Deepening techniques
After using an induction, be it the Dave Elman induction or others, it is useful to stabilize and deepen the hypnotic state of the subject. It is even necessary for quick and flash inductions.
We use this to ensure that your subject enters and remains in a stable somnambulistic state. On the other hand, to reinforce (deepen) the trance state if necessary. For example, if you want to lead your subject into the Esdaile state and/or “higher levels” of hypnosis.
Here you will find a list of the possibilities. You can use almost anything as a deepening technique, provided you announce it to your subject. Some of the techniques listed have the effect even without announcement.
Multiple linking:
“The deeper you let yourself sink, the more relaxed you become, the more relaxed you become, the deeper you go.”
“The more you try to open your eyes, the tighter they close, the tighter they close, the deeper you go.”
Indirect suggestion:
This method can be used very well during a demonstration.
While a subject is hypnotized, give suggestions to someone near you (audience).
Explain what is happening and what will happen.
For example, you could say the following:
“He is now very relaxed and totally at ease. Watch him go even deeper
into even deeper relaxation when I press lightly on his left shoulder”.
In this way, the subject receives the stimulus indirectly and reacts to it.
Counting:
Countdown from any number. (For example, from ten to one).
Countdown is preferable because it gives the feeling of going down.
Exhale:
“With every exhale, you go even deeper (relax even more).”
Also works very well in combination with the silent period.
Silent period:
” I give you a moment of silence. During this moment, you can allow yourself to reflect on yourself. To realize how easy it is for you to continue to follow this pleasant feeling.”
“And this moment begins NOW!”
Arm drop / falling hand or arm:
We also find this application in Elman Induction.
“…and when I drop your hand/arm, you drop even lower.”
Pyramiding:
Repeated inductions without leading the subject out of hypnosis,
or changing the technique during it. (stacking of methods)
Placebo:
It’s a harmless “pill” to swallow, a harmless liquid to drink, a set of procedures to follow, or even a horoscope-like prediction.
Prerequisite: You must be strongly convinced that the placebo will lead to deep relaxation.
Every time, every … more:
- “Every time I snap my fingers, you go even deeper (twice as deep as before).”
- “Every exhale, makes you sink deeper.”
Repetition – amplification
Feedback
: Draw attention to the subject’s reactions,
confirm.
- Yes, that’s good
- That’s exactly how you have to do it.
- You’re doing really well.
- Wonderful
That shows your subject that he’s doing it right and that he’s following you. He feels confirmed. Provides security.
Combinations
:With each…,
- Breath,
- heartbeat,
- Word what I say to you,
- the sound of my voice,
- noise you perceive, from inside or outside,
… you let yourself sink deeper
… you relax further
… lets you go further
you can continue to follow the pleasant feeling you already have
…
Hallucinations
: driving a car, sitting on a train, on a sailing boat, walking through a tunnel, sliding.
Elevator going down one number per floor.
Here a combination of counting down and hallucination can provide more efficiency.
Suggestion of going down
: elevator, stairs, ladder, a path leading down, going down a hill…
Be careful with visualizations: As we do not always know what a subject associates with the suggestion (image), it can quickly happen that the suggestion triggers a problem that was not there before. Someone may have had a bad experience with stairs because they were always sent to the dark cellar as a child. This may trigger fear in him.
Another person may panic in the elevator, but didn’t come to the hypnosis appointment because of it.
So negative reactions can be triggered unintentionally.
Many people are also not visually anchored and cannot imagine the suggested image. This would be somewhat frustrating for the test person and would have the opposite effect of relaxation.
Convincer
The so-called Convincer “persuaders”, which you already learned about in the previous lesson, are also very good deepeners of the trance level. By using them, you have achieved two goals at once. Many hypnotists do not dare to use them because they are afraid that the subject will come out of hypnosis and they will fail. However, this is not true and you will be able to see for yourself how intensively it positively influences the subject’s state.
Beach Deeper
This technique involves a place that the test person should imagine. The imagination of the beach is given by the hypnotist. Most people associate something pleasant with the idea of being on a beach. At best, you should ask in the preliminary talk whether your subject has no problem with water or the beach. Otherwise, you can create your own script by replacing the beach with a walk in the mountains or forest. The name in the sand could then be replaced by an idea, using the clouds as names that gradually disappear.
Here you will find the script for the beach deepener, which you can also easily use for groups.
Level A – B – C
Let your test person imagine that they can reach 3 more levels of depth from where they are now. I also like to speak of “indifference” instead of “depth”.
You can find the script here.
Rocking
A movement in which the subject is held by the shoulder and rocked.
These gentle movements allow the subject to be distracted while calming them down.
(calming maternal movement)
Rocking can be used before a flash induction, for example, or as a deepener immediately after a flash induction.
Head movement
Another form of rocking consists of holding the subject’s forehead with two fingers apart and making slight, circular movements of the head. As a rule, however, these should not take place more than 4-5 times.
Fractionating
Fractionating is a very intensive type of deepening. The technique is based on the fact that whenever a subject goes into hypnosis a second time, they go faster and deeper into trance. “Each subsequent suggestion is accepted more easily.” It is also part of the Dave Elman induction. However, you can also use this technique individually to deepen the trance state. In principle, you take your subject out of hypnosis by asking them to open their eyes and lead them back into hypnosis by asking them to close their eyes again.
Here is the script.
Hidden fractionation
The result of this technique is similar to the standard fractionation. However, there is a significant difference in what is expected from the subject. He is given clear instructions that he MUST follow. They should only open their eyes briefly when they reach the number 3 and close them again immediately, and not before. The hypnotist counts to 3 each time, but makes sure that the eyes are only opened then and immediately closed again.
If the subject opens his eyes at 1 or 2, he is immediately told to follow the instructions strictly. The trick here is not to count evenly, so that the test person cannot expect when the number 3 is mentioned.
You can find the instructions in the following script.
Note:
You can also combine all these and other techniques and incorporate them at any point within and after the induction.