WORKSHOP ON “FORMING SUGGESTIONS”

BRUCE BONNETT

“. . . a hypnotic induction produces a 'hypnotic trance' or a 'state of

hypnosis', but most of the interesting things that happen in hypnosis are
a result of suggestion.” 1

I. WHAT ARE “SUGGESTIONS”?

A. Dictionary definitions2

hypnotic suggestion:

1. the act of offering an idea for action or for consideration of action.

2. an idea so offered.

3. in psychiatry, the process of causing uncritical acceptance of an idea.

hypnotic suggestion: one imparted to a person in the hypnotic state.

posthypnotic suggestion: implantation in the mind of a subject during hypnosis

of a suggestion to be acted upon after recovery from the hypnotic state.

hyp·not·ic sug·ges·tion:

a directive to a subject in trance, which is carried out either during or after the
trance.

1 http://hypnosisandsuggestion.org/types-of-suggestion.html

2 http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/hypnotic+suggestion

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hypnotic suggestion : The modification of unconscious thought through
hypnosis

B. Diagram 3

C. Bruce Bonnett’s Definition

Something a hypnotist or hypnotherapist says or does while someone is in a
hypnotic state (responding more readily to suggestions) that is intended to
have a beneficial effect.

3 Diagram from: http://hypnosisandsuggestion.org/definition-of-hypnosis.html

2
II. SO, HOW DO YOU “FORM” or CREATE
SUGGESTIONS?
A. How would you learn to be an artist?
Initially, you might learn basic techniques that have worked for other
artists.

You may decide some of those work better for you than others.

As your confidence grows, you may start using more advanced techniques
– or even creating new techniques and new kinds of art.

3
4

B. Think of hypnotherapy as a dance

Hypnosis is not something you do to someone. It is a partnership – like a
dance. So, you have to take into consideration your likes, strengths, unique
qualities, etc. as a hypnotherapist. And, you have to take into consideration your
client’s way of processing information, their worldview, their language patterns,
how he/she likes to experience hypnosis, etc. as a client.

“If you’re a one-trick pony, you’d better be hypnotizing a pony that likes that
trick. But people are like dancers. Each dancer has their own strengths and
abilities. Each responds uniquely. If you’re good, you’ll be able to take that in
stride.” 5

“Real hypnotism is not mind control in the way Mesmer envisioned it or as

Hollywood depicts. It’s a collaboration between hypnotist and patient. If a patient
wants to resist, the whole thing is broken. You can’t hypnotise a person against his
or her will, and you can’t make them do something against their morals. Therefore,

4This artist makes building sized sculptures that float in the wind. She gives an
amazing TED Talk about how she created this new type of art:
https://www.ted.com/talks/janet_echelman

5 http://www.hypnosis101.com/hypnosis/inductions/inductions-fail/

4
experienced hypnotists know that inductions are not commands, they are
suggestions. . . . Some people under hypnosis feel no pain when being cut into by
surgeons. In many ways, this dichotomy between miracle cure and relaxation
exercise is what has confounded scientists for centuries. With one patient, you can
wield superhuman powers, and with the next – nothing. . . . Researchers see
hypnotisability as a talent. If hypnosis is a partnership, then success depends on
the skill of both participants. . . . Now, instead of seeing hypnosis as some kind of
goal, I approached it as a process. Less like a magic trick and more as an exercise to
get in shape.” 6

C. If you read about a good type of suggestion

or see someone using a good type of suggestion, add
it to your toolbox if you like. But, don’t get too
caught up trying to copy any one “formula” or
approach – just because it worked for someone else.

Quotes by Milton H. Erickson, MD:

“Don’t try to imitate my voice, or my cadence. Just discover your own. Develop
your own techniques. Be your own natural self. I tried to do it the way
somebody else did and it was a MESS.” 7
`

6 https://aeon.co/essays/look-into-my-eyes-how-hypnosis-works-is-a-partnership

7 http://miltonericksondvds.com/quotes/

5
 D. The only limit on what types of suggestions
you can use is the limit of your imagination!

III. REMINDER: CLIENTS CAN GIVE YOU ALL THE

INFORMATION YOU NEED TO FORM SUGGESTIONS
If you listen closely to your client’s description of the presenting issue and the
desired goal(s) – and take some notes while listening – and ask questions to
extract more detail from your client, you certainly will have enough information to
formulate good suggestions and a good session.

Bruce’s examples:

-teenage fencing clients

-3 ½ year old wearing a Spiderman T-shirt (who got carsick and now won’t get in
cars)

6
-college professor up for tenure but afraid to submit his dissertation paper about tribal
huts/buildings

IV. SOME TYPES OF SUGGESTIONS8

A. Direct Suggestions

Direct Suggestion: Hypnotic suggestions in the form of a command or

instruction. 9

B. Inferred Suggestions
Inferred Suggestion: A suggestion given that contains a message other
than the immediately obvious one. Usually, the underlying meaning is not
immediately understood consciously by the subject, but he will have a
delayed reaction to it. It is especially effective with Emotionally suggestible
subjects. 10

One way to introduce: “And as you relax, I am going to share many ideas
with you. Some will be direct suggestions and others perhaps stories of

8This list is meant to expose you to a number of various types of suggestions. It is

not meant to be exhaustive as that is beyond the scope of this handout. Also, note
that some of these types of suggestions overlap (for example: inferred suggestions
and metaphors/stories).

9 https://hypnosis.edu/glossary/d

10 https://hypnosis.edu/glossary/i

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 some kind. In fact, I am reminded now of a story about . . .” 11

C. Persuasive Suggestions/Teaching
Suggestions

Persuasive Suggestion: A suggestive idea that gives the subject a logical

reason to respond. Persuasive suggestions are particularly effective with
Intellectually suggestible subjects. 12 [Note from Bruce: often you can do a
google search and a little research on the Internet to find articles
describing logical reasons for the client to respond – some of which the client
may not have been aware of…]

Example: Sleep Tips

These tips/tools/strategies potentially could help the client even if you did
not do hypnosis. Hypnosis supercharges these – by convincing the client’s
subconscious mind that they will help and programming the client to
remember to use them.

D. Implication

A type of indirect suggestion. Rather than suggesting an effect, you merely

assume that it will take place. The only question is when, not if. “Do
you want to quit smoking this week or next?” 13

E. Truism

A statement of fact that someone has experienced so often that they cannot
deny it. 14 “You have always known how to fall asleep. You didn’t have to

11 Magic Words in Hypnosis, Richard Nongard, 2012 (book), page 56.

12 https://hypnosis.edu/glossary/p

D. Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and

13

Metaphors (unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 27- 28.

D. Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and

14

Metaphors (unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 29.

8
 read a manual to learn how. You didn’t have to take a class to know
how.” “Your body has always known how to heal itself – for example,
when you got a scrape or small cut as a child.”

F. “Not Knowing and Not Doing”15

“You don’t have to think, or reply, or try to do anything at all.” “Without
really trying, it will just happen all by itself.” “Just allow ____ to happen.”

G. Covering All Possibilities 16

“Shortly your right hand, or perhaps it will be your left hand, will begin
to get light and lift up, or perhaps it may develop a heaviness and press
down, or maybe it won’t even move at all. But, you can simply notice
very carefully what beings to happen. . .”

H. CONTINGENT SUGGESTIONS17
Connects the suggestion to an ongoing or inevitable behavior. “When you
step onto the tennis court, your concentration and focus will increase and you will
allow your muscle memory to help you play to the best of your abilities.” “Every
time you see the number 3 or a number that includes the number 3, it will be easier
and easier for you to be and remain a permanent ex-smoker.”

15Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and Metaphors

(unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 29.

16Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and Metaphors

(unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 29-30.

17Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and Metaphors

(unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 31-32.

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 I. BIND OF COMPARABLE ALTERNATIVES18
This appears to give the client a free choice between two or more
alternatives. However, all of the alternative are essentially comparable and
lead the client in the desired direction. “Time in between meals may seem to
pass quickly or you may simply be unaware of its passing.”

J. CONSCIOUS-UNCONSCIOUS DOUBLE BIND19

This utilizes the client’s unconscious mind to bypass the conscious mind’s old
habits or learned limitations. “The unconscious mind can continue working on
this problem and preparing your for our next session after you leave. And the really
interesting, really curious thing, is that your conscious mind may or may not
really be aware or even understand what is going on, depending on the
preference of your unconscious mind.”

K. CONFUSIONAL SUGGESTIONS20

See great article! “The hypnotic art of confusion”

http://www.uncommon-knowledge.co.uk/articles/uncommon-hypnosis/art-of-
confusion.html:

“Confusion focuses attention. And focused attention encourages hypnotic

response. Confusing language should not be gibberish but should make sense if
you had time to fathom its meaning consciously. The unconscious mind can
understand even as the conscious mind struggles with the confusion. In this way we
begin to communicate with the two parts of the mind separately.
If someone is confused then when they do get clarity they’ll cling onto it and
make use of it. So using confusion technique makes people more suggestible.
Ambiguity can mean that when the clear order, so to speak, is given, it is more
readily accepted.”

D. Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and

18

Metaphors (unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 34.

D. Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and

19

Metaphors (unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 34-35.

D. Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and

20

Metaphors (unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 35-36.

10
“When people are confused, they STOP! And then they develop an internal
focus (a self-induced hypnotic state) as they quickly sort through everything they
know in order to resolve the confusion. While the person's conscious mind is so
preoccupied with making sense of something, the unconscious is more readily
available for suggestion.” http://hypnosis-kids.amazing-
hypnosis.com/confusional-hypnotic-suggestion.htm

“Your conscious mind may be aware of the time available to complete the test, while
your unconscious mind seems to have all the time it needs, or your conscious mind
may enjoy a relaxed pace without concern for time, while your unconscious
monitors the time you have left and the speed of your work.” 21

“ . . . Start by simply taking a deep breath and making the decision to relax. Many
people find that it is easier to relax if they simply rest their hands on their legs. You
can look at your two hands. As you look at those two hands, you may see some
similarities or perhaps you may begin to notice some differences between them. In
a moment, I am going to ask you to make a choice. Your conscious mind may hear
the words that I am using but the subconscious mind will actually make a choice
between the two hands. You may choose the left hand. Perhaps you will find
that is actually the right choice for your. Or you might choose the right hand.
The other hand will be the only one, of course, that is left. You may or may not
understand why you made the choices that you made from the conscious mind, but
the subconscious mind will understand the differences between those two hands.

With a part of your mind, whether it is your conscious mind that can hear the words
that I’m using or the subconscious mind with memories and feelings that you
experienced, make a choice. Ask yourself which of these two hands will become the
hand that is light as a feather and which hand will be heavier than the other? There
really isn’t a right or wrong answer here. It’s really dependent on your own
experiences, you own choices, and the feelings you have.

As you look at those two hands, your subconscious mind knows which of those two
hands is lighter than the other. Your conscious mind may be aware of the choices
that your subconscious mind has made. Or perhaps it is not. That is fine too. . . .” 22

D. Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and

21

Metaphors (unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 36.

22Richard Nongard. (2012) Richard Nongard's Big Book of Hypnosis Scripts: How
to Create Lasting Change Using Contextual Hypnotherapy, Mindfulness Meditation
and Hypnotic Phenomena. Induction: Ericksonian-Style Confusion with Levitation
(pg. 147)*

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 L. Metaphors and Stories 23

Examples: metaphoric stories from your own background or experience

– like concerning previous clients or your own personal experiences, stories
about types of experiences that are so universal that the client cannot deny it, or
making up a story to fit a particular client situation.

“Let me give you an example…”

When metaphors are delivered prior to giving more straightforward

suggestions, the process is known as “seeding” an idea.

The subconscious mind will try to make relevant sense of the story.

Perhaps try to tell stories or create visualizations that have something to do

with client’s life experiences – so it is easier for them to understand. For example,
maybe you do not tell a story about a rainforest to a client who is living in Alaska.

“. . . all metaphorical anecdotes are inherently ambiguous. They seem to be about

one thing, but everyone knows that they are really supposed to be about something
else (i.e., the client).

When faced with this ambiguity, clients try to figure out exactly why the
therapist is telling this story and what it is supposed to mean. Some
metaphorical anecdotes do turn out to be so perfectly relevant for a specific
individual they almost literally demand an unrestrained compliance with specific
therapeutically beneficial understandings or responses, but this seems to be a rare
occurrence.

In most cases, the inner search for meaning that the anecdote stimulates
produces unpredictable and unique therapeutic understandings, ideas, and
responses. What any given client gets out of a metaphorical anecdote usually
turns out to have nothing at all to do with what you thought you were
communicating because people invent or impose meanings that are personally
relevant to them.

Actually, this greatly simplifies the task of selecting and constructing

metaphors. Instead of worrying too much about finding exactly the right
metaphor for each person, your task is simply to [choose] or construct
metaphorical anecdotes that people will listen to and wonder about. You can then

D. Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and

23

Metaphors (unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 36-38.

12
rely on their inherent curiosity and self-healing capacities to accomplish the
desired goals.” 24

M. Symbolic Imagery25
For example, have clients imagine what their pain looks like and then modify the
imagery to produce relief.

N. Transitional Deepening Suggestions26

“Rarely does a person just fall into a deep trance and stay there the
whole time. Instead, they usually kind of drift and dream, floating up and down and
back and forth during a session. You can use a transitional deepener any time you
think it’s necessary. . . . [For example:] “Notice now that you feel differently at this
moment than you did a few minutes ago or even when you walked in the door. And,
notice how although you know you could open your eyes, it feels so good to relax . .
.”

O. Ego Strengthening 27
These affirm to clients that they are doing hypnosis ok and it will help
them For example: “I teach a lot of people how to use hypnosis and you’re doing
well. And as you allow yourself to enjoy this experience you know that this is the
right way to help you to be successful.” Or “A person does not have to have their
eyes closed or even be relaxed in order to experience hypnosis. They simply need to
be able to access the creative part of the mind . . . new learnings can take place that
can help them be successful at any issue . . . . “

P. Aversion Suggestions

24Ron Havens & Catherine Walters. (2002) Hypnotherapy Scripts: A Neo-

Ericksonian Approach to Persuasive Healing p. 242

D. Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and

25

Metaphors (unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 34-38.

26 Magic Words in Hypnosis, Richard Nongard, 2012 (book), page 57.

27 Magic Words in Hypnosis, Richard Nongard, 2012 (book), page 59
.

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 Example: You may be surprised or not so surprised to find cigarettes no
longer appeal to you and that you have no desire to put a cigarette into your mouth
or smoke it – as if there was a piece of raw chicken on the end of the cigarette or as if
the cockroaches had a big party crawling around the cigarettes.

Note: you may want to check if the client feels comfortable with this
approach

Note: make sure you tailor the suggestions appropriately. Do NOT give
the suggestion “Every time you smell cigarette smoke, you feel violently ill”,
because some stranger who is smoking may walk pass your client on the sidewalk…”

Note: Some hypnotherapists believe there is a risk to this approach,

because if the client “backslides”, then the client will now have an expectation of
something bad happening. For example, Bruce has a 12 year old client who is
addicted to pornography. Studies seem to indicate that teenagers who consume too
much pornography actually experience changes (damage?) to their brains. And,
often, those teenagers become too accustomed to the constant stream of new porn
actors and actresses to watch. As a result, they often cannot be satisfied in a serious
or monogamous relationship – and often cannot actually enjoy sexual activity with
other people; they only can enjoy watching pornography. Anyway, the negative
result may scare the teen away from too much porn. Or, if the teen continues to
watch porn, it may convince the teen’s subconscious mind that brain damage has
occurred and that real sexual relationships are now impossible. 28

Example: Trader Joe Ginger Snap cookies

Q. TED TALKS OR OTHER ONLINE TALKS, ETC.

You can put a client in hypnosis and spend part (not all) of the session
playing them a TED TALK or other online talk or resource while the client is in a
more suggestible state to accept the lessons of the talk. Or, you can print out a
transcript of the talk and use it as a script.

28https://www.hypnosis.org/free-hypnosis/hypnosis-hypnotherapy-articles/c-
roy-hunter/is-there-a-place-for-aversion-suggestions.php

14
 Some examples:

-for clients trying to find happiness

https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy

-for clients who find one door or path has closed and needs to believe there is
a new different one out there
https://www.ted.com/talks/janet_echelman

-for clients who are shy, introverted, etc.

https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts

-for clients who feel like they are underdogs or like they face big obstacles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L0GGfQblrc

R. Incorporate Client’s environment – the

places they will be regularly

For example: When you step onto the tennis court, you will notice
how the court is divided into different areas and your subconscious mind will
automatically put “in bounds” during your match your muscle memory,
concentration, stamina, etc. and will place “out of bounds” and out of mind
anything unhelpful like nerves, distractions, negativity, etc.

S. Suggest that client can adjust his/her

internal controls (control room)

Or stroke patient in hypnosis was asked to imagine nerves like the tangled
cords behind your tv, dvd, cable box, etc. “Among other things, in hypnosis, this
subject was given suggestions for increased awareness and connectivity with her
limbs. She described that she could imagine wires in her arms to connect to her
hand that were in a tangled up mess. Suggestions were given to color the wires one
at a time and add labels indicating which wire went to which finger. The subject
reported feeling increased awareness of her hand after this process.” 29

http://biorobotics.harvard.edu/pubs/2006/journal/Diamond2006%20-
29

%20Hypnosis%20stroke%20case%20studies.pdf

15
 T. Imagine a team of experts enters client’s
body and mind and makes any necessary
adjustments

Sort of like in the 1960’s movie “The Fantastic Voyage”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcMwNSiQ8Jk&t=115s

U. Studies about hypnosis and client’s

presenting issue

If you can find online any studies (or study summaries – called “abstracts”)
concluding that hypnosis helps with client’s presenting issue, just describing the
study results may be enough to trigger client’s subconscious mind to find solutions
via hypnosis. Some studies or study summaries also go into detail about what
kinds of inductions and suggestions were used, so you can find ideas there.

If you are an AHA member, summaries of studies about hypnosis for the
following 46 presenting issues are available to you (and these are currently in the
process of being updated):

Academic Performance and Hypnosis

Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Addictions and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Agoraphobia and Social Phobia/Panic Attacks and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Allergies and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Anti-Aging and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Arthritis and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Asthma and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Auto-Immune Disorders and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Bedwetting and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013

16
Blood Pressure (Hypertension) and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Bruxism (Teeth Grinding/Jaw Clenching) and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Burns and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Cancer and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Claustrophobia and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Control of Bleeding and Hemophilia and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Diabetes and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Erectile Dysfunction and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Fear of Dentist and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Fear of Injections and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Fertility, Childbirth and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Fibromyalgia and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Glaucoma and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Guided Imagery
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Headaches and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Healing and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
HIV/AIDS and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
HPV (Human Papillomavirus) and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Multiple Sclerosis and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Pain and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Parkinson’s Disease and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Plastic Surgery and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013

17
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Recall/False Memory and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Sleep Problems and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Smoking Cessation and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Sports Performance and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Stress and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Strokes and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Stuttering and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Tinnitus and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Tourette’s Syndrome/Tics and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2013
Trichotillomania and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Warts and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013
Weight Loss and Hypnosis
Production Date: Sat, Jun 1, 2013

V. A FEW MORE THINGS TO CONSIDER IN FORMING

SUGGESTIONS

A. Erickson’s “buckshot” approach (also called

the “mental locksmith” approach)

You can try different kinds of suggestions to evaluate what seems to work with a
particular client. “. . . it may be instructive to listen to the words of Rossi . . . as he
described the work of a master hypnotherapist: ‘Erickson does not always know
beforehand which . . . suggestion will be effective. He usually uses a buckshot 30

30“This is the buckshot approach. Buckshot spreads into many little pellets when it
leaves the shotgun — most will miss the target, but that’s OK, because only some of
the pellets need to hit.” http://mnmlist.com/scattered/

18
approach of giving many suggestions . . . . While watching Erickson, . . . Rossi
frequently had the impression of him as a sort of mental locksmith now gently
trying this key and now that. He watches the patient intently and expectantly,
always looking for the subtle changes of facial expression and body movement that
provide an indication that the tumblers of the patient’s mind have clicked; he has
found a key that works much his mutual delight with the patient.’” 31

B. Try to avoid using “negative words or

feelings” in your suggestions
When formulating suggestions do not use negative words or feelings, such
as “I will not” or “I can not.” Phrase your suggestions in a positive/optimistic
manner. 32 Some people say the subconscious mind does not understand negatives.

Perhaps a better explanation is the following:

“Hypnotic Suggestion works because of the way the subconscious part of the mind
functions. For example, to read the phrase ” Don’t think of a brick wall” would
inevitably have you violate its imperative. This is because the subconscious mind
comprehends words individually, accessing memories pertaining to those words to
make sense of them, and pieces them together to form a coherent string of words
some time later. Therefore, at least subconsciously, you will have thought of a brick
wall upon reading or hearing that sentence.
Knowing that, it comes to mind that to make a person do a specific thing using
Hypnotic Suggestion is by using positive suggestions. Imperatives like “Hit your
mark” rather than “Don’t miss” are more effective in getting a person to perform a
suggested action. Adversely, this is also how reverse psychology works: Saying don’t
be late” to a person can actually make him late, as every word of that imperative
echoes inside his subconscious repeatedly, including the word “late”.” 33

D. Corydon Hammond. (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and

31

Metaphors (unofficially known as “The Big Red Book”), p. 28 – 29.

32 HMI Hypnosis 101 Workbook.

33Hypnotic Suggestion Definition And Techniques http://ruledbrain.com/hypnotic-

suggestion-definition-and-techniques/

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 C. Remember the law of repetition

It helps if during a session you repeat a certain suggestion a number of times

– or in a number of slightly different ways.

VI. SOME CARTOONS ABOUT HYPNOTIC

SUGGESTIONS (so we remember to smile and not
take ourselves too seriously!)

20
21
22
23
24
25
 VII. If you want to hear another person’s
perspective on “forming suggestions”, AHA
members can check out the following one hour talk
on the HMI/AHA Website:

“Now What Do I Say?” https://hypnosis.edu/aha/videos/193

American Hypnosis Association AHA Guest Speakers
Presented By: Lisa Cefalu

So you've learned hypnotic inductions and how to do the first session. Your client
has presented their reasons for coming to see you. Now it's time for you to give
suggestions in hypnosis. What do you say? How do you formulate suggestions that
will make sense to the client and give them what they want?
Lisa will show you how to cultivate positive and powerful suggestions that will
serve as a catalyst for change in your clients. Communicate with suggestions that get
results for each and every individual client who seeks your services. Learn by
listening closely to your clients so that you know how to deliver suggestions in
language that they will understand.
AML188 | Duration: 01:00:00 | Production Date: Sep 30, 2006 | Format: SD

26
 KEEP PRACTICING!
If you want, in groups of 2, 3 or 4 ---- or all of us in the class in one
big group if you prefer—you could take turns picking “presenting

issues” out of Mr. Potatohead’s head (he has lots

of issues!); then see how many different kinds of suggestions you
can come up with if you had a client with this issue. If you get
stuck, get Bruce’s attention and he will help. (The more
presenting issues you are prepared to face when you start seeing
clients, the faster your practice will take off and you will make
more money….)

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