ABSTRACT
There are three distinct styles of hypnotic suggestion: directive, permissive, and Ericksonian. Each represents a certain “philosophy of life,” a different view of the hypnotist’s involvement, the nature of the hypnotic communication, the patient’s role as a recipient of this communication, and the nature of the response expected. These differences are summarized in Table 3.1. It is beyond the scope of this book to trace the evolution of these three very different styles of hypnosis. Suffice it to say that each style is clinically useful in its own right, though often for very different clinical situations. Styles of Hypnotic Suggestion
|
Directive |
Permissive |
Ericksonian |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HYPNOTIST |
|||
|
View of hypnotist |
Authoritative highly credible, persuasive source |
Facilitative |
Authoritative/facilitative |
|
Use of transference |
Often exploited |
Integration of naturally unfolding transference |
Often exploited |
|
CHARACTERISTICS OF HYPNOTIC SUBJECT |
|||
|
View of trance |
Hypersuggestibility and persuasion |
Hypnotizability (limited to subgroup of overall population) |
Everyday trance (entire population) |
|
Mode of action |
Passivity |
Ego activity/receptivity |
Perceptual readiness to understand embedded message |
|
THE HYPNOTIC COMMUNICATION |
|||
|
Nature of the suggestion |
Direct, specific suggestions |
Open-ended, permissive, ego-strengthening, and coping suggestions |
Nonspecific (e.g. stories, metaphors, jokes, binds, and utilization) |
|
Style of delivery |
Commanding (with repetition) |
Offering possibilities |
Indirect (disguised and embedded suggestions) |
|
THE NATURE OF THE RESPONSE |
|||
|
Response style |
Uncritical acceptance |
Development of coping and mastery |
Development of new meaning |
|
Attribution of change |
Self efficacy and coping |
Altered frames of reference and beliefs |
