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Trance, according to Webster's dictionary, is a state of profound abstraction or absorption. What is the entranced person abstracted from and absorbed in?
In a hypnotic trance the subject is abstracted from ordinary awareness and absorbed in the inner world with the feelings, images, and impressions that populate it. What those feelings, images and, impressions are depends on the expectations that are implicitly or explicitly imposed - by the hypnotist and by the hypnotic context.
The trance feelings, images, and impressions become a powerful reality, and the more the subject is abstracted from ordinary awareness the more powerful that reality will be.
There are other kinds of trance besides hypnotic trance. Charles
Tart believes we are always in a state of trance (Waking Up, Boston:
Shambhala, 1987). When we are in what we call our "ordinary
consciousness," says Tart, we are really in a trance, although we
do not realize it. This trance of everyday life he labels "consensus
trance."
Living in this consensus trance, we exists in a
sort of sleep state, absorbed in the feelings, images, and impressions
that we have come to call "reality." We are sleepwalkers
and, says Tart, we need to wake up.
The feelings, images, and impressions we call "reality" have been instilled into us by powerful repeated suggestions applied since birth. According to Tart, the trance inducer or hypnotist in this case is our culture.
Culture induced trance is "consensus trance," in that our suggestion-produced feelings, images and impressions are the result of a consensus that has evolved within our culture. These feelings, images and impressions are not questioned or doubted. The trance is very deep.
Within our culture we have subcultures which produce their own modifications on our consensus trance state and have their own peculiar suggestions about what is real. They agree in the main, and yet differ in various ways. In this manner the consensus trance induced by the broad culture in which we live is modified in specific ways by our particular family, community, religion, etc.
Trance involves abstraction and absorption, and both elements must be understood. But who is it that is abstracted and absorbed? Who is the subject? Who we think we are is to a great extent determined by the various cultures and subcultures in which we exist. If we are to wake up from these trances, who will we find ourselves to be?
-From notes by Adam Crabtree, PH.D Toronto, Canada
We each create our own reality - our reality is created by the
trance we're in at the moment.
Trance is not a loss of
consciousness, it is a focus. Consciousness is always
maintained, even in the deepest trance. In a relationship, two
people will often each build their own reality, divergent from each
other.
Emotional problems occur when someone is entranced or in
rapport with someone or something that is not present. In
therapy, we work to get them to the here and now.
Trance induction is an interaction between the therapist and client
which brings about a state that people have already experienced or
know about. Examples of these states are highway hypnosis, staring out
the window, being immersed in reading or watching a movie.
Explain to the client that this is something they can do on their own,
that they have the power, that the therapist is helping them to do
something that they already know how to do and have already done
before.
The therapist must explain the false myths of trance.
That is, the false belief of being unconscious as the client may even
fear losing consciousness. It's also important to explain, "you
do not lose your will or control over yourself. The power is
still yours."
Gear your trance induction to the individual and how he is in the here and now. Don't ignore or deny the client's state. For instance, if the client comes to you in a state of agitation, acknowledge that and use the situation to induce trance. Use what the person brings you, what is presented to you...use what you've got.
Signs of an Induced Trance
One may feel a heaviness, a
lightness, numbness, display catalepsy ( the tendency to remain in a
fixed position), catalepsy of eyelids (the blinking process slows
down). One may also experience physical disorientation such as a
spinning or sinking sensation, hallucination regarding postural
position, feeling of rushing forward, distortion in size or proportion
of body, any hallucinations, distortion of time, may feel altered
memory - that is, a specific memory would seem more vivid
or just more memories would be surfacing, literalness. With
respect to the latter, the therapist must be careful what s/he says to
the client and be aware of the phraseology used.
State-Related Trance
In a state-related trance, it is
easier to remember something when the subject is in the same state as
at the time of the occurrence of the incident to be remembered.
Messmer used "energy healing" by making passes with his hands over the body. His patients entered an altered state and he assumed that they were asleep. Actually, they were in an altered, waking state, as concluded by one of his pupils, Precis. This altered state was attributed to magnetic energy. Another scientist, Dr. Braid discovered that there was no need for the passing over of hands but just to concentrate on a fixed point. Later, Liebeault came up with using suggestive language while concentrating on a fixed point. Charbot worked with hysteria, using a "shock" effect which wasn't popular. Next, came Bernheim, of whom Sigmund Freud was a student.
To Help Trance Induction
Use
ideas at which the client can't fail. In the suggestion
that you are giving, follow the client's lead. The trance
is self-induced - you're just helping the client to do
something that s/he already knows how to do.
Use the state of
mind that the client has brought in. As an example, if someone
comes in hypervigilant or distraught, after an argument, let's
say, you will not be able to get that person to relax and so you/they
will fail. Work with the "hypervigilance" - give
them something at which they are sure to succeed.
Count from 1 to 20 going "into" the trance and then count backwards to "come out". This can be done vice versa, by counting from 20, backwards for "into" a trance state and forwards from for "out of" the state, as I do.
In terms of an approach - if an approach works with someone, stick to the same approach with that person. It develops habit and routine.
The key to a proper approach is to explain the process beforehand in order to allay any misconceptions of what a trance is. Dispense false expectations of losing consciousness and the like. Talking about it normalizes it as something they do all the time, anyway. It takes away a lot of the tension that people feel, that they are "supposed" to experience some sort of mysticism.
Regarding resistance: Resistance usually means that there is therapeutic work to be done first in regard to the trancework.
When bringing a person "back", out of the trance state, they may appear to be awake and functional, but may not be fully "with it" yet. If they come up groggy or head-achey put them back into a brief trance and suggest that when they "awake" to "open your eyes" and "you will feel refreshed, energized, alert and the headache will be gone..." and then bring them "back".
A trance consists of focusing inside. It is initially an inner
mind trance with rapport.
An additional aspect of inner mind
trance, as the person is going into trance, he feels as if something
is happening to him (automatism). For instance, an arm growing
heavy, the body growing heavy, an hysterical pain or similar.
The therapist can help the client bring forth images by "counting"- which is used as a signal.
Automatism is something that happens to you from within that is not
done deliberately.
Sensory automatism: an example of this
is hallucination
Focusing inside: It is important that the person knows
that what is happening is automatism and to identify the experience as
automatism. Then they are open to more and more things happening
to them, from their own inner mind.
As an example, "So,
he reminds you of your father because....stay with that and see
what comes up, or,
"that pain - stay with it -
concentrate on it - what else comes up." In this way
the memory fills out with images, emotions and feelings that come into
the body. Remember, the thoughts come to you, you don't force
them – that's important in psychodynamism.
At the end of a session, so that automatism doesn't continue after the session, the therapist would say something like, "we've done a lot of good work here, recognize the therapeutic effects but it's a good idea to leave those things here. Now you have a place to be with this stuff and it can continue next session. You need your defenses "out there" so put them back, but now they are more under control".
Trance is not for trauma work only...
It's a tool
for anything and we don't want people to associate trance work
with trauma.
At the first trance session, it is best not to
bring up an issue that is traumatic. Let the client have a good
experience by leading them to a good memory. Don't
begin with trauma.
Anxiety is a diffuse fear. First work
with security issues in order to have the client feel safe before
beginning work on the trauma.
Our Own Approach to Trance...
It will have an element
of automatism. The issue of susceptibility to trance state
refers to how easily one goes into a trance.
The book Hypnotherapy of Pain in Children with Cancer
The ability to elaborate internal images
is when one can close the eyes and relax. The best subject you'll
ever be able to be is at about age 11.
When inducting, using relaxation techniques, use the wording "become aware of," rather than "see", because some people have difficulty visualizing.
Susceptibility to Inner Mind Trances With Rapport
If you are using relaxation or the fixed eye method, the eyes
will get heavy. When the blinking becomes slower and slower, the
subject is going into a cataleptic state. That is one sign of
susceptibility. With eye fixation, everything around
stared-at the object is shimmering. People who regularly
dissociate are susceptible to trance.
Difficult Cases
Difficulty going into trance may be
temporary or may be due to the subject's disposition even though
these are people that want to go into trance.
Ingenuity, persistence and using the proper method for that particular individual are all essential tools. It can sometimes can take up to 2 hours to induce a trance. Don't get discouraged if you are not immediately successful or if this is not right for that person at this time in their life.
The therapist must perceive the client's state of mind and their particular individualism, among other things. Use what the client brings to you. Use his state of upset or anxiety to lead into the trance. Use that person's own momentum without forcing anything. Use what is given.
Have faith that the inner mind knows how to go into a trance state, get back to that and recreate the state. Often, emotional work has to be done first before going into trance work. It is easier to experience trance states in groups.
Problems That May Arise:Examples of that situation in trance work:
Dream Interpretation
Let it unfold. Let the
person bring in and interpret their own dream.
In a trance
state, explain to the client that the dream is a living thing.
As it comes back, it may evolve differently. With the person in
a trance state, you suggest, "allow it to take whatever form it
takes - because it is a living thing - let it go where it will -
because it is a living thing." As the client relates,
ask questions in order to elaborate. The idea is to allow the
person to find the meaning of the dream themselves. Go back to
any emotions, feelings, or what have you – ask about other
persons in the dream and let that person reveal themselves and reveal
its meaning. This can be done in combination with finger
signals. When sometimes they "can't get it",
finger signals can be very useful. Ask questions, "Can it
come into consciousness? Lift 'yes' finger."
When it comes into consciousness, the finger will lift. Continue
to expand the dream while in the trance state.
Dream Induction:
A person in a trance state can have a
dream. In a trance state, the inner mind is more open so that it
is in a more receptive state to produce a dream. You can "count"
to a dream (when I count to 5…) or imagine a blank screen with a
stop and go button…or, walk along a road, come to a bridge and
when you cross over the bridge you will come to a dream...or, finger
signals – "have the yes finger rise when the dream is ready".
The purpose of the dream is to provide some perspective.
The
client provides the direction although you may provide some structure
to the client at the beginning to get them going.
Working With Childhood Trauma:
Trance states are very
powerful and useful for this work.
Ideodynamic Signalling
This is movement caused in the
body due to an unconscious idea. It is not a conscious
undertaking, to make that movement. An example of an ideodynamic
signal is a pendulum. If asked a question, it will answer, for
example, "yes"- left...right; "no"-
back & forth; "not yet ready to know" - clockwise.
Usefulness of Trance in Psychotherapy
As you become
more absorbed and more open to the unconscious, the more open you are
to automatism. When using a trance state, you make the inner
mind more accessible and so automatism (memories, perspectives,
sensations, movements, thoughts, associations) is more available.
Specific uses of Trance in Psychotherapy
When working
with conflicts and absent persons in a trance state, have the client
picture the conflict (for instance, picture the boss), and visualise
as an observer or as themselves. "Place yourself in the
situation and become aware of the emotions involved - amplify
those emotions". The feelings become amplified - the
client's feelings as well as the other's feelings. All
facets of the emotions are to be amplified. Connect those
emotions to previous experiences, "when have you experienced
those feelings before?" Speak to the person in
the conflict.
Hear the other person's feelings.
Put yourself in the other person's place". They may
then see the other person in a whole new way.
"Get yourself comfortable…..down 20 steps…to a door…behind
the door is a room. In that room, you can do whatever you want
to do, etc…."
People in NEED or in state of
crisis, are better subjects for hypnosis.
Creative Blocks
Give the "block" a size,
shape, colour - visualise yourself in your space where you write
and see yourself in encountering the block. Step back -
observe - examine all the details of the scene - Are you in
a house? What are the surroundings? Are you alone? With
whom? Experience the emotions that are evoked. Bring the
reason for the block into consciousness. Next, visualise the
steps to take to remove the block, to allow yourself more
freedom - ask your inner mind. As an Example, "I
will count to 3 - at the count of 3, ask for an image of what it
looks like, feels like" and so on.
Recovering Memories (in the course of therapy)
Sometimes
a person is not sure if a memory is true and that can be very
distressing. Memories can be made up of true as well as not true
things. (Refer to Trance Zero, a book by Adam Crabtree,
Ph.D).
Adult Trauma
When a trauma happened, but it is lost to
memory, trance can be a great aid in recovering adult trauma memory.
Event Reconstruction
In a case where a person did
something that they can't remember, go back and reconstruct the
events leading up to it.
Fears and Phobias
There are 2 sources:
Working With Dissociation
- ego states,
sub-personalities, DID
- hidden observer part
-
observer parts which are "inner self helpers"
-
past life personalities
- alien encounters/abduction
memories
- "hagging" (experiences of a negative
presence, experiences of paralysis when falling asleep or
waking up)
Compiled from my notes on Trance Therapy - Sharon Cass Toole
"You are lying relaxed on a beach. You can feel the
warmth of the sun. As you turn over, your hand touches the hot
sand. Feel the heat penetrating the fingers of both of your
hands.
Now, a block of ice is gently placed on top of your
head. Feel the cold sensation. The combination of the
cold, numb feeling on top of your head, along with the hot feeling in
your fingers makes it physically impossible for you to feel discomfort
in your head."
"Your head will begin to clear; soon the headache will dwindle away and you will feel fine"
"As you become more relaxed and less tense each day...you
will remain more relaxed and less tense...when you are in the
presence of...(name the allergen)...
You will be able to
handle...(the allergen)...with much more ease without the
slightest side effect or allergic response.
Because of this, you
will remain perfectly relaxed...perfectly calm and self-confident...and
you will automatically shift your attention back to this relaxed state
that you are in now and you will not experience these allergic
responses of...(allergen)...
Every day...you will become
emotionally calmer,...much more settled,...much less easily
disturbed. Every day...you will feel a greater feeling of
personal well-being... a greater feeling of personal safety and
security...so will you develop more confidence in yourself,...much
more confidence in your ability to free yourself from these allergic
responses to...(allergen)...without fear of failure.
"Because
all of these things will happen...exactly as I tell you they will
happen...you are going to feel much happier,...much more
contented...much more cheerful...much more optimistic,...much
less easily discouraged...much less easily depressed.
From
this moment on, you are no longer allergic to...(allergen)...
You will no longer respond to ...(allergen)...with (usual
response).
You are steadily losing your desire for allergic
responses to...(allergen).