How does solution-focused hypnotherapy help in accessing the subconscious mind?
Solution-focused hypnotherapy works with a wide range of symptoms simply because they are all connected to depression, anxiety, and anger.
They just present in ways we would not necessarily connect.
Research teaches us the link between our intellectual brain and our older primitive emotional brain.
Our emotional brain is responsible for our flight-fight freeze responses and can be very powerful and largely an unconscious reaction, we have reacted before our intellectual brain has caught up, for example, snapping at someone and then catching yourself on, nearly jumping out of your skin when you get a fright and then realizing after it was nothing to be alarmed about.
Don’t get me wrong our primitive mind is vital to our survival and we would not have evolved without it so it is not all bad! It is just not an intellect, it relies on previous patterns of behavior and actively encourages us to repeat those patterns to ensure our survival.
Our primitive mind is vigilant, obsessive, and negative, it has to be to keep us safe.
Solution-focused hypnotherapy encourages us to access our subconscious mind and move into our intellectual mind where we are more likely to be positive and respond from a reasonable standpoint rather than an emotional one.
For example, as a parent, I know the challenges around getting out the door in the morning on time. I tell my son 5 minutes get your bag and shoes. 5 minutes later no sign of him or said bag and shoes.
If I were in my emotional brain I would likely shout hurry up we have to go! The journey would likely be stressful with me harping on about listening and timekeeping.
After dropping him at school I would then likely feel guilt for losing my temper and promising myself tomorrow will be different etc.
Or it could be as follows, after 2 minutes I notice no sign of him and investigate, I find him playing with the cat oblivious to his surroundings! I can laugh and suggest we race to get shoes and bag as fast as possible, he wins and we go on our way happily chatting and enjoying each other’s company,
My day continues with that positive feel good format.
I feel good about how today went and therefore I am showing my primitive mind that I am in control and it will in return calm down resulting in me repeating the same pattern of being calm tomorrow etc.
The more we repeat behaviours the more hardwired they get in our minds which is why Solution-focused hypnotherapy focuses so much on What has been good.
It emphasizes the importance of practicing the 3 ps Positive thought, positive action, and positive interaction because doing these creates a flow of feel-good chemicals to our brain such as serotonin and many others.
Solution-focused hypnotherapy also utilizes trance which replicates our rem sleep and helps to empty our stress bucket( I have other blogs talking about our stress bucket which you might want to read)
Trance works so well because before starting trance we have spent a good time talking about what’s been good helping us access our intellectual mind so we can then utilize trance in a positive way that brings about wanted change.