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 Becoming More Hypnotic: Refining and Mastering Advanced Clinical Skills for Trance, Resistance, and Change (MSCH)

November 1

Organization: Minnesota Society of Clinical Hypnosis (MSCH)

Website: https://www.msch.us/education/2026-rosenthal-retreat-otani/  

Event Title: Becoming More Hypnotic: Refining and Mastering Advanced Clinical Skills for Trance, Resistance, and Change 

Agenda:  MSCH_2026_Workshop_Schedule

Dates: 11/01/2026 

Location: Virtual 

CE: 6 

Contact : jstoos@rekindlethespark.com 

Description:  This workshop is intended for clinicians and practitioners seeking to deepen their proficiency in hypnotic elicitation and utilization within their everyday clinical work. The session has three primary objectives. First, it examines frequently overlooked clinical variables—observation, pacing, and the strategic use of language—that may compromise trance development, and offers practical methods for strengthening these foundational skills. Second, it considers the identification and management of resistance in trance work, drawing on broader theoretical models and translating them into clinical interventions for both hypnotic induction and psychotherapy. Third, it introduces more advanced approaches–including therapeutic metaphor, interspersal techniques, and the art of “being hypnotic” rather than simply “doing hypnosis.” Drawing on more than four decades of clinical experience, Dr. Otani will also share practice-based insights that go well beyond standard procedural instruction. The workshop will blend didactic presentation, live demonstration, and small-group experiential practice to build both conceptual understanding and clinical skills. 

Learning Objectives: 

  •  Identify at least three clinical variables—such as observation, pacing, and strategic language use—that can influence the development of hypnotic trance.
  • Acquire the three selected methods for strengthening foundational hypnotic induction skills through observation, pacing, and intentional language use. 
  • Describe two theoretical models of client resistance and explain how they apply to hypnotic induction and psychotherapy. 
  • Select and acquire one clinically appropriate intervention for managing resistance during trance work and related therapeutic encounters. 
  • Apply one of the advanced hypnotic approaches, including therapeutic metaphor and interspersal techniques, in structured clinical practice exercises. 
  • Differentiate between “doing hypnosis” as a set of procedures and “being hypnotic” as an integrated clinical stance. 
  • Practice at least one hypnotic induction or utilization strategy during experiential exercises and receive feedback on its clinical application      

Speaker info: Akira Otani, Ed.D., FASCH, ABPH 2026_MSCH_Workshop_Biography_with_Photo

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