Follow up after hypnosis session

What to say after coming out of trance

Follow up after hypnosis is important. When the client is brought back out of trance it is usual to ask something like 'How was that?' or 'How do you feel?'. Neither is particularly helpful. What is better is to use the fact that the client is still partly in trance. Saying something like 'I think your mind knows you are a non-smoker now' is much more useful.

Igor Ledichowski has a useful tag line. He recommends saying to the client as soon as they open their eyes 'You were great!'. This immediately banishes any lingering doubts in the client that they might not have been responding well.

Andrew Newton suggests hustling the client out of the door as quickly as possible, but I think that is disrespectful. I like to send the client on their way in a good frame of mind. Very often the client needs to talk about what they have just been through and to ask questions about the therapy or how they are feeling. Spending a few minutes on that is worthwhile.

One thing that Newton recommends is that as the client leaves, to say 'Let me know how well you are getting on'. This uses the supposition that they will be doing well.

Follow up after hypnosis

But the session isn't really ended when the client departs. What distinguishes the average hypnotherapist from the outstanding hypnotherapist is follow up. You will never get any better unless you can measure how well what you are doing actually works.

Follow up simply consists of an email or phone to the client a week or ten days later to see how they are getting on. It should be a genuine enquiry showing concern for the client's wellbeing. Most therapists don't do this. I think it is because they are afraid they might learn that it didn't work. But without a fearless attitude to feedback it is very difficult to improve your work

What do you think?

What do you say after hypnosis? Have you developed something to say that makes a difference? Or is it quite unnecessary?