Here are some tips and pointers I’ve gathered along the way. Some of them were given to me by ingenious people. Others I’ve developed myself. Take a good look at them and see if you get the feeling, “Yes! This is just what I need.” Here are some additions to your tool box that can make a big difference in the lives of others.

Use this to avoid hearing the comments from clients “Was I really in hypnosis?”

Some people think they’ll go into a stupor when they come for a hypnosis session. They’ve seen the stage shows in which hypnotees are apparently under a spell, and they think that’s what’s in store for them also. Anything less than a coma state might mean to them, “I’m probably not in hypnosis.” Here’s how to avoid that phenomenon:
Before going into hypnosis, you say the following to your client:
“I’d like to do some hypnosis with you. Some people relax very deeply; some go very lightly. Most people are right in the middle. So you see, it’s a range of experiences that people have. You’ll have full awareness and full control, and you’ll get what you need.”
There’s a lot here: They now know that even if they go into a light state, they’re still in hypnosis. They understand that they’ll know everything that’s happening, and in a pre-hypnotic suggestion, they’ll “get what they need.” This technique can work wonders.

• Use numbers and letters to help people go more deeply.

A long time ago, the great Walter Seichort told me that instead of visualizations, he always used numbers and letters, and he recited them very slowly. He felt that visualizations were more from the intellect, and numbers and letters were from the more primitive reptilian part of the brain. He’d count backwards very slowly, sprinkling hypnosis patter (“Going very deeply now. More and more relaxed”) in between. He felt that this was more mesmerizing than relaxing on the beach. Now, there’s nothing wrong with visualizations, and they’re also deeply relaxing. But everyone can understand and relate to numbers and letters, whereas some people will not relate to your specific visualization, especially if they don’t like sunshine, water, or sand.

• Make recordings for your clients.

Clients love their recordings, especially if they’re custom made especially for them. These aren’t recordings of entire sessions. They contain a relaxation induction and positive suggestions that are created for your clients’ own issues, suggestions that arise from what has taken place in the session. The recordings can be short, 15 or 20 minutes long. They can have soft relaxing music on them. You can make them during the session or afterward, though it’s good to learn to make them during the session to avoid giving yourself a lot of homework. You conclude the recording with comments about how the material on the recording is penetrating into the client’s inner mind and having a powerful effect. You can bring your client back with numbers also. I count upward from 1 up to 5, and my voice gets louder as I go.

• Use a questionnaire.

We send the questionnaires by email or regular mail and ask clients to bring them to their sessions. We go over the questionnaires with clients when they come to their sessions. We have separate questionnaires for smoking, weight, and healing.
Here are some typical healing questions on one of our questionnaires:
* Have you ever had a hypnosis session before? Was it a positive experience?
* What’s the issue that brings you to your hypnotherapy session?
* Briefly describe the history of this issue.
* What’s going on right now regarding your issue?
* What would you like to accomplish in your hypnotherapy session?
* What would you like to see for yourself and your life in the future?
* Do you have any particular spiritual path that can assist you in transforming your issue? Please explain if you like.
* Is there anything else you’d like us to know?
All of these questions assist us to know our clients in greater depth. Of course, leave room between each question so they can answer, and put your contact info at the top.

• Create rapport.

That’s the first thing you do when a client comes to you. You can even small talk with a client at first. “How’s your day been today? Did you find it here easily?” It helps you both to come into a greater connection with each other. If you want to just go into your routine with clients and simply do suggestions, you may be missing a personal link with them, and you may not know how to individualize your suggestions for them. Building rapport builds trust – and this is a significant factor in your hypnosis success.

• Help your clients come back fully from hypnosis.

Here’s a technique that works every time. I learned it from someone, and I don’t know who that genius was. But here it is:
If you find that a client is woozy after a hypnosis session, tell him or her that you’d like to clap a few times in front of their face. Then you clap your hands together in the air 5 or 6 times, saying as you clap: “Coming back fully now. Wide awake and feeling great. Coming on back.” You then ask your client, “Are you back now?” The answer will usually be “Yes!” and you’ll often see a great big smile.

• Observe absolute, complete confidentiality.

Let your clients know in a client consulting agreement form that you maintain professional confidentiality. Make sure you never tell anyone the name of anyone you’ve worked with.. If you tell anecdotes about client sessions, make sure they’re completely anonymous, and names and places are changed to protect the innocent..

• Ask this question and receive profound answers:

The question is “What would your Wise Mind tell you about that?” Everyone has a Wise Mind, and it is brilliant. The reason it’s brilliant is that it’s a part of the infinite wisdom of the universe.. You might be amazed at what comes forth from clients when you ask this question. If you’d like to know more about this, take a look at my book, The Wise Mind. The Wise Mind often indicates the significance of particular experiences of our lives and invites us to move into new dimensions of understanding.. The Wise Mind gives an expanded view and shows us how to transform the problems and issues of life.