Session IV * Active Therapeutic Trancework

Fink

Speaking of interesting conflicts, the elderly psychiatrist at the hospital was discussing philosophy with me this morning, and he was telling me the most unusual circumstance. He thinks he can partly account for his conflicts in religious matters. His mother has been dead for 44 years, and when his father died, by the terms of his father’s will, they had to exhume the body and rebury it in the grave next to his father’s. And he was there when they removed the remains and transferred them to a different receptacle. Imagine! His own mother!

Subject

Why did he have to go?

Fink

He didn’t say. It went through Probate Court and had to be signed by the Department of Health. There was a terrific amount of red tape before they could even touch it. It was most amazing.

Erickson

Where did you go on your vacation?

Subject

Oh, roamed around. Went to my sister’s and stayed with her for a while. That’s all. Of course my folks wouldn’t want a trip while I was on vacation, and of course V-J Day wouldn’t come while I was on vacation.

Erickson

When did you get back?

Subject

The 18th. I came back the night of the 17th.

Erickson

Remember what you said to me over the phone?

Subject

Yes.

Erickson

What was it?

Subject

Let me see. I told you I had a wonderful time. I would like to go back and have it all over again. In fact, I was ready to go back the day afterwards…. Oh, I asked you why you never took a vacation.

Erickson

Yes. Anything else?

Subject

You tell me what I said. Is it important?

Erickson

Yes.

Subject

It couldn’t have been. I remember important things. You said hello, and I said hello.

Erickson

You’re sure of that?

Subject

I identified myself, and you asked me if I had had a nice vacation. I said it was wonderful, and why don’t you take one? You said you didn’t take them, and I said you should. Then you said you don’t take vacations—you just wait for people to tell you about their vacations. I said that’s very nice, but I think you should take one. I think you asked me where I had been—no, you didn’t either—yes, you did! And I told you. I believe I asked when I could see you. You said your brother was here and you would be busy last week. You said that Dr. Fink would be in Detroit tonight, and be able to pick us up. I said that would be fine. And we agreed that everything was settled. Then we said goodbye. Have I missed anything?

Erickson

No, you really haven’t. You just worded it so.

Subject

Don’t look so wise, you three. You, too!

Erickson

You felt sorry for me.

Subject

Oh, yes. I said I felt sorry for you because you never had a vacation.

Erickson

No, that wasn’t what you said.

Subject

I felt sorry for you about something else?

Erickson

Yes.

Subject

Why should I feel sorry for you?

Erickson

Because I had to sit and listen to what wonderful times other people had on their vacations. Remember that?

Subject

Yes. Because you really don’t get a kick out of hearing about other people’s vacations. You know how it is—in the nurses’ home, all the girls would come back from their vacations. You ask them where they had been and they tell you and you just sit and say; “Wasn’t that nice” You’re just asking them, that’s all.

Erickson

Do you think that’s true here?

Subject

No, not with you, maybe, but with the ordinary run of people.

Erickson

Is there any change in you right now from the last time you were here?

Subject

No…. I have changed…. My best friends won’t tell me…. Dr. Fink, are you getting sick?

Fink

No.

Miss Dey

That’s a pity;

Subject

No, I don’t think I have changed. Not any more than anyone else does in that length of time…. I’m not nosey. I’m just curious.

Fink

Is it all right if I give this [a note] to Dr. Erickson?

Subject

Yes. As if I could stop you. You realize I can stand anything except an unsatisfied curiosity.

Fink

Is that right?

Subject

Na-a-a. You’re just trying to get me mad.

Erickson

How much of a tan did you get?

Subject

I had a bit, but it faded right out. I did get just a small one, though, but the next day it had died.

Miss Dey

Me, too.

Erickson

How did you feel about coming out here?

Subject

Willing to come. Anxious to come.

Erickson

Why?

Subject

Curiosity.

Erickson

Why are you curious?

Subject

Most people are intrigued by things they don’t know anything about. I’m one of the ten thousand.

Erickson

What don’t you know about?

Subject

You. That’s right. People who think intrigue me. You think. Therefore you intrigue me.

Rossi

You begin this session with a typical series of questions ostensibly oriented to reviewing and assessing previous hypnotic work. But right from the beginning when you ask her. “Remember what you said to me on the phone?”, you are actually fixing her attention with questions and evoking uncertainty and doubt. You question her in such a way that she tried to give you all the details, yet it is inevitable that she forget some. She tries to protest this to the members of the group when she then says, “Don’t look so wise, you three,” This means that she already feels put into a position of uncertainty and doubt. Her usual conscious sets are already being depotentiated so that she must make desperate inner searches looking for what will satisfy you and the group. That is, while carrying out an apparently normal conversation, she is actually being shunted into the first three stages of your trance induction: you are (1) fixing her attention, (2) depotentiating her habitual forms of reference, and (3) initiating unconscious searches. Do you agree that is what you are doing by asking these questions? You are essentially initiating an exploratory set?

Erickson

Yes.

Rossi

A natural consequence of this approach is that her sense of curiosity and expectancy are aroused. Correct?

Erickson

Yes.

Rossi

This is exacerbated by the evident collusion between the other members of the group and you, as manifested by Dr. Fink passing you a note. Are you purposely evoking this sense of curiosity, wonder, and expectancy as a part of the therapeutic process? Do you make a conscious effort to intrigue your patient?

Erickson

Yes. [Erickson exchanges knowing glances with Dr. Sandra Sylvester, who has experienced this being intrigued by Erickson’s hypnotherapeutic work.]

Dr. Sylvester

This is like a déja vu experience [recalling aspects of her own recent work with Erickson.]