I wanted to share a simple trick to help you when you construct direct suggestions or post hypnotic suggestions for your client.

Imagine telling a 5 year old child, ‘Don’t slam the door on the way out.’ What can you anticipate is going to happen and why? Most likely the child will run out the door and slam the door behind them. Why? Because you painted a big bold picture of themselves slamming the door in their mind. The only way to picture not slamming a door, is to first picture it slamming and then picture not doing that. It’s a two step process. The child had to create the scene you don’t want… and then negate it.

Now, if you were to simply say, ‘ Close the door quietly on the way out.’ Or ‘Close the door gently when you leave’. That puts an entirely different picture in the mind of the child. In their inner mind they see themselves closing the door very quietly. And as they approach the door, they can recall that neural impression.

The mind in hypnosis is like that of a child, in terms of executive function. It’s important to understand that it’s much easier to follow positive directions.

For example ‘See yourself putting on your athletic shoes and walking out the door for your 7:00 p.m. run’ as opposed to ‘you no longer sit on the couch eating potato chips at seven p.m.’

Or to be even more direct

‘Every evening at 7:00 you notice the time, then put on your running shoes, leave the house and start running.’

‘This roots deeply and becomes part of your new daily lifestyle routine, effortlessly & automatically’

Expert Tip* Repeat this up to 10 times slowly so they picture it clearly and identify themselves with the suggestion. Repetition is not boring in the hypnotic state. It’s actually pleasant, and since the mind is processing slowly, repetition creates the appropriate needed time for the client to absorb and identify with the suggestion. Ie. “I am going to repeat this 10 times. Each time, picture and feel yourself easily accomplishing your goal.”

Most clients come to us knowing what they don’t want… ‘I don’t want to smoke, or overeat, or bite my nails.’ Therefore, spend time during each intake to clarify what it is they do want so that you can approach the solutions from this direction.

Another way to make direct suggestions successful is to link the emotional reward to the suggestion. There is a reason the client wants to change their behavior, their motivation…and it is always linked with feeling. Find the feeling or emotion the clients will be reward with and link it to the suggestion ie.

This client is running to destress and take care of their mental health.

“Every evening at 7:00 you notice the time, then put on your running shoes, leave the house and start running. You’re rewarded with feeling invigorated, energized and mentally clear.”

This client wants to lose weight by running.

“Every evening at 7:00 you notice the time, then put on your running shoes, leave the house and start running. As you lose weight you are rewarded with feelings of self-confidence, vitality, and joy for life.

This client is training for a new adventure.

‘Every evening at 7:00 you notice the time, then put on your running shoes, leave the house and start running. You feel a sense of physical and mental power and excitement as you prepare for your Triathlon.’

This idea applies to every different topic a person may want to see a hypnotist for. A client always comes to us with an objective, and a reason for the objective, but at a core level they are motivated by an underlying feeling or emotion they want to experience. Always find out what that is.

This ties into the Pleasure Pain Principle, which is another way to help your client reach their goal using hypnosis. I will discuss that next.