Information gathering went well, we established that her goal was to return to a level of fitness that she had before an accident nine years ago. She felt that it was her mental state and attitude that needed adjustment, as if part of her was blocking her return to her old state of health and well-being. She felt that a return to her previous state of fitness and health would improve her self-esteem and reduce her need to worries about her health. However, she felt blocked every time in the past she tried to get back into shape, worrying about hurting herself again. She felt blocked by her past. We found out that her first steps towards health again would be power walking or swimming.

ON questioning her existing belief system we established that the universal truth for her was that There is Good, and that this image was right in front of her visualized as a sunburst of red, orange, and yellow light flowing outwards. The personal truth was that I can help people, and was to her left close to her face. This was seen as a mauvish light, spinning inwards.

Having completed information gathering I then used the Dave Elman induction to induce a trance state in the patient. She proved to be a good subject for hypnosis, going into trance state quickly.

Our first exercise after induction was the Fast Time-Slow Time Zone Exercise.

Dialogue with the patient established the slow time experience, a classroom memory characterized by a white color and a broad, clear field of vision. No particular sounds or other experiences were associated with that experience. The fast time experience was from a particularly intense writing experience where time just shot by, this was associated with a grey color and all senses coming down to a single point of absolute concentration. Between these she cleared her mind. We then moved on to combine these two experiences together, speed and concentration on the inside combined with a broad, white, slowness outside.

We used the Visual Squash technique next to remove any blocks that the patient has towards success. There was no direct dialogue with the patient in this step but her physical reactions indicated her strong response to the technique. A rather beautific expression came over her as she reintegrated the now combined components into herself through her solar plexus.

We now moved on to a modeling exercise. As we had not established a model for her in the previous stages we established it now through direct dialogue with the patient remaining in a trance state. The model for the patient was herself before the accident. A standard method was used, but I was careful to make sure that what we were reintegrating was only the health and vitality of her earlier state while avoiding the integration of any past psychological difficulties.

The Swish technique was used next to modify any fear responses in the patient to powerful, positive responses. She was encouraged to imagine herself at her very best, full of health and vitality. She was then asked to visualize what was blocking her, then, swish, it disappeared like a camera shutter opening. This was repeated several times with a suggestion that it would be harder and harder to visualize the blocking picture at all.

The patient was then asked to move her new talents and reactions, which she had discovered into her new personal truths, her belief that I can help people. Just over to her left and close in. She was then given the suggestion that these new truths and abilities would move over the next few hours or days into her universal truths.

Following the more interactive portions of the therapy the patient was read the sermon script and then the caterpillar metaphor. The patient was then brought out of the hypnotic state by a standard arousal technique including a post-hypnotic suggestion predisposing her towards success.

Since this session the patient has shown an increased level of activity and optimism. She now plans to exercise on a regular basis and appears to feel much better about herself on the whole.

A follow-up session is already planned to help reinforce these new behavior patterns.

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