Trance Evidance

Within the art of hypnotherapy, a therapist is presented with a multitude of everyday types of communication, but without the commonly over exaggerated presentations of everyday communication one might be accustomed to receiving. In accord with this the hypnotherapist must become highly skilled at reading the slight, almost covert responce presented by clients in ther state of hypnosis.

The different types of information, which the hypnotherapist must become adept at can be classified into three basic categories:
1) Behavioral Indicators of hypnosis;
2) Emotional Indicators in hypnosis; and
3) Conscious processes interfering with hypnosis and learning.

During trance, one's movement movement is limited and most of the communication received by the hypnotist will be minute, so close observational skills are required. It should also be noted that the different hypnotic phenomena presented during trance will be different for each individual, and also different at various times for the same individual. Also, we should note that indicators of deep trance can be experienced during light trance stages, so the hypnotherapist should make a point of recognizing what might be common for each client separately.

Below is provided a brief description of the three forms of almost covert communication previously mentioned:

1) Behavioral Forms of Trance Evidance:
a . If eyes are open: lessening or loss of blink reflex, eyelid fluttering, eye fixation; pupillary dilatation; lessening of eye tracking movements; spontaneous eye closure;
b. Lack of physical movement
c. Verbal inhibition
d. Muscular relaxation
e. Breathing changes: from stomach; slower and more regular rhythm
f. Slowing of pulse rate
g. Slowing of heart rate
h. Smoothing (flattening) of facial muscles (especially in cheeks)
i. Lessening or loss of orienting response (e.g. to noises in room)
j. Changes in facial coloration (either lighter – suggesting more dissociative states – or redder – suggesting more kinesthetic relaxation)
k. Time lag to respond (e.g. in talking or moving)
l. Spontaneous ideomotoric behavior (e.g. finger twitches, hand levitation, eyelid flutter)

By recognizing what is common from the list above with each client, the hypnotherapist can judge fairly well the depth of hypnosis being experienced by the client. Further, since the level of hypnosis fluctuates, the hypnotherapist can recognize when a deepening technique might be in order, or if trance should be terminated.


2) Emotional Indicators of Trance Evidance:
Just as it is important to recognize a client's level of hypnosis, his/her emotional state, the intensity of the hypnotic state is an important aspect to be recognized.

Elman has presented research indicating that while the head and facial area can be used to read the general type of emotional state, the body is a better indicator of the intensity of the experience.

Exact details of each emotion are not critical to understand, but simply to recognize whether the client is having a pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral experience is sufficient for the hypnotherapists purpose. Unpleasant experiences are evidenced by irregularities in breathing, facial flushes, muscle tension, eye tearing, asymmetry in the right and left sides of the face to name a few. Pleasant experiences are often shown by relaxed, steady breathing, sighs, smiles, symmetry of left and right sides of the face, and a flattening of the facial muscles.


3) Conscious Processes Interfering with Trance and Learning:
The general aspect of hypnosis is to provide a client with more choices. M. Erickson has been often noted as saying, "People come for therapy because they are out of rapport with their unconscious".

As people grow they often become dependent upon their primary representational system. When an individual begins to neglect their other representational systems, whether the kinesthetic, visual, auditory or olfactory/gustatory, they limit their experience, and therefore their understandings and number of choices. In essence they become stuck.

By paying attention to the predicates used, eye-accessing patterns, breathing technique and/or physiological cues provided by the client, the observant hypnotherapist can learn the client's lead representational system and guide her into other modalities of experiences. Having accomplished this, the hypnotherapist can further teach and anchor new patterns within the client to help the client have more choices by experiencing information in different modalities.

email: dr_frank@hypnoticadvancements.com

Mailing address:
Dr. Frank Valente Ph.D.(c)
Hypnotic Advancements
3126 McCarthy Court
Mississauga , ON
Canada L4Y-3Z5

© 2004, Dr. Frank Valente Ph.D.(c)

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