The state of depression is very spread nowadays. Stresses are a part of our everyday life, and people with a weakened nervous system or specific perception of life can have them developed into serious problems. Depression is a disorder that needs very careful treatment. I suggest such stages to be used while dealing with depressions:
Conversations
Communication with a client has to be led long enough to understand their emotional state. The therapist should do the appropriate testing to get the basic knowledge of the psychics of his patient, its opportunities, and limitations. While a therapist is knowledgeable in this sphere, the patient is not, so every emotion can be explained with the appropriate medical term. Therefore, simple expression of one’s state can be modified by a therapist to a certain diagnosis.
Setting the goals
The therapist should define the specific needs and possibilities of a person. What is more, it is important to agree on the goals with the patient. This will also help to structure the section and motivate the patient.
Considering the context
Since all the situations are unique, a therapist should take into consideration a number of factors that can be either helpful or harmful in a particular case.
Hypnosis
There should be an appropriate approach to hypnosis for every individual. The therapist should always motivate his choice and support it with the needs of the patient.
For treating depression, I have chosen the traditional approach to hypnosis. It means the involvement of a patient in a state of trance. Relaxation is one of the key elements which will help to overcome the tension caused by depression. The important point, in this case, is to control the depth of the trance state to induce total involvement or partial alertness in a person.
I found it extremely important to separate the past from the future and to concentrate on the last. The traditional approach is, in my opinion, very suitable for this particular disorder, as it lets the patient both prostrate and be conscious. It means that a person can deliberately analyze their feelings and emotions. Guided by a professional, this process can be very prolific. The related suggestions of a therapist and certain offered images can influence the consciousness of a patient dramatically. Of course, it also depends on the imaginative skills and the previous experiences of a patient, but a high-qualified professional will be capable of recognizing and considering such factors.
To be more specific during the session, I decided to narrow down the conditions of the hypnotic session. The patient would be a female of 35 years with the diagnosis of depression after a painful breakup with her husband. The woman feels lonely, unneeded, and has no hope to be loved again. Of course, after some conversations, I can get to know more details about the patient and relate them to the content of the hypnotic session. My task is to direct her to the future and to show her all the possibilities life has. The hypnotic state will help me to sort out her present thoughts and negative experiences and also to project the future which would satisfy the needs of the patient. Therefore, the main goals are:
- recovering from the shock
- increasing of the patient’s self-esteem
- focusing on the future; creating a positive image of the future
I will present a detailed transcript of a structured hypnosis session that is aimed at improving the patient’s mental state:
Have you ever been under hypnosis before? This state is very special. It will help you to concentrate on your subconsciousness and see yourself from the inside. After the session, you will feel relief.
Place yourself comfortably… You can occupy any place in the room which you want to… You can have any posture…either sit or lie down… Feel your body situated comfortable enough to relax…nothing bothers you…focus on your body…observe yourself on the physical level… It is better to relax when you are open to the environment…so it would be probably comfortable for you to have your hands and legs spread…
I would like you to close your eyes…your eyes feel relieved when closed… at one moment you feel that your body is extremely heavy. You can feel every cell of your organism…they are alive…alert…breathe slowly… Shortly inhale and then slowly exhale… you do not have to be alert anymore…You feel that the time is passing by very slowly and you are now at no time and no dimension… You don’t have to think… you do not have to evaluate… you are free of analysis and critics…
You are only devoted to yourself… Focus on your slow breathing… find that your body is melting… first you feel that your legs are getting warmer… every muscle relaxes… The warm wave comes to the upper part of the body… You feel your chest absolutely free… Finally, your head is getting warmer… Feel every muscle of your face soothing…your brain is not as tense as usual… all the processes in it are slowing down… you are insensitive to the environment…you can only hear me speeking…Feel my voice to be a gentle melody which helps you to feel comfortable…
The words that I am saying…are a source of new ideas for you… ideas which will help you…to discover new sides of your own consciousness and personality… everything that I say will point you to your future…and you can develop your best expectations about it… You do not have to think about all the spheres of your life at time… you can very slowly begin to concentrate your thoughts…You feel that your body and soul are equally relaxed… Feel yourself just at the right place now…
We have a lot of things to talk about…But the most significant at this very moment is your feelings….the feelings….which are hidden deep inside of you. I will talk about your feelings…about your emotions….experiences…which are all recorded in your mind…it can sometimes be hard for you…to sort all these things out…to solve your problems…you cannot always figure out…how your mind works…and it is normal…because the structure and functioning of your brains are very complex…nobody is capable of understanding it…because of its nature… which is very complicated…and this is the reason you sometimes feel confused…try to leave this behind… try to delve into your inner world…deeper than mind and thoughts…deeper than your alertness…you can focus on the deepest level of yourself…feel your nature…its unique…there is a multitude of sides in you…you know them all…you know that it is sometimes difficult to understand yourself…you have so many questions… and the deepest level hides all the answers…you are not sure about what is there…you feel confused about your own emotions and feelings…but if you concentrate on what you see inside of you…which is much deeper than the feelings…probably something that induces them…it will let us project this to all your senses…and if we change the roots of your feelings for better…it will change all of you for better…it can improve even the external world…and influence your life…
Now when you are on the deepest level…you can see everything clearly…there is a lot of space inside of you…it is very beautiful there…you can see the stream of warm light… you can see flowers blooming…it is very peaceful…you know that it is very warm…and it makes you glad… at the moment you find yourself standing in shadow…it is cold there…you really want to go to the flowers and the sun…but the darkness holds you…that is your pain…caused by your husband…and all the bad experiences…you are afraid to leave it behind…but you feel it is time to separate from the darkness…you have to make one step…one step further…it will set you free… you will suddenly feel warmth and love…you can go to that amazing world…all you have to do is step out of the darkness…you really want to be there…and you do it…you take the step…and appear in the picturesque place…the light is shining brightly…you are now on the deepest level of your subconsciousness…it is very beautiful there…feel the light…it is filling you from inside…you are all shining…everybody can see it…
Now you have made your final step…which transferred you from the past to the present…at the present you are feeling very comfortable…time passes by very slowly…and we have time to think about the future…to plan it…in details…your future will start soon… you are open to it…you are open to the new rays of light which life will give you…you expect the future to be shining…there is a big source of light in front of you… you will make steps to it…little by little…and your mind will absorb this light…your future will be very positive…it will bring joy to you…you will meet a lot of people…who will bring positive emotions to you…you will never be alone…not for a minute…you will be smiling constantly…in surrounding of pleasant people…you are a pupa now…and when you become a butterfly…everybody wants to see you…everybody will be astonished with your beauty…noone expected you to have such beautiful wings…but they will…you will feel needed… because you are on the light warm side now…away from the cold blue shadow…you always knew you had something greater inside of you…and now that you have discovered it you will bring it to people…show it…share your light…you are different now…very different from what you used to be… you are waiting forward to show your light to everyone…who had not seen it before…you have the whole world in front of you…there are so many things you can do…and the new activities will open new possibilities for you…you can travel…see new places…meet new people…communicate…life is so interesting…you are willing to experiment…you know that your life had been rather static…and all the facts, positive together with negative, nixed…so you might want to change something…and the external changes can cause great internal changes…you can do something you always wanted to do…but never dared to dream about it seriously…you always wanted to ride a horse… you now have an opportunity to do this…why not?
You are on the bright side…you can try new things…experience new feelings…horse is perfect for you…it has a spirit similar to yours…it’s so free…so happy…you can go to the farm for a couple of days…take the best horse…and ride it…you will feel the wild energy riding it…it is amazing…you will wonder why you did not do it before…you really need a change…which would shake your emotions…this is your specific goal…and you have time to concentrate on it…now is the right time to do it…you are feeling comfortable…you have the access to your subconsciousness…
Do not try to relate the state of happiness to anything or anybody…try to realize that you are very self-sufficient… feel it…You have a lot of wishes and dreams…and you know how to fulfill them…you don’t need anyone to help you…or to tell you what to do…you can do whatever you like…whatever you want to…you are strong…unrestricted…and you are right…because you cannot be wrong about your own emotions…what you feel is always right…noone is going to judge it…you can be yourself…and and this makes you want to live…think about the multitude of things you can do… you do not want to miss all the pleasant moments…everything that brings joy…will become the most important for you…you will eat your favorite dishes…see your friends smiling…feel the smell of your favorite flowers…and this is beautiful…now you have time and opportunity to focus on your own needs…satisfy your desire…think about what you want most…and do not refuse to do it…because you deserve it.
Now you can do whatever you want to do…this is a unique opportunity for you to explore yourself from inside…try to focus on the positive energy…remember about the shining… you have time…you still are feeling comfortable… it’s very peaceful around… you can think about everything you just saw…do not hurry…you can dream…imagine the things you would like to see…travel through your inner world…enjoy it…
Now you can begin to focus slowly on your breathing again…it is smooth…you still are lying on the coach…your body is still heavy…and you can focus on the physical level again…try to concentrate on the locus of where you are now…realize it… the hypnotic state is over…your alertness is coming back to you… you you’re your body’s sensitivity again…you hear the noise outside… you feel the air in your nose…breathing fastens…try to disengage yourself with the state you have been at.
Now the session is over. You can keep lying with your eyes closed for as much time as you need. You might need some rest and you can have it right now.
References
Barber, J. (1997). Hypnosis and memory: a hazardous connection. Journal of mental health counseling, 19, 305-317.
Biere, G. N. (1997). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). New York: Guilford Press.
Gafner, G. (2004). Clinical applications of hypnosis. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Matsakis, A. (1994). Post-traumatic stress disorder: A complete treatment guide. CA: New Harbinger.
Yapko, M. D. (2003). Trancework: an introduction to the practice of clinical hypnosis. 3rd edn. PA: Routlege.