disabled hypnotherapists

Anything you can do to help the clients to feel comfortable will help, but it's not absolutely required. After all, street hypnotists hypnotize people in crowded areas in front on an audience without ever needing to worry about how tall chairs are.

I don't use a wheelchair, but one of the most famous and influential hypnotists ever, Milton Erickson, did. It might help you to learn more about him.

Helen Joy wrote:Hello, I'm hoping I have posted this in the best place. I originally trained as a counsellor, at the time I had some difficulty walking but it didn't really impact my training or practice. Now I am a wheelchair user and am training to become a hypnotherapist. I intend to work from home as my downstairs is accessible and I have access to the toilet and the medical supplies I need in between clients.

When I was training great emphasis was placed on the room layout, placing chairs at similar heights etc to enable the client to feel comfortable etc...I'm really wondering quite how this will all work when I'm working with hypnosis. I'm going to ask when I next attend the practical training but I'd really like your thoughts on the issues surrounding a wheelchair dependent hypnotist and room layout to make the client feel at ease etc.

Are any of you wheelchair users? I have no doubts about my capabilities as such but I need to think about how this will be best carried out. I can transfer into a chair identical to the clients but in my own chair I can move about better obviously.
The room which I intend to use at the start is not a big room.

My father had polio when he was a teenager, and he alternated between crutches and a wheelchair. The only real issue I can see for a hypnotherapist in a wheelchair is that, for certain tasks, like the Dave Elman arm drop, you're at some risk of running over your clients' feet or barking their shins with your wheelchair. (Later in the session, it would serve as a convincer -- "You ran over my feet and it didn't bother me at all!" -- but during the induction it would be a nuisance.) Otherwise it's a non-issue.

Robert

Thank you so much for your responses both of you. I am very inspired by milton Ericsson and read as much about his work as possible though so far it's not given me much practical help with seeing clients as a wheelchair user.

We are clearing out a room at home, currently a downstairs dumping ground for books, shoes,coats, you name it! I think I will buy one really comfy chair for the client and stay in my chair. That way I'm making the best use of my space and making myself and my client as comfy as possible.

I'd love to see other peoples hypnotherapy rooms!

Helen Joy wrote:Thank you so much for your responses both of you. I am very inspired by milton Ericsson and read as much about his work as possible though so far it's not given me much practical help with seeing clients as a wheelchair user.

We are clearing out a room at home, currently a downstairs dumping ground for books, shoes,coats, you name it! I think I will buy one really comfy chair for the client and stay in my chair. That way I'm making the best use of my space and making myself and my client as comfy as possible.

I'd love to see other peoples hypnotherapy rooms!

One of the nice things about hypnosis is that it's free-form. While using a little bit of physical contact in the induction, such as the arm drop or tapping the forehead, speeds things along, I doubt most hypnotists ever use either one.

The traditional hypno-office these days features a recliner for the client, though any high-backed armchair works okay. Having a couch is useful when you're seeing more than one person or the client prefers to lie down. Positioning your own chair close to the client, at right angles to them, is conversationally intimate without being as threatening as being directly face-to-face. You want to be able to get close because some clients are hard of hearing.

Obviously, expectation plays a large role in hypnosis. Think of it as theater. Clients can enjoy a show featuring different scripts, sets, costumes, and actors, but it helps if the elements are too dissonant. So if you had an office with tropical decor and showed up in a Hawaiian shirt, no prob, but if you kept the room cold and showed up in a parka, not so much.

My own office (you can see photos and videos in the link in my signature) is a powerful space, reinforced with some antique furniture I inherited, but softened with some child-friendly touches. Similarly, for costume I do "business casual" -- dress shirt but no tie. If I were working out of my home, instead of a downtown office, I'd make things less formal and more homey.

Whether your look is formal or informal, your clients will be reassured if there are indicators of competence: certificates on the wall, books on the shelves, costuming and grooming that, regardless of its style, looks like you did it on purpose!

Extraneous elements should be kept to a minimum. A couple of toys scattered around would be okay, but other random intrusions should be eliminated or at least partially concealed. I find subdued lighting and a can of Febreze to be essential!

Robert

Robert, I took a look at your page, thank you for taking the time to respond to me. I love the way you've adressed the questions our clients may have, especially the way you answered the question about stage hypnosis and their dignity, beautiful! Your therapy space looks very comfy.

Helen Joy wrote:I have no doubts about my capabilities as such
The room which I intend to use at the start is not a big room.

For me, that is all you need. You sound confident, totally go for it. Hypnotism is not as complicated as people think. The most important things are confidence and your knowledge on how to hypnotize your clients. When you are confident of hypnotizing your clients, they will feel the vibe (this will give them trust in you) and as long as you can get them to relax, then you're all set