Self-hypnosis is the skill Michael. So every session we have, I typically will ask the client to practice the therapeutic process we did in the session, for themselves, using self-hypnosis.

When I talk about hypnotic skills training, that is self-hypnosis. Having conceptualised self-hypnosis as a skill, I simply talk about developing the skill of self-hypnosis 🙂

The best way for them not to be discouraged is to simply explain that as with so many things, enjoying it, finding it to be fun, understanding the way it can help them greatly and knowing that practice will help greatly. Though not everyone is impervious to such a message 🙂

I just dropped into a deep trance, don’t know what happend… argh damn you Adam and your embedded commands:-)
Yes it is indeed fascinating and a bit counter intuitive.

“…my own proposed self-hypnosis protocol in my research papers now involves primarily skills training for self-hypnosis and no precursor of hetero-hypnosis…”

What do you suggest if you see the same client on a regular basis?

I imagine that you in every hetero-hypnosis session encourages the client to practice self-hypnosis or? Does the self-hypnosis training then only consist of skills training? How do you make sure that the client isn’t discouraged in their own ability when doing the combo?

Hi Michael, good to hear from you, and yes I know it sounds crazy.

Re: “The way I understand the part you have written there, practicing hetero-hypnosis will make you a bad self-hypnotist but practicing self-hypnosis makes you better at experiencing hetero-hypnosis.”

That is what the study recommends and it is supported with other similar findings. As a result, my own proposed self-hypnosis protocol in my research papers now involves primarily skills training for self-hypnosis and no precursor of hetero-hypnosis.

Other authors have even argued that having hetero-hypnosis prior to self-hypnosis means that the individual may be using memory of that hetero-hypnosis experience rather than actually developing a wholly independent skill of self-hypnosis for the effects.

That’s the problem with researching and experimenting, you just go deeper and deeper…..

Best wishes, Adam.

Under the header:
“Is all Hypnosis Self-Hypnosis?” in the 3 § you write:

“The study also showed results that when hetero-hypnosis was experienced on the first day, self-hypnosis skills were inhibited on the second day. The opposite was also true; those who engaged in self-hypnosis first were better subjects when they engaged in hetero-hypnosis on the second day.”

I thought, after all I have read about hypnosis, that having experienced hetero hypnosis would advance your self-hypnosis skills and not as I understand the above quote that it would inhibit self-hypnosis skills. Or is that only provided that you give posthypnotic suggestions about self-hypnosis skills that hetero hypnosis will advance the skills.

The way I understand the part you have written there, practicing hetero-hypnosis will make you a bad self-hypnotist but practicing self-hypnosis makes you better at experiencing hetero-hypnosis. That is a crazy loop:-)

All the best.
Michael

When studies have compared self-hypnosis with meditation, relaxation and even placebo, there are often distinctions, not just in objective results, but also in subjective reports, so it may be that they are not the same phenomena. It may also be that there are major differences between hetero- and self-hypnosis, it is just that no-one has found anything outside of phenomonological differences as of yet, and those are up for debate. Currently though, it would seem that the two are just about identical.

I think if you adhere to a soiciocognitive explanation of hypnosis being a skill, then it is a collection of ordinary psychological processes (adoption of role, expectation, motivation, belief in outcome etc.) that forge what we call hypnosis. I shall be writing about cognitive neuroscience here soon which attempts to shed more light on this. Watch this space Pete 🙂