Advantages of using written hypnosis scripts:
- You never go blank in a session.
- There is time to craft your hypnotic language perfectly, especially if you are inexperienced or not a naturally quick or creative thinker (this sort of thinking can be learned, but it takes practice).
- They can give you ideas for phrases, words and concepts that you might not have come up with yourself.
- They give you insight (when they are good scripts) of what the industry leaders say to their clients, why re-invent the wheel?
Disadvantages of using written hypnosis scripts:
- They can prevent you from having creative ideas of your own.
- They distract you from observing the client or relating to them as individuals.
- They don’t reflect your clients’ specific situations.
- They are a ‘prop’ for inadequate therapists.
I think both sets of arguments have some merit and would never suggest that a couple of inductions and a book of scripts makes you into a hypnotherapist. But my theory is this … even experienced pilots use a checklist when flying a plane. No-one suggests pilots should be left to fly a plane with the checklist and no other experience but, alongside proper training, it helps. In the same way, when appropriately personalised to your client, hypnotic scripts can have their place as a source of inspiration and ideas. (If you want to know how to personalise them, I suggest getting hold of a copy of my book, ‘Their Worlds, Your Words’ which goes through it step by step.) Or The Metaphor Toolbox, which has notes with each metaphor giving you ideas about adapting it to your client.
One of the problems with scripts not directly covered above (though related to your ability to be creative) is that your client may turn up with an issue that you can’t find a script for, especially if you are newly qualified and have limited experience of different issues. So, at that point, you have to get creative.
What to do when you don’t know what to do
Have a few metaphors handy that adapt well to whatever situation the client is in. The Control Room, for example, is a classic and can turn pretty much any feeling or behaviour up or down, depending on whether the client wants more or less of it. And the joy of metaphors is that the client will make them into what they need to be so they are very effective. The session is not a ‘placeholder’ while you get advice, but should have a real impact. If you want my control room script, by the way, please email me and ask for it.Go back to your training notes. Approaches like parts, swish, anchors, or regression adapt easily to whatever the client is facing, you just need to get the right information to use them with.
But once you’ve done that, where else can you get inspiration?
A free hypnotherapy script for everything
This is quite a big promise; I do want to deliver but, as you will have guessed, there are caveats. Remember that I have advised you to use scripts as a source of ideas to use alongside your training and professional judgement, something to tweak and adapt and not as a word-for-word text to read out exactly as they are. This opens up many places to get new ideas from that don't bill themselves as hypnotherapy scripts. All you have to do is apply your skills to frame them into suitably hypnotic language.- Use the scripts you do have more creatively, a sort of hypnotic pick-n-mix approach! Combine ideas, phrases and words from several different scripts in one session to get what you need for your client.
- Ignore what your existing scripts say they are about. Look for similar patterns and triggers, and go from there. For example, a script for nail-biting may have ideas in it you can use for hair twiddling; one for confidence in public speaking will adapt to anxiety about an oral exam; ideas from a social anxiety script may adapt to an upcoming interview.
- Blogs – there are blogs out there on any topic you care to name. Google ‘tips on how to ... [do what your client wants to do]’ and a million or more articles will come up. ‘Tips on how to deal with presentation nerves’ for example, gave me 17,600,000 hits. Read a few and they’ll suggest coping strategies, affirmations and other useful information that you can use with your client.
- Get your client to provide information you can use – for example, setting them homework to identify five appropriate coping strategies they feel comfortable with, then using their list as future pacing in your next session.
- Self-help books, webinars and courses – unless your client’s issue is really unusual, there will be resources around. Even though these are aimed at clients, not therapists, they will give you ideas and insight, and accessing them may count towards your CPD hours. Just be careful not to infringe the author’s copyright, especially if they include worksheets! Always change them to suit your own way of working.
- Your imagination – go with the flow and don’t be afraid to go ‘off-piste’ even if you usually work with scripts. Metaphors, ideas and words that pop into your head during a session come from your unconscious mind; they are responses to what your client has said and may use bits of information your conscious mind didn’t fully notice. Trust your training.
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Author: Debbie Waller is an experienced hypnotherapist and hypnotherapy trainer. She is the author of Their Worlds, Your Words and has co-written the Hypnotherapy Handbook, both of which are available from Amazon. Find out more about Debbie's services on
Yorkshire Hypnotherapy Training - multi accredited hypnotherapy practitioner training, taster days and foundation levels.
CPD Expert - accredited CPD and other therapy training (online and workshops options), expert and qualified hypnotherapy supervision
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