Amnesia

Amnesia, and its uses in the practice of hypnosis and hypnotherapy, has come a long way and there are many viewpoints on the matter. Primarily this question; does the use of amnesia facilitate hypnotic changework in any beneficial way?

Some schools of thought believe it doesn't, but these are primarily those which strive on the use of direct hypnotic suggestion. Milton Erickson on the other hand often used amnesia, because he believed it prevented his patients from over analyzing his hypnotherapy sessions, in turn allowing the natural process of the unconscious to facilitate that changework as needed.

There are many ways of bringing on amnesia, but the best way of understanding this natural hypnotic phenomenon is to analyze how people naturally forget. For example, we are introduced to someone, and then we get into a conversation immediately. The person then leaves, and we are without a name. So what happened there? We are given a name, and then the topic is changed abruptly giving forth to new thoughts.

Milton Erickson would often exchange pleasantries with his clients, get into the hypnosis work, and as his patient regained consciousness from the trance state, he would return to the exact point of the previous pleasantry. This would jump the person back to the beginning, and he would then rush them out of his office. With time his patients would remember bits and pieces, but most often, they were just happy to learn that things were now being experienced differently.

Suggestions of amnesia can be effectively used before and during long or difficult procedures. With the patient in a hypnotic trance of whatever depth, and involved in pleasant hallucinatory surroundings, the following hypnotic suggestions can be made:

You can remember... way in the past,... when you experienced time.... going so slowly, ...when you had a difficult or unpleasant chore to do,... and the way time just seemed to fly.... when you were away on that wonderful holiday,.... or enjoying a good party. ...So, while you're enjoying where you are,... you might be pleasantly surprised ....to realize later... just how fast... time has passed, ...or maybe you... just won't remember... all the things... you experienced, ...only the... important ones, ...or maybe you will only... remember to forget ...all the things ...which are unimportant; ...perhaps... you will forget... to remember anything... which is only partly relevant... and just keep the best parts.

Similar hypnotic suggestions can be repeated during the procedure to enhance the effect. Another hypnotic technique is to use an "embedded metaphor". Typically this can be a long and involved "shaggy dog" story, with parts of it being interspersed within the treatment. The patient focuses on the story and accepts more easily the suggestions about forgetting the irrelevant experiences (the treatment).

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Dr. Frank Valente Ph.D.(c)
Hypnotic Advancements
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Mississauga , ON
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© 2004, Dr. Frank Valente Ph.D.(c)

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