What normally happens when you tell a child not to do something? They usually go straight ahead and do it, don’t they? That’s because they don’t like being told what to do. Yet what happens when a child wants to do something? They’ll put all their effort into doing that thing. The same thing happened when we were at school. If we were made to do something, we would either not do it, or if we did do it, we wouldn’t put our best effort into it. Reading books for English classes is a perfect example for me. I had to read the books the teacher told me and it was a real struggle to do this. Yet when I wanted to read a book, it was a pleasurable experience, because it was my choice to read that particular book.
Well, that little child that doesn’t like being told what to do, is still alive in you today. It may not be as obvious, however, if we are told what to do, or forced to do something, we will either avoid it or try to do it, but never really put everything we can into doing it.
This is the main reason hypnotherapy doesn’t work long term for some people. There is a form of hypnotherapy called “Direct Suggestion” where the hypnotherapist commands the client to make the changes, very specifically and directly. This works well for a while. The client usually makes the change they came to make, then after a certain amount of time with some people, the old behaviour or emotion or way of thinking comes back. That little kid inside finally surfaces saying “you can’t tell me what to do”. This happens a lot with people trying to stop smoking.
In my hypnotherapy business, I used to only use direct suggestion because you nearly always got an immediate change in the client. However, some clients would return to me with the same or a similar problem sometime in the future. What I learnt was if the client had decided for themselves that they were going to change, the change would be permanent.
A few years ago, I changed my approach to a more open one, based around that little kid inside all of us, giving the client the power of choice. And the results I started getting were long lasting and permanent. My smoking cessation program has a success rate of over 95% now and normally the only time I see a client for another visit is so they can change a totally different part of their life they are not happy with.
I don’t tell them what to do, I give them options so that they can choose what will be best for them. It’s all about them. Then once they choose, I’m there to support them and give them the tools that will make the changes they choose to make, easy and permanent. That’s when their lives change and they begin to live the life they choose.
If you would like to know more about my very successful style of hypnotherapy or if you think you, or someone you know would benefit from having a session with me:
Email me at [email protected] or visit www.hypnoticcoaching.com.au
If you would like to learn more, CLICK HERE, to schedule a conversation with Craig.