Hypnosis for Children

Children make excellent hypnotic subjects because they spend much of their time in a trance state. Using hypnosis to overcome challenges in children, is an effective way of reducing and eliminating the baggage they carry into adulthood.

Why children?
Children make excellent hypnotic subjects because they have a natural ability to become absorbed in whatever activity they are engaged in and because they have a weak critical factor. In fact because their critical factor is so weak, children spend most of their time in a hypnotic state. Basically what this means that because children have had relatively few experiences in their life they are less likely to reject information and as a result are highly suggestible. This is why after watching a series of adverts on TV your children are so convinced that they need to have the latest water gun that seems so much better than the one the currently own.

What can hypnosis help children with?

• Phobias/Irrational Fears
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Habitual behaviors such as: Thumb-sucking and nail biting
• Bed Wetting/Enuresis (inability to hold urine)
• Encopresis (inability to retain feces)
• Sport Performance
• Test Anxiety
• Confidence
• Self-Esteem
• And many more…

How young can a child be hypnotized?
The ability of a child to benefit from hypnosis sessions depends on their verbal and emotional intellect. Typically children under five do not have sufficient language skills or capability to follow directions for hypnosis to be useful. For children under five, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is an excellent tool that many have found to be effective in dealing with a range of issues including all those listed above. For more information on EFT please refer to www.emofree.com

What will hypnosis sessions with my child involve?
This depends on the age, verbal ability and emotional intelligence of the child.

Typically for children under the age of 10, a range of different techniques can be used, including but not limited to:

• visualization,
• guided imagery,
• ideo-motor responding (Installing subconsciously, the use of a raised finger to indicate ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to questions asked during hypnosis)
• story telling
• direct suggestion

Sessions with children of this age typically do not last any longer than 30mins.

Typically for children 10 or older who have good verbal skills and are determined to be able to benefit from more advanced techniques, hypnosis sessions will be modeled off what is used for adult hypnosis sessions. Sessions can run up to an hour and include:

• direct suggestion
• use of problematic emotion or thoughts to determine where the source of the problem originates
• neutralizing the thoughts and emotions associated with the core issues
• forgiveness of those who have created pain in the life of the child
• forgiveness of self for those things they have done to create pain in their own lives.

What can you do as a parent?
You have already taken the most important step for your child in researching what you can do to help them overcome the challenges they are facing.

The following suggestions are to help increase the effectiveness of the hypnosis sessions:

Until their own critical factor develops, children ‘borrow’ the critical factor of their parents. What this means is that your confidence in the ability of hypnosis to work for your child, will impact on what your child thinks about hypnosis. In order to help you, the parent, understand the process involved in helping your child, you will be shown a video when you first come in explaining how hypnosis works.

(Critical Factor: Refers to that part of the mind that compares new information coming into the mind with existing information. Is serves to either reinforce existing beliefs and behaviors, or to weaken them).

As a parent the words you speak to your child are a vital part of their emotional growth and sense of well being. For you to make the most of your child’s hypnosis sessions, it is important that you reinforce for your child those positive thoughts necessary to help them work through the problems they are experiencing. You can be provided with a series of positive statements that will be useful in helping your child develop a healthy sense of confidence and esteem.

You, as a parent may also be interested in hypnosis sessions of your own, or in learning 7th Path Self-Hypnosis® to help facilitate positive and healthy interactions with your child.

Please write down any questions you may have and ask them when you ring to book your appointment for your first session. It is important that you feel you have a good understanding of what is involved and what your child will be experiencing.