Using Milton Erickson's Covert Hypnosis Techniques
Using Milton Erickson's Covert Hypnosis Techniques
The practice of hypnotism is used to treat different ailments such as overeating, smoking and other addictions. Hypnosis has been used for centuries and there are a number of different techniques being used by psychiatrist.
Conversational covert hypnosis is a technique pioneered by Dr. Milton Erickson, a world renowned psychiatrist noted for his unconventional and creative methods of looking at the unconscious mind. Dr. Erickson originally used the more traditional technique of hypnosis whereby the hypnotist uses a direct or authoritarian approach, making use of suggestions and instructions to get an individual to focus and concentrate on what the hypnotherapist is saying.
Indirect conversational hypnosis on the other hand is a much more subtle approach to hypnosis. According to Erickson, the unconscious mind is never shut down; it is always aware and listening and can easily be put into a trancelike state.
One of Erickson's techniques for inducing a mental trance was just to have a conversation with his patients. These conversations allowed Erickson to get patients into a hypnotic state simply by providing suggestions that encouraged patients to relax and let go. He then proceed to give suggestions that would be acceptable to the unconscious mind and would take away the pressure of fixing their problem.
For a patient wanting to lose weight Erickson might say something like. "You can lose weight" or "You can learn how to eat less" or "You can become skilled at exercising daily". Erickson believed that a patient who is confused will be unable to draw upon their conscious mind and will naturally try to make sense of things by turning to their unconscious mind.
By changing up this learned repetitive action, the mind suddenly stops and goes into a trance. Due to the conversational method used, this technique is also often referred to as covert hypnosis.