Free Will or Coercion?®
One of the arguments made by the groups who have sought to regulate and limit
the professional use of hypnosis is that of coercive control; the false
assumptions that a hypnotist can make someone do something that the person does
not want to do. My approach to the use of hypnosis and hypnotherapy is based on
the assumption that each person has an indwelling spark of divinity, a direct
connection to God. For my non-religious clients, I suggest it is an innate
intelligence. The DN A is smart. I consider the biological wisdom of the body to
be an aspect of the more amorphous wisdom of the spirit. I define spirit as that
spark that initiates each breath. Spirit stems from the Latin verb for
breathing, spirare. Something starts each new breath, and an excellent tool for
opening the door to the inner world is to focus on breathing. Many meditation
methods are based on breathwork, breathing patterns, awareness of that most
critical part of being a human, air breathing mammal. I base my work and life on
the assumption that deep inside each being is a spark of wisdom that transcends
the cultural knowledge of the time / space continuum inhabited by the living
being. There is an indwelling wisdom of which I am a part.
I believe that a hypnotist does not change another person into something that
person is not, the hypnotist is a guide or helper in another person unfolding
the unique skills and talents that are indwelling. I believe that there is an
indwelling awareness that knows what the individual likes, dislikes, and wants
or needs that has yet to be achieved or obtained. As a hypnotist, it is my role
to help the client align with his innate values, define a mission worthy of
aligning the inner and outer habits to achieve that which is desired. I help
people to let go of old decisions that don't work, but perhaps became habitual
because of lack of choice, or lack of awareness of choices.
There is the argument that a hypnotist, marketing specialist, coach, teacher, or
parent can prime someone to think that they are making their own choices when in
reality their choices are being foreclosed by another person's intention,
someone else making choices for them. This assumes that the hypnotherapist is
seeking a position of expert know it all with the client. My preferred
positioning is that of a collaborative helper. I am a client centered,
humanistically oriented hypnotherapist. I believe the client is the expert in
him/herself. It is my job to get to know the patterns and processes the person
uses to define self, behaviors, and relations. It is also my role to point out
when I observe a person to be stuck. Stuck is one of those technical terms
meaning the person is unresolved on some issue or objective, there may be
secondary gain.
I assume 'stuckness' serves a purpose. It says, "Look here." "There is something
happening right here." I suggest, "Now you know where you are stuck." And I add
Mark Gilboyne's tail to that concept, " And now that you know where you are
stuck it gets nothing but worse until you CH ANGE YOUR MIND! You might even have
dreams, nightmares until you resolve this." I really hated those words when I
first learned them watching Gilboyne demonstrate his skills. His response to my
private quandary was, "So you think you are doing them a favor by letting them
stay stuck?" Good point. And when I had the courage to use those harsh words,
most people miraculously wanted to change right now, they didn't want the
nightmares.
During my ongoing studies with excellent hypnosis educators, I have consistently
heard that the client will not do what that person is not interested in doing.
For example, during a presentation given by Ormand McGill, he gave a well
dressed woman the suggestion that when he gave a certain signal she would begin
to disrobe. When he gave the signal, the woman began to take off her clothing.
McGill had his back to her as he gave his presentation to the audience. The
audience let McGill know that something was going on, he turned and asked her
why she was taking off her clothing. She was a nudist at home, being nude was
not objectionable to her. Continue to Page 2
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