Making Ericksonian Stories Work - NLP & Hypnosis

Summary

The speaker explores the hypnotic power of stories in therapeutic settings, contrasting diagnostic and dialogic approaches. Diagnostic work involves identifying issues and offering solutions, while dialogic work co-creates with the client, allowing for a more adaptive and resourceful process. The use of metaphors, particularly in an Eriksonian storytelling manner, is highlighted as a potent method for mind-shifting, especially when tailored to the client's openness and resistance levels. The importance of understanding problem structures and the client's readiness to engage with therapeutic narratives is emphasized for effective results.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script discusses the use of stories in hypnosis and therapy, highlighting their potential to be hypnotic and mind-shifting.
• 🔍 A distinction is made between 'diagnostic work' and 'dialogic work', with the former involving a diagnosis and solution, and the latter focusing on co-creation with the client.
• 🤔 The speaker favors a dialogic approach, which engages with the client's unconscious mind and resources without imposing external ideas.
• 🌟 Clean language is cited as an example of a dialogic approach, where the facilitator minimizes presuppositions to allow the client to connect with what's relevant to them.
• 🦂 The story of the Scorpion and the Turtle is used as an example of an Eriksonian metaphor, which can be used diagnostically to address a client's issue.
• 🌱 Metaphors and stories should emerge from the client's own experiences in a dialogic approach, rather than being imposed by the facilitator.
• 🧠 The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the structure of problems, which comes with time and experience, rather than from a formulaic approach.
• 🔄 The effectiveness of a story or metaphor in therapy depends on the client's openness to the messages within it.
• 💡 Working diagnostically can inform a dialogic process, allowing solutions to adapt and be unique to the client's situation.
• 🔑 The speaker suggests that having a strong sense of self can help individuals not take things personally and avoid cognitive dissonance when misunderstood.
• 🌐 The script concludes by emphasizing the importance of knowing why one is telling a story in therapy and the value of integrating diagnostic insights within a dialogic, co-creative dialogue.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the video script?

The main topic discussed in the video script is the use of Ericsonian storytelling in hypnosis and therapy, and the distinction between diagnostic and dialogic approaches in therapeutic work.

What does the term 'Ericsonian stories' refer to in the context of the script?

In the context of the script, 'Ericsonian stories' refers to the use of stories as a therapeutic tool, as practiced by Milton Erickson in his approach to hypnosis.

What is the difference between diagnostic work and dialogic work as mentioned in the script?

Diagnostic work involves assessing a client's situation, identifying what is wrong, and offering a solution. Dialogic work, on the other hand, is a co-creative process with the client, where the therapist does not diagnose but engages in a back-and-forth dialogue to unfold solutions.

Why are stories considered to be hypnotic according to the script?

Stories are considered hypnotic because they draw people in, create absorption, and can be a powerful mind-shifting technique.

How does the speaker describe the process of working with clean language in a dialogic approach?

The speaker describes working with clean language as facilitating a psychoactive process with minimal presuppositions, creating space for the client to connect with what's relevant to them without outside imposition of ideas.

Can diagnostic information be used in a dialogic process according to the script?

Yes, diagnostic information can inform dialogue, but it is not necessary for working dialogically. It should be held with a loose enough grip to allow the solution to adapt and come alive uniquely for the client.

What is the significance of metaphors in the dialogic approach as described in the script?

In the dialogic approach, metaphors that emerge from the client are significant as they drive the co-creative process and are simple, reflecting the client's own experiences and insights.

How does the speaker use the story of the Scorpion and the Turtle in a therapeutic session?

The speaker uses the story of the Scorpion and the Turtle as an Ericksonian metaphor to help a client understand not to take things personally and to recognize the nature of things, which is not necessarily about them.

What was the outcome of the therapeutic sessions involving the use of Ericksonian storytelling as described in the script?

The outcome was positive, with the client achieving a significant amount of resolution, improved sleep, peace of mind, and a better ability to manage the situation and create change.

What is the key to making a story effective in therapy according to the speaker?

The key to making a story effective in therapy is the degree to which the client is open to the messages within it. If the client is open and curious, storytelling work can be incredibly powerful.

Why is it important for the therapist to understand the structure of problems when using metaphors in therapy?

Understanding the structure of problems is important because it allows the therapist to select or create metaphors that resonate with the client's specific issue, making the therapeutic intervention more effective.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Power of Storytelling in Hypnosis and Therapy

This paragraph introduces the concept of using stories, particularly in the context of hypnosis and therapy, as a powerful tool for mind shifting. The speaker acknowledges the hypnotic nature of stories and their ability to draw people in, creating absorption. The paragraph also presents a distinction between diagnostic work, which involves analyzing a client's issue and offering a solution, and dialogic work, which is a co-creative process without diagnosis. The speaker expresses a preference for the dialogic approach, emphasizing its alignment with the client's unconscious mind and resources, but also acknowledges the value of diagnostic work when integrated into a dialogic process.

05:01

🤔 Exploring Diagnostic and Dialogic Approaches in Practice

The speaker delves into the practical differences between diagnostic and dialogic approaches using examples. Diagnostic work is exemplified by the use of metaphors based on a diagnosis, such as the story of the Scorpion and the Turtle, to convey a message or lesson to the client. The dialogic approach is illustrated through the use of clean language, where the facilitator minimizes presuppositions to allow the client to connect with what's relevant to them without external imposition. The speaker also discusses the importance of being open to the messages within stories and the role of the facilitator in guiding the client through metaphors that emerge from the client's own experiences.

10:03

🌱 The Transformative Impact of Ericksonian Storytelling

This paragraph discusses the transformative effects of using Ericksonian storytelling in therapy sessions. The speaker recounts a specific client case where diagnostic and dialogic methods were combined to address a family conflict causing the client distress. Metaphors such as handling a cactus and respecting its nature were used to help the client understand not to take things personally. The speaker emphasizes the importance of being responsive and adaptive in therapy, watching for shifts in the client's perspective, and nurturing a co-creative dialogue. The client's significant improvement after the sessions highlights the effectiveness of Ericksonian storytelling when combined with a dialogic approach.

15:04

🔑 Unlocking the Potential of Metaphors and Storytelling

The final paragraph wraps up the discussion by emphasizing the importance of understanding the structure of problems and the client's openness to the messages within stories. The speaker suggests that while there is no formula for diagnosing the structure of a problem, experience and good mentoring can accelerate this understanding. They also caution against using a random selection of Ericksonian stories without a dialogic interaction, as this could lead to a less effective therapeutic process. The speaker concludes by encouraging feedback, sharing the content with others, and subscribing to the channel for more resources.

Keywords

💡Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility, often used for therapeutic purposes. In the script, it is mentioned as part of Milton Erickson's approach to therapy, where stories are told in a hypnotic way to create absorption and facilitate mind shifting.

💡Diagnostic Work

Diagnostic work refers to the process of identifying a problem by observing or listening to a client and then formulating a diagnosis. It is contrasted with dialogic work in the script, where the speaker prefers a more co-creative approach without preconceived notions of what is wrong.

💡Dialogic Work

Dialogic work is an approach that involves a back-and-forth co-creation with the client, without making a diagnosis. It is highlighted in the script as a method that allows for the unfolding of solutions that are unique and adaptive to the client's needs.

💡Clean Language

Clean Language is a technique used in therapy to facilitate a psychoactive process with minimal presuppositions, allowing the client to connect with what is relevant to them without external imposition of ideas. It is exemplified in the script as a dialogic approach.

💡Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things. In the script, metaphors are used as a therapeutic tool, either emerging from the client or provided by the therapist to convey complex ideas or insights.

💡Eriksonian Storytelling

Eriksonian storytelling is a method of using narratives to convey therapeutic messages, named after Milton Erickson. The script describes it as a powerful technique that can move minds when the client is open to the messages within the stories.

💡Resistance

Resistance in the script refers to the client's opposition to external ideas or suggestions. It is mentioned as something to be aware of when using external metaphors or stories, as it can affect the effectiveness of the therapeutic approach.

💡Personal Sovereign

Personal sovereign, as discussed in the script, pertains to an individual's autonomy and the right to make their own choices. The speaker uses this concept to help the client understand that they cannot control others' actions or readiness to change.

💡Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs or values. In the script, it is related to the discomfort of being misunderstood, which can lead to doubt and a threat to one's sense of self.

💡Co-creative Dialogue

Co-creative dialogue is a collaborative process where both the therapist and client contribute to the development of ideas or solutions. The script emphasizes this as a key aspect of the dialogic approach, where feedback and shifts in the client's perspective are sought.

💡Psychological Grip

Psychological grip in the script refers to the mental hold that a problem has on an individual. Understanding this grip is important for the therapist to effectively use metaphors and storytelling to help the client release this hold and achieve resolution.

Highlights

Ericsonian storytelling is a hypnotic technique that can be used in therapy to create mind shifts.

Stories are inherently hypnotic as they draw people in and create absorption.

A distinction is made between diagnostic work, which involves identifying issues and offering solutions, and dialogic work, which is a co-creative process with the client.

Dialogic work does not diagnose but engages in a back-and-forth with the client, allowing for unique solutions to emerge.

Diagnostic work can inform dialogue but is not necessary for a dialogic approach.

An example of dialogic work is using clean language, which facilitates a psychoactive process with minimal presuppositions.

Metaphors in dialogic work usually come from the client and are simple, reflecting their own experiences.

Diagnostic work involves making hypotheses about the client's situation and offering solutions based on these hypotheses.

An example of diagnostic work includes using metaphors like 'the scorpion and the turtle' to convey messages about not taking things personally.

The importance of being open to the messages within a story for it to be effective in therapy.

Resistance to outside information can be lower when working dialogically, as clients are more connected to their own materials.

The value of storytelling in therapy is emphasized, especially when the client is open and curious about the therapist's offerings.

The process of diagnosing the structure of a problem is complex and typically developed over time through experience with clients.

The effectiveness of metaphor work is enhanced when the therapist understands the psychological grip a problem has on the client.

The session concludes with the importance of knowing why you're telling a story in therapy and the potential impact it can have.

A call to action for viewers to engage with the content, share it with friends, and subscribe to the channel for more resources.

Transcripts

so I've had a request come in via the

comments to share some thoughts on Eric

sonian stories so I'm assuming most

people know what that refers to Milton

Ericson as part of his approach to

hypnosis would often tell people stories

often in a hypnotic way there's an

argument that could be made that all

stories are hypnotic they draw people in

they create absorption and that this is

a powerful mind shifting technique I

happen to agree with this but I want to

give a little bit more on this topic and

offer a few contrasts that will help

make sense of this so first thing I want

to share quickly is a distinction

between diagnostic work and dialogic

work okay now diagnostic work is simply

you look at what's going on or you

listen to the client and you come up

with a diagnosis as to what is off you

know what is wrong how are the gears

crunching here rather than meshing and

then you offer a solution okay or you

take somebody through a process that

creates a solution in alignment with how

you have diagnos things I'll give an

example of this in just a moment a

dialogic approach is different a

dialogic approach doesn't diagnose at

all dialogic approach just engages in a

cocreation with the client there's a a

back and forth and difference unfolds

from that and if we take that idea that

somebody's unconscious mind is powerful

adaptive has all the resources it needs

as we engage in this co-creation the

approach or the solution that gets

created that unfolds from it is

generally pretty healthy and generally

pretty ecological so I really like

working this way I like working

dialogically and have a bias towards

working dialogically but I also work

diagnostically and I want to point out

that whilst these things can be in

Conflict they are not necessarily in

Conflict okay so if you

diagnose and you have an idea right this

is what's going on and I think this is a

good way of treating this so long as you

hold that with a loose enough grip you

can then bring that into a dialogic

process okay which actually enables the

solution to adapt and really uh come

alive in a unique way for the client so

diagnostic information can inform

dialogue but you don't need diagnostic

information to work dialogically so I

want to give a couple of examples here

of um in action or in practice what the

difference between Diagnostic and

dialogic might be so one of the best

examples of working dialogically is

working with groan clean language now

the aim with groy and clean language is

You are facilitating a very psychoactive

process with somebody but you're keep

keeping your presuppositions to a real

minimum okay and this is to create as

much space as possible for the client to

connect with what's relevant to them

without any outside imposition of ideas

and you as the facilitator yes you're

helping people connect to what they have

within them but you are your job is to

help to reweave it in different ways and

maybe blow on various Embers and so they

can catch light but it's very much

driven by what comes out from the client

now in this kind of work uh metaphors

emerged but they emerge from the client

and they're usually simple metaphors not

complex metaphors like somebody might

say well it was like you know like a

knife in my heart or something like that

or they might say you know uh when I

feel that freedom I feel like an eagle

soaring above a canyon or something like

this so the the metaphors that come out

tend to come out from the client so this

is very dial logic as in it's a

backwards and forwards it's a

co-creation uh when I'm doing this kind

of work which I never do purely but it's

worth practicing purely and I'm just

there to weave together in different

ways or to encourage of weaving together

in different ways what is coming out

from the client however I also work

diagnostically now let me give you an

example of working

diagnostically I work with a client

recently who

uh was deeply upset by a family

situation right things had been said and

he was feeling that it was unjust and it

was

unfair and basically that he personally

had been wronged he was taking it very

personally now listen to me saying that

he was taking it very personally that's

me

diagnosing right my diagnosis of the

situation is he was making all sorts of

meanings

out of um out of what have been said

that were potentially saying things

about him and I and nobody wants to be

in the wrong they you know there's a

line I often use with people which is

relates to the song uh oh Lord Please

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood a lot of

people suffer from that they cannot be

comfortable with being misunderstood why

is that well they cannot be comfortable

being

misunderstood because deep down they

don't have that strong certainty or

strong sense of self under the surface

that says no actually this is the way it

is so they're being led into doubt led

into cognitive dissonance when they are

misunderstood and they feel threatened

now all of that hypothesis I just gave

that's all diagnosis is it true maybe

maybe not maybe it's closer to the truth

I'm basically runal diagnosis based on

models I've worked with clients for a

long long time I've built up a lot of

models in my mind as to

uh problem patterns and how problems

form uh what kind of binds what kind of

internal binds there are and um I

immediately go right I think I see a

pattern here if that pattern was to

dissolve that would be extremely useful

now this is where for me I often work

with kind of er exonian style metaphors

of Storytelling now an ER exonian

metaphor is basically a story a clean

language metaphor is a much simpler

actual type metaphor

so to give an example one of the things

that I did with this particular client

was I um told the

story of the Scorpion and the turtle

okay and the story of the Scorpion and

the turtle if you don't know it goes

like this I'm not going to do this in a

particularly hypnotic way because this

is not a hypnosis session right now and

uh I just want to get this information

across so I'm just giving you the story

not necessarily how I would deliver the

story there's a hypnotic delivery to

stories that's uh worth being aware that

will be there so the story of the

Scorpion and the turtle is simply this

uh one day there was a turtle at the

edge of a river and uh he was mining his

own business and a scorpion showed up

and said excuse me I wonder if you could

help me I need to get across to the

other side of the river but I can't swim

would it be possible for me to ride

across the river on your back if you

could swim across I could ride across in

your back now the Turtle says um what

are you crazy I'm not going to let you

ride on my back you're a scorpion you

know you'll just sting me and then I

I'll die you know why would I why would

I take that risk why would I take that

chance the Scorpion says oh come on

that's ridiculous why on Earth would I

sting you I mean if I got on your back

and we were halfway across the river and

I stung you you became paralyzed and

died you would uh you would die but I

would die too because I would drown

right that would be crazy why would I

sting you now the turtle thinks well

that makes sense actually that's pretty

logical and he's a good-hearted

character so the Turtle says okay hop on

I'll take you across halfway across the

river he feels this burning pain in the

back of his neck suddenly and and feels

the uh the paralyzing Venom start to

enter his system and his breathing

starts to shut down with his last Ghasts

he says to the Scorpion why why and the

Scorpion says because I'm a

scorpion okay now I told this story and

I told many other stories other

metaphors I used with this client I said

you know when you're handling a cactus

it's worth being aware of the nature of

a cactus there's nothing wrong with a

cactus but you need to be a bit careful

when you handle a cactus cuz they're

prickly I said you know particularly

those ones I used to have these ones

when I was a kid with little hooks in

and they were terrible they get hooked

in the skin of your fingers you have to

be very careful if you're handling them

but absolutely beautiful you know I used

to love having these

cacti so there's all sorts of metaphors

that I'm sharing and these are just a

couple that I shared with this client

around not taking things personally

recognizing that things have a nature

and that nature isn't necessarily about

you okay so this was based on a

diagnosis as to how

he was creating this problem how he was

holding it in place how he was creating

his upset because the issue was the

upset that he was experiencing the upset

that he was creating and of course

another not of course but another aspect

to it was the fact that the family

members he'd had the disagreement The

Fallout with who had said things that he

had found hurtful did not want to sit

down and discuss the matter they didn't

want to discuss it right so I also

shared various other metaphors around um

people's personal sovereign in their

choices and how you you cannot make

people do things that they're not ready

to do um now I also did dialogic work

with him as well but this was dialogic

because what I'm doing I'm diagnosing

and I'm coming up with these metaphors

based upon a diagnosis but then I'm

feeding them in to a co-creative

dialogue I'm not there trying to force

the client to get the point that isn't

the aim of the game I'm there just to

seed the ideas now when I'm working this

way I am watching for shifts I am

watching for responses I'm still running

dialogically so I might say later on in

the session I might say so I'm curious

you know what are you what are you

seeing now what are you aware of now

that's different from before we began

this conversation today right and I'll

get feedback from that because I want to

be calibrating and I want to be maturing

any changes that are unfolding uh as it

happened this guy got a huge amount of

resolution from this session and the

follow-up session I did two sessions

with him in the main and I did a third

session actually but there really was

nothing that needed to be done in the

third session at all he was in a really

good place before the work he'd been

upset he'd been agitated he'd been

unable to sleep he was having intrusive

thoughts about this all day uh it was

starting to affect his relationship with

his wife he was really hooked into this

this system afterwards he was sleeping

fine he was at peace with it he'd really

given the people permission to be as

they are and do as they are and and he

was feeling very good about himself in

terms of his ability to manage the

situation to create change and was

feeling good about the person he was

becoming because he very much saw

himself as uh becoming somebody

different and that part of the issue now

in his mind after we' done the work was

that people in his family were resistant

to the changes he was making that he

valued so it was a big shift and a lot

of that was done through a kind of Eric

sonian storytelling approach so there's

real value in that approach it really

can move Minds one last thing I'll just

say about this the difference that makes

the difference often as to whether a

particular story is going to land or

move somebody's mind or whatever is the

degree to which they are open to the

messages within it my old mental Steve

charer used to say when the mind is open

it will shift one of the good things

about working in a more kind of clean

language way or maybe in a more strictly

dialogic way where you're drawing

resources out of the client or reweaving

what they've got is you get much much

lower levels of resistance in people

because people are always entranced or

enamored by their own materials if

you're offering a story that comes from

the outside some people can be more

resistant to that but it isn't

inevitable if you've got someone who's

very resistant to outside offered

information it's much

more uh useful to work in a more purely

dialogic way evoking resources from

within and encouraging the client to

make their own connections people tend

to have very low levels of resistance

for that uh but if somebody is very open

they come in from a very open place and

they're curious about what you have to

offer what you have to bring then

storytelling work can be incredibly

powerful often is incredibly powerful

but the thing is is to know why you're

telling the story okay and this is

something that has attempted to be

addressed I think in uh in some NLP

books I think therapeutic metaphors by

David Gordon attempt to address this but

I think this is what I believe I don't

think you can get a formula that tells

you how to diagnose the structure of a

problem I think understanding the

structure of problems is something that

you come to Across Time through working

with clients obviously that process can

be accelerated by good mentoring and

that kind of thing I don't know of any

good books that really show how to do

that because it's a reasonably complex

thing it's something you get a feel for

across time but there are certain

typical structures things like uh

resistance you know what you cannot be

with will not let you be personalizing

things taking them very personally

that's a another huge thing um taking

one's thoughts too seriously being

caught in single perspectives there's

all sorts of things like this doing what

I call blocky renderings over fluid

renderings um a blocky rendering is

where something is absolute right uh

somebody might go I am such an idiot

that's a very blocky way of rendering

things so once you start be to hear

structures he how things are being held

what kind of psychological grip a

problem is being held in then the

metaphor work becomes very very useful

if you've just bought a book of

eriksonian stories and you're going to

randomly tell them I'm not going to say

you're not going to get good results

with that because you might get good

results it's just a little bit more of a

I don't know a bit more of a hit and

miss process but that's not a problem if

you have good dialogic abilities and you

can put the work inside of a dialogic

interactive co-creative flow so uh if

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