Hypnosis - a bridge between body and soul
10-year-old Lena carefully strokes the dachshund Topsi. Just a few weeks ago, Lena wouldn't have dared to go near the four-legged friend because she was terrified of dogs. Every time she went outside was a problem, and neither well-meant advice nor understanding persuasion from parents, siblings and friends could change anything. Only hypnotherapy with a child psychologist finally helped the girl to overcome her fear of dogs. «Unreal fears are among the symptoms that can be treated particularly well with hypnosis,» says Dr Christian Ziegler, a specialist in child and adolescent psychiatry and trainer and supervisor at the Swiss Medical Society for Hypnosis (SMSH). «This is because responsible patterns or connections that are stored in the subconscious are often difficult or impossible to access in a waking state, but are accessible under hypnosis.»
Effective help for self-help
Hypnosis, derived from the ancient Greek «hypnos» for sleep, is both a state and a method. «Hypnosis is a level of consciousness that, alongside sleep and wakefulness, can be thought of as a dream-like twilight state,» explains Ziegler. «But hypnosis is also a special relaxation method that is used to enter this twilight state and helps to activate the body's self-healing powers.» The methods of modern hypnotherapy are largely based on the findings of the American psychiatrist Milton Erickson, who decisively developed hypnotherapy in the middle of the last century and continues to shape it today. The core of Erickson's approach is the special consideration of the individuality of each patient and the positive evaluation of the unconscious, which Erickson defined as an inexhaustible resource for creative self-healing.
Change damaged patterns
Many people are familiar with hypnosis primarily in the form of show hypnosis, in which a hypnotist performs spectacularly commanded actions in front of an audience on seemingly unwilling participants. Medical or clinical hypnosis for therapeutic purposes has nothing to do with this. «The aim here is not to achieve any effects, but to focus on the well-being and interests of the patient,» emphasises Ziegler. «In medical hypnosis, the therapist therefore does not give orders, but always communicates with the patient at eye level, asks about feelings and sensations and offers images and positive reinforcers.»
«In a state of trance, there is no criticism or judgement by the self».
Christian Ziegler, specialist in child and adolescent psychiatry and trainer and supervisor of the Swiss Medical Society for Hypnosis (SMSH)
The hypnotic state primarily serves as a supportive element within the therapy in order to be able to help the patient even better. «In a state of trance, there is no criticism or judgement from the self,» says Ziegler. «This offers the opportunity to uncover hidden strengths, gain new insights and accept them, which would have been difficult or even impossible in a waking state.»
In a state of hypnosis, the patient therefore finds better conditions for finding the solution to their problems themselves and changing harmful patterns. The therapist accompanies and supports them along the way and helps them to transfer the insights they have gained into everyday life. «This task is very responsible and requires a great deal of empathy, sensitivity and technical expertise from the therapist, which goes far beyond the mere knowledge of hypnotherapy,» says the SMSH trainer. «We therefore always tell students that they shouldn't treat anything with hypnosis that they can't treat without hypnosis.»
Children are particularly susceptible
Because of their fantasy, playfulness and imagination , children and adolescents are particularly receptive to hypnosis. «However, whether they can or want to share their hypnotic world with adults is an open question in each individual case,» says Ziegler. «Nothing can or should be forced here.» The most important prerequisite for willingness is mutual trust. «The child or adolescent must feel completely safe and accepted,» says the child and adolescent psychiatrist from Thun. «To achieve this, the counsellor must be able to adapt to the child's individual emotional world. »
As soon as this has been achieved, the introduction to hypnosis can begin. «To do this, attention is gradually focussed on the inner world using pictorial, age-appropriate language, eye fixation and body awareness,» explains Ziegler.
The therapist does not give orders during hypnosis, but communicates at eye level.
«For children of school age and above, this is usually possible with words alone, but for younger children, the additional use of suitable objects such as soft toys is useful.» During hypnosis treatment, the therapist uses images and positive reinforcers to gently support the child in gradually getting to grips with the unwanted symptom or behaviour. Hypnosis can take place as a stand-alone session or in the form of short hypnotic elements within a therapeutic conversation. The young patients are responsive the whole time and remember what has happened. «This is followed by a post-hypnotic suggestion, through which the knowledge gained can be transferred to everyday life.»
Relaxed children visiting the doctor
The effectiveness of hypnosis has been scientifically proven and the altered state of consciousness can be measured using brain wave measurements and imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging. Hypnosis has therefore long been successfully used as a supportive element in psychotherapy for children and is also used in paediatric practice for many somatic and psychosomatic complaints.
But hypnosis can also help when it is simply a matter of creating an anxiety-free treatment situation - for example at the dentist. Sleep juice for the tooth Discomfort or even fear at the dentist are widespread. According to studies, up to 70 per cent of patients have at least a queasy feeling. «Children are generally unbiased about their first visit to the dentist, but their parents' fears can be transferred to the little ones,» says Prof Christian Besimo, President of the SMSH dental specialist group.
In a state of hypnosis, the patient finds better conditions to solve his problem himself.
«Even well-meaning statements such as "You don't have to be afraid when the doctor drills> or «it doesn't hurt at all» often fuel fears in the first place.» Because the child hears: doctor - fear - drill - hurt.
Relaxing trance states can be achieved through the targeted use of hypnotic language, which is adapted to the child's or adolescent's imagination and always describes unpleasant processes in positive terms. «If, for example, a first-grader needs caries treatment, I tell the child that we need to heal a tooth, the tooth is allowed to drink a sleeping juice (local anaesthetic) with a straw (syringe) and we conjure up a magic pillow (furry spot in the mouth) for the tooth together,» says Besimo. «Aids such as a hand puppet as a proxy can further enhance this effect.»
The basis for a relaxed hypnotic state is always trust and that the child can rely on nothing being done that they don't want. «It is also important to involve the parents and guide them in providing their child with the best possible support,» emphasises the dentist. «Even children and young people who have been traumatised by bad experiences can regain confidence and face medical treatment in a relaxed and anxiety-free manner.»
What parents should look out for when choosing a therapist
The hypnotherapist should have a sound education and, if possible, a medical or psychotherapeutic background as well as demonstrable experience especially in working with children and adolescents. Unfortunately, the professional title of hypnosis or hypnotherapist is not yet legally protected. The members of recognised hypnosis associations such as the Swiss Medical Society for Hypnosis (SMSH), the Swiss Society for Clinical Hypnosis (ghyps) and the Milton Erickson Institute Switzerland meet defined standards.
Hypnosis is used here
Hypnosis can help children and adolescents with a variety of symptoms and complaints .
Typical areas of application are, for example
- Anxiety and pain
- Psychosomatic complaints
- Trauma therapy
- Behavioural problems
- Bedwetting and sleep disorders
- Allergies and skin problems
- Intestinal complaints
- Cancer
Further links and literature on the subject of specialised companies:
Swiss Medical Society for Hypnosis (SMSH), www.smsh.ch
Swiss Society for Clinical Hypnosis (ghyps), www.hypnos.ch
Milton Erickson Institute Switzerland, www.milton-erickson-institut-schweiz.ch
A selection of specialised books:
Lehrbuch der Kinderhypnose und -hypnotherapie, Karen Olness, Daniel P. Kohen, Verlag Carl Auer, 2nd edition 2006
The little leather bag with everything in it. Hypnosis with children and adolescents, Susy Signer-Fischer, Thomas Gysin, Ute Stein, Carl Auer publishing house, 3rd edition 2014
