But these days, hypnosis is different, or the way we think about psychology is different than in the eighties. In this trauma-saturated moment, the last thing a client wants to do with their time is imagine more suffering. Today we use more positive imagery and link positive emotion. I think this is the correct approach. It reminds the client of the truth. That we are at the creative center of our life. The locus of control is within us. So, you don’t want to just stop smoking, rather you want to become a non-smoker, a creative act! You don’t want to stop eating junk food, you want to become someone healthy and vital.
These positive emotions and feelings the hypnotist must elicit are a little less obtuse than the negative emotions. They are things like hope, adventure, peace, balance, passion, happiness, inspiration, self-realization, bravery, daring, power, control, joy, creativity. These may not be as intense emotions as the negative ones but they are the ones that give life meaning, purpose, and richness.
