Self Hypnosis

David M. Pittle, Ph.D.

Hypnosis and the Unconscious Mind

Most of my work is helping people change their emotions and their behavior so that their lives work better for them. The key to these changes is discovering that the locus of change is within. There are many models that psychotherapists and counselors use to explain what we do. Each of these leads to apparently different methods. But research has demonstrated that no matter what we believe we are doing, the counselors useful activities are really fairly similar. Those common tools are few, but effective. One set of these effective activities is to help clients develop new ways of thinking because our emotions and behaviors are most often controlled by what we think, either consciously or, more often unconsciously. I like to say that we think either within or outside of our own awareness. For the most part, the thinking outside of awareness is actually much stronger. Changing unconscious thinking is more difficult than changing conscious thoughts. For example, many people have the unconscious thought that they must be loved and admired by every significant other person in their life, and if not, it is awful. If they are not loved by others then they are worthless worms. Now they may not be aware of these thoughts, but the fact that they both feel and act wormily demonstrates the reality of those unconscious thoughts. There are many other such thoughts or beliefs that we hold and that sabotage our lives. One example is that I must be perfect and if I fail, in any respect, I am a total failure and without value. Since these habitual thoughts are often embedded below selfawareness, one tool I often use is hypnosis because hypnosis is specifically aimed at changing the unconscious thoughts that operate below self-awareness. Directly changing the thinking of the unconscious is difficult because it is hard to reach that level of thought and its habitual processes, but hypnosis provides a direct pipeline. Hypnosis allows you to help your unconscious mind experience thoughts and images as real. Most peoples image of hypnosis comes from stories of stage hypnotists who apparently get people to do all manner of strange behaviors before an audience. These hypnotists choose their subjects very carefully to include only the most suggestible persons, including at times secret confederates. Real hypnotherapy is very different. Hypnosis takes place in you. Unless you hypnotize yourself, hypnosis cannot take place. You must actively and voluntarily participate in the process. There is a reason that while most therapists are licensed by states or credentialed by accepted private credentialing organizations, that is not true of hypnotherapists. The reason is that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The therapist is only there as a facilitator or guide. This is also the reason that placebo drugs work wonders. Self-hypnosis, David M. Pittle, Ph.D. page 1 of 6

It is the source of the power of auto-suggestion, of affirmations and of The Power of Positive Thinking. All of these are first steps along the way to self-hypnosis. Someone going into surgery may have a belief that This surgery will cause me to be in great pain. I have had some minor foot surgery for plantar warts. I know from experience that the anesthesia was completely effective in preventing pain. When I needed to have the podiatrist work on another set of plantar warts, I had the historical experience. My conscious mind knew that I need not experience great pain. Still, my unconscious thoughts betrayed me. That part of my mind outside of awareness continued to control me. I experienced a great deal of pain. Plantar warts are not easily dissuaded. As it happened, I found myself needing to go through this a third time. This time I prepared myself for it by applying a counseling tool that I often use with clients, but had ignored for myself. I created a script and applied self-hypnotic suggestion, helping my unconscious mind know that the pain was not great, but that I could and would let myself simply accept the effect of the anesthetic and not experience the discomfort. In fact, I sent myself on a rather pleasant visit to a favorite location, viewing a Japanese stone garden, while the podiatrist was doing his work. When he was finished, I had a foot swathed in bandages, but I did not have the pain.

Who can hypnotize themselves?

Anyone who is not psychotic or neurologically impaired can benefit from self-hypnosis. You have already been hypnotized if you have lost yourself while reading a book, or listening to music. If you have forgotten, for a moment, where you were; if you have been so absorbed in a task that you lost track of time; if you have left your office, driven home, and suddenly realized that you have arrived but dont remember the journey; you have been hypnotized. (This is different from having your mind lulled into dullness by the monotony of the road.) There are only three requirements to be fulfilled in order to learn self-hypnosis. You need to want to do this; a sincere desire is important. It requires an open mind, a willingness to give it a real try. Some people take pride in being too tough-minded to be able to be hypnotized. Of course, if hypnotism is always self-hypnotism, that closeminded attitude determines a failure in deliberate self-hypnosis. The price to be paid for being close-minded is that this tool is not available. The third requirement is a willingness to devote some time to learning and practicing self-hypnosis on a regular basis.

For what can self-hypnosis be useful?

There are many useful goals for self-hypnosis. My clients, patients and I have used this tool to . . . Change a bad habit Lose weight page 2 of 6

Self-hypnosis, David M. Pittle, Ph.D.

Stop smoking Gain self-confidence Become comfortable with deep feelings Cope with a marital break-up Increase energy level Improve sports performance Increase sales performance Decrease physical painas I did Eliminate fear of flying Change emotional responses such as o Worry o Anxiety o Jealousy o Stage fright o Depression

Promote a spiritual journey

The limits of self-hypnosis

There are indeed some limits. Self-hypnosis will not cure serious illness. While it may be an excellent adjunct to the work of a qualified physician, it is not a substitute for professional medical consultation. Similarly, serious mental or emotional problems need the services of a trained and qualified counselor/psychotherapist. Another limit is that while each person must pursue their own spiritual path and selfhypnosis may contribute in that pursuit, it is very easy to begin down a dead-end path. It is best to find a community of people to provide a context and support the pursuit.

The four essential components

Relaxation. Find a location to work. A comfortable chair where you can sit without stress. Learn to completely relax. Learn a relaxation technique such as progressive muscle tension and relaxation. Consider a relaxing and pleasant location from your present or past experience such as a beach, a hill, a riverbank. Choose a physical location in your mind, where your conscious mind can let go. Participation. I often have people come to me for counseling and expect me to fix the problem. No one can fix the problem but you. It is your mind and your body. The responsibility is yours. You must take charge and participate. Concentration. Our conscious mind keeps flicking from here to there, one thought to another. We keep busy with emotions, thoughts, distractions and busy ideas. Multitasking may work in your profession, but it does not work in self-hypnosis. Mental

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relaxation means quieting your mind so that you can focus your thoughts. Initially this will not be easy, but with practice, it can be done. Imagination. You create a vision of your life in which you have accomplished your goals. You will need to imagine yourself in the process of that accomplishment. If the problem you are working on is serious, it may be more difficult to have that image of accomplishment. You will learn to anticipate success. This too may be difficult if you have a history of failure to achieve your desired goal, but with effort you can succeed.

Steps to preparing for Self-Hypnosis

Work on one thing at a time. Communicating with the unconscious requires that we honor its ability to deal with simple, direct suggestions. Complicated instructions are not as well integrated. Multi-part suggestions or instructions are usually not effective. 1. Choose your goal. 2. Choose a safe, pleasant, mental place. 3. Create a script. a. Use deepeners. b. Use the present tense. (I am a non-smoker. Not, I will stop smoking.) c. Use repetition. d. Choose visual images. e. Good metaphors speak to the unconscious. f. Include a post-hypnotic suggestion. (What will you do after the session. Give yourself a cue.) g. Give yourself a trance-ending cue. (Example: When I am ready, I will blink three times to end the session.) 4. Become familiar with your script. (Memorize it, at least the main points.) 5. Choose a comfortable chair or placenot your bed. (Your mind associates your bed with sleep. You want to be hypnotized not asleep.)

Points to remember
Do not force self-hypnosis; just let it happen. You will get better with practice. There are various methods for relaxation, the first step, but in my experience progressive relaxation is the easiest to lead to the hypnotic state. Self-hypnosis is a skill. You have to practice it on a regular basis. 15-30 minutes a day is a good period. Practice is the first step to playing the piano in Carnegie Hall.

Five stages in a self-hypnosis session

For convenience we divide the process into five stages, but these stages really all flow one into the other. Relaxation page 4 of 6

Self-hypnosis, David M. Pittle, Ph.D.

Induction Deepening Suggestions Termination

Relaxation for Self Hypnosis Relax your body. Choose a comfortable chair. Take your time. Progressive relaxation is the easiest relaxation technique to learn. Begin at your toes. Tighten the muscles. Hold for a few seconds. Then intentionally relax all those muscles. Repeat with the feet, the ankles, calf muscles, hips, pelvic area, stomach, chest, shoulders, neck, face. Inducing and deepening the hypnotic state This flows directly from the relaxation. One of the best techniques is to visualize a stairway that leads down to a location that you find pleasant. For example, I often see a stairway that leads from the road overlooking a bay, down to a nice place to sit and watch the water and the sailboats. The stairway should have 30-50 steps. Begin mentally walking down the stairs counting backwards, 50-49-48-47, etc. Count slowly, not out loud, just in your mind, and as you count realize that with each step you are becoming more relaxed and more peaceful. You are deepening the relaxation, but also moving into the hypnotic state. Other thoughts may try to intrude. If they do, just imagine writing the thought in a notebook so you can come back to it later. That satisfies the thought so it doesnt have to continue. When you get to your location at the bottom, you are ready to move to the next step. Suggestions for Self Hypnosis This is the time to begin your suggestion script. Remember that this script includes images of yourself in successful change. It is focused on the way you intend to be, your goal state. Your suggestions should be short and easy to remember. It should be as visual as possible. If your suggestion is about your emotional state, include an image of how you will look and behave with the new emotions. What is it that you want and intend to do? You can include some negativeswhat you want to avoidbut it works better if you provide a positive alternative as well. I do not feel fear when the aircraft begins to roll down the runway but instead, I am excited and exhilarated by the power of the engines. This is also the time to induce a posthypnotic suggestion. We use cues, usually our own behavior or emotion to trigger the suggestion. As an example, we might say, When I buckle my seat belt, I will find myself excited as I anticipate the flight attendants announcements.

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An excellent part of the suggestion section is to create a mental image. Imagine yourself thinner or being a non-smoker. If your goal is to improve your golf game, create an image of you making a putt in on stroke. Termination After you have completed your suggestions, it is time to terminate the hypnosis session. Do not just stand up and go about your business. Take a few moments to formally identify the end of the session. Use your trance-ending cue. It will show the clear difference between the hypnosis and your normal state of awareness. Above all, dont simply let yourself flow into a nap. Because hypnosis is a natural state, it is important to show establish the difference between the hypnotic and the normal awareness state. That doesnt mean you cannot use self-hypnosis at night, before sleeping, but make sure that there is a clear separation and that your mind marks the end of the hypnosis session. Even without a deliberate ending, there is no possibility that you will get stuck in the hypnosis. It will end on its own. But it is more effective if you choose and mark the ending.
David M. Pittle, 2009

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