by Andrew Homer. Email: ghostbuster@blueyonder.co.uk
Whilst the treatment of cancer itself with hypnotherapeutic methods is not generally accepted as yet, there have been studies (Simonton, 1992) which support the use of the mind and emotions to alter the course of malignancies. The important thing for stress management here is the connection between mental state and physiological response. On average, Simonton reported a doubling of the survival rate from 12 months to 24 using a sample of 159 patients diagnosed as terminal. Relaxation exercises which still the mind and body produce a genuine physiological response known as the relaxation response (Manning, 2001) which is, of course, the opposite of stress.
Of course, what we are concerned with here is stress management but I firmly believe that deep relaxation interrupts that aspect of the ‘fight or flight’ response which suppresses the immune system after chronic activation. According to Beaton, the capabilities of the immune system are diminished after frequent activation of the autonomic nervous system in the case of chronic stresses. The immune system is downgraded to be able to continue functioning (Beaton, 2003). McEwen identifies the paradox that stress protects under acute conditions, but when activated chronically it can cause damage and accelerate disease (McEwen et al, 2002). He also coins the terms allostasis for short term protective stress and allostatic for long term damaging stress. According to Benson relaxation training can significantly improve the immune system’s functioning (Benson, 1984). Donna Eden concurs by stating that directed imagery has the same effect (Eden, 2005).
The guided fantasy work that I do generally follows a regular structure. I always make use of music during the sessions. The music I use is sedative and soothing with a slow tempo and low pitch (Lusk, 1992). Dr Karen Allen and Doctor Lawrence Golden have conducted research on the effects of music and conclude that it can lower stress through cardiovascular response (Allen and Golden, 1997).
I use an induction which is based on progressive relaxation but with lots of variations such as gradually covering the body with a blanket, directing warm sunlight etc. The basic aim being to relax the muscles of the body as much as possible by encouraging the clients to focus inwards onto their internal states of being. Suggestions to manage internal or external noises are also given. This is followed by a deepener which may involve a countdown, going down steps etc. With group work I have found (from experience!) that it is very important to know if anyone has any fears or phobias such as going down steps, flying etc. Depending on who is in the group I vary the experience accordingly. Repetition of key phrases such as relaxing deeper and deeper can have the effect of becoming realised due to the action of the Law of Concentrated Attention (Hammond, 1990).
The guided fantasy itself takes a number of different forms but common themes I use involve gardens, mountains, rainbows, flowers, lakes, the ocean etc. I involve the senses but leave the experiences open ended enough for the clients to paint their own pictures of the scenes. In order to time the delivery I tend to pause at the end of each phrase for roughly the length of time the phrase took to say. If the fantasy involves a journey or a dissociation (eg going to sleep within the fantasy and having a dream) I am always careful to retrace the steps at the end and not leave clients still asleep by a stream somewhere! I have seen guided visualisations where this is not done (Watts, 2004) but it is always a feature of my work.
Because this work is done in groups it is not possible to match breathing or fine tune the language component for individual clients. However, the suggestions which are made are general and are of positive use to everyone. Such suggestions include relaxation and release of tensions, stresses and worries and ego strengthening where suggestions of confidence and being able to cope are given. I always use a hypnotherapy style wake up in these sessions. This is partly because I can include positive suggestive phrases such as you will wake up feeling refreshed and partly because it brings the session to a very definite end with a count up from one to ten and a final fully wide awake.
On waking up we always do a variation of the ‘talking stick’ whereby a crystal cluster is passed around (clients love holding this) and whoever has the crystal can talk about the experience if they wish or just pass the crystal on. This way there is no pressure on anyone at all but in my groups virtually everyone likes to say something. Very often past memories are brought up (I don’t use any hypnotherapy terms such as regression within the groups) and this is an opportunity for the client to feel supported, reassured and safe within the group.
It is sometimes the case, I feel, that the subconscious mind has something that it needs brought out to the conscious mind. Recall in the waking state can often give considerable insight (Waxman, 1998). Deep relaxation sessions provide an opportunity for this to occur and in the majority of cases once the memory, thought, or emotion is acknowledged in the conscious mind the block is removed.
In my experience everyone who comes regularly to the relaxation sessions manages to learn to achieve a state of relaxation to a lesser or greater degree. Indeed, It is always nice when someone new joins claiming they can never relax and to see how they progress quite rapidly during the sessions. It is often the case that after a few sessions clients report that they are aware of my voice but it is somehow in the background and doesn’t really register, a commonly reported phenomena of hypnosis (Weitzenhoffer and Hilgard, 1959).. In these instances I believe that the clients are slipping into a relaxed altered hypnotic state. According to Kroger the ability to enter into a hypnotic state is as natural a phenomenon as sleep (Kroger, 1977). It seems to be a simple truth that the more the relaxation response is practised the deeper the client is able to go and the greater the potential benefits for the stressed individual.
Allen, K and Golden, L. Listening to music of choice lowers stress in out-patient eye surgery patients. Academic paper: American Psychosomatic Society, 1997.
Beaton, D. Academic paper: Effects of stress And psychological disorders on the Immune system. Rochester Institute of Technology: 2003.
Benson, H. Beyond the relaxation response. New York: Times Books, 1984.
Eden, D. Energy medicine. London: Piatkus, 2005.
Hammond, D. Hypnotic suggestions and metaphors. New York:: Norton, 1990.
Kroger, W.S. Clinical and experimental hypnosis (Second Edition). Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1977.
Lusk, J. 30 Scripts for relaxation, imagery and inner healing. Minnesota: Whole Person Associates, 1992.
Manning, M. The healing journey. London: Piatkus, 2001.
McEwen, B and Lasley, E. The end of stress as we know It. Washington: National Academies Press, 2002.
Simonton, C and Creighton, J.L. Getting well again. London: Bantam, 1992.
Watts, T. Crucial. Southend-on-Sea: Hypnosense, 2004.
Waxman, D. Hartland’s medical and dental hypnosis. London: Baillière Tindall, 1998.
Weitzenhoffer, A and Hilgard, E. Stanford hypnotic susceptibility scale. California: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1959.