Revisiting Hypnotic Scripts

by Tim Brunson, PhD

Formal hypnotic scripts have long been the backbone of the clinical hypnotherapy profession. Indeed, I can't imagine how difficult my early days as a practitioner would have been without the written materials provided by Topher Morrison, DCH, and Richard Nieves, PhD. Although it has been almost two decades since I've used a formal script during a session, I still value their existence. Indeed, as I seek ideas I still occasionally browse through my library – to include the Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions by University of Utah psychologist D. Corydon Hammond, PhD. Nevertheless, whether you view formalized scripts as either a tool for neophytes or resources for veterans, their structure and content still remain as an indication of the state of thinking regarding the anatomy of a session – a phenomena that is seriously in need of modernization.

What is a hypnotic script? While some scripts typically include all three components of a session – that is, the induction, the therapy, and the recovery – generally their focus is on crafting the therapeutic component. This is normally done by using Ericksonian-like metaphors and analogies as forms of parallel communication. A few direct suggestions are occasionally added in to help the process. This usually includes wonderful experiences involving castles, butterflies, walking through the woods, hot air balloon rides, and such. Somewhere in this communication there is an expectation that the desired change will occur. Frankly, the impact of too many hypnotic scripts is little better than what could be accounted for by the placebo effect – hence, making the criticisms and misunderstandings by non-hypnotherapists quite justifiable.

As currently written, hypnotic scripts are too often not what they are claimed to be. As I've previously written, one of the major shortfalls occurs when a practitioner fails to differentiate between guided imagery and a hypnotic session. The former is bereft of the two basic qualities of hypnosis, which includes a mitigation of resistance and the increased efficiency of selective thought. Furthermore, adding multi-modal imagery (i.e. visual, auditory, kinesthetic, gustatory, and olfactory) and using stories and suggestion for the purpose of achieving the "Whole Brain Learning" cliché, while giving value, fall short of allowing the full potential of a hypnosis session. The current en vogue explanation of the positive results that frequently occur involves this near-mystical reliance on the "wonderful subconscious mind," a concept that is totally devoid of any scientific basis. Unfortunately, this is what is being taught by the major hypnotherapy organizations. Script writing sessions offered at their conferences tend to further indoctrinate these worn out concepts.

Writing flowery, feel-good, lengthy, verbose, legal-brief-sounding scripts, and attributing the normally not-much-better-than-placebo level results to the subconscious fails to recognize what has been going on in the scientific community since the late 1890's. This is especially true considering the earth shaking discoveries found within the past couple of decades in regards to mind/body integration and neurology and neurofeedback. Even the half-hearted attempts to integrate traditional – to include Ericksonian – theory into healing and calling it medical hypnotherapy, somewhat misses the mark. On the other hand, when one considers quantum theory, the mind/body continuum, and recent revelations concerning the functioning of the brain, the door is opened for a much more powerful and efficient form of hypnotic scripting. As soon as the practice of hypnotherapy is recognized as being based upon sound scientific evidence – and etiology – it will receive the credibility it deserves.

Based upon decades of clinical experience and the study of scientific trends, to fill this need I started the Institute and began developing the ever-evolving field of Advanced Neuro-Noetic Hypnosis^TM (ANNH). Although traditional approaches to hypnotherapy – to include the typical hypnotic script – provide the comfort of a warm mitten, it is my belief that the improved functionality of a well-fitted glove is long overdue. My emphasis is on increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the hypnotic process. As a reflection of this, ANNH-compliant hypnotic scripts tend to be in stark contrast to those with which the clinician is typically accustomed. The remainder of this article will briefly address some of the core concepts regarding this new system. These are further explained and cookbook-like script writing methods are presented in the Institute's Clinical Hypnotherapy Fundamentals course.

The primary purpose of all hypnotic scripts is that they should facilitate a desired transformation. ANNH-compliant hypnotic scripts excel in this regard. They respect the mind-body continuum concept and are particularly suited to how the brain processes perception and encodes new memories. This requires the script writer to have a greater appreciation – if not a significant level of expertise – in both basic physiology and the fundamentals of neurology – two topics that I have yet to see included on the curriculum taught by the major certification programs.

There are four basic characteristics found in ANNH-compliant hypnotic scripts. Again, my focus here is on the therapeutic phase – not the induction or recovery. These characteristics include:

1. Initial parallel communication interweaved with continued suggestions intended to further activate the suggestion and imagination centers of the brain.
   
2. Shorter and interwoven sentences and phrases designed to install new learnings through the use of antithetical suggestion and imagination. (This emphasizes the natural thought processing abilities that are enhanced by the existence of bimodal neurons in the parietal and temporal lobes.)
   
3. The use of suggestion and imagination to evoke space/time processing within the brain.
   
4. The effective use of post hypnotic suggestions for the purpose of triggering states memories and states installed during the session.
   

Last year a very well-established clinical hypnotherapist received an extremely brief healing script that contained a few of the ANNH-compliant techniques. His initial response was that he felt that it was rather simplistic. Yes, if he was expecting the multi-modal, "whole-brain" verbiage to which he have become accustomed, he would certainly feel that something was left out. What he failed to see was that even that short script contained Aesopian pearls that he was not trained to comprehend. What he was apparently obsessed by was my lack of compliance with his indoctrinated view of the characteristics of a hypnotic script. Conversely, my approach tends to more appropriately concentrate on achieving transformative results rather than meeting unjustified traditional expectations.

Over the past several years I have slowly introduced ANNH concepts to Institute distance learning course students. Their feedback has greatly contributed to the continuing development of my theories. Almost without exception their responses have been extremely favorable. Like what I have experienced with my patients and clients when I use these ideas in my clinical practice, my students, who practice on six different continents, have reported astounding results.

The currently published hypnotic scripts have value. Like fifteenth century world maps, they have always provided meaningful navigation of the known world. However, the scientific discoveries of the past century – and especially of the last few decades – clearly indicate that the world of suggestion and imagination is actually not as flat as previously thought. My goal is to continue to develop ANNH for the purpose of clearly establishing the value of the human mind as a tool for lasting human transformation. Obviously, the related ANNH-compliant scripts will reflect the direction this new path creates.

The International Hypnosis Research Institute is a member supported project involving integrative health care specialists from around the world. We provide information and educational resources to clinicians. Dr. Brunson is the author of over 150 self-help and clinical CD's and MP3's.