HYPNOTIC SUGGESTION
Hypnotic suggestion refers to the use of verbal cues or nonverbal cues to influence a person's thoughts, feelings, or behavior while they are in a hypnotic state. Hypnosis is a state of heightened relaxation and concentration where the mind is open to suggestion.
When people are hypnotized and the critical faculty of the mind is pushed aside they have direct access to the unconscious mind making suggestions more effective. During a hypnotic session, a trained hypnotist will guide the subject into this state and then provide suggestions to help them achieve their goals.
POST HYPNOTIC SUGGESTION
Post-hypnotic suggestion, on the other hand is a technique where the hypnotist suggests certain behaviors or actions to the subject after they have emerged from the hypnotic state. People coming out of the trance are believed to be just as suggestible as during the hypnosis session for at least a few minutes. The idea is to use the few minutes post-session wisely and plant yet another seed in the subconscious mind that will continue to grow and influence the person's behavior, even after the hypnotic session has ended.
It’s important to point out that post-hypnotic suggestions are only effective if the subject is willing and open to the idea. The suggestion has to be congruent with what has transpired during the session. If the client seeking help has a hard time accepting positive suggestions and is not responding well to other techniques, it is unlikely that the post-hypnotic suggestions will have any effect on their behavior.
DIRECT AND INDIRECT SUGGESTION
Direct Suggestion is a form of suggestion that gets straight to the point. An example of a direct suggestion during a session would be as follows: “you are relaxed.” It’s a simple command that can be weaved in throughout the session. Some may feel a bit of resistance to this direct approach as it may come across as too authoritative.
Indirect Suggestion on the other hand is much more gentle and permissive. A good example of an indirect suggestion would be “I wonder whether you can feel your muscles begin to relax as you listen to the sound and tone of my voice.” In this case the suggestion is proposing that the client relaxes in a non-obligatory sense. This form of suggestion is much less authoritative and may be more effective with people who experience resistance to direct suggestion.
Both direct and indirect suggestions can be used in the hypnotic and post hypnotic context. A skilled hypnotherapist would be able to determine which approach is best used based on a client-to-client basis.
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED…
Both hypnotic and post-hypnotic suggestions are classic examples of techniques used in hypnotherapy treatments. However, suggestion is just one puzzle piece of a successful hypnosis session. Modern-day and advanced hypnotherapists will employ a variety of techniques to help people reach desired results.
