Hello, my name's Dr Emma Gray, and I'm a clinical psychologist and hypnotherapist. And today,
we're going to be doing a hypnosis for success. Have you ever done any hypnotherapy or hypnosis
before? Okay, so, maybe, if I tell you a little bit
about what you can expect today, that will help you to feel more comfortable.
So, we're going to begin with a very simple, but deep, relaxation that will prime your
mind and your body for hypnosis. And then, we will move on to the hypnosis itself, in
which I will speak directly to your subconscious mind.
And the reason that I'll do this is because that part of our mind is much more open to
new ideas—so, often, if we want to make a change, it's a good idea to communicate
directly with that part of our mind. Our conscious mind, the part of our mind that we're usually
listening with is much more resistant, full of defences and blocks—so, incorporating
new ideas and suggestions can be harder if we're listening with that part of our mind.
And, during the hypnosis, I'm going to be using the ASMR whispering technique because
this induces a state similar to REM sleep, in which our mind is primed to receive new
ideas, so this will boost the effectiveness of the hypnosis.
Okay. How does that sound?
Are you ready to begin? Okay, so, get comfortable in your chair—put
your feet, both feet, flat on the floor, and rest your hands comfortably in your lap.
We are going to begin with a visual induction, and, for this, I'm going to use a candle.
Because the flame of the candle is very good for helping us to focus our mind away from
the worries of the current moment and towards the suggestions of the hypnosis—so, it's
a very peaceful, but also a very effective way to begin a hypnosis.
So, I would like you to just focus on the flame. And, as you do so, your awareness of
everything else begins to soften, begins to fade into the background.
Your gaze is drawn to the flame, and the way that it flickers absorbs your mind. And you'll
notice that your mind starts to feel calmer, there's a stillness there that grows with
each moment. And your body begins to relax, to sink into the chair. Continue to focus
on the flame—just the flame—watching it flicker, its gentle movements relax you and
calm you. All other thoughts fade into the background.
And now, I'm going to count backwards from five to one. At which point, I will ask you
to close your eyes.
Five...
Four...
Three...
Two...
One...
Close your eyes and just enjoy the stillness for a moment.
Take a deep breath in, and, as you breathe out, allow your breath to clear your mind.
Imagine: with each breath you take, you cleanse your mind—clearing away worries, doubts,
and pain. As you breathe in, you take in clean, clear, fresh energy.
And, as you breathe out, you release anything that is causing you discomfort or distress.
Continue to breathe in this way, drawing in positive energy and expelling negative energy.
Notice how, as you do this, your body begins to calm itself—your mind becomes still,
and a deep feeling of relaxation starts to spread from your feet, up your legs, up through
to your stomach, to your shoulders, down your arms, and then, finally, into your neck, across
your face and head. And now, you will find yourself in a room.
Notice the colour on the walls. Look down and notice the flooring. Look around and notice
the windows, the furniture. Find a chair and take a seat for a moment. This room is your
conscious mind, the part of your mind that you are aware of on a day-to-day basis.
This room, this part of your mind, is where you spend most of your waking hours.
But, here, in this room, in this part of your mind, you can experience confusion, fear,
resist to new ideas, self-doubt, and self-criticism—it can sometimes be an uncomfortable place to
be. So, today, in this hypnosis, we are going to explore another part of your mind, the
subconscious part of your mind. Look across the room—you will see a door.
I want you to stand and slowly walk towards it.
Five...
Four...
Three...
Two...
One...
You arrive at the door, place your hand on
the door handle—notice the coldness of the metal, its smoothness, the ease with which
it turns. Open the door—it will creak gently, but
swings open easily. Turn for a moment, to look back at the room, look back at your conscious
mind—you will be returning here soon. But, for now, walk through the door and close it
behind you. You find yourself in a corridor. Directly
ahead, there is another door. This is the door to your subconscious mind, the part of
your mind that you are less aware of, the part of your mind that is more open to new
ideas—less resistant to new challenges, less quick to judge, dismiss, and criticise.
Walk towards the door, reach out and grasp the handle—notice how it feels in your hand,
notice how it turns. Almost of its own accord, the door swings gently open to reveal a dimly
lit room that is warm and inviting. Walk into the room and head towards the armchair
in the middle of the floor. Sit for a moment and notice how familiar and comfortable it
feels to be here—as if after a long and tiring day you have finally arrived home.
Settle in the armchair—feeling warm, comfortable, supported, and deeply relaxed. Now, enjoy
for a moment this feeling of peace and tranquillity. Now, let us talk about success—how to use
the resources that are available to you in a way that will bring you what you want, what
you need. You have the raw materials, but your self-doubt, self-criticism, your fear
of making a mistake, getting it wrong, or not being able to cope, get in the way of
you using these materials, these resources to achieve your goals. It is only your self-belief
that lets you down, that stops you from succeeding. So, let us build your self-belief. Allow your
mind to consider your qualities, your strengths, your abilities. Everything you need is right
here in front of you. And, from now on, you will believe this, and be able to hold on
to the fact that whatever happens—whatever the consequences of your choices, your decisions—you
will find a way to cope, to deal with things in an effective, productive way. Even if you
do not know immediately how you will do this, you will have faith in your ability to work
it out. Moving forward, you will be able to ask for
the right help, from the right people. You will be able to identify those individuals
who are not there to support you, and you will move away from them. You will instead
surround yourself with like-minded people, people with the same vision and drive as you,
people who respect you, who care for you, and are willing to invest in you. You will
allow yourself to take risks, to make mistakes—knowing that this is the only way to learn, to move
forward, and to develop. You will not be afraid of uncertainty—instead, you will embrace
it and the opportunity it promises. You will revel in the process of discovery,
of experimenting—retaining a strong belief in your ability to adapt, to manage, to utilise
your many resources in order to succeed. You will feel an optimism when you consider the
future. Your mind will be drawn towards the many possibilities for success, and away from
predictions of failure and catastrophe. Not knowing how things will turn out no longer
makes you feel afraid. Now, it fills you with excitement, expectation—and these things
motivate you to drive your projects forward. In a moment, we are going to be leaving your
subconscious mind. But, before we do, I want you to gather the energies that you have been
introduced to here—the self-belief and confidence that you can do whatever you want to do.
Now, stand up and walk towards the door, reach out for the handle and allow it to turn in
your hand. As the door swings open, walk through into the corridor. The door will close behind
you. Walk across the corridor and open the door to your conscious mind. Return to the
chair where you began this journey and sit for a moment. Notice that you feel different—calmer,
more confident, energised. Now, take three deep breaths.
One...
Two...
Three... And open your eyes.
Okay, now, take a moment. Sometimes, after hypnosis, you can feel quite disoriented,
as if you've been woken from a deep sleep. So, take a moment to feel your feet on the
floor, your bottom on the chair, your hands in your lap. And then, when you're ready,
you can take with you what you've learnt today—these are the tools that will help you to achieve
your goals and to succeed.
And I will see you again, at the same time
next week, for more hypnosis. Take care of yourself.
Bye-bye.