Hypnosis and NLP in the Management of Pain by Adam Sargant, Dip.H.Ed (Nursing Studies), Dip.Hyp.,NLP(prac)

Meditative Approach

The first technique I would like to share is the first one I discovered as a child with osteomyelitis. And that was to simply focus all my attention on the pain, in as relaxed way as possible. The pain became a focus for a form of meditation, whereby it is observed dispassionately for what it is.

Synesthesia

An extension of this technique (and best carried out in a light trance in my experience) is to observe the pain as a sensation, and then observe it as one would see it if it had a physical existence. What shape is it, what colour, what texture, what movements does it make? Where is it, does it move quickly or slowly? Don't worry if this seems difficult, don't put too much effort into it – make it up! The important thing is that the image you are working with is a metaphor for your pain, and as such, it makes sense to your unconscious mind.

The next stage is to move the representation of the pain outside your body, where it is easier to observe. Continue to examine it from, say, two meters in front of you. Now become aware of any sound it might make. What pitch is it, how loud is it and so on?

Now we can start to change some of the qualities of the representation. We can make it smaller or darker for example, or change the colour(s). Alter the way it moves, change it's position. Change the sound; turn the whole thing up side down. As you experiment with this, notice which changes cause changes in the pain. Finally, when you are satisfied with the changes you have made you can either send the whole thing off into the distance over the horizon, or you can put it back in your body in a different location where any discomfort might be more manageable or simply turn it upside down and put it back so it cancels out the original pain.

Increasing Energy

The debilitation caused by pain leaves us depleted of energy. Very simple visualisation exercise can help combat this. Put yourself into a very relaxed state and focus on the breathing. Imagine a golden ball of light around your body, that you can both hear and feel vibrating. Spend some time experiencing this, the sensation of the vibration on and through your body, the sound of the vibration as a gentle mixture of harmonies weaving together.

Now, simply become aware that as you breathe in, you take in energy. The golden light gets brighter, the harmonies louder and richer and the vibrations stronger. As you breathe out, waste and tension are expelled, so the light gets clearer, the harmonies more harmonious and the vibration serves to further relax and massage your body.

These techniques are simply presented as an introduction to the idea of taking control of your experience of pain. They are not "NLP" or "hypnosis" techniques, and they are not necessarily the sorts of work I would do on a consultation. I don't know how successful you have been with the techniques discussed in this article, but I do know that you have embarked on a quest to explore the nature of your own relationship with experience. And that is the key. Successful pain management is less about a practitioner intervening and taking away your pain, and more about you understanding and gaining control over the factors that influence your pain.

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BIO:

Adam is an NLP practitioner and Hypnotherapist, as well as a mental health nurse with over a decades experience. He is passionate about the use of language to effect change, and about the ability of people to maximise their own potential.

This article is free for anyone to use as long as you publish a link to http://www.hypnosisaudiocds.com using the link text "Hypnosis MP3s and CDs"

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