 |
Misleading Terminology - Alpha, Beta, Theta, Delta
|
|
|
|
Misleading Terminology - Alpha, Beta, Theta, Delta
Many people in the hypnosis industry have adopted terminology from other disciplines and use them frequently in hypnosis to describe specific hypnotic states. This is not a good practice as there has not been a Specific Brain Wave State Associated with Hypnosis and hypnotic processes. The terms commonly bandied about within the hypnosis industry are Alpha, Beta, Theta and Delta,
It is important to remember that these terms are used to indicate a specific range of brain wave frequencies and clog NOT for the most part precisely correlate the hypnotic trance states. Although sometimes useful it is important not to confuse a generic brain wave state with a specific state of hypnosis.
Dangers for The Client: (Transference- See Above)
Unqualified Therapy -
There are many people in the hypnosis industry who believe that after a two or three-day introduction to hypnosis training that they know more about how to treat a client than a licensed psychologist or medical doctor.
This type of arrogance has landed more hypnotists in court than just about anything else. While it is arguably true that hypnosis allows a person to deal with a clear majority of issues very quickly. It is also true that many types of therapeutic work fall outside the realm and scope average " lay hypnotists" training.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon beginning hypnotists to focus on change work that allows them the opportunity to make a good living and falls within an entry level scope of practice into the profession and to continually seek more and more advanced training in their preferred areas of specialization.
You are not a doctor; you are not a licensed psychotherapist; you are not qualified to diagnose or treat a diagnosable pathological illness either mental or physical without the express written referral of a Medical Doctor or Psychotherapist.
Unrestrained Catalepsy -
This is more common in stage hypnosis than in therapeutic work. Catalepsy is the total flaccidity or rigidity of the body or part of the body.
Many stage hypnotists create a state of " full body" catalepsy as part of their stage shows and then suspend the cataleptic subject between the two chairs.
It is important to remember anything that can injure the client in the normal non- hypnotized state can also injure the client in the hypnotized state.
The only difference between the normal and hypnotic states being that the subject has access to vast resources to help compensate for pain and injury that occurs during trance.
Hysterical Cases (see abreactions)
Many times, a client has powerfully repressed emotions boiling under the surface of what may appear as a very calm and controlled demeanor.
These subjects are often emotional " pressure cookers" waiting to explode, because the unconscious mind stores and holds onto negative emotional issues and traumas until such a time as the " conscious mind" has the resources and ability to " process" the experience and delete the emotional charge. Unfortunately for many people that time never comes.
|
|
|
Therefore, sometimes when a subject is hypnotized the emotions boiling beneath the surface are released in an explosive manner. Sometimes the client will laugh uncontrollably, Sob or cry, and even scream or shout depending on the event generating the emotional trauma.
There is specific verbiage that a hypnotist should and must use to dissolve and halt the hysterical/abreactive process.
Being Forced to Visualize
Although not nearly as serious as the hysterical/abreactive subject forcing a subject to " visualize" can often undermine the success of a hypnosis session from the inside out.
While it is demonstrably true that everyone visualizes. For many people, the visualization element in their thought processes is " outside'' of their conscious awareness or control.
Thus, when asking these subjects to " visualize" or see something in their minds they may not " see" anything but still know it is there.
However, ...
The problem occurs when the subject feels that because he or she could not " SEE" what was going on (although they were otherwise imagining the scene) the subject begins to believe that the session did not work because they could not SEE the images the hypnotist was talking about.
Thus, they even begin to doubt that there were hypnotized because their experience didn't match the hypnotists' words. For Best Results It Is Best to Replace the Word Visualize with The Words Pretend or Imagine.
The Ethics of Hypnotic Change-work
First and Foremost, ...
It is vitally important to remember that, all other credentials aside the vast majority of states do NOT license hypnosis as a profession. While someday that may change we, as a profession are still very much in the " wild west" days where pretty much anything can be done.
However, it is vitally important to remember that even though we as a profession are not licensed we should always conduct ourselves with the same attention to Ethics as any medical doctor, Psychotherapist, Acupuncturist or Chiropractor.
Consequently, the first thing that you have understand and abide by in order to safely interact within the established health care community is " Scope of Practice"
|
|
|
