ABSTRACT
The first few sections of this presentation are very difficult to appreciate 40 years after they were recorded by a stenographer. Without the vocal tones and body gestures that gave important nuances of meaning to the jokes, puzzles, and games contained in these sections, the transcribed word alone is very confusing. The general thrust of this initial conversation between Erickson, Dr. Fink, and the subject is to indirectly attract, motivate and engage her attention (stage one of the micro dynamics of trance induction, Erickson & Rossi, 1976/1980), and then to depotentiate her habitual conscious sets via confusion, shifting frames of reference, distraction, cognitive overloading, and non sequiturs (stage two of the microdynamics of trance induction). If the reader feels confused and overloaded trying to make sense of these first few sections, there can only be the consolation and wonder of how much more bewildered the subject must have felt—even though she tries to keep up a brave front in the face of the associative verbal onslaught going on about her. ®
