Is solution-focused hypnotherapy a good fit for you?

It can sometimes feel like the world is changing at an ever-increasing rate. Stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues are becoming endemic, and many are seeking help to regain a sense of control and ease feelings of anxiety.

There are countless different therapeutic methods available, and even under the umbrella term “hypnotherapy” there are quite distinct modalities.

One highly respected approach, which is growing in popularity is solution-focused hypnotherapy (SFH). So what exactly is SFH, and how does it work? Is it effective for everyone, and how does it differ from other hypnotherapy forms? 

What exactly is solution-focused hypnotherapy?

In my clinical practice, I often have clients with some experience with hypnotherapy, and they usually remark on the differences between how I work and the other hypnotherapists they’ve experienced.

Hypnotherapy is a bit of an umbrella term. Ultimately, hypnosis is a tool that some therapists use, much like a tradesperson might use a spanner. As you wouldn’t define all tradespeople as “spanner-operators”, I sometimes think that labelling someone as a hypnotherapist doesn't accurately describe how they would work with you. 

So what is solution-focused hypnotherapy?

SFH is a form of therapy that brings together the best parts of other therapeutic approaches, such as solution-focused brief therapy, elements of CBT, and the use of Ericksonian hypnotherapy. It is science-based, so it brings in elements of neuroscience, helping to educate a client as to why they feel as they do, and what they can do to change that.

Unlike other more traditional therapies, which focus on exploring and processing past traumas or existing problems, SFH is forward-looking and future-orientated. A key belief of SFH is that you get more of what you focus on. The underlying focus is on enabling positive change by drawing upon a client's own (sometimes overlooked) internal resources and capabilities.

The role of the therapist is not to “fix” the client, but rather to shine a light on the client's capabilities, and guide them to resolve issues themselves. This is significant, as it leads to long-lasting change.

As with most therapies, the therapeutic alliance (i.e. the relationship between client and therapist) is key and different therapists may bring their unique approach to sessions. However, at its core, SFH is very structured and follows a format of roughly 50% speaking therapy, and 50% hypnotherapy.

What do SFH sessions typically involve? 

Sessions usually start with the talking therapy “solution-focused” aspect. It’s typically quite a positive empowering experience that focuses on key areas such as helping clients envision their desired future, supporting them in identifying their strengths and capabilities, and then taking small, manageable steps toward that goal. 

The process is more about creating a shift in mindset, rather than tip-toe towards a goal. SFH triggers real momentum and is known to enable fast, but sustainable change.

In a session, rather than asking “What are you struggling with?” “Or what are the symptoms?”, a therapist would ask questions such as “What would be your best hopes of us speaking today?”, or “How would you like to feel next time we speak?”. This simple yet significant shift in perspective encourages a client to look forward and focus on what’s possible.

After the “talking therapy” section, the therapist will typically guide a client into a gentle trance state, to bypass the sometimes critical conscious mind and engage the subconscious mind. The therapist will be skilled at ensuring the client enters a trance state with a certain mindset to ensure they get the most from the experience.

Trance is a very normal state. We all enter trance multiple times during the day, typically when we are in a relaxed but focused state, like jogging, driving a regular route, or playing a musical instrument.

When working with the subconscious, the client can address deeply held beliefs, habits, and thoughts, challenge limiting beliefs, and create new perspectives. As SFH draws upon Ericksonian hypnosis, the therapist typically enables the client to do this work themselves, rather than using direct suggestion to embed the therapist's “commands” into their subconscious.

This is important for several reasons. Firstly, a client subconsciously will reject something that contradicts their values, even if they aren’t consciously aware of this. Words can also have completely different effects on different people. If a therapist uses direct suggestion, but their phrasing doesn’t resonate with a client, its impact will be minimised. A mantra of SFH is to “leave no footprints”. We acknowledge that we are imperfect human beings and take care not to impose our beliefs on others.

The roots of solution-focused hypnotherapy

As mentioned earlier, SFH brings the best of various therapeutic modalities together. Ultimately, its roots can be traced back to the work of Milton Erickson, a globally renowned psychiatrist and hypnotherapist, with a pioneering approach to therapy. Erickson was the catalyst for the development of the different therapies that SFH encompasses.

Fundamental to his work was Erickson's belief in working with the client's subconscious in a manner that was empowering, respectful and tailored to their individual need. As he strongly believed that change comes from within, rather than being externally imposed, he took a non-directive, collaborative approach.

In the 1980s, psychotherapists Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg built upon some of Erickson's key concepts. They noted that problem-focused client engagements often didn’t enable significant change, and engagements were prolonged. They turned their approach to being solution-focused and noted that clients made rapid, sustainable change, and coined the approach “solution-focused brief therapy”.

David Newton (founder of the Clifton Practice) went on to combine these principles with Ericksonian hypnotherapy, thus creating the therapeutic framework known as solution-focused hypnotherapy. 

Is solution-focused hypnotherapy effective?

Although no therapeutic model is 100% successful, SFH is well recognised for delivering quick and sustainable results for a variety of different mental health issues. Its effectiveness has been supported by both anecdotal evidence and emerging research.

SFH is regularly used to treat a variety of different issues including anxiety, depression, stress, sleep disorders, phobias, and even chronic pain. Its strength lies in its positive, structured approach, encouraging clients to focus on what’s working in their lives and how they can do more of it.

Different factors have been highlighted as contributing towards SFH’s effectiveness:

• Forward-looking: Focusing on what clients want to achieve, rather than dwelling on the source of their distress, keeps the sessions goal-oriented, and enables a solution-focused mindset.
• Self-empowering: By enabling clients to recognise and leverage existing resources and strengths, the process helps to build confidence and self-reliance.
• Quick and sustainable: SFH is typically quick and can often produce results in a relatively short time. As the process involves enabling the client to solve their problems whilst recognising and utilising their strengths and skills, change tends to be sustainable.
• Working with the subconscious mind: By leveraging Ericksonian hypnosis, SFH enables the client to perform deep work on negative thought patterns and habits that can be hard to change through conscious effort alone.

Of course, there are limits to every modality and SFH may not be suitable for everyone. Individuals with certain, more serious mental health conditions (such as those currently experiencing psychotic episodes) or those with a preference for an approach that enables deep analysis of past trauma may require more traditional therapeutic approaches. However, for those who are ready to move forward and focus on positive change, SFH offers a compelling approach.

How does solution-focused hypnotherapy differ from other forms of hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is a broad church, however, SFH generally differs from more “standard” types of Hypnotherapy in the following ways:

Focuses on a preferred future, not the past

Other forms of hypnotherapy often involve regression work to uncover and resolve past traumas or deeply embedded issues by accessing the subconscious mind. Although this approach can be effective, it can be time-consuming and unleash strong negative emotions. Given the potential for abreactions when working with past trauma, it’s also important that a hypnotherapist is properly trained and experienced in working with trauma. In contrast, SFH is forward-focused, it doesn’t dwell on the past, instead, it focuses on helping clients build a positive, preferred future.

Structured, goal-oriented approach

In contrast to other hypnotherapy methods that can be more exploratory and open-ended, SFH works with a clear structure and is focused on specific, client-identified goals. During a session, the objective is to move the client closer to their desired outcome.

A mix of hypnosis and brief therapy principles

SFH combines talking therapy (SFBT) with hypnosis, enabling rapid change, using both the conscious and subconscious minds. Typical hypnotherapy models are more focused on working solely with the subconscious through trance and don’t include talking therapy. 

Self-empowering

SFH is geared towards empowering clients. Rather than directing, the therapist acts as a guide, helping the client to leverage their skills and resources and uncover their solutions. This collaborative approach enables self-sufficiency and typically clients respond better when solutions are self-generated.

Focus on the client's strengths

Other forms of hypnotherapy can include a focused analysis of negative emotions or habits to root out the cause of distress. Instead, SFH aims to reinforce positive habits, behaviours, and thoughts. The objective is to shift the client’s perspective toward what is working in their life, rather than what isn’t.

Is solution-focused hypnotherapy right for you?

If you’re ready to change and looking for a forward-looking approach, focused on solutions rather than problems, solution-focused hypnotherapy could be a good fit for you. If you’re looking to engage with a therapy that is goal-oriented, time-efficient, and empowering, then it's worth looking into SFH. The combination of brief therapy and hypnosis offers a two-layered approach, engaging the conscious mind whilst helping to access and reinforce positive change at a subconscious level.

If, however, your needs are more complex and you’re seeking to uncover and process deep-rooted trauma, more traditional therapies might be necessary, either as a precursor to or alongside SFH.

Ultimately, the best way to determine if solution-focused hypnotherapy is right for you is by having an initial consultation with a qualified practitioner, who will be registered with the Association for Solution-Focused Hypnotherapists (AfSH).