NLP hypnosis techniques

How can you change someone’s life in just one week? UK Life Coach Tracy Giffen thinks she knows how. “Out goes the sergeant major approach of intimidation and bullying, crawling through mud and dawn marches,” she explains. “In comes inspiring fitness coaching making you feel motivated like never before and neuro-linguistic programming so the mind and body change together to deliver lasting results.” The process she speaks of is known as neuro linguistic programming (NLP) and it is beginning to take hold, not just in England but also in medical clinics, workout centers and workshops across the United States.

NLP was developed in the early seventies at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Scientists Richard Bandler and John Grinder were hoping to answer the question: “What makes people effective and successful?” One aspect of the study focused on language and how happy, successful individuals communicated. By analyzing how communication affected behavior, researchers were able to find some patterns. They found that certain words connected directly with people’s senses, emotions and memories. Often in NLP hypnosis, a patient will be put into a state of trance and told a story. In that story, vivid imagery will be used; for example a beautiful blue lake, white puffy clouds or a clear flowing stream. It is believed that these images will aid in their relaxation, imagination and transformation.

If you don’t think this works, then try thinking of a “rushing waterfall” or “dripping faucet” the next time you want to urinate. It works every time! In that instance, your thoughts are having a direct effect on your bodily functions and behavior. Joe Dispenza, chiropractor, researcher and author of “What the Bleep Do We Know,” studied the idea of mind over matter for years before he was given the ultimate test; a debilitating injury from a serious accident. He opted to pass up medical treatment and focus on the healing power of the mind and NLP hypnosis techniques. Sure enough, he returned to his normal activities within weeks. He is not alone on this. Even though medical science has not proven the underlying cause of these miracles, Dr. Dispenza believes it is only a matter of time before neuro linguistic programming becomes a serious science.

Neuro linguistic programming is big business in the United States. Workshops, seminars, e-books, audio tapes, DVDs and hypnosis sessions are all in a day’s work for the busy NLP therapist. It’s been used to help athletes prepare for the big game, to help patients get over phobias, to encourage weight loss in obese people, to train business professionals to be more successful and to cure physical afflictions. While the power of positive thinking has not been scientifically verified, many patients swear by the positive results they have seen in their lives.

How to hypnotize

Learning how to hypnotize an individual is not a magical experience for the mystics, nor is it a skill acquired through years of schooling. Hypnotherapy training can easily be done with a book or two, a subject and the desire to learn hypnosis techniques. Perhaps there is someone in your life you would like to help through hypnosis. This method is said to relieve pain, reduce anxiety and help people with weight loss, smoking cessation and emotional issues. Or maybe you would like to make some extra money on the weekends performing hypnosis sessions for small audiences. The basic gist of hypnotizing someone is to get them to relax, at which point their brain waves will slow and their creative, unconscious side will emerge.

The first step for successful hypnosis sessions is the induction. Learning to hypnotize someone is based on convincing that person to abandon their waking state and slip into a more suggestible state of trance. Not everyone can be hypnotized, certainly not without their consent, but you will find that most people are willing to relax, breathe deeply and visualize certain things. A common script for visualization centers on the parts of the body you want your subject to relax. You might say, “Start by relaxing all the muscles in your forehead… let all the cares, the stresses, the anxieties of this day melt away… feel your forehead relaxing deeply to feel the tingling of relaxation… feel your neck become warm with the deep relaxation as you take a deep peaceful breath and just let go…”.

When learning how to hypnotize for the stage, mastering the art of suggestion is crucial. A post hypnotic suggestion will be given during the induction that will predict your subject’s behavior once he or she “awakens.” So, for example, a hypnotist may say, “When I count to the number five, it will appear that your hand has a life of its own and is speaking to you, but only when I count to the number five.” Or another example might be, “When I snap my fingers, you will start singing the National Anthem as loud as you can.” The subject may be fully aware of what he or she is doing but have little power to resist the impulse. Subjects often feel disturbed with confusion, anxiety or nervousness until they complete the command, as directed.

If you want a more hands-on approach while learning how to hypnotize, there are a number of seminars, workshops and hypnosis training sessions you may take. A four-day clinical hypnosis workshop offered by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis costs $210 for students, $395 for society members and $595 for non-members. The Ultimate Stage Hypnosis Seminar costs between $1,587 and $1,987, which will include membership, food and materials (DVDs, books, scripts and marketing plans). Some hypnotists, like Debra Berndt, offer half-day mini-retreats for $55 to train people how to attract healthier love into their lives or learn the basics of self hypnosis. Lastly, the super serious may attend hypnosis training in a school setting. The Academy for Professional Hypnosis Training charges $2,000 for tuition, although a four-week distance learning course through the Hypnosis Motivation Institute can be completed online for free!