Does underlying psychological pain express thru physical symptoms?
Clients often come to us with physical conditions to remedy, such as IBS, tinnitus, eczema, infertility, fibromyalgia, and many more.
As hypnotists our tool, of course, is language, and we work with the mind.
Hypnotists often have to think of words in terms of symbols. Symbols have meaning and we can begin to create scripts using metaphors and imagery.
In the ground breaking book “The Body Keeps Score” the author suggests that physical ailments are often markers, pointers, to underlying psychological distress that is held or expressed thru the body.
“After trauma the world is experienced with a different nervous system. The survivor’s energy now becomes focused on suppressing inner chaos, at the expense of spontaneous involvement in their lives. These attempts to maintain control over unbearable physiological reactions can result in a whole range of physical symptoms, including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and other autoimmune diseases. This explains why it is critical for trauma treatment to engage the entire organism, body, mind, and brain.”
― Bessel A. van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
I believe the expression of many physical ailment perfectly reflects an inward psychological condition.
As an example, let’s take eczema, an overreaction of the autoimmune system causing itchy red dry patches on the skin.
First, we ask, what emotional or psychological traits might we expect this client has?
Or another way to say it is, if eczema was described in symbols of psychological traits, what would it be?
The hypnotist should be skilled at breaking the concept down into descriptive psychological traits and then build a script around their antonym.
Here are some traits that describe eczema, both as a physical condition and as possible emotional or psychological attributes: Overreaction, Inflammation, Overprotective, Irritated, Dry, Guarded, Sensitive, Burning, Antagonizing, Irritating, Itchy, Red, Inflamed.
The hypnotist can then begin to create positive statements with the antonyms (opposite meaning). Cool, Refreshing, Peaceful, Calm, Moist, Open, Safe, Soothing.
Consider building a script around these antonyms.
Here is an example of a potential healing script for eczema.
Tip: A ‘script’ is the term used for the part of the hypnosis session, where we address the topic they come to us for. This follows the hypnotic ‘induction’, which takes the client down into deep levels of relaxation.
“This hypnosis session is soothing and calming, and my voice begins to feel very calming and soothing now and the longer I speak.”
Hypnosis is a passive experience. You don’t have to work hard, in fact, you don’t have to work at all…take a break now, from working at all…I’d like you now to imagine yourself taking a break somewhere peaceful, maybe a picnic by a stream on a beautiful day. This is an imaginary place, even more beautiful, more peaceful, and safe in our imagination. Use your childlike imagination now.
The grass is soft under your feet as you open your blanket. Breathe the air and smell the sun on the river and the scent of the moist earth. Dappled shade trees stand strong and ancient, fanning out above your head. Notice now, the sound of the water gently lapping in and out, in and out, and the gentle rustling of leaves — the perfect temperature on your skin.
Lay down now and let your entire body take a break. Here and now. Even your immune system feels safe by the river, nothing to protect against. No conflict at all. Just an easy smooth flowing feeling. Notice how life unfolds naturally, nothing to protect here, simply feelings of safety and harmony everywhere.
Everything is so alive. The plants are moist and green, new like spring, each blade so full of life, reaching for the sun, roots burrowing down into the soft cool, moist dirt. The perfect temperature is not too hot and not too cold, just right. Everything is safe, everything is just right, just like your body feels now…good… here…now, it is just right, perfectly safe, just like your mind feels now. Now your mind feels safe and calm and soothing. My voice and these words are soothing and gentle, just like you need.
Your body was built for this ecosystem, the air, the water, just like a furry bunny is perfect for this planet or a shy deer. You’re built perfectly for the planet. Safe, calm, and soothing, take these feelings into you now, feelings of safety, feelings of calm, in this soothing calm relaxing sanctuary. (Pause)
When we are babies, our skin is more delicate. Babies need tenderness, gentleness, and caring. Maybe you can baby yourself a bit right now and just let yourself receive this tenderness, gentleness, and care that I am sending you right now. Because words are just symbols, but symbols have meaning, and you can absorb all the meaning of these words deep into your subconscious, now feeling even safer, calmer, and soothed — more at peace with your environment. Your body is harmonious and balanced. Healing is returning to wholeness, and wholeness is harmony and balance in your mind and body. You are healing now (Weaving in the word “now’ is an important strategy for bringing the mind back to the moment. These are considered direct statements — Now you feel safe, now you are feeling calm.).”
Let’s break this process down into four steps.
1.Describe a physical condition in psychological terms and define the dominant characteristics of the problem (i.e., eczema is an overreaction of the autoimmune system causing itchy, red, dry patches on the skin.).
2. List words that describe the feeling of the negative symptoms (i.e., overreaction, Inflammation, overprotective).
3. Determine appropriate antonyms. (moist, calm, safe)
4. Create your script using guided imagery woven in with direst suggestions.
TIP: When you write your script, focus on the language patter (rhythm, sound, and flow.) Disregard traditional grammatical structure. Think more like a free-form poet. Write structurally like a free-form poem.
Interestingly, the client that inspired this script, had a mother figure who was very fearful of the world. The client remembered often standing (hiding) behind her mother who was always on the look out and ‘protecting her’ when they went out.
I approach this in a different process model termed TRIP, Timeline Resolution and Integration Process. If you would like further information about hypnosis training please contact me.
“In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them. Physical self-awareness is the first step in releasing the tyranny of the past.”
― Bessel A. van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma