NORDISK INSTITUTT FOR INTENSIV HYPNOSE

Cognitive Treatment and Psychotherapy

The Stoic philosophers maintained that peoples behavior and emotions are not due to the situation one is exposed to in itself. It is not about “ how one feels” but “how one handles it.”
Say in case a person meets with fear in a situation where many people are present, the person will be inclined to assume that the situation as such provokes fear. Within the cognitive models one will on the other hand maintain it is what the person thinks to himselfs in the situation that promotes the experiencing of fear.

In case one can alter the way of thinking about a situation, one will also change the experience of the situation, and accordingly the behavior. The ability of the hypnosis to fast alteration of the conscious state, in addition makes it possible that persons quickly can witness the effect of the changes. Cognitive theory applies linear thinking to the relation cause and effect. By reshaping the irrational ideas into corresponding rational ideas, one will in hypnosis be able to return these rational ideas as possitive suggestions. Several empirical studies have proved that this gives rise to possive effects at for instance examination outcomes. Frequently appears posthypnotic suggestions that implies focus on positive fortifying experiences – rather than negative events – to be a usefull gateway to change.

In many cases overgeneralizations implies very negative consequences for experience and outcome. Linguisticly overgeneralizations are expressed through imperatives like must, should, shall, or else like allways and never. Using hypnotic induction tecniques it is expected to avoid the application of such overcomprising words and formulations. Generalizations that cannot be confirmed and immediately strengthened, are inexpedient and unfit for use in the hypnotic induction. The language of the hypnotic induction and accentuation of words like sometimes, now and then, once in a while, can in many cases be immediately contrary to the client`s inclination to overgeneratizations. In that sense the hypnotic induction can be an immediate training in order to resist overgeneralization.

Within cognitive treatment theory a central item for changing as well as sustaining behavior, will be a persons continuously going inner dialoque or selfverbalization about existing events or experiences. Mental problems are usually characterized by an inner dialoque witn a consistently frequent and long negative self-valuation. The conclusions and generalizations clients like that makes about going experience and behavior, appears highly irrational. In case one can get the persons negative self-verbalization under control , this will later appear in external behavior through improved achievements. Hypnosis seems particularly well suitable as relief to alter a persons inner dialoque. Training in positive selv-verbalization in the execution of hypnosis can be strengthened in action One will be able to encounter situations one is afraid of or estimates as negative, in a new manner and with new more positive self-verbalizations. By means of posthypnotic suggestions one can in that respect establish positive self-verbalizations immediately to the former experienced situations of defeat, and the alterations can take place.

This will not cause denial of defeat or mistakes. When one allows one the possibility to experience defeat and mistakes, on the contrary it will result in focusing on the positive possibilities one has to change. Hypnosis in the shape of an altered conscious state has in many cases cleared the road in order to be able to see a new context and apply a new logic.