ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some major techniques for accomplishing the goal, including asking autobiographical questions, telling stories, giving general instructions, and recognizing trance responses. It reviews the notion of trance as naturalistic and outlines three basic principles of hypnotic induction. These are: secure and maintain attentional absorption; access and develop unconscious processes; and bypass and depotentiate conscious processes. The chapter explores various accessing techniques useful for experientially unfolding therapeutic trances within the interpersonal context. It also explores nine methods: asking questions; embedding suggestions; presupposing trance responses; speaking generally; telling stories; using already-developed associational relationships; developing new associational correlations; pacing and leading representational systems; and framing and ratifying hypnotic responses. To develop therapeutic trances, the Ericksonian operator recognizes trance as a naturalistic experience involving the same basic psychological processes prominent in waking state experience. The most naturalistic and graceful strategy for inducing trance is to create a feedback loop of communication in which trance-relevant experiences and processes are accessed and utilized.
