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!