Product reviews for Hypnosis for Inner Conflict Resolution

Most hypnotherapists are, to some degree, aware of the ideas of parts therapy. Inner parts of the mind may be in direct conflict with regard to the achievement of goals. The smoker, for example, may have a part that wants to stop smoking, and another part that wants to carry on. From a Gestalt-influenced NLP perspective, “integration' is our goal, which is fine but premature integration is certain to rebound.

The previous techniques I had encountered regarding parts therapy have all been somewhat vague. The six-step reframe, for example, has rarely had the desired result of weeding out inner conflict before I embark cognitive retraining. I've encountered other techniques that involve some semblance of negotiation between parts, but at a level “invisible' to the therapist (and perhaps the client). I've often found this to produce indistinct “agreements' between indistinct parts leaving client and therapist alike unclear as to any outcome.

Even at a visible level, the absence of any direct mediating influence has also been a concern to me. I just do not feel justified in assuming the client to have excellent negotiation skills, or to be able to direct them towards his/her problem during deep hypnosis*.

In his book, Roy Hunter has not so much invented (or even re-invented) parts therapy, for us as therapists he has done something far more useful. Despite this books other virtues, Hunter's most important accomplishment is that he has refined parts therapy into a systematic approach. If indeed, Roy's brief was to deconstruct and systemise parts therapy, it shows page after page that he has kept his eyes on the prize. The result is a very readable book that is easy to follow and removes the hit and miss approach I discussed above. Although the book is quite readable even from the layman's perceptive, the practice of the techniques require adequate training in hypnosis, regression** and Ideo Motor Response particularly.

Hunter expands on the techniques of his friend and mentor, the late Charles Tebbits. In the beginning of the book Hunter describes the theory and history of parts therapy in a section that is not overlong or over theoretical. Next a section dealing with the proper preparation of the client, firstly seeing if parts therapy is indicated, then explaining the technique to the client (we don't want our smoker leaving the consulting room thinking they are now a non-smoker but with multiple personality disorder do we now?).

The main part of the book deals with the core of the technique, “the eleven steps'. I won't go into too much detail of the exact break down of the steps, but I will say that some straightforward advice on the process of negotiating is very welcome. The client-centred approach is encouraged. Other small concessions also allow the therapist to more easily keep track of which part he/she is talking to. Hunter explains how to avoid pitfalls and deal with detours potentially associated with each step, through out these chapters.

Hunter uses a sample session transcript all the way through to illustrate the technique. The latter part of the book takes us through the transcript as a whole and then a few overviews of sample sessions.

The penultimate chapter takes us again on a tour of the most common mistakes one can fall prey to, explaining in more detail the theory behind the decisions why these mistakes are indeed classed as mistakes. Should we, for example, create or destroy/freeze parts? What if a part becomes too independent?

For the more spiritually minded, a final chapter discusses the possible ways in which various belief systems may alternatively interpret the cognitive contortions of the parts therapy process.

I have found this book more than useful when dealing with clients presenting internal conflict. The techniques are useful for weight control and smoking most popularly, but are apt for any client who has difficulty performing in the real world the abilities that they are known to have. Cognitive-behavioural retraining can often foster ability but I believe parts therapy to be beneficial in removing the internal obstacles to the performance of these desired behaviours in the world at large.

I believe these internal conflicts may be responsible for some failures in anchoring responses to external stimuli, thus explaining the performance / ability gap. I also suspect that differing parts in conflict have differing senses of the time frame they are working in. “Smokey” thinks in seconds, whereas “Healthy thinks in years”.

Roy does not discus this in the book, theory is all well and good, but what you want in the consulting room is nuts and bolts. Now that Hunter has played the role (or part?) of Cartographer, we can relax and play the part of the informed traveller.

*In order to elicit and communicate with parts, we need to attain a deep level of trance, much like regression. Incidentally, I have great hopes for parts therapy in providing a more graceful alternative for some cases that would previously have indicated regression.

**Whilst regression is not a direct aim in parts therapy, often spontaneous regression can occur and needs to be -˜dealt with'. Hunter warns against digression into a formal regression session from this point, and instead encourages a swift return to parts therapy, seeing the spontaneous regression as a detour not a change of direction.