Posted in the General Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy Forum
By Anenta Kikino
I just want to share my first hypnotherapy session with my cousin's partner. He was a smoker for 17 years. Smoking 30 cigarettes a day. After the first session he did not had any desire to smoke. He has been 7 days a non smoker, he is dealing with the nicotine withdrawal now. My question is how long does the therapist need to monitor the client after he quiet smoking? Does the client need to continue listening to the recordings and does self-hypnosis? Is any researches for clients who quit smoking with hypnotherapy and started again?
Re:
Hi Anenta, well done with helping your cousin's partner to quit. Many ex-smokers are fine with just one hypnosis session but as your client is struggling I would recommend offering a follow-up session. People often revert to their old coping mechanisms so it's not unusual for them to start again in times of stress but we have scripts on Hypnotic World to help with this.
RE @anenta
I would also like to see the script you used if possible, I personally do 3 sessions for smokers and up to 5 for the long term stubborn ones usually the ones who have already been told by Drs. and such that they are going to die if they don't quit now.
Re:
I usually find you need to re-entrench the suggestions in subsequent sessions, I usually do 3 all up. I have heard of people quitting after one session, but then start again months down the line. I don't think there is a hard and fast rule, but the subconscious mind needs repitition to firmly anchor suggestions, so its better to do more than not enough.
Re:
Well done Anenta, sounds like you did a good job.
My take on smokers is a full and complete initial consultation gives you lots of information from the client why's / doubts/worries etc. You give them lots of information / ask questions/ prep them or stopping. Personally, that is my initial consultation done. No hypnotherapy in the first session, though I realise we all work differently.
I tell them to go away and think about it, this is useful because it often makes them want your services more, and therefore the more likely they are to be successful if they return. If they don't come back, then nothing is lost. Better to have a client wait a few months until they are ready, then work with them when they are only lukewarm to the idea.
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When they come back we discuss any thoughts or issues from the initial consultation. I would have told them in the initial consultation they can elect to stop smoking in one or two sessions. If they have tried previously they often want the two if it's their first attempt or super determined one session. The two sessions are structured, the first prepares them for stopping by only having conscious smokes, and by that, I mean being aware of opening the packet, and changing from a lighter to matches. Every smoker has their own little routine of smoking from opening the packet, lighting up, the hand they hold the cigarette in etc. All these are disrupted. Then the second session stops them and reinforces the stopping. I don't monitor after that. I only monitor clients and patients if I am researching or patient piloting. They know where you are if they need more help. If you are too keen to monitor, subconsciously you are inviting doubt about your session to creep in. In my opinion at least :) Again well done you.
Re: Stop Smoking
I would recommend getting your client´s to track their progress and get them to rate themselves from 0 - 10 with 10 being a non-smoker as to how they are at week 1, month 1, month 2, etc ... and to reward themselves. Perhaps put the money they would have spent on cigarettes into a pot and use that money to reward themselves (not with food or booze though). If they have a set-back, that they understand it doesn´t mean they failed and are no longer a non-smoker. If this happens you could have another session with them and go over how they would handle the situation if it occured again. At that session, get them to think of other scenarios in which they think could potentially make them want a cigarette, examine why and figure out what they can do instead.
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