subject: How Do You Hypnotize People? [print this page] I'm often asked the question "how do you hypnotize people". Anyone who's had a personal hypnosis session with me will know that the process I use is to induce a hypnotic trance. Here's how I manage to successfully hypnotize people:
I start with a general talk about how hypnosis is basically an enhanced day dream. I also set their expectations by telling that each hypnosis session is different because you're approaching it from a slightly different "state". I reassure them that they'll still notice things happening around them - not like the "sleep" commands they may have seen in television and stage hypnosis shows.
Next up, once my subject is happy, I tell them to take a few deep breaths. One breath at a time (obviously!), nice and slow, like your mother told you when she needed you to calm down. After about the third or fourth deep breath, if they haven't done so already, I tell them to let their eyes close just as soon as they're ready. And if that still hasn't happened after another couple of breaths, I tell them to close their eyes (but it almost never gets to this stage).
Next up is the main hypnotic trance induction.
Every hypnotist has their own favorite.
Mine involves the subject finding themselves in a forest clearing. I get them to notice the feel of the grass under their feet. The tingling of the dew that's on the grass. Then I get them to notice the sound of the birds and any animals around. For most subjects, I'll also add in a babbling brook and get them to notice the sound of the water running over the rocks (I missed this part out recently when I was dealing with someone who had a fear of water).
After they start to relax, you'll notice that your subject is starting to appear to "nod off".
It's time to introduce a set of steps that have somehow appeared at the end of the forest clearing...
With every step down, they're told to go deeper and deeper into a hypnotic trance. Chances are that you'll see your subjects' eyelids flickering as they reach a dream like state of relaxation.
At the bottom of the steps, there's a large comfortable chair to sit in. Which is when the main hypnosis session starts.
