Hypnotic Language: Lessons Learned from Dr. Kay Thompson (Medical Hypnosis Consultants, PLLC)

Organization: Medical Hypnosis Consultants, PLLC

Website: MedicalHypnosisConsultants.org

Event Title: Hypnotic Language: Lessons Learned from Dr. Kay Thompson

Dates: 10/29/2024

Location: Virtual

CE: 5.0

Contact: Holly Forester-Miller, Hollyforestermiller@gmail.com

Abstract:
This hands-on workshop is designed to help practitioners enhance their therapeutic communication and better understand the impact of language on healing. Dr. Forester-Miller will share much of what she learned from her mentor, Dr. Kay Thompson, the first female President of ASCH. Besides going to workshops led by Dr. Thompson, Holly co-taught with Kay for several years and met with her for individual supervision once a month for 3 years. Holly knows, “So much of what I do and say as a therapist and a hypnotherapist has been shaped by the time I spent with Kay”. Participants will learn to view everything they say as suggestions and how to start seeding hypnotic suggestions prior to doing any formal trance work. We will discuss the importance of reframing and how to help reframe clients/patients’ self-talk which is the suggestions they give themselves – often unwittingly. As well you will learn to identify and help reframe the suggestions they have internalized from others. These suggestions will be examined as to how they relate to the placebo and nocebo effects. We will address all aspects of language, not just the simple words. Kay believed the unconscious mind could process all meanings of a word. Participants will learn how to develop “wordplay” and metaphors utilizing this concept. A key to understanding the amazing skills of Dr. Kay Thompson is to always think of suggestions whether they be direct, indirect, or metaphoric as being based on the outcome desired by the client.

Learning Objectives:
As a result of this activity participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate reframing a client’s concern as the outcomes they desire.
• Develop language usage in the form of “word play” that they can incorporate in their general patient communications, as well as in their hypnotic communication.
• Construct a metaphor that they can incorporate in their hypnotic communication, as well as utilize as a hypnotic facilitation.
• State five implicative words and how they impact patients.
• Demonstrate how to reframe self-talk/suggestions to minimize the potential nocebo effect for clients/patients