you
breathe out [said while exhaling simultaneously with the patient], and allow more
comfort to come into your experience.
PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION
And now I’d like you to concentrate particularly on the feelings in your toes and
feet. Just allow all the muscles and fibers in your toes and feet, to become very deeply
relaxed. Perhaps even picturing in your mind’s eye what that would look like, for all
those little muscles and tissues to relax, loosely and deeply. Allowing yourself to get that
kind of feeling you have, when you take off a pair of tight shoes, that you’ve had on for a
long time. And you can just let go of all the tension in your toes and feet, and feel the
relaxation spread. [brief pause]
And now imagine that this comfort and relaxation, is beginning to flow, like a
gentle river of relaxation, upward, through your ankles and into your calves. Let go of all
the tension in your calves, allowing them to deeply, and restfully, and comfortably relax.
And when it feels as if that comfort has spread all the way up to your knees, gently nod
your head to let me know [pause] [After a response]: Good. [This signal is a double
check that the patient is responding adequately and it also allows the facilitator to gauge
the amount of time needed for purposes of timing the rest of the induction. A signal may
also be given at the top of the thighs].
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And allow that comfort to continue, flowing upward, into your knees, and behind
your knees and through your knees, and into your thighs. Letting go of all the tension in
your thighs, perhaps once again imagining what that might look like, for all those large
muscles and tissues, to become soft and loose, deeply relaxed. Perhaps already noticing
that sense of gentle heaviness in your legs, as they just sink down, limply and
comfortably. And when you notice that sense of heaviness in your legs, gently nod your
head again.
And continue to allow that comfort, to flow and spread upward, at its own pace
and speed, into the middle part of your body. Flowing into your pelvis and abdomen and
stomach, [pause] through your hips and into lower back. Letting that soothing, deep
comfort spread, inch by inch, up through your body. Spreading from muscle group to
muscle group. Gradually, progressively flowing into your chest, [brief pause] into your
back, [brief pause], between your shoulder blades, and into your shoulders. Just allow all
the tension to loosen, and flow away. As if somehow, just the act of breathing is
increasing your comfort. As if somehow, every breath you take, is just draining the
tension out, of your body, taking you deeper, [timed to exhalations] and deeper, into
comfort, with every breath you take.
And allow that comfort to flow into your neck and throat. Perhaps imagining
once again what that would look like, for all the little fibers and muscles in your neck and
throat, to deeply, softly, comfortably relax. Let that relaxation sink deep into your neck.
And it can gradually flow up your neck, up into your scalp, and all Out across your scalp,
as if it’s just bathing your head, with waves of comfort, and relaxation. And that
relaxation can flow down, into your forehead, and like a gentle wave, down across your
face, into your eyes, your cheeks, your mouth and jaw. Just let go of all the tension in
your face, your mouth, your jaw, allowing those tissues and muscles to sag down, slack
and relaxed.
And now allow that comfort to flow back down your neck, and across your
shoulders, and down into your arms. Letting that comfort flow down your arms, through
your elbows, [pause] through your wrists, through your hands and fingers, right down
through your fingertips. Letting go of all the tension, and tightness, letting go of all the
stress, and strain, all through your body. Just allowing your body to rest, and relax.
3

Progressive Yoga Relaxation Induction
© Stephen Parker Psy.D. L.P. R.Y.T. 500
This hypnotic induction is borrowed from the large and detailed science of deep
relaxation exercises in the yoga tradition that goes by the name shīthali-karaņa. There are
literally hundreds of different forms, which operate under the general principle that the
more points of concentration there are, the deeper the state of relaxation that is obtained.
These exercises are used in training for entering deep states of meditation and are
sometimes combined with a complementary set of practices called yoga-nidrā or yoga
sleep, through which one can accomplish the outcomes of traditional hypnosis and,
beyond this, can come to a state of conscious delta wave sleep 1 .
Just make yourself comfortable on the couch and feel the couch supporting your
body. If any part of your body feels tight or tense, just pick it up, tense it a bit, relax and
set it back down again. As we begin, just feel your body from head to toe from inside
your skin. You may feel your eyes want to close at some point to help you do this and if
that happens, go right ahead. Bring your mind back from all the space around you and
feel just the space your body occupies inside your skin. As you do this, it’s interesting
how aware you become of your breathing, feeling your body move as you breathe. For a
few moments just observe this process. Feel how much you use the muscles in your chest
. . . . or your stomach . . . . or your shoulders in the process of breathing and just enjoy
how comfortable you feel. Notice how your breath has begun to become just a little
slower and deeper as you observe and just let that process continue. Feel the flow of
breath in your nostrils, warm as you exhale, cool as you inhale, and let that feeling of
flow in your nostrils help you make your breath very smooth and deep and even. And you
can even see if you can smooth over the pause between exhaling and inhaling. (Pause for
a couple of breaths.) Good!
Now, as you focus on feeling your body breathe, let yourself feel inside the
muscles of your chest and shoulders and feel inside the center of any tension you find
there until the muscles just let go. Relax your shoulders and your chest and let yourself
exhale by gently pushing the air out with the muscles in your stomach and diaphragm and
then relax and just let the air fill you as you inhale. So you make exhalation the active
part of your breathing cycle. And its interesting how as you breath you can feel a little
more relaxed and comfortable with each exhaling breath.
And now let yourself feel your way through the muscles in your body as I name
them and see whether you notice any tightness or tension, and, just as before, let your
mind feel inside the center of any tension you find until the muscles just let go. So feel
with your mind inside the muscles of your forehead and the top of your head, feel inside
the center of any tension you find until the muscles relax and release. Relax your
forehead and feel down around your eyes and eyebrows.
1 This was demonstrated at the Menninger Foundation’s Voluntary Controls Project in 1970 by Swami
Rama of the Himalayas. (For a general description of these experiments, see Green, Elmer and Alyce.
(1977). Beyond biofeedback. New York: Dell) and was recently demonstrated again in the laboratories of
the Institute of Noetic Sciences by his disciple Swami Veda Bharati.
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[Follow the same procedure as indicated above, interspersing the suggestion about
becoming more and more comfortable with each exhalation: cheeks and the corner of
your mouth, jaw, neck, shoulders, upper arms, forearms, hands, fingers, fingertips,
fingers, hands, forearms, upper arms, shoulders, chest—ribs and back, cardiac plexus in
the center of the chest, abdomen and diaphragm, hips, behind (use neutral terms for body
parts in proximity to genitals or other erogenous zones), thighs, lower legs and calf
muscles, feet, and toes.] Now breathe as though you can feel your whole body breathing
from head to toe. [Pause to allow a couple of breaths and then go up the body in the
reverse order. If time is short, you can have the client feel from their shoulders to their
fingertips and back again at their own speed rather than naming each part within that
range.]
Once again let yourself feel as though your whole body is breathing from head to
toe. And now let yourself just feel the flow of breath in your nostrils at the spot where
your nosebridge meets your upper lip. And as you focus your awareness here you can just
feel how you can become more and more deeply comfortable and more and more deeply
focused with each breath. It’s almost like you take a step with each breath into a deeper
and deeper place, a place that is more and more comfortable, more and more safe, more
and more just your own inner space. [Here you might facilitate deepening by counting the
steps with each exhalation and interspersing deepening suggestions. When you have
finished your utilization, facilitate exit from trance by counting backwards from the same
number of steps you used in the induction, pairing your counting with each inhaling
breath and the suggestion that with each inhaling breath the client can feel more and more
awake and aware and refreshed until their eyes naturally want to open.]
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“Church/Steeple” Induction Technique
The 39 th Annual Workshop in Clinical Hypnosis, June 10-12, 2010, Minneapolis, MN
Make yourself comfortable in the chair, then extend your arms completely out so your hands are about eye level,
like this (demonstrate arms extended). Good, now fold your fingers under at the second knuckle, all except your
index fingers... extend them up, parallel to each other. like this (demonstrate fingers folded under, not laced, and
index fingers about three inches apart).
Good. Now I’d like you to just let your eyes focus on your fingers…as you do you’ll notice something very
interesting beginning to happen: your fingers begin to come together almost as though they were being pulled
together by magnets. (As fingers begin coining together, reinforce with “that’s fine, good”)
And when your fingers touch feel a wave of relaxation sweep over you, and let your hands drift into your lap, and let
your eyelids close.., that’s good. And now begin to concentrate on your breathing, breathing as slowly and as deeply
as is comfortable for you. With each breath in feel a little more relaxed; with each breath out, a little of the tension
of the day goes with it.
Good, And as you continue to breath slowly and deeply I’d like you to begin to focus on various muscles, letting
them relax. Begin with the muscles of your scalp and face, let them soften…the muscles of your neck and shoulders
...let the tension of your head, neck and shoulders drain down your arms and out your fingertips... you may notice a
very pleasant sensation as the tension drains through and out your fingertips: they may tingle or feel warm or
wooden, I’m not sure what it will be, but it will he very pleasant.
Now, at your own pace, focus on the muscles of your chest and back: let the tension drain out of them, the muscles
of your abdomen and buttocks; let all of the tension of your trunk just drain down your legs and out your toes, And
again, you may feel a tingling, numbness, or warmth spread through your feet as the tension drains away.
That’s good. And now, when you are ready, at your own pace, open that part of your mind that stores beautiful
memories, and return to a special place of comfort. This is a place which is always with you, a place where you can
go to relax and do any work that you need to do.
And when you are ready, at your own pace and in your own way, you can come back to the here and now, feeling
deeply relaxed, alert and confident.
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Hypnotic Induction Technique: Sand Pail and Balloons
Daniel P. Kohen, M.D.
39th Annual Workshop in Clinical Hypnosis, June 10-12, 2010, Minneapolis, MN
(adapted and modified from Kay Thompson, D.D.S.)
(Note: This technique incorporates elements of catalepsy, levitation, reverse levitation,
and Ericksonian suggestion; and allows the subject to demonstrate to themselves the
wonderful capacity that they have for hypnotic ability.)
Introduction: In a moment when I ask you to close your eyes and extend your arms in
front of you, this is what I mean by extend your arms. (Clinician demonstrates arms
extended straight out in front, parallel to the ground.) When we are doing this together,
will it be okay if I touch you gently on your hands and/or arms? Thank-you.
Verbalization:
"Okay, let's begin. Please close your eyes and extend your arms. That's right."
"Great. Now, it will be very interesting to imagine -- or pretend, whichever you prefer --
that on one of your wrists there is hanging a child's sand pail, perhaps like the kind you
used to have when you played at the lake or beach when you were much younger...and on
the other wrist imagine that there is a large cluster of helium-filled balloons rising from a
string tied gently around your wrist."
"It doesn't matter which is which...but just notice now which is which. And....as you
notice this difference, you will probably soon notice that the wrist with the helium filled
balloons is exerting a slight gentle tug upward, lifting your hand and arm up, ever so
slightly, "(and when it is different, then the clinician should add..."That's right...") "and
you may have noticed that the hand with the pail on it is probably being tugged
downward somewhat."
(Pause for the suggestions to take effect. If no effect is noted, be patient, and perhaps
offer the motivating suggestion that "It's interesting to just let it happen and be curious
about how it will feel and what you will notice.... that's right...good! ")
"Now, in your imagination add a few clumps of dirt to the pail...and notice that this will
make it a bit heavier, and you may feel that sensation of heaviness travel somewhat up
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your arm and into your shoulder."
"Now, as the hand with the balloons seems to float up more and more at the right speed
for you, it's interesting and kind of exciting to know that you are doing this so well,
....and that it means that you are even better at learning self-hypnosis than you thought.
And, you can go more and more into the comfort of this self-hypnosis experience the
higher that hand floats, and more comfortable the lower the other hand goes, as it gets
heavier and heavier ... holding up that pail now almost full of sand..."
"It is often very interesting to not only enjoy this good feeling of learning, but also to
learn that you can open your eyes while you are in hypnosis...so in a moment let your
eyes open and enjoy seeing the differences that you feel and have created with your
hands,....and after you do so you can feel very pleased.... and proud.... and let your eyes
gently close again, going even more comfortably into your hypnosis. .........that's
right.....isn't that great? ......Good...."
Ending the trance with positive suggestions:
"For the last part of this wonderful hypnotic experience, when you're ready let the hand
with the pail just gently come toward your lap, let the pail slide off onto the ground, and
when your hand reaches your lap it can return to its usual regular and comfortable
feelings. And, when you are clear that you have learned something very nice and
interesting, then you can imagine cutting the string to the helium balloons, and as your
hand floats gently down back to your lap and the balloons float away, that hand too can
resume it's usual feeling. With both of your hands and arms back to their usual
sensations, the rest of you can come back to your usual state of awareness when you're
ready over the next few moments...and be sure to bring your comfortable good feelings
back with you."
"Very nicely done. Would you tell me about this experience?"
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