Posttraumatic Growth via Ericksonian Hypnosis

Third training in Ericksonian hypnosis, organized by BAHH

Disclaimer: the text bellow contains just incomplete notes, taken on the course and does not represent in any way it's meaningful scope. 

Consuelo Casula (on the left). Woman in her 70’s, persistently flying around the whole globe, teaching Ericksonian Psychotherapy, Hypnotherapy, Solutions and Opportunities focused Approaches. Consuelo is full of energy, talks standing all day long, smiles often, sets clear long term goals and follows them adamantly, while never stops learning and developing her qualities. Out of her formal positions as President of European Society of Hypnosis and member of Board of Directors of International Association of Hypnosis, Consuelo closely communicates with the most notorious names in psychotherapy around the world. She teaches in the United States, Mexico, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, England, China, Bulgaria. During the weekend she leads workshops, but Monday she is already present in Milano, fulfilling her duties at her vocation as soul’s helper. When asked where is the source of her vigorousness, she replies: “One our a day intensive sport, drinking a lot of water and only water, lack of caffeine, tobaco and alcohol, very light and mostly raw meals, one more our a day yoga, prayer and meditation, brave lifestyle, constant grow and aspiration, following cordial goals and… good genetics…”

Post Traumatic Growth toward Positive Psychology

Focus not on the problem, but on the opportunities and solutions. Finding the power within the weakness. It is not necessary the traumatic experience to lead to PTSD, but to resilience –learning and growth. Trauma is like bulb – it can decay and drag us into this or give enormous growing strength.

Three basic needs: Rick Hanson

Safety: security, brain stem, motor and sensory systems.

Satisfaction: fulfilment, meaning, novelty and creativity – limbic system, subcortex.

Connection: bonding, belonging, altruism – neocortex, mammalian brain.

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“Life is not what it must be. It is what it is.” Virginia Satir

The vicious fearful circle in therapy is overlapped by the therapeutic virtuous circle. Negative thinking by wholesome, fear by trust and love, avoidance by healthy challenge with courageous attitude, bodily tensions and symptoms, with relaxation and bodily harmony.

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Going in and out of trance – very effective approach for deepening the trance work. In for 10 minutes, out for feedback and small therapeutic talk à again in for short term and again out.

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Narrative memory – narrative of therapist during hypnosis as restructuring, dissociation and transformation of the trauma.

Past is the presence of every now till now. Now is the future of your past. Future is the now of every your past. It is important how you observe and integrate your past now, so building your future beautifully now.

Post traumatic (stress disorder) growth transforms:

-          Fate in choice

-          Obstacles in challenge

-          Errors in learning

-          Events in relationships

-          Confusion in research

-          Chaos in harmony

-          Desperation in wisdom

Psychomotor therapeutic approach

Somatic experience (Peter Levine)

Feet on the feet of the client.

Touching his/her knees, elbows, joints.

Containing his/her legs between yours (Rosella, Barbara)

Being base for sitting or laying of the client (body oriented school)

Embraced (hugged) hypnosis

Therapeutic hands laying on the tense bodily spot and hypnotic talking.

-          Trauma contained into body – connections, exploration, thru the body healing (Cristina)

-          Familiarization with the energies in the inner experience (Sarah)

-          Completion of self-protective physical actions that were not acted when the subject felt trapped or immobilized by fear (Francesca)

Hypnotherapeutic transformation through the bodily sensations – therapist leads the patient among the fearful and healthy experiences mainly thru the bodily and energy sensations and feelings. Embodied, kinesthetic kind of approach – extremely mighty and direct. Every technique is highly facilitated by the stable presence of the therapist and his tender and humane bodily touch. Carefully with the transfers – strict ethics and psychotherapeutic utilization.

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The wheel of awareness of Daniel J. Siegel

Illustration of the hypnotherapeutic focus in the separate representative submodalities, their interconnected oneness In the therapeutically aimed semantics, thru grounded in embodiment approach.

“If you take care of the minutes, years will take care of themselves!” Tibetan saying

„Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)

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“Motivation is inclining your mind toward the wanted goal, using guidance instead of criticism.” Consuelo Casula

SIBAM: senses, behavior, affections, meaning.

The resourses of the present moment.

RAIN: recognize, allow, investigate, nurture (love) – mindful exercises.

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Ericksonian Psychotherapy is as much hypnotherapy, as therapy of opportunities toward the meaning.  Highly advanced and mildly transformative approach, in which iron hand of the intension for change is wearing the velvet glove of love and mastery. On the picture: educators from the Bulgarian Association of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy (BAHH) are certifying 90 people attending the third training in Ericksonian Approach, lead by Dr. Casula in Sofia, Bulgaria. Ss always, Consuelo Casula gave us lots of know how and above that, example for overwhelming charisma and maturity of the character, creating radiating presence.

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Orlin Baev,

Secretary of BAHH