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Ideo-Motor Responses in Hypnotherapy
Ideomotor responses in the practice of Hypnotherapy - communicating directly with unconscious processes.
Asaf Rolef Ben-Shahar LicMT LHS LNCP LCPS
Ideomotor responses (IMR's) occur naturally and constantly during trance as well as in any other state. They are the Motor representatives of unconscious activities, the manifest relation between ideas and physiodynamic body responses (Yapko, M.D. 1990) (Rossi, E.L & Cheek, D.B. 1988). The autonomy of the unconscious mind is revealed by these means as a most powerful agent in our lives (Erickson, M.H. 1998).
It is therefor rather easy and quick to utilise these responses in a therapeutic manner.
IMR's can be specifically useful in the following contexts:
IMR's are a powerful tool to 'convince' sceptics, especially since there is no need for a formal induction. After recognising its existence, IMR's can be built upon. In fact, the communication with unconscious processes omits the need to work with the client's conscious. Hence, changework can be done in a dissociative, albeit effective way.
Some people find it hard to verbalise their problem, and IMR's can serve as an alternative communication language. Trance logic and trance language are both characterised by 'childish' straightforward, even literal understanding of communication. There is no need for complicated jargon to achieve efficient results.
IMR's can be used as a desensitisation and a dissociative aid when the emotions involved are powerful (Yapko, M.D. 1990). Dissociation has the advantage of taking the responsibility from the conscious mind and still keeping it within the client - stressing the unconscious's wealth of resources (Rossi, E.L & Cheek, D.B. 1988). If your conscious is not challenged, you cannot fail - and the impact of stress reduction serves wonders in therapy.
IMR's can serve as indicators or a 'control panel' for trance levels and unconscious processes (Yapko, M.D. 1990) (Erickson, M.H. 1998). When used in that manner, both the therapist and the client have means of measuring the change as it happens: the goals are measurable, therefore indication of success is easier. Similarly, it can be used as a ratification tool for changes, a 'double check'; it is far harder to 'cheat' in IMR's - unconscious responses are difficult to replicate consciously (Erickson, M.H. 1998) (McColl. D. 1998).
When conscious resources seem to be blocked, or when conscious answers tend to be incomplete or inadequate, IMR's can be used to elicit deeper solutions or answers, tapping into deeper, often non-verbal resources of healing and growth (Erickson, M.H. 1998) [see also: Non-verbal communication in Massage Therapy].
IMR's can be used when the client doesn't want to disclose details to the therapist, yet wished to change (Karle, K & Boys, J. 1987). Hypnotherapy is a perfect setting for doing 'secret therapy'. Indeed, sometimes lack of information can slow the progress of therapy, and yet - the advantages of doing secret therapy are many. Reluctance to disclosure is one of the major reasons for not getting help - and IMR's can solve that problem.
IMR's serve as a quality communication channel with the unconscious; it supplies the client (and the therapist) with deep resources, understandings of responses that seem incomprehensible and ways to change (Yapko, M.D. 1990) (Karle, K & Boys, J. 1987) (McColl. D. 1998). By using IMR's, hypnotherapist can help the client's unconscious a friendly ally rather than a stranger, or worse - a foe.
In some deep or altered states it is either hard or impossible to verbalise the experienced or to talk at all (such as in Somnambulism, Hypnosleep, sleep, Coma and general-anaesthesia). It is, however, possible to establish IMR's and communicate with signalling, while bypassing the ego censorship (Karle, K & Boys, J. 1987) (Elman, D. 1964) (Rossi, E.L & Cheek, D.B. 1988). This fact equips the relationship with a powerful feedback mechanism, which is able assure maintenance of changework and positive processes.
Some events create such a unique impact on us that they are hard to access consciously. Such incidents, which are called State-dependent memories, are nevertheless registered, encoded in neuromuscular levels. Access to non-verbal memories, as well as to (mostly) traumatic memories is possible by using IMR's to follow, physically, the neuromodulators and neurotransmitters paths of the memory and to create a change.
Although, as one can easily see, IMR's can be widely applied, one still has to consider a few potential precautions in the use of IMR's:
The communication in IMR's is usually based on 2-4 answering modes, so questions have to be very carefully phrased. Misunderstanding can evolve rather easily when therapist is not attentive and careful with his/her language. Communicating inefficiently can easily turn a beneficial experience into an exhaustive decadent failure.
Another consequence of the nature of IMR's questions is that complex problems are hard to communicate and it could develop to an exhausting extent. Thus, It might be wise to avoid IMR's in a very complex changework setting.
Sometimes, IMR's can take a long time to establish, and the therapist must not only be patient and tolerant, but also to beware of incompetence feeling that might develop as a result in the client, and eliminate it.
It is rather tempting to interpret the client's responses. The therapist ought to allow a genuine communication to mature and to be extremely careful in 'noticing' those responses.
Closely related, it is important to differentiate conscious responses from unconscious ones. The later are usually jerky, slow, repetitive and verbal responses come only after them. Once experience, however, unconscious movements are distinctive and unique and thus relatively easy to recognise.
When using IMR's the therapist knows that something happens, but he/she doesn't know what it is. True, every therapist is, in a way, walking in darkness, but here it is amplified. Hence, though easy to use, IMR's can be tricky and should be utilised and communicated with care and attention.
References
Elman, D. 1964, Hypnotherapy, (pp.274-296).
Erickson, M.H. 1998, Life reframing in Hypnosis, (pp. 74-5, 87, 210).
Honderich, T. 1995, The Oxford Companion to Philosophy, (pp. 555).
Karle, K & Boys, J. 1987, Hypnotherapy, A practical handbook. (pp. 226-7).
McColl, D. 1998, Precision Therapy, (pp.43, 48).
Rossi, E.L & Cheek, D.B, 1988, Mind-Body Therapy
Rowley. D.T. 1986, Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy (pp.43-5).
Yapko , M.D.1990, Trancework, (pp.294-7).
Asaf
Rolef Ben-Shahar
Integrative Massage therapy
Hypnotherapy & Psychotherapy
Potters Bar
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