Sleight of Mouth

The concept of Sleight of Mouth came from Robert Dilts who observed and then modeled the persuasion skills of Richard Bandler, co-founder of NLP. Dilts was able to develop the Sleight of Mouth patterns as a result of discovering the methods Bandler and other famous communicators used in their day-to-day communication. While there are several […]

Read More

Conscious/Unconscious Distinction

Erickson often made distinctions between the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. Then he might frame a problem as being in the conscious mind and the solution in the unconscious. Then he would assist the patient in eliciting an unconscious resource to help them solve the problem. Example distinctions. hears/understands wonders/chooses may or may not […]

Read More

Conscious/Unconscious Dissociation

Ericksonian induction approaches often make a distinction between the unconscious and conscious minds. “The conscious mind _____________ while the unconscious mind _____________.” Examples: “The conscious mind thinks while the unconscious mind understands.” “The conscious mind wonders as the unconscious mind experiences.”

Read More

Symptom As Task

One of Milton Erickson’s most frequent interventions was to give the symptom as a task and alter the task in some way. For example, he might instruct a nail-biter to bite their nails at a specific time and to bite each nail for a certain length of time. Assigning the problem behavior as a task […]

Read More

Contextual Cues

When inducing hypnosis, it can be effective to give the client cues that something different is happening. When they move to the “relaxation chair,” and the lights are dimmed, they know its time to go into a trance. Below are some examples. Change the environment (lighting/seating) Change your voice tone (switch to hypnotic voice) Match […]

Read More

Implied Directive

Implied Directive is a subtle form of directive where you don’t actually tell someone to do something, but you assume something will be done. You then only give the option of signaling when it is done. The giving of the signal when it is done actually seems to have both motivating and reinforcing properties on the […]

Read More

Binds

Binds …. A bind can be explicitly or implicitly, stated. Implicit binds maybe recognized as incongruent communication. As in the case of a partner stating verbally “I don’t mind you going out”, whilst their non-verbals state “I don’t want you to go”. This type of bind, incongruent communication, is sited as a possible cause for […]

Read More

Metaphor Patterns

Metaphors are used extensively in storytelling, song lyrics and poetry. They can also be used effectively in business communication to illustrate complex points. Speaking in metaphorical terms is a very powerful way of getting your message across, both in hypnosis and in everyday communication. Metaphorical communication causes the listener to relate to the subject of […]

Read More

Indirect Elicitation Patterns

Indirect elicitation literally means getting a specific response without overtly asking for that response.  Direct elicitation is often seen as being very blunt or authoritarian, whereas indirect elicitation is a way of softening up your communication. Indirect elicitation patterns elicit a desired response indirectly; asking for an outcome without making it obvious that a) you […]

Read More

Inverse Meta Model

The Inverse Meta Model language patterns are used to describe experience in vague terms. The Inverse Meta Model language patterns can be broken into three distinct classes: Deleting Information, Semantic Ill-Formedness Limits of the Speaker’s Model Deleting Information Where information is deleted, the listener must fill in the deleted information from their own unique experience. […]

Read More