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<\/a>The story \u201cNosebleed\u201d is a basic intervention which can be varied in many different ways, and which serves as an example of the effectiveness of hypnotic suggestions in everyday life outside an explicitly therapeutic context. I have used the technique described below on five people, four of whom were children. In four cases the bleeding stopped within one to three minutes, and in one case there was no significant improvement. The valve should be turned to the right or left depending on the symptoms (to the left in order to increase blood flow). The suggestions are unambiguous, despite being phrased in an indirect and non-directive manner.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Karen Olness and Daniel Kohen write about a 10-year-old boy brought to a doctor with a severe nosebleed; \u201cLower nasal plugs on both sides failed to improve the situation. The doctor decided to try hypnotherapy in addition to rear nasal plugs. He suggested to the patient that he could stop the bleeding himself and that he should tip his head right back and relax. Within a few minutes, the bleeding stopped and the young boy could breathe easily again. [\u2026] The next morning the parents reported that there had been no further bleeding.\u201d The authors believe it is a good idea to use similar suggestions with any person suffering from life-threatening bleeding from any part of the body. (Olness & Kohen, 2001, 277f.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The story can be used not only for somatic complaints, but also for patients suffering from erythrophobia (fear of blushing or compulsive blushing), as well as for patients with \u201cbad\u201d habits and other (chronic) psychosocial symptoms in order to highlight the power of the mind to eliminate a certain symptom without further ado. In such situations it is recommended that further episodes of the story be told, explaining how individuals simply \u201cturned off\u201d a problem or symptom (e.g. a red-hot oven ring, a garden hose or an annoying radio). Since most symptoms are involuntary and are defended by clients as occurring \u201cnot on purpose\u201d, I would advise against discussing the content of the story on a cognitive level. Nevertheless, when eliminating symptoms it is always necessary first to ask oneself and the client, \u201cWhat purpose does this symptom serve?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n (From: Stefan Hammel: Handbook of Therapeutic Storytelling. Sories and Metaphors in Psychotherapy, Child and Family Therapy, Medical Treatment, Coaching and Supervision<\/a>, Routledge 2019)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" They met by chance on a grassy field. The old man was exercising his dog, and the young man was simply going for a walk. They recognised each other because they belonged to the same chess club, and so they … Continue reading