Rapport and Beyond – The Relational Aspects of Hypnotic Communication

Great topic, James. To prepare for the hypnotic process my check off list for participants is are they ready, willing, able and eager. Using your terms, I’d say that trust establishes willingness. Authority directs ability. Responsiveness indicates eagerness. And, respectfulness creates, maintains and sustains rapport. By adding preparedness to your list (which motivates readiness), we go to five items. Of course, you said there are other elements to consider. So now I wonder who else can add to this growing list.

James, another excellent topic. The four aspects of non-verbal communication you mentioned, trust, authority, responsiveness and respect are also important elements of any therapeutic approach.

In my counseling psych masters courses, we often form up into dyads and triads to practice. I recall in my first course, my partner, who was in the ‘therapist’ role at the time during our practice session, took something I said and made a sarcastic comment about it (breaking the respect element). As it turned out, not surprisingly, she decided at the beginning of our second year of studies that she wasn’t suited to the profession and dropped the program.

It may be a statement of the obvious, but I’ll say it anyway: without respect, the other three elements are irrevocably undermined. Trust is broken, authority becomes bullying, and responses are inappropriate. Our clients often come to us in a vulnerable state, and showing respect in and of itself can be experienced as palliative.

This site has great material…but I wish I could see more actual demonstrations of you doing hypnosis. People can learn so much by absorbing themselves in other people’s performances. Certainly language patterns can rub off easily when you notice people using them as opposed to being taught them formally. Have you ever considered uploading a lot more performances of yourself instead of simply teaching formally?

Great material either way James.