Bringing Hypnosis to Life: From Training to Effective Practice

Organization: 

Oregon Society (OSCH)

Website: 

https://www.oregonhypnosis.org/event-6118483

 

Event Title: 

Bringing Hypnosis to Life: From Training to Effective Practice

 

Agenda:

8:30 am-9:45 am,  Section #1:

Using Hypnosis in Clinical Practice: Common Barriers and Existing Foundations (75 minutes) Presenter: Debbie Bensching

1. Topic Introduction: Survey review and discussion.

1. Participant Engagement – the challenges of using hypnosis with clients/patients?
2. Survey Data review discussion

 

1. Identifying Personal Barriers to Using Hypnosis. Small Group Exercise. Participants will identify and prioritize their concerns about using hypnosis, categorize them as personal or professional, and identify solutions to one key barrier.

 

1. Concerns and Solutions Facilitated Discussion in a large group:

1. Facilitated Discussion: Groups share identified themes and barriers, then discuss identified solutions to overcome challenges.
2. Review other Possible strategies to address barriers.

 

1. Existing Clinical Framework: What you already know as the clinical foundation.
2. Clinical conceptualization, treatment planning, and intervention selection without hypnosis.
3. Does hypnosis fit into your existing clinical framework? (overall clinical thinking, existing style of treatment planning, and goal setting).  Case examples before integrating hypnosis: clinical vignette

Learning Objectives Section 1, Participants will:

1. List three common barriers that limit healthcare providers from using hypnosis in clinical practice.
2. Identify at least one barrier (hesitation or concern) they struggle with when integrating hypnosis into clinical practice.
3. Construct two strategies to use to overcome barriers to integrating hypnosis into clinical practice.
4. Analyze the compatibility of hypnosis with current clinical frameworks, including treatment planning and intervention selection, using case examples to determine effective integration.

9:45-12:00 pm Section #2:

Incorporating Hypnosis into Case Conceptualization and Treatment Planning (120 minutes, 15-minute break) Presenter: Dave Boyer

9:45-10:15 am

1. Clinical Overview: Defining the overarching problem and treatment goals
2. Understanding Class of Problem / Class of Solution Model (O’Hanlon, 2009):
3. Class of Problem and Class of Solution Concepts
4. Aligning possible solutions with identified  problems
5. Hypnotic Treatment Planning: goals and objectives: possible targets for hypnosis intervention

Morning Break: 10:15-10:30 am

10:30 am-11:30 am

1. Clinical Demonstration of the Model and Group Exercise (60 minutes)

1. Demonstration: Using a clinical vignette to illustrate the process of hypnotic treatment planning using the Class of Problem/Class of Solution Model
2. Small Group Exercise: Using 2 Clinical Vignettes, participants will practice identifying the class of problems: the various aspects of how a client goes about a problem and the class of solutions, identifying corresponding hypnotic targets.

11:30 – 12:00 pm

1. Clinical Applications: matching hypnotic techniques to the class of solutions and hypnotic targets (30 minutes)
2. General exploration of hypnotic techniques and strategies that best match the nature of the problem and identified solutions using hypnotic targets identified from clinical vignettes/
3. Choosing the hypnotic technique and approach best for the client/patient: Tailoring and Utilization.

Learning Objectives Section 2, Participants will be able to

1. Outline a model/method of hypnotic treatment planning.
2. Demonstrate how to use a hypnotic treatment planning model to break down a larger client problem into smaller aspects of the problem and develop specific targets/objectives for hypnotic intervention.
3. Select hypnotic techniques that best match the nature of the client’s/patient’s problem to support an effective clinical approach using hypnosis.

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch break

1:00 pm – 2:45 pm Section #3:

Mastering Trance Work Part I: Cultivating Hypnotic Communication for Therapeutic Success (95 minutes) Presenter: Debbie Bensching

1:00 pm – 1:50 pm

1. Understanding Hypnotic Communication (30 minutes)

1. What does it mean to be Hypnotic? Review Perspectives of Yapko and Zeig
2. Informal Hypnosis: Integrating Hypnotic Principles Naturally into Conversation.
   1. Yapko’s Principle: Use indirect suggestions to create a natural flow.
   2. Zeig’s Principle: Utilize pacing and leading techniques to match the client’s natural rhythm and guide them toward change.

3.       Conversational and Naturalistic Hypnosis: Using Everyday Communication to Create Hypnotic Effects.

1. Yapko’s Principle: Recognize that hypnosis is not separate from life but can be integrated into ordinary conversations.
2. Zeig’s Principle: Use conversational hypnosis by embedding suggestions within casual dialogue, allowing the unconscious mind to engage without the client feeling they are being “hypnotized.”
3. Alert Hypnosis: working in a trance while the client/patient maintains conscious awareness while still experiencing the benefits of the trance state. Can still access unconscious resources.

4.       Engaging Clients to Talk During Trance: Techniques for Guiding and Deepening Trance Experiences.

1. 1. Hypnotic Talk as a Resource
   2. Facilitating open dialogue
   3. Utilizing the Client’s Responses
   4. Alert Hypnosis

1:50 pm – 2:35 pm

1. Demonstrations of Hypnotic Communication Principles and Small Group Practice
2. Clinical Demonstration: The Demonstration will showcase the concept of “being hypnotic” through conversational hypnosis and will then transition into developing a formal trance to demonstrate talking with the client in a trance showcasing naturalistic hypnosis techniques.
3. Small Group Practice: Participants will work in dyads to practice being hypnotic using conversational hypnosis principles and then transition into a formal trance to practice talking with a client in a formal trance state.

Learning Objectives Section 3, Participants will

1. Identify two or more key principles for using informal hypnosis to integrate hypnotic suggestions into clinical conversations.
2. Demonstrate effective application of at least one key principle of hypnotic communication techniques using conversational and naturalistic hypnosis approaches.
3. Demonstrate the ability to integrate talking with clients/patients while in a formal trance state to enhance therapeutic outcomes.

Afternoon Break: 2:35-2:45 pm

3:00 pm – 4:15 pm Section # 4

Mastering Trance Work Part II: Cultivating Hypnotic Skills for Therapeutic Success (105 minutes) Presenters: Dave Boyer and Debbie Bensching

2:45-3:15 pm

1. Advanced Elicitation Techniques (30 minutes) Presenter: Dave Boyer
2. What is advanced elicitation?
3. Purpose and benefits of advanced elicitation
4. Common Elements of Advanced Elicitation Techniques

3:15 pm – 3:45 pm

1. Emotional Mastery and Resilience through Hypnosis (30 minutes) Presenter: Debbie Bensching
2. Approaches for using hypnosis with Emotional Regulation and Stabilization
3. Disrupting Negative Trance through re-associating maladaptive dissociation.

3:45-4:15 pm

1. Personal Style and Connecting Hypnosis to Other Modalities (30 minutes) Both Presenters
2. How does hypnosis complement other practices? Case examples and discussion of combining hypnosis with other modalities.
3. Brainstorming: Participants discuss how they will integrate hypnosis with their current skills.

4:15 pm-4:30 pm

1. Workshop Wrap-Up: Collective Integration & Review. Both Presenters.

Facilitated discussion with participants to identify key takeaways from the workshop and consider actions they can take to advance their use of hypnosis.

Learning Objective Section 4, Participants will be able to

1. Describe two or more benefits of using advanced elicitation techniques
2. List three types of advanced elicitation techniques
3. Compare two or more techniques to support emotional regulation and stability, determining which techniques are appropriate for their clinical setting.
4. Summarize at least three lessons or concepts they learned that can be applied to support integrating hypnosis into clinical practice.
5. Construct a plan detailing two specific actions to advance their use of hypnosis

 

Dates: 

05/17/2025

 

Location:

Virtual workshop

 

CE:

7

 

Contact:

debbenweb@gmail.com

 

Abstract:

Workshop Description:As experienced faculty teaching the Level 1 and Level 2 Clinical Hypnosis courses for the Oregon Society, we have consistently heard from participants about the difficulties they experience integrating clinical hypnosis into their practice. Our goal is to Bridge the Gap from Training to Effective Practice Applications. Based on a recent survey of healthcare providers trained in hypnosis, we’ve identified the most common concerns and barriers they encounter when applying hypnosis skills in clinical settings. This workshop is designed to address those challenges and help you build confidence and competence in your hypnosis practice. Join Dave Boyer and Debbie Bensching for an interactive, hands-on workshop where you will: Identify common barriers to effectively using clinical hypnosis and discover practical solutions to overcome them. Enhance your skills in case conceptualization, treatment planning and technique selection, with guidance on integrating hypnosis into your existing therapeutic framework. Practice applying hypnosis techniques through case vignettes, focusing on developing hypnotic language, formulating effective suggestions, and tailoring interventions to real-world scenarios. This workshop emphasizes experiential learning, providing ample opportunities to practice and refine your skills with expert feedback. Whether you’re new to hypnosis or looking to deepen your clinical applications, you’ll leave feeling more equipped and confident to bring hypnosis into your practice.

 

Learning Objectives:

Learning objectives have been included in the timed outline at the end of each teaching segment.

Workshop references: these are not included in the uploaded outline.
Elkins, G.R. (2022), Introduction to Clinical Hypnosis: The Basics and Beyond. Mountain Pine Publishing. Waco, TX.
Jensen, Mark, Editor (2017).  The Art and Practice of Hypnotic Induction: Favorite Methods of Master Clinicians (Voices of Experience Series). Denny Creek Press. Kirkland, WA.
O’Hanlon, Bill (2005). The Handout Book: Complete handouts from the workshops of Bill O’Hanlon. Copyright © 2005 O’Hanlon and O’Hanlon, Inc. 223 N. Guadalupe #278, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA.
O’Hanlon, Bill (2009). A Guide to Trance Land: A Practical Handbook of Ericksonian and Solution-Oriented Hypnosis. W.W. Norton & Company. New York, NY
Patterson, David R. Neurophysiology, Social Psychology and Dissociation as a Basis for Creating Generative Clinical Hypnosis.  ASCH Annual Scientific Meeting, 2019.
Patterson, David R. Complex Inductions For Building Resilience Made Simple: Dissociation, Neurophysiology. Plenary Presentation ASCH ASMW, 2022.Yapko, Michael (2019). Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis, 5th edition. Routledge. New York, NY.
Zeig, J.K. (2014). The Induction of Hypnosis: An Ericksonian Elicitation Approach. The Milton H. Erickson Foundation Press. Phoenix, AZ.
Zeig, Jeffrey (2018). The Anatomy of Experiential Impact Through Ericksonian Psychotherapy: Seeing, Doing, Being. The Milton H. Erickson Foundation Press. Phoenix, AZ.