Hypnotherapy Terms and Definitions

Hypnosis Glossary of Terms - D

Deep Sleep

A post-hypnotic suggestion given to a client that capitalizes on the Law of Dominance.

Deepening Techniques

Reactional Hypnosis

Repeatedly awakening the client and re-hypnotizing him/her with a post-suggestion to re-hypnosis.

Arm Rigidity

The Hypnotherapist holds the client's outstretched arm from beneath the elbow. He/She paternally instructs the client to draw all the tensions of their body into their arm, from the count of five to zero. At zero the arm will be as tight as a steel bar. The client is told the tensions will release and they'll go deeper when the therapist touches their pulse.

Heavy Light

A client's arms are both outstretched, right hand palm up and the left hand at a right angle with thumb up. He/She is told a weight is placed in their right hand pressing down (literal suggestion) and a powerful helium balloon is tied to their left thumb (inferred suggestion). When right hand touches leg they'll go deeper. A deepening technique and suggestibility test.

Staircase

Having the client visualize or imagine they are standing at the top of a staircase of twenty steps. The staircase is well lit and has a sturdy handrail. Each step the client imagines himself/herself taking down the staircase will take them deeper into the hypnotic state.

Eye Fascination

Client is told to open eyes and look at the tip of a pen held above client's eye level. They are instructed to follow the pen only with their eyes. As the client's eyes track downward, the lids will close. When they close, the Hypnotherapist touches client's forehead and says "Deep Sleep."

Progressive Relaxation

A deepening technique but also an important secondary induction. The aim of this maternal technique is to relax the various areas of the client's body starting from the feet if they are in the reclined position (from the head down is they are sitting). Once the relaxation is complete toe to head, a five to zero count is given, at which time the Hypnotherapist snaps his/her fingers and says "Deep Sleep."

Defense Mechanisms

All defense mechanisms stem from the basic instinct of survival. They operate on an unconscious level and they serve to deny or distort reality, thoughts, and action. Some Defense Mechanisms are: Repression, Denial, Rationalization, Projection, Displacement, Turning against self, Reaction Formation, Overcompensation, Intellectualization, Withdrawal, Regression, Sublimation, and Disassociation.

Delta

Slowest brainwave activity pattern of sleep, and the deepest, somnambulistic state of hypnosis. Also see Alpha, Beta and Theta.

Depth

Hypnoidal

A light stage of hypnosis, usually associated with emotional suggestibility; also used to refer to the state of consciousness which is passed through in  the transition from sleep to waking, and vice versa. It is characterized by rapid eye movement (REM), with an up/down motion of the eyes.

Cataleptic

A medium depth of hypnosis. Characterized by a side to side movement of the eyes.

Somnambulism

The deepest state of hypnosis, where the client responds with amnesia, anesthesia, negative and positive hallucinations, and complete control of the senses. This type of person usually has 50% emotional suggestibility and 50% physical suggestibility. It is characterized by the eyes rolling up underneath the eyelids.

Direct Suggestion

Hypnotic suggestions in the form of a command, or instruction. Contrast to Inferential Suggestion.

Dissociated

A sub-modality of NLP; a picture or visual image where you visually observe your body from outside the view of your eyes. Such as seeing your life from the perspective of a camera, or floating above yourself.

Last modified: 2008-04-07T12:25:13-0700