Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Redundant Sessions

So, have you looked at the world from an upside down perspective, yet? I am looking at the world from a sleepy perspective at the moment.

Here is a question (no, I am not waiting until Sunday): Where are people getting the idea that they need a potential booster session or that they need some sort of reinforcement for hypnosis to be truly effective?

Is it because hypnotists tell them this in order to get more business? Is it a lack of self-trust?

I do offer a more than one session option in my pricing, but I do this for the concept that there may be several things that the client would want to work on, such as is the case with weight loss, where one might need suggestions for portion control, self-esteem, and exercise motivation. So, I would do three sessions for this, not the same thing over and over again.

What I also wonder is if the brain occasionally rebels against repeating the suggestion over and over again for instance as one might do with an audio product. If they use the same audio to help them fall asleep at night, might it get to the point where it does just the opposite?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Almost all of my clients I see only once. I never talk about "booster sessions" because I don't want to introduce the idea that the work we've just done, or are about to do, might not be effective. Belief is key. I do let them know that I'm there for them if they want to come back.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing clients a disservice by not pushing for multiple sessions. I generally follow up by phone or email and the feedback is generally positive, but how do I know they're not just trying to get me off the phone so they can have a cigarette?

It's important to me, though, to do things expeditiously. When I'm at a gathering of hypnotists and I hear someone make an off-hand reference to clients who come back week after week, I can't help but recoil a little. Hypnotherapy is supposed to be a rapid modality; clients aren't supposed to come back again and again and again for the same problem. Sure, I can see taking a faceted approach to a major life change as you (Ellie) do with weight clients, but even there we're talking a handful of sessions, not a long term relationship. It reminds me of the old story about a psychiatrist who dies, only to have his patients line up at the graveside at their usual appointment times and talk to the headstone.

I've never heard of someone rebelling against a recorded suggestion simply because of repetition. What I have noticed with the recordings I make for myself is that as things in my life change I have to update the recordings because the suggestions no longer 'fit' where my head is.

-Michael Raugh, C.H.

The Transparent Hypnotist said...

I am with you on the idea of keeping someone coming back month after month. But you know what I think might be good, I have a friend who opens her door weekly and does guided meditations for relaxation. I think she has clients who do come back repeatedly for those.

Thanks for the insight on the audio idea. Life does change, so maybe they should just be updated.