A question about using convincers to demonstrate to your clients that they were hypnotized.

Answered by Calvin D. Banyan, MA, CI, BCH

Question:

Hi Calvin,

First of all I wanted to let you know that your site is very well put together and informative. It was easy to access and had just the right amount of info.

Next, I have my hypnosis training through Jerry Kein's, Omni Hypnosis Center in FL. As I was perusing through the articles on your website, I came across a post- hypnotic suggestion you use during emerging that I am unfamiliar with and was hoping you would share it with me: the sensitivity to a color or object suggestion. Could you explain this to me please? Thank you for your time.

Tina Shafer, Cht.
Adrian, Michigan

Answer:

Hello Tina Shafer -- I'm always happy to help out one of Jerry's kids (of which I am one, too).

As you may have noticed, we use an approach which was heavily inspired by what we learned from Gerald Kein. I just kind of broke it down into a reliable and predictable process I call 5-PATH® (Five Phase Advanced Transformational Hypnosis), an almost universal approach to doing hypnosis. It basically is structured like this:

Phase I - Direct Suggestion (with convincers and testing)
Phase II - Age Regression
Phase III - Forgiveness of Others
Phase IV - Forgiveness of Self
Phase V - Parts Mediation Work

Using this kind of approach allows me to teach and supervise hypnotists that are working for me so that we can keep to the highest level of quality and predictability in our work.

The suggestion that you asked about belongs in Phase I of our process. I recommend that you (and require the hypnotists that work at our Center) do the following in a first session:

Establish somnambulism by having the client lose the numbers (a la, Dave Elman rapid inductions).
Use at least one convincer early in the session (i.e., eye lock test, which in this case is not really a test, but rather a convincer, because eye lock is a test for a lighter level of hypnosis--we have evidence of somnambulism--Here the eye lock "test" is only being used so that the client will be convinced that she is in hypnosis).
Use the time distortion test (demonstrates that the suggestions were working after the hypnosis session is over, and is also another convincer). We suggest that the session will be brief (both while the client is in the waking state and just before emerging), which increases the probability of time distortion. We usually achieve 100-400% time distortion, (i.e., 20 minutes will seem like 5 minutes).
Suggest sensitivity to a color or object. An example of an object would be like noticing light switches. I usually prefer to use sensitivity to the color red. During the emerging process I suggest that for the next couple of days, longer if they like, the color red is going to stick out and that they are going to notice red more than they ever have before. They are going to notice it where they never noticed it before, AND each time that happens it will reinforce every suggestion that they have just received. A nice way to compound suggestion for days after the first session is over, and our clients love it

Usually my clients will notice something red in my office right after they emerge. But if they don't, I'm not concerned, because I know that in 99% of my clients, the suggestion will hit them on the way home when they see all those red stop lights and tail lights! It is a great technique. I didn't invent it. As far as I know it has been around for a long time. I just like to teach it because it works.

This kind of approach, of strategically using convincers, not only increases the power of a direct suggestion session, but it also turns your client into an ideal client, one who is confident that she was in hypnosis, and that you are the one that got her there (a great marketing tool by the way). Now your client has overcome a fear that no pre-talk can help her with, the fear of not being hypnotizable!

When your client comes back for her next session, she is really ready to do some work. She is much more hypnotizable. She will enter hypnosis quickly and go deeply. Chances are greatly improved that she will have a true age regression (revivification) if you chose to do one with her. This is why we handle first sessions this way, because we anticipate doing age regression with the majority of our clients.

Thanks for the question,
Calvin Banyan