Best way to stop smoking for clients

[ealing]

Many hypnotherapists advertise stop smoking in one hour. Most talk about using NLP and hypnosis together. Is this the best way and what format do you use. Is it easy to use the same format for group work?

Many thanks

Ealing

[Don]

Hi, Ealing.

One of the misconseptions of hypnotherapy and NLP is that they are identical to other Western healing systems. If someone has a flu, give them the same treatment as everyone else with the flu. If someone has a bad appendix, treat it the same way as you treat everyone else with a bad appendix.

In both hypnotherapy and NLP, each client is considered an individual. A good hypnotherapist interviews a potential client and derives a custom treatment that will help that person and perhaps nobody else in the world.

That being said, there are some similarities in treatment of common behaviors. Therefore, if I come up with a generic mode of treatment, it will help a certain percentage of people. So in groups, a certain percentage of people will be helped, and the majority of those who are not helped will simply chalk it up as another failure rather than complain.

What I have seen in group work is to use it as a type of advertising! Get people to come to your workshop, and let them know that if they don't succeed, they can get a free private treatment with you! Most will never take you up on this, but if they do, give them the session and see what add ons you can include. Sell them a tape/CD of the private session. Offer to help them at a reduced rate on other behaviors, too.

One of Erickson's concepts has been called the "utility" method. That is, you make use of whatever is given to you. I would suggest putting this to use in your own life as well as in treating clients.

[Terry (existing)]

I believe Don has said it all, except perhaps to point out that the individuality of help offered, is why we can't and don;t attempt to try to teach online, or even offer advise to new practitioners except in broad strokes.... The web is a lousy place to learn a compicated system such as hypnosis.........

[Neurotic1]

Hi

I agree with what Don and Terry have said. I like Don's suggestion of a 'workshop'. One of the things which can result in long term success of hypnotherapy (i.e; preventing relapse) is to re-explore the person's beliefs about the benefits of smoking. These perceived benefits are likely to be deeply influenced by many factors including other smokers, non smokers, television, etc. Allen Carr's exploration of nicotine addiction provides, IMO a very helpful re-education about smoking which is deeply complimentary to hypnosis and may be useful as part of a work shop.

To enhance the chances of success, it might be a good idea to remove the (false) notion that smoking is (truly) pleasurable to anyone - otherwise the influences of friends, the media, etc may convince the ex-smoker that they are missing out on something in future. Many of the beliefs about smoking are best explored (and quickly changed) during consultation (a la Allen Carr) and maybe this is a suitable way of covering all the bases prior to hypnotherapy and to enhance beliefs and compliance.

I'm sure hypnosis alone is mostly effective and I am sure Allen Carr's method alone is mostly effective; perhaps using both as a two pronged approach would be synergistic.
Just a thought.