Module 3 - Guided Imagery

In this module we are going to look at different types of hypnotic induction, different ways of mixing suggestions with guided imagery, and different releases so that you are skilled at holding suggestion-based hypnosis sessions.

Hypnotic Deepeners

Once the basic hypnotic induction has been completed the hypnotist may consider using a deepener. This is just a way using guided imagery to help a person take their attention away from the outside world entirely.

A basic, but common and powerful example of a deepener would be to take a person down a staircase that eventually leads to a beautiful garden, then get the client to explore the garden and enjoy the space.

Another simple example of a deepener is getting a person to imagine they are floating through the sky on a soft cloud, all their woes have been left down on the ground.

Watch The Demo

See the tutor demonstrate a hypnotic induction, deepener, and release to the whole group in the video above.

Practice Time

When practicing with your practice partners and voluntees, recreate what you saw in the demo above: hypnotic induction, deepener, and release.

See Appendix A - Basic hypnotic inductions

See Appendix B - Basic hypnotic deepeners

See Appendix C - Hypnotic releases

Watch The Demo

Watch the tutor demonstrate pacing and leading induction and rapid induction, making clear the important role of pre-talk in rapid and so-called instant inductions.

Practice Time

Recreate with your volunteers and practice partners to practice a rapid induction including pre-talk.

Guided Imagery

Guided imagery is known to be used during guided meditations as a way to take a person from the external world, to the internal.

A way to get a person deeply into their own mind so they can let go of the outside world for a bit. You will recognise this from the hypnotic deepener work we did in the previous module.

Simple examples of guided imagery you can pair with hypnotic suggestion could be:

• A tunnel of change, where a person walks through a tunnel and when they come out the other side, the problem has evaporated, or some wisdom will come to them.
• Walking a split path, where one side of the path is the problem continuing and the other side of the path is how awesome everything is with the problem gone.
• Taking a person to a safe and beautiful space so that they can release their fears, worries, negative emotions, etc.

Notice that in all the imagery examples provided above; the imagery is used to open the mind or create a safe space where the client then feels able to either express or change emotional states, or to introduce a new state where the problem is solved.

There are two main ways in which guided imagery can be used to create hypnotic suggestions. One way is through imagined outcomes. This can be via a method known as future pacing where we imagine we are a period in the future and our problem is gone. Really imagining what life could be like in this scenario. You can also use this during regression work, to change how they feel about a scenario. More on that in the next module.

Watch The Demo

Watch the tutor demonstrate a tunnel of change session for all students. This is a content-free approached which will be explored in-depth later in the course.

Also see the demo of a future pacing example - perfect day visualisation.

Practice Time

Work with your volunteers and practice partners to practice the techniques discussed above, so this could be a tunnel of change, split path or beautiful space, or future pacing example.

Releases

A release is used to ease the individual out of the hypnosis, leaving them in the desired state with reflected suggestions.

The simplest example of a release is the count out count from 1-5 and open your eyes.

NB: It can take different individuals different amounts of time to come out of the trance and be able to listen, understand or even talk. Just allow them to take their time, we do not rush our clients and make sure we have time that all-important post-talk so that their subconscious mind can soak in the desired suggestions.

Questions to Ponder

Think about hypnotic releases and the importance of post-talk.

Homework - Practice talking to friends and family using clean language. Also, create a script for your own hypnotic deepener and submit to your course tutor via email at [email protected]