Milton H. Erickson invented the ‘my friend John’ induction, he was a master of indirect suggestion. Erickson was a man who seemed gifted in his ability to work almost, invisibly. It is even possible that even he didn’t know why some of his clients got better, he just knew that they would. He used many techniques, but much of his work was based around metaphor and story-telling. He combined these skills with Hypnosis to help his clients. Erickson believed that progress could be made whilst clients were out of trance as the unconscious mind is always listening, which these days could be replicated when we follow a solution focused brief.

He would set tasks for his clients to complete, some were considered abstract, for instance sending a married couple on different journeys over two days to see if they were still compatible, or making a client, who couldn’t sleep, to polish his floors. We may also set tasks, but we do so with indirect suggestion and certainly wouldn’t involve polishing floors, unless of course, the client choose this method !!.

Many of his metaphors are commonly used today

“Life will bring you pain all by itself. Your responsibility is to create joy." Milton Erickson”

“You can teach a child the importance of pain by your behaviour. You can also teach as child the importance of no pain by your behaviour.”
― Milton Erickson

“Life's difficulties are merely necessary roughage.”
― Milton Erickson

“Until you are willing to be confused about what you already know, what you know will never grow bigger, better, or more useful.”
― Milton Erickson & Rossi

Our minds work in Metaphor, it’s a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them, which the intellectual brain processes and understands. Metaphors are used to describe things in our day to day lives, we may say “we feel Blue” to describe our feelings or “its cats and dogs out there!” we all understand what that means, we could have just said it’s raining!

They are similar to indirect suggestions, they guide people to think or feel something, without actually telling them, great with clients who respond badly to direct suggestion.

There are Metaphors used in Therapy. A famous example is the Ratey Metaphor used to describe the workings of the mind, in fact our Initial Consultation is a metaphor, the intellectual mind, the primitive mind, polar bears, stress buckets and depressed Cavemen are metaphors. They allow clients to understand easily and their minds are turned on to find meaning to what they are hearing.

Using suggestions, rather than telling is far more beneficial in the Therapy room. If we tell someone what t do, they most probably would resist, if we suggest something, they may feel this is a good idea....

Direct suggestions

A direct suggestion is an instruction to do something. It can be as straightforward as “sit down and relax” during the Initial Consultation or “close your eyes now and get comfortable”. During induction we may suggest to the client “you can feel the weight of your head resting against the pillows” or “you can feel your body relaxing into the couch”. They are straightforward statements that are used to direct the client into a specific action or thought. They can be used with authority in certain situations such as smoking cessation, where we may suggest to the client “The longer you don’t smoke, the more the smell of cigarettes repulses you” or “Any time you smell cigarette smoke, you will notice how awful it smells” With Phobic responses, it could be suggested “No matter how hard you try, you cannot find that fear of spiders inside you” It Directs attention to a specific feeling, thought or behaviour.

Use of direct suggestions need to be controlled if dealing with a client who doesn’t like to be told what to do, this could negatively affect his or her state of relaxation, who likes to be told that you are feeling relaxed, if you feel nervous and anxious!

We also suggest directly, during the Initial Consultation, that listening to our MP3 will help the work that we will do together, its not a direct instruction of something they have to do, we just suggest it directly. 

We also tell the clients to “keep up the good work” as we end the session, one of the most important direct suggestions that we must use when we say goodbye. 

Indirect suggestions

Indirect suggestions could be described as a hint, or a nudge in the right direction. It is a gentler way to approach the way in which you may want to direct a client’s thoughts. We may start questions with “I wonder what?” or “I’m curious to know” or “maybe remember how relaxed you felt last time” it could be that we suggest that our other clients find that sitting on our couch makes them instantly start to relax.

In solution Focused Hypnotherapy, we rely upon using the client’s imagination, to tell us how they would feel if something had changed. When we ask the Miracle question, we may ask, “you wake up tomorrow and a miracle has happened overnight and you are a 6, how would you know?” suggesting that something has changed and we then get the required response, we haven’t told them that they are a 6 (direct suggestion) a miracle has happed, so how would you feel?!

Indirect suggestion is useful to direct the client without authority, we are not telling clients what to do or feel, just gently nudging them to notice what they are feeling, or what they now know that they could be feeling. We could use to reinforce a message, for instance “I wonder if you can already feel how much more relaxed and calm you are feeling, now that your fear of dogs has left you” this of course is both indirect (I wonder if?) and direct (now the fear of dogs has left you)

As a Solution Focused Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist, it’s vital to understand and have a background knowledge of the differing approaches to therapy available today. There are a multitude of talking therapies, potentially something for everyone and every scenario. But with choice comes confusion, not just for the client, but for any prescribing professional. In the UK, only seven methods of therapy are available on the NHS, in other countries that rely on medical insurance, the selection is far wider. Here I will compare some differing psychological theories and conclude with how these compare to Solution Focused Hypnotherapy.

Psychodynamic

Psychodynamic therapy focuses on the psychological roots of emotional suffering, often relating to childhood experiences that remain in the subconscious mind. It encourages self-reflection and self-examination. Psychodynamic therapy helps people recognise emotions and unconscious influences that may be affecting their current behaviour. Sometimes people act in certain ways or respond to others for reasons that they don’t really understand, Psychodynamic therapy helps people learn to acknowledge and put into perspective their emotions. It also helps people learn how to express their emotions in more adaptive and healthier ways. It gives knowledge to the client; it enables them to identify patterns in their behaviour and therefore the ability to find new approaches to lead happier lives. Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a therapeutic approach which focuses on bringing the unconscious into the conscious mind and thus helps individuals to experience and understand deep-rooted feelings in order for them to resolve them. Its origins lie predominantly in Freud’s psychoanalytical approach but it is also influenced by the work of Carl Jung, Otto Rank, Melanie Klein and Alfred Adler. It’s used for Anxiety, Depression, Eating disorders, Relationship problems, Personality disorders, psychological distress, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, Substance abuse.

Cognitive Behavioural

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a psychotherapeutic treatment that helps to identify and change thought patterns that have a negative influence on behaviour and emotions. It focuses on changing negative thoughts that can contribute to and worsen emotional difficulties, depression, and anxiety. These subconscious negative thoughts have a detrimental influence on mood. Thoughts are identified, challenged, and replaced with more objective, realistic ones. It is often a 5-step process, identifying a problem, generating a list of possible solutions, Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each possible solution, choosing a solution and then to implement the solution. It is a very structured therapy and often sets goals and tasks to complete. Positive change is the focus. It was originally designed to treat depression, but is also used for Addiction, Anger issues, Anxiety, Bipolar disorder, Eating disorders, Panic attacks, Personality disorders, Phobias, Chronic pain or serious illnesses, relationship issues, Grief or loss, Insomnia, Low self-esteem and Stress management.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of becoming more fully aware of the present, rather than dwelling on the past or projecting into the future. Mindfulness has origins in Eastern philosophy and Buddhism. It is often combined with Cognitive behavioural therapy.Mindfulness observes and labels thoughts, feelings, sensations in the body in an objective manner. Mindfulness can therefore be a tool to avoid self-criticism and judgment while identifying and managing difficult emotions. Mindfulness incorporates mediation and is often used for reducing anxiety, depression and pain.Some of the key features of Mindfulness are that it is a Non-judgemental observation of what is happening in the moment rather than judging it positively or negatively, acceptance of thoughts, feelings and sensations and beliefs of the client without trying to change them and patience and trust in the client’s own abilities to deal with life’s experiences.

Transactional

Transactional analysis is a method of therapy where social interactions are analysed to determine the ego state of the client, whether parent-like, child-like, or adult-like, as a basis for understanding behaviour. The client is then taught to alter their state as a way to solve emotional problems. The three states alter the way we feel and think, as a “Parent” we think and behave as our parents did when we were children, as an “Adult” we deal with the here and now, as a “Child” the ego state reverts back to thoughts, feelings and behaviours that we experienced as a child. Two states are rooted in the past and one in the present. Transactional Analysis is often referred to as an integrative psychotherapy because incorporates elements of other types of therapy, including Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Integrative andpsychoanalytical psychotherapy. It is used for relationship issues, depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, panic attacks, family issues, fear of intimacy, parenting problems, workplace issues.

Analytical

Analytical or Jungian therapy is a theory that emphasises the importance of wholeness. It was derived from the work of psychiatrist Carl Jung. It is believed that the unconscious mind is the most important aspect of each individual and that making as much of the unconscious mind as possible can help with healing and the attainment of wholeness. Dreams are thought to be a part of the unconscious andthat dreams show ideas, beliefs, and feelings of which individuals are not readily aware. Jungian psychotherapy aims to align conscious and unconscious thoughts. It examines the motivations that lie deep within the client’s psyche and underneath client’s conscious awareness. Jungian therapy draws on dream analysis, word associations and creative activities such as painting, drama, dance and music.

Humanistic

Humanistic psychotherapy is a positive approach to psychotherapy that looks at the whole person with an emphasis on an individual’s positive traits and behaviours and their own ability to find solutions to problems. The key characteristics and beliefs of humanistic psychotherapy are that people are inherently good and have a need to make themselves better. Every individual is unique and their experiences should be regarded as so. There is an assumption of free will, which allows everyone to make choices in life, the paths they take and the consequences arising from those choices. Everyone has the ability of self-actualisation. Individuals are personally responsible for self-growth and self-fulfilment and there is an emphasis on freedom and self-determination. It recognises the dignity and self-worth of individuals and their conscious capacity to develop personal competence and self-respect.

Existentialism

Existential therapy is a humanistic therapy which is centred on the nature of human existence. Its origins lie in the 1800’s in the work of some of the early philosophers such Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche. Existentialism holds a fundamental belief that each of us has an ongoing internal conflict around certain conditions that are due to the nature of our human existence. These are sometimes referred to as the givens of existence and are Freedom, death, isolation and meaninglessness. Existentialism is interested in helping the client find philosophical meaning in the face of anxiety by choosing to think and act responsibly. Some of the main concepts of existential psychotherapy are that we must face the fact that we are fundamentally alone in the world, contentment comes for understanding our lives, finding meaning and purpose in our lives is essential to our wellbeing, anxiety arises when we are faced with the ‘givens’ of existence, acceptance, freedom of choice and taking responsibility are key to our wellbeing and we must understand the connection between the life we are living and the choices we have made and exercise our free will to make good choices for the future.

Gestalt

Gestalt therapy was developed in the late 1940s by Fritz Perls and has the theory that every person is a whole (mind, body and soul), and that they are best understood in relation to their current situation as he or she experiences it. The Gestalt approach combines this relational theory with present state, focusing on self-awareness and the ‘here and now’. In gestalt therapy, self-awareness is key to personal growth and developing full potential. The approach recognises that sometimes self-awareness can become blocked by negative thought patterns and behaviour that can leave people feeling dissatisfied and unhappy. In Gestalt therapy the key goal is awareness and the therapist’s aim are to promote this in a non-judgemental way which enables clients to understand why they react and behave in certain ways. By raising an individual’s awareness around how they think, feel and act in the present moment, clients can provide an insight into ways of engaging with their current issues, alleviate their distress in order to aspire to their maximum potential in their relationships.

Neuro linguistic programming

NLP uses perceptual, behavioural, and communication techniques to make it easier for people to change their thoughts and actions. It was developed by Richard Bandler and John Grinder, who believed it was possible to identify the patterns of thoughts and behaviours of successful individuals and to teach them to others. Effective communication is the key elements of neuro-linguistic programming. Some of the techniques used are anchoring, which turns sensory experiences into triggers for certain emotional states, Rapport, the therapist tunes into the client by matching their physical behaviours to improve communication and response through empathy, the Swish method, which changes patterns of behaviour or thoughts to wanted rather than unwanted outcome and visual/kinaestheticdissociation, which removes negative thoughts and feelings associated with a past event.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy

​Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a 'talking therapy', it combines the use of psychotherapy with hypnosis. Hypnosis or 'trance' is a very natural, relaxing state, allowing the mind to relax and then focus on thoughts and suggestions that might be useful accessing the subconscious mind. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy uses practical, structured, and scientifically proven strategies to help people make positive changes in their lives in a relatively short space of time. There is no requirement to pour over and bring up past problems and traumas, as this type of therapy is in the here, now and tomorrow. Unlike other forms of therapy, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy uses a specific structure, which incorporates aspects of Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Neuro science, Neuro linguistic programming (NLP), Mindfulness therapy, Psychodynamic psychotherapy, Analytical therapy, Gestalt therapy, Humanistic therapy and combined with the use of Trance, making it a very comprehensive Therapy to assist with many issues that modern day life brings us. This is why Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can be so beneficial, because it combines powerful solution-focused discussions, followed by a relaxing trance state, so that the ideas and solutions discussed can then be explored and utilised by the brain for positive benefit. As we can see, SFH is a combination of the best elements of many differing styles of therapy and its practice incorporates influences from esteemed therapists, scientists, researchers and the great Milton Erickson. Its solution focused approach allows clients to understand why they feel like they do and focusses on small positive changes to improve their mental health and wellbeing, allowing the mind to access its vast intellectual database to find solutions. Such a collaboration of different therapies ensure that clients are given the best possible chance of living the lives that want to live, giving them the knowledge to make a change, because as we know, Knowledge is everything….

“So, I stare at the question blankly, the more I stare, the more my mind drifts and dreams and an answer seems impossible…. then from nowhere, or maybe somewhere…there is a small change…. something happens….my mind tells me what to do”

Although Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a relatively new way to improve the lives of those that seek help and by new, I mean in relation to history and the length of time humans have walked this earth. We are indeed not the first of our species to believe that the power that we all hold in our minds, can and should be used to empower people to make their lives better, to heal, to help people live lives that are as free from worry and anxiety as modern life allows, to manage pain, to rid themselves of unwanted thoughts and habits, to be free of those things that only they know they want to be free from….

Whilst the origins of Psychotherapy date back to ancient Greece, with Plato, Socrates and Aristotle, who had theories that Humans had both a Physical body and a none physical mind. Our minds or souls were believed to have three parts, our natural desires, our will to allow us to resist such desires and our reason that tells us which desires to resist. A soul inseparable from the body and allowing us to survive and flourish as a living being. Theories and beliefs that have been developed, argued, proven and dismissed over many centuries, by many famous and infamous philosophers, all with one element in common, we have a vast resource contained in our heads, that provides everything we need to live as humans and make us who and what we are.

But let’s look at those that have had the biggest influence in the development of the Modern-day Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Model and the use of Hypnotherapy as a therapeutic solution.

The earliest influencer, the person from whom the word Mesmerised was coined, was a German called Franze Mesmer 1734-1815, who was a doctor in the late 1700`s. He had a theory that there was a magnetic solution that joined every aspect of the universe, including in the human body he called it Animal Magnetism. He believed if he could control this solution, with the help of magnets, he could cure diseases. He would tie magnets around people’s bodies and get then to drink a solution containing Iron, often an agonising time was had by his subjects before they were cured. Many people appeared to be cured by this Mesmerising character and his fame grew, but eventually after a rather large failure to cure a prominent person’s daughter, he left the town of Vienna to continue his work in Paris. His work in Paris took a slight turn, whilst still perusing his theory of Animal Magnetism, he would eventually carry out his healing in a more showman style environment, sometimes on stage. Mesmer treated patients both individually and in groups. He would sit in front of his patient with his knees touching the patient's knees, pressing the patient's thumbs in his hands, looking into the patient's eyes. Mesmer would move his hands from patients' shoulders down along their arms. He then pressed his fingers on the patient's abdomen, sometimes holding his hands there for hours. Many patients felt peculiar sensations or had convulsions that were supposed to bring about the cure. Mesmer would often conclude his treatments by playing some music. He also treated up to 20 people at a time using his Baquet, a contraption with Iron rods coming out of it that were held against different parts of the body to cure them. Although his theory of Animal magnetism was never scientifically proven, what was proven, was unless his subjects were aware of what was going to happen, his methods didn’t work, does this lead us to surmise that indeed he had a way of inducing his subjects into trance and his methods induced either a placebo effect or their subconscious minds believed they would be cured and indeed they were. Either way, it shows the influence that the potentially induced trance has. Mesmer, who could be considered the first “hypnotist” died in 1815, never aware the influence that mind of his patients had in finding the cure.  

We skip now to Scotland, James Braid 1795-1860 was a prominent Surgeon and inventor, who after witnessing a demonstration of Animal Magnetism, set out to prove that the theory was wrong, but in doing so, identified that the subjects having the treatments, were in a different state of focus and completely under the control of the Mesmerist.

This led to him experimenting and indeed proving the cure was indeed a peculiar condition of the nervous system induced by abstracted attention and not the magnets. So, had he just proven trance? Braid conducted many experiments to induce trance over the coming years and utilised it in his career, also writing many papers on the subject. He also came up with the name Hypnosis (sleep) but after realising that the trance state wasn’t sleep, he did try to change the name, but unfortunately the word had already been adopted. His career and achievements are far too many to list and discuss, but in relation to this brief history, was he the first clinician to bring Hypnosis to the eyes of the medical world? probably yes. Braids work inspired many medical professionals to utilise the power of trance in their work.

One of the most prominent figures in the world of Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy, is Milton Erickson 1902-1980. He remains to this day a bit of a mystery, what he did for his patients is difficult to explain, but his results in solving the presented problems remains legendary. What we know he did do, is talk, listen, tell stories, reframe situations, provide metaphoric solutions and carefully use trance to allow rational thinking. He had periods of ill health which allowed him to people watch whilst lying in bed and this allowed him to read and understand people. He experienced a great deal of paid in his life and utilised self-hypnosis to control it. What he did brilliantly was find and encourage solutions, sometimes the methods used were small changes to behaviours that triggered greater change in the weeks and months to come. He was never slow in trying something different. He remains the grandfather of modern-day Hypnotherapy and his Ericksonian methods are followed throughout the world and are highly regarded. Could he be the inventor of the Solution Focused principles? Probably yes.   

In 1958, the Palo Alto Mental Research Institute was established by Donald DeAvila Jackson, set up as a non-profit organisation to research Psychotherapy. A cutting-edge centre and attracted many therapists from around the world. In 1966 the Brief Therapy Centre was created by Richard Fisch, John Weakland and Paul Watzlawick, their idea: cultivate a quick and effective therapy method, treating patients like people and to convince them to stop what they are doing wrong and replacing that with a solution. A lady named Insoo Kim Berg and a man named Steve de Shazer were introduced by John Weakland in 1977 and started working together, eventually becoming a couple. They relocated to Milwaukee and formed the Family Service therapy practice, which eventually became the Brief Family Centre. Over the years they developed a model of therapy that was Brief, solution focused and didn’t rely on dwelling on current problems, identifying that the client knows the best way to solve the problem and it was not essential to understand the problem to be able to find solutions. They had three very simple principles, if something is not broken- don’t try to fix it, if something works- do more of it, if something doesn’t work- don’t do it again. This and empowering the client to know what they want and encouraging them to know how to get it reduced therapy time dramatically. They used a scale to allow the clients to say where they were in relation to different emotions or challenges and developed, what is now called the Miracle question, central to the process, to encourage positive and constructive conversation. They identified that small steps create change and no matter how small these steps are, they are still creating an outcome that is moving in a direction that the client wants to follow.

So where are we today in 2022?

If we were to combine the best of what history has given us, what would we say are the methods that we would need to provide the most comprehensive talking therapy for our clients? We would understand from the ancient Greeks that we have a soul or Brain that’s needed for us to flourish, we would like the ability to provide a state of consciousness in which clients can be open to positive suggestion as James Braid proved that Mezmer was using in his “healing” demonstrations, we would need to listen and tell stories and understand what clients needed in the same way Milton Erickson did and we would focus on solutions, letting the past go and encouraging small steps for a future that our clients want, as did Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazzer.

What we have is Solutions Focused Hypnotherapy, a model devised by David Newton at the Clifton Practice in Bristol. Focussing on educating the client how the mind works, to enable them to see the effects the brain can have on wellbeing, utilising scales to measure attitudes and emotions, asking the Miracle question to bring out small step changes in the client’s life and utilising Trance to allow their Conscious and subconscious minds to work in a more effective way, whilst encouraging positivity and solution metaphors. If we use what we have learnt and pick the best pieces for our clients, we should be able to provide them with the best possible care and we will…will we not?

Here are some tips for managing the fight-or-flight response:

• Get regular exercise. Exercise helps to reduce stress and improve the body's ability to cope with stress.
• Get enough sleep. Sleep helps to restore the body and mind and can help to reduce stress levels.
• Eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet provides the body with the nutrients it needs to function properly and can help to reduce stress levels.
• Learn relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga can help to reduce stress levels and promote relaxation.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine and alcohol can worsen stress levels and make it more difficult to cope with stress.
• Talk to someone you trust. Talking about your problems can help you to feel better and can help you to cope with stress.
• Think Positively. Negative thoughts activate the Sympathetic nervous system and can trigger fight or flight.
• Avoid recreational Drugs. Which can worsen stress levels.
• Make time for you. 

The fight-or-flight response is a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived threat or danger, so it doesn't actually have to be a real threat to start the process. It is also known as the primitive brain response. The fight-or-flight response is triggered by the Limbic system, an area of the brain that is responsible for regulating many of the body's automatic functions. When the Amygdala senses danger, it sends a signal to the sympathetic nervous system, which activates a number of changes in the body. These changes can include:

• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Increased breathing rate
• Increased muscle tension
• Dilated pupils
• Sweating
• Dry mouth
• Chills
• Nausea
• Dizziness

Which are the symptoms of a panic attack.

The fight-or-flight response is a very natural and necessary response to danger. It helps us to survive by giving us the extra energy and strength we need to fight or flee. However, if the fight-or-flight response is activated too often or for too long, it can lead to health problems such as anxiety, depression, and heart disease. 

The problem with this amazing self preservation response, is when it reacts to inappropriate situations or to our all too imaginative thoughts. We haven't got to believe in something to trigger our self preservation system, we just have to think about something and it will set itself off.

The less we think negatively, the less our Limbic system will react.  So if you are prone to thinking the worse about all situations, the more likely you are to suffer with anxiety. When you feel you are being negative, stop and think about the best possible outcome, this will then allow the Amygdala to calm down and you will activate the parts of the brain that allow you to make rational decisions around those thoughts, helping you to stay calm and relaxed and maybe have something to look forward to.

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