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Category: Inductions

The Clench

Introduction This induction belongs in the same family as the Tension Observation and PMR induction. The Clench was originally developed as a means of self-hypnosis. However, it functions just as effectively as a traditional induction. The Clench makes good use of hypnotic principles and physiological responses that are well known, such as fractionation, pacing and leading and more. Transcript I will explain what I'm going to do first and then - as we go on to do it - I'll explain each step as well. Okay? -- "Yes." Basically, I'm going to have you clench your fist and put all of your body's attention and tension into that fist. And you'll close your eyes, take a nice deep breath. Hold...

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Tension Observation

Introduction The Tension Observation induction is a rather blatant variation of a Progressive Muscle Relaxation. It also includes elements of body awareness (for example, noticing those places where we may carry tension without being aware of it) and acceptance of our present experience. As such, it is an inherently therapeutic induction. Transcript If you go ahead and get yourself comfortable… as comfortable as you can… And just experience this however you experience it. So, if you imagine that you are willing or able to become slightly less tense, just imagine what that might do to your eyelids. Some people's eyes might close, gently. Others might kinda half-close, as they relax. Other people's eyes might stay open. However you respond to...

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Tutorial: Early Learning Set
March 17, 2022
| Inductions, Tutorials

I uploaded a new Induction and failed to announce it in a blog post. So, apologies to those of you who may have missed the inclusion of the legendary Early Learning Set. If you visit the induction page, you'll see that the included video is more of a discussion of the induction, a tutorial rather than a demonstration. A separate video demo will be added to the transcript page just as soon as we are finished editing.

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Early Learning Set

Introduction The Early Learning set is a process made most famous by Milton H. Erickson. However, like his My Friend John technique, and his handshake induction, it appears to be one of those things that is admired and lauded, yet not very often put into practice. That may be because it is based on some very loose principles and thus - like My Friend John - can put people off because it seems too simple and almost too good to be true. We will share a transcript of the induction here, that is very clearly inspired by Erickson’s own transcript shared in Hypnotic Realities. (A fuller tutorial and video demonstration will be uploaded soon.) Transcript Okay, well, why don’t you...

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Tutorial: Ambiguous Touch
December 1, 2021
| Inductions, Tutorials
Milton H. Erickson

My first hypnosis training was a year long and it was a complete waste of 365 days! Then I spent a day with Jonathan Chase and 2 weekends with Stephen Brooks (miles apart, right?) and it felt like my hypnotic skill improved 1000%. Anyway, I had heard about legendary things like the Ericksonian handshake. It always seemed like the epitome of hypnotic skill. To be able to hypnotise someone that easily, that quickly, so effortlessly. And then I saw Stephen Brooks achieve arm catalepsy in a maximum of 4 seconds, by merely taking someone's hand, looking at them and saying 2 or 3 words. At that point, I realised that inductions weren't really about the excellence of the technique. (more…)

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Perspective Induction

Introduction This induction grew out of discussions around Milton Erickson's influence on solution-focused therapy. In 1954, Erickson wrote a paper entitled, Pseudo-Orientation in Time as a Hypnotic Procedure. Later, as Steve de Shazer and his team continued to work with pseudo-orientation in time, they discovered that, 'simply describing in detail a future in which the problem is already solved helps to build the expectation that the problem will be solved and then this expectation, once formed, can help the client think and behave in ways that will lead to fulfilling this expectation.' In solution-focused therapy, we are less interested in what someone is trying to avoid and more on what they are looking for instead. Where do they want to...

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The Elman Handshake

Introduction Dave Elman originally referred to this as the 'catalyst induction.' However, it did not always involve a handshake. In fact, in his classic book Hypnotherapy, Elman teaches this induction via three puffs on a cigarette! Transcript Just take my hand, and look into my eyes. That's it. Fix your eyes there. [The following instructions are given whilst the hypnotist continues to hold their partner's hand.] [spacer height="1.5em"] Here's what is going to happen: I am going to shake your hand 3 times. The first time I shake your hand, you're going to relax so much that your eyes are gonna start to feel tired. They are going to get quite heavy. You know the feeling when you're reading a...

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Dr. Flower’s Induction

Introduction Dr. Sidney Flowers created an incredibly simple yet effective induction, that rightly bears his name and is a favourite of many hypnotists. The Dr. Flowers induction utilises eye fixation, expectation and fractionation. It is particularly useful for situations where physical touch is not appropriate (meaning that inductions like the Elman are not allowed). The induction is recognisable by the fact that the client opens and closes their eyes as the hypnotist counts down. Some variations have the hypnotee open-and-close between numbers. Others might have them close on (e.g.) even numbers and open on odd. Transcript I would like you to start, by picking a point on that wall, where you can focus all of your attention. Look at that...

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The P.I.I.

Introduction The PII Induction, or the Pattern-Interrupt Interrupt, is a unique induction perfect for use with those who would be expecting a pattern-interrupt. We first devised this induction for use in training situations, when it is almost impossible to deliver a pattern interrupt, whilst teaching about pattern interrupts! The solution was rather obvious – simply interrupt in a different way. Here is a transcript of a time when we were teaching the Bandler Handshake, but interrupted to morph into a far less dramatic ambiguous touch. Transcript So, just to re-cap, we will go into a handshake like this... [Hypnotist offers their hand, to which the participant responds by putting their own hand forward.] [spacer height="1.5em"] And just as our hands...

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