To Script Or Not To Script… That Is The Question

Or a review of ‘Advanced Ericksonian Scripts’ by Dan Jones

The Great Script Debate

Within the hypnotherapy community, debates abound regarding the use of a hypnosis script. One key argument against their usage is that they’re too generic, often missing the mark in catering to the unique needs of each client.

Another potential downside lies in the inability of scripts to delve into more advanced, interactive techniques. Techniques that often necessitate a more analytical, hypnoanalytical approach.

Typically, when a hypnotherapist graduates from a reputable training organization, it’s expected that they’re well-versed in techniques such as Parts / Ego State Therapy, Regression, Ideomotor Responses, and the Rewind technique. These techniques might be attempted via a script, but it’s important to remember that they often need more flexibility to achieve success. This idea can be likened to the old ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ books. Depending on your desired path, you’d flip to a different page to continue the story.

Where a Script Can Be Useful

Despite the criticism, scripts have their place. They can provide therapists with a wealth of ideas and hypno-patter, helping to stimulate creativity. Imagine immersing yourself in a book of well-written scripts. Studying the language used could inspire new phrases and ideas, fueling innovation in your sessions. Much like an actor learning their lines, the confidence comes from being familiar with the content and delivering it with intent.

‘Advanced Ericksonian Scripts’

The charm of Dan Jones’s ‘Advanced Ericksonian Scripts’ lies in their excellently constructed examples of Ericksonian style hypnosis. For a new hypnotherapist, this book serves as a useful guide. It helps build familiarity with Ericksonian language patterns and various techniques embedded within the scripts. Techniques such as disassociation techniques, fast phobia, future pacing, and timeline can be studied.

If you’re a new hypnotherapist, then reading this book is going to help you to become comfortable not only with the use of Ericksonian language patterns but also with some of the techniques that are embedded within the scripts, such as disassociation techniques, fast phobia, future pacing, and timeline.

Inevitably, yes, they could be elaborated on further or a little more extended however what Dan Jones offers here is something that gives some great insight into how he may approach a handful of different presenting issues that a client come forward with in the hope to change.

There are some scripts that are especially good; his stop smoking and weight loss scripts feel polished and you get the sense that these are ones that contain many of the key phrases he would’ve used with his clients over the years. There are some that perhaps feel a little looser and not as thorough as they could be however the intention here is not about offering you scripts that you would read word for word to your client, but more ideas that you could take and expand upon using your own particular style.

For me personally as a hypnotherapist who likes to record, seeing parts of the script having been broken down into elements (such as being comfortable with uncertainty or the various mini-scripts that he has written addressing unmet needs) are brilliant examples of how you could build up a library of ‘hypnotic parts’ that could be pieced together to create a hypnosis jigsaw.

In a moment… you can find yourself learning new ways to approach a session…

I would challenge any hypnotherapist who feels that they are needing the inspiration to pick up a book of scripts like ‘Advanced Ericksonian Scripts’ and to explore how they feel about these scripts run. When you let go of the debate about if scripts are good, bad, or likely to cause instant blindness, you can begin to appreciate them for the piece of inspiration that they are and grateful that their author took the time to capture the essence of how they would approach certain issues.

You can purchase a Kindle copy of ‘Advanced Ericksonian Scripts’ by Dan Jones here.

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