2018 CONFERENCE ANALYST REFLECTIONS

Mary Kullman, MS, LCPC

Following is a summary of nine sessions or approximately 10 hours of hypnoanalysis, done with a volunteer client, in front of a group of masters level or higher psychotherapists at the end of April 2018. The client was a fifty-year-old male from the local area which, although expressing some nervousness at being there, also admitted that he was very motivated to get better.

Right from the start, the volunteer client is reassured that his privacy is protected, that no attendees will be talking with him and that his being here is so much appreciated, as it gives these attendees an opportunity to see first hand, how the process of hypnoanalysis works. Clinical support is available for the client at all times during this process. Before the client came into the room for the history, I had never met him. He was selected by the local hypnoanalyst a month or so before the conference. The nine sessions are interspersed with presentations that explain the individual parts of the hypnoanalytic protocol, as well as attendee break-out sessions to process the treatment sessions.

The first session is the history session, done face to face, with no hypnosis. During this time, I focused entirely on the client, as if we were in my private office. The positive energy of the attendees can be felt in a supportive way but is not the focus.
In the case of this particular client, I felt we quickly established a rapport, as he began giving complete answers to the questions and seemed to be relaxing in spite of the audience. This was confirmed when he went into deep hypnosis during the first hypnosis session. After the history session, the remaining sessions are all done in hypnosis, after a brief check-in. The Word Association Exercise, as well as the history, helped to formulate a subconscious diagnosis that would serve as a guide to what we may be looking for in the age regressions.

There were a series of age regressions to a variety of the client’s developmental stages, mostly before age six, which is the time when a child is most impressionable, and when traumas can have the most significant emotional imprint on those neuro pathways. In hypnoanalysis, we are using hypnosis to guide the client back to the actual feelings related to these traumas (not only cognitively). The client is, therefore, re-experiencing what happened and in doing so, with the help of his/her adult self and guidance of the therapist, can change the negative, supporting beliefs related to the trauma. Then by repeating the now, new beliefs in self-hypnosis and other reinforcement sessions, the brain/mind can accept this new, confident, loving way of being and living. During the process of age regression, the therapist is very closely pacing with the client and is in hypnosis as well. I believe this is part of the power of this process, as the client experiences that trust in his/her inner strength, as well as the support of the therapist.

At the end of the conference, the client agreed to a question and answer period with the conference participants. He was eager to answer questions and elaborate on his experience, beyond what was being asked. He expressed being very appreciative for all that had happened for him and how much better he felt. He appeared energized, alive and so much happier than when he first came in 2 days ago.

He has gotten a good start with his hypnoanalysis and will continue with additional sessions with Don Hardy-Holley.

Mary Kullman, MS, LCPC

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