Deepening Hypnosis and Turner Trance State Levels©

Age Regression (in This Life!) Clinical Hypnosis Workshop Burlington, Vermont

June1-3, 2012Maureen F. Turner, RN-BC, LCMHC,

LCSWmturner@motivationhypnosis.com

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Identify at least three deepening strategies to use in hypnotic inductions

• Identify at least three uses of imagery to enhance and intensify the trance state

• Identify and describe three examples of trance depth ratification

Deepening Strategies:

• Layering deepening techniques –Using each breath – matching, pacing,

and as a trigger to further deepen –Eye roll technique–Fractionation technique–Confusion technique–Alphabet or counting backwards with

instructions to trigger further deepening (See Elman – Turner Script Hand Out).

Using Sounds for Deepening Let each sound you hear, take you

deeper . . . . . –the sound of my voice–the sound of the music (if you have

music playing)– the sound of the inside noise and

outside sounds– the sound of the white noise machine–and the ticking of the clock.

Using More Sounds, Voice and Silence – Utilize! Utilize! Utilize!

–Can add any distracting sounds – voices outside, sirens, steel band music, laughing, hammers banging, jack hammers, wind, rain, etc.)

–Intonation of voice: directive, relaxed, inviting, soft, pacing, leading, low pitch

–Silence, judiciously used – deepens and can be used to foster slower pacing and therefore deepening relaxation

Deepening Language and Visioning• Imagine – a place where you would feel

calm, a place that you would like to visit again - see what you would see, if you were there right now – hear the sounds as if you were there right now, feel the feelings in your mind and body that help you know you are feeling so calm, smell any smells, taste any tastes that help you know you are in this calm place – (“calm place” is “safer” than “safe place” to image for a 1st time until you assess hypnotizability and abreaction risk.)

Deepening with Downward Images

• Images moving downward – slowly, down the stairs, elevator, steps, path - (Be sure to count Down and Up using the same number - i.e.: Slowly 1-10 Down, Loud & Quicker 10-1 Up!)

• Moving further into an experience

• Suggestions of focus,noticing,absorption

• Sensitivity to issues & history,if depressed avoid “deeper,” use “becoming more & further,” If drowning fear-no water images!

Deepening Using Client’s Frames of Reference, Preference, and Interests

• Children – respond to concrete and directive focus – with eyes open or closed use items, toys, nature true or imagined

• Anxious, hyper-vigilant, or resistant can be encouraged in self-soothing activity elicited in history taking: i.e.: floating, hiking, fishing, etc.

• Reflective with insight may deepen more easily connecting to an internal guide or “knowing self”

• Naturalistic using interests – clouds, sky, mountains, water, floating, flowers, trees- _

Deepening to Where?

• Levels of Hypnosis/Trance/Relaxation– Although depth of trance is discounted as

unimportant by some, many senior clinicians have believed that when suggestions are given in a deeper trance, they will have more influence.

– Erickson often treated patients in time extended sessions – in hypnosis for hours. Most of his case reports involved work in deep trance (Hammond, C., 1998).

Depth and Timing and Suggestions

–The timing of suggestions is something guided by clinical wisdom but which lacks research support at this time.

–Erickson rarely gave therapeutic suggestions until the patient was in trance for at least 20 minutes, and this only after hours of previous hypnotic training. (Hammond, C., 1998).

Hypnotic Phenomena – Where & When?It is important to create a positive expectancy

Trance ratification is a basic, yet often neglected, hypnotic principle. It is interesting that even highly talented hypnotic subjects do not believe they are hypnotized until they have a ratifying experience (Hammond, C.,1998).

Hypnotic Phenomena – (continued)

• While some 99 hypnotic phenomena and multiple levels of trance have been identified, Turner felt a need for a simple and reliable measure. After testing thousands of patients, Turner has compiled a Guide of Six General Level of Hypnosis (Turner, M.F., 2002).

Turner’ Guide of Six General Levels of Hypnosis, Trance, or Relaxation Depth©

Depth Testing:

Relax 1 - A calm state of mind. • You can still function – like when you

are driving a car but miss the exit. Able to feel calm, and be safe in a waking state.

Relax 2 – Feeling carefree – like a good vacation

• Feeling so carefree and that you can feel “that kick-back, Zippety-do-da kind of feeling!” You are still able to function but more detached and less focused but safe in a waking state.

Relax 3 – Feeling heavy

• Heavy especially in one’s arms and legs – because the muscles have relaxed. Arms & legs can feel like made of concrete! Heavy, heavy! This level is good to help one go to sleep or back to sleep. Obviously, No driving a car, truck, vehicle, piloting a boat, plane, train, or riding a horse, bike, motor cycle, or skiing, snow- boarding or any thing that one needs focus. But, to go to sleep or back to sleep - safely,easily– very helpful!

Relax 4 – Feeling Light and Floaty • Allowing the body to rest and the mind

and spirit to take flight. You can imagine flying like a bird or flying with Peter Pan and Wendy, Superman, or Superwoman. Or piloting a plane, or – you can call for a cloud armchair – shaped perfectly so you can relax and go deeper and deeper in relaxation. Obviously, No driving a car, truck, vehicle, piloting a boat, plane, train, or riding a horse, bike, motorcycle, or skiing, or boarding or any activity that needs focus. But, to go to sleep or back to sleep,safely,easily,effortlessly. Again, a very useful state of mind.

Relax 5 – is called Somnambulism

• This the state, most people associate with hypnosis. It is a sleep-like state without being asleep. One is aware of the oneness of the Mind and less and less aware of one’s body. (Ideal state for “glove anesthesia.”)

• Most people have total recall upon re-enty. Important - for the approx. 2 % who do not remember – the therapist needs to provide for whatever information is not recalled.

Relax 6 – The Esdaille State • Named after Dr. Esdaille, the British physician

who hypnotized over 400 people in India in the 1840’s before Ether was developed. It is a comatose-like state which was re-introduced in the 1950’s for use in surgery trained anesthetists. While trained in this technique, Turner does not typically use this level with patients & prefers to refer requests to hypnosis-trained anesthesiologists.

• Can be reached spontaneously in rare, very highly hypnotizable individuals (2-4%) who should be re-emerged and guided to Relax 5.

Importance of 100% Emerging

• It is especially important for clinicians who are working in Deep Trance States to be cognizant of the importance of checking for Total 100% Alert Emergence of your patient/client. Always ask: “Using 0-100 – How alert and emerged are you right now?” Continue to alert and emerge until the answer and your observation is at 100%. Clinican counting up from 10 to 1 is advised with patient/client participation.

ReferencesDelaney, M., Refining Inductions and Deepening, Hypnovations - Intermediate Lecture, Burlington,VT., April, 2010.Nash,M. and Barnier, A., The Oxford Handbook of Hypnosis, Oxford, 2008.Hammond, D.C.,Ed., Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and Metaphors, N.Y., American Society of Clinical Hypnosis,1990. Turner, M.F., “The Power of Hypnosis”, Motivation Hypnosis Lecture Series, Wellesley, 2002.Waxman, D.,Hartland’s Medical & Dental Hypnosis,3rd Ed., Philadelphia, Bailliere Tindall,1989.