Tools We Use to Explore the Mind in Hypnotherapy

By Dr. Scott G. Shelp

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Finding Your Mind's Unique Symbology

In my training as a hypnotherapist, several topics were taught which seem, at first, to be unrelated to hypnosis. These are tools used by hypnotherapists to help the client explore his or her subconscious mind in order to enhance the effectiveness of hypnotherapy.

I am opposed to forcing any type of beliefs on other people—especially clients; I will not try to convince you that there is such a thing as “past lives” or that all physical symptoms are caused by psychological conflicts.

However, we human beings are expert symbol-users. We each have a unique way of seeing the world that makes sense to us. Therefore, I see the use of the following techniques as ways to explore the symbology each client uses. Similar techniques (called “Projective Tests”) are sometimes used in psychotherapy: “The Rorschach (inkblot) Test,” “The Thematic Apperception Test” (“TAT”), “The Rotter Incomplete Sentence Test” and others. They give ambiguous starting points to the client to “fill in.” What a client chooses to “project onto” these images can tell us about his or her subconscious mind.

If you believe in any of these approaches (like past lives) in a literal sense, that’s okay. If you do not, you may choose to see them as exercises in using your imagination. Also, if you have any strong feelings against any of these techniques, don’t hesitate to let your hypnotherapist know. In any case, your views will be respected. The end goal is always to find insight into the problems you are having, not convince you to believe in a particular world-view.

Dream Analysis.
Sigmund Freud called dreams “The Royal Road to the Unconscious.” Many others from the most ancient times to the present have been intrigued by dreams and what they might tell us about ourselves.

One theory of dreams states that they “vent out” or release old ways of thinking in the early morning hours. By examining both the literal and symbolic content of dreams, we can identify what issues are being released and changed subconsciously.

This is the opposite of other approaches where dreams are seen as a person’s “true” feelings about something. For example, a dream about putting your child in a prison cell could be seen as your mind releasing old feelings of wanting to constrain him or her, becoming more comfortable with your child being independent. The old approach would say that you are still having a need to control your child or fear that he or she may become a criminal.

You may have seen so-called “dream symbol dictionaries” which list what certain things in dreams mean. I believe it’s dangerous to tell clients absolutely what his or her dreams mean. It is up to each individual person to interpret the symbols that come from that person’s own mind. When the hypnotherapist and client work together, themes can arise which can guide the course of therapy. The key is that it is always the client—not the hypnotherapist—who decides what dreams represent and how they connect to waking experiences.

Past Life Regression.
Were you Cleopatra or Napoleon in a former life? Many people believe we have lived past lives and that those experiences effect how we live this life. Reincarnation is a very old belief but is not shared by all world-views. Whether or not you believe in past lives, the exercise of imagining a past life can be fun and may help you understand your here-and-now problems in a new light.

Your hypnotherapist can guide you into allowing a past-life scenario to emerge from your subconscious mind. It can be interesting to see what your subconscious mind comes up with! Whether you choose to believe you actually lived this past life is up to you. What is useful about this exercise is that it gives the client and the hypnotherapist a place to start a discussion which may provide further insight into the client’s concerns.

Body Syndromes.
Modern medicine has come a long way in explaining what causes physical illness. There are still, however, many problems for which doctors can find no real cause. These can take the form of headaches, nausea, weakness, dizziness, rashes and pain.

Often these are labeled “psychosomatic” which means they are caused by the mind-body connection (“psycho” = mind + “soma” = body). When people hear the term “psychosomatic illness” they often think that means the patient is “making it up.” This is not what that means. (Actually, intentionally faking an illness is called “malingering.”)

Most of us will accept that there is a mind-body connection, at least on some level. When we get “stressed-out,” we may get a headache or tension and pain in our shoulders. Some people extend this theory to suggest that this happens much more often than we think. For example, when someone is afraid to confront someone else, he may suddenly develop laryngitis—a condition which makes it nearly impossible for him to “speak up.” Such problems may be unpleasant, but is it possible that we also gain something from them? This is the “Body Syndromes” approach.

Using this “Body Syndromes” approach may help us use physical symptoms (like pain and nausea) to cue us into the emotional issues a person is having. Some people may not be able to use words to explain how, for example, an increase in responsibilities is causing her stress. Perhaps a mother feels that the responsibilities of a new baby should be a “good thing,” when in reality, she is finding it very difficult. So, she complains of shoulder and upper back pain. Using the Body Syndromes approach, we may be able to uncover the real feelings of being overwhelmed. Remember, you have to identify a problem before you can solve it.

Is the body really telling us about the stress of new responsibilities? Who knows. But it is a starting point for a discussion about how this client feels about the responsibility she is “shouldering.” Will working on these issues eliminate the physical symptoms? Maybe. Many people report this has worked for them. Again, it is just a tool to begin to address problems, not the definitive answer to them.

Important note: Always be sure to have a medical professional evaluate any physical symptoms you might be having. Hypnotherapy is not a replacement for traditional medical care, only an adjunct to it!

These techniques can help your hypnotherapist explore deeply into your subconscious mind: what issues are causing you problems and what symbols your mind most readily understands. He or she can then tailor your hypnotherapy to best meet your needs and bring about the best results for you.

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