International Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis - E-Lib FK UWKS

212 INTERNATIONAL HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL HYPNOSIS
through a cocoon into a mature, well-differentiated butter¯y. The butter¯y is well
differentiated sexually and can ¯y freely from ¯ower to ¯ower and choose its own
mate, while the caterpillar is asexual, cannot ¯y is immature) and is limited with
its choices of food and resources. This has a special value for the immature
adolescent patient who struggles with con¯icts around gender identity. Another
useful image is `The Red Balloon Technique' Walch, 1976) which was adapted by
Hammond 1987) as an effective adjunct in helping patients to alleviate dysfunctional
guilt. I also use images for gaining a sense of control and mastery by asking
the patient to visualize herself driving a car, holding the steering wheel in both
hands, turning to the right, or left whenever she wishes to do so, changing the speed
of her travel in the car, moving forward, or reversing, and using the brakes and
other control instruments in the car, based on her need and travel plans. All these
are suggested in association with a sense of pleasure and self-mastery.
Another image is one of the patient remodelling and redecorating her room, the
room being analogous to the patient's body. First, one imagines living in an old
room where the patient feels dissatis®ed, then imagery is used in which the patient
visualizes the remodelling and redecorating of her room to meet her needs.
Emphasis is put on the patient's choice of colours, materials, furniture, drapes,
pictures, and so on. Another effective image is that of the patient adopting a puppy
or kitten, perhaps a sick one from the animal shelter of the local community. Then,
instruct the patient to visualize the kitten or puppy nursed into full health through
the patient's commitment and dedication. The sick pet is naturally a metaphor of
the patient's unhealthy body, to which they make a commitment to heal and nurse
back to full physical health.
`BACK FROM THE FUTURE' TECHNIQUE
In this method, hypnotic age progression techniques are utilized as described by
Yapko 1984, 1986), Erickson 1985), Frederick and Phillips 1992), and Torem
1992). Here, a discussion is held with a patient about a desired future image the
patient would be interested in as representing her full recovery and reaching an
ideal stage regarding personal goals, as well as body image and a state of healthy
living. This is particularly important with a developing adolescent patient who is in
the process of change and is generally struggling with the question of `Who shall I
become?' The patient is guided into a state of self-hypnotic trance and suggestions
are structured as with the following example:
... Everyone who is committed to a process of healing and recovery has an image of
the future. If you wish, you may take this very special trip in a time machine, a trip in
time, into the future. Ready ... enter into your special time machine and experience
yourself moving forward in time ... as you continue to mature, turning into the age
of 17 [assumingthe patient is 16 years old] moving forward into 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,
23, that's right and now age 25 ...By this time, you have graduated from college and
you are working in a job of your choice, gainfully employed, living in your own