In traditional hypnosis, it is observed that there are people who can be hypnotized and others who cannot go into a trance, no matter how hard the hypnotist tries. This is because people don't like to feel controlled. Generally, they prefer to feel that they are not being forced into anything or that they have several options to choose from.

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Many psychologists and psychiatrists studied Erickson's methods in order to try to discover a pattern that could shed some light on his apparently miraculous cures. When asked about his therapeutic technique, he usually responded that he couldn't explain it. He only cared about observing the client and following him, making sure he didn't stray from the path.

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It was from observing his work that we were able to discover a lot about his way of doing therapy. Based on this observation, John Grinder and Richard Bandler (1), Gregory Bateson, William H. O'Hanlon, Ernest Rossi and others developed Neuro Linguistic Programming, which is considered one of several attempts to systematize Erickson's methods.

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In the Ericksonian hypnotic approach, the aim is not to introduce any content into the induction, so that the subject himself has the freedom to choose the type of experience he wants to have. In this way, the hypnologist does not run the risk of introducing suggestions that could hinder the deepening of the trance and eliminates any possibility of resistance, as the patient is not forced to accept the suggestions. In traditional hypnosis, a lot of content is generally suggested that can sometimes clash with the subject's opinions and phobias. For example, with a client who has a phobia of water, when you suggest that they dive into a lake, they may become phobic and snap out of the trance.

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According to Erickson, patients already have in their unconscious all the resources necessary to solve their problems and the therapist only has to make them come into contact with these resources. Erickson also tried not to clash with the patient's beliefs and opinions. Instead, he used anything brought by the client to induce him into a trance. He was also concerned about leaving the patient options, so that he did not feel forced into anything, which is the biggest cause of resistance. Therefore, he used words of permission like you can and maybe. Instead of saying: you are seeing a lake, you could be seeing somewhere very relaxing. In this way, the subject does not feel pressured to adapt their experience to the suggestion of a lake but may be seeing themselves in an environment that for them in particular is very relaxing.

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Ericksonian hypnosis requires the hypnologist to undergo extensive training in observing so- called non-verbal cues, such as small eye movements, body postures, facial expressions, etc. He can, therefore, adapt his language, his gestures and expressions, to the client's particular way, always preferring to use words from his preferred sensory channel (Visual, Auditory or Kinesthetic) and even imitate his gestures and postures in a subtle way so that it is.

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The hypnologist remains tuned to the client at all times, monitoring their reactions, validating any experience they are perceiving, and reinforcing everything they observe. He only gives suggestions that he is sure will not clash with the subject's experience. Therefore, we only talk about deepening the trance when it is possible to perceive non-verbal signs that he is entering it.
 

The main strategies he uses are in the table below, based on William H. O'Hanlon's book, Problem-Solving Hypnosis. (two)