Hypnosis Reorientation back to the present

Hypnosis Reorientation is the process of coming out of trance. There are many ways to do it, and many ways of doing it wrong. The standard method of telling the client that they will feel wonderful when they open their eyes is generally a bad idea.

Do not use the 'wow you are feeling fabulous and bursting with energy and everything is bright and wonderful' type of re-orientation. Too many people just do not feel that way when they are coming out of trance. Most of the people who attend hypnotherapy are unhappy in the first place. So they are unlikely to suddenly full of fizz just because somebody suggested it.

The majority of people coming out of trance are filled with the wonder of the experience. What they want is a few moments of quiet to enjoy that amazing feeling. Telling people that they will feel energized and jumping for joy when they were deep in trance a moment ago just does not work. The human body cannot instantly flip from profound relaxation to hyperactivity.

Brain scans show that it takes several minutes for the brain to move from the hypnotic state to full alertness. Telling people they should feel ecstatic risks disappointing them. If they don't get the promised feeling they think they have failed. Or worse, they think you have failed, and therefore the session has failed. Better to avoid it.

Reorientation

If there is enough time left in the session your can say to the client something like 'And now you can come back to the present in your own time and in your own way'.

Or say "In a moment I will start counting from five up to one. When we get to one you will be fully alert, eyes open, ready for the rest of your day." Then start counting.

Coming back from trance doesn't have to take long. Many experienced hypnotists, especially stage hypnotists, think the count up re-orientation is a waste of time. They simply say 'Open your eyes. Your mind is clear and you are ready for the rest of your day. NOW.'

How to Hypnotize Coming out of Trance

This is the standard count out reorientation routine. It gives the client time to go from trance to full alertness, but does not take more than a few seconds. You should pace your words to whatever the client is doing. So if the client starts moving their feet a little, then say '.... and feet moving, legs flexing....'

	BACK TO THE PRESENT....
	In a moment I am going to begin counting up from five to one, and when I get to one, you will be back in the present, fully alert and ready for the rest of your day.... So counting now...
	FIVE
	FOUR... beginning to get feeling back into your hands and feet....		suggesting
	THREE shoulders moving.... taking a deep breath.... head moving....		pacing
	TWO and getting ready for a big stretch.... and a smile, coming back to the present... eyelids fluttering... becoming aware of where you are....		pacing
	ONE: EYES OPEN, BACK AGAIN... fully alert....
	Welcome back.
	How do you feel?

PERMISSIVE REORIENTATION

The gentlest way to end the trance is to allow the client some quiet time to absorb what has been suggested during the session. Just tell the client that the session is over and they should consider what has been said, and can come back to full awareness when they are ready.

	BACK TO THE PRESENT....
	And so before coming back to full awareness.....		presupposition
	take whatever time you need now... to consider those ideas... to allow your mind to examine things from every aspect... like a jeweler looking into the heart of a diamond...	M
	and the lessons and possibilities... consider them deeply... absorb them deeply... into your very being.... thinking about how best to apply them....		bind: best
	And when you have had enough time to process and learn from this session.... then it is time to bring this session to a close, a comfortable close...	I	bind: time
	and you can start coming back to the present.... at whatever rate is right for you.
Capability	...so when you are fully prepared to... you can find yourself back in full awareness of the room around you, feeling refreshed... and knowing that you have finally settled something important.	I

Some clients can take a very long time to come out of trance if you give them the option. You may have to hurry them along by using the count out procedure.

POST HYPNOTIC SUGGESTION REORIENTATION

How to Hypnotize: Coming out of Trance the mind is still highly suggestible, so the Reorientation is a good time to slip in a few post hypnotic suggestions to reinforce the main points of the therapy.

	BACK TO THE PRESENT....

Capability	And when you open your eyes you realize you are seeing things differently now, that things have changed... that you have changed... you are organized and focused and deeply confident.	V	mind reading
	I wonder what part you will enjoy the most?

What to do if your client is not coming out of trance

the three most common reasons for a person to remain in trance are

They were not told what to expect in the pre-talk.
They were not told clearly enough in trance that the session was coming to an end and that they are to now come back to the present.
The person fell asleep at some point in the session. The hypnotist did not continually test for feedback to ensure that the client was still in trance and responding, and not actually asleep. Make sure that you use convincers and get confirmation all through the session.

It can be as simple as saying after each section ‘Now take a deep breath’ and looking to confirm that they are doing that. If not bring them up a level suggesting that they are getting lighter and coming back to awareness little by little until you get a response.

How you awaken that person

Repeat the reorientation instructions more distinctly, louder, and emphasise to start counting to themselves from five up to one and into the present NOW!
Suggest that they are feeling lighter, the light is getting brighter, head moving, eyelids flickering…
Tell the client that when they are ready they can now come out of trance.
If that doesn’t work, tell them that people in trance have faster metabolisms and that they may be feeling the need to go to the toilet and the need is getting stronger with each breath…