The Volcanic Woman
Explosion in …
4 … 3 … 2 …
Can you combine hypnosis modalities? … Absolutely!
Full disclosure about this story - I asked my client if I could share it and she said yes - but only on the condition that I would change her name. We will call her Heather.
Heather walked into my consulting room glowing as red as a beetroot. As she sat I knew that the standard questioning was not for her. I put down my pen and paper. Turned my chair to face her and said “This is not where you thought life would be?” … she burst out crying. Their was something about Heathers energy that felt deflated.
Heather was 6ft tall and stocky. A beautiful teddy bear that had a heart as big as the world. Unfortunately it was also this heart that was leading to her demise. She resonated love and compassion. As I handed her a tissue I said “You have permission to say anything you want” and with that she let loose!!! 40years of pain come crashing down from the sky into the consulting room.
Heathers biggest issue was her bright red face and a bald spots (known as alopecia). She told me how she dreaded turning 40 and right from her birthday it was down hill. Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Hair Loss, Menopause so bad she constantly had a bright red face.
She pulled out a mobile phone and showed me how she had melted the battery inside of it (mind you she did keep it in her bra - and thank gosh she has stopped doing that!). I listened to her story and by the end I asked her permission to be frank. She said “hit me with it sister!” this is EXACTLY what I said “The truth will set you free but first it will piss you off. You are made from pure love. You gave it away abundantly as if it was a resource that would never run out, and what happened?” … “It ran out” said Heather.
No only was Heather going through Menopause (amongst a huge ailment of other things) she was also exchanging love for anger. Now let’s analyse this for just a moment.
Menopause = hot flushes (for most) Anger is a fire emotion … Menopause + Fire = A volcanic eruption. When I gave Heather permission to say anything the volcano exploded!!!! - and it wasn’t taking any prisoners!!
I used my fire vs fire metaphor with Heather. Watch this video for full demonstration (and use it yourself).
The fire vs fire metaphor asks the client to reassess the situation. The therapist starts by drawing a house that is on fire and then asking the client what would they use to put the fire out with (the answer is water). Once the client says water I then demonstrate how they have been fighting the emotion anger/frustration with fire and it creates more fire. For Heather I included how the anger was a heated emotion and it was heating her up from the inside out.
We then went on to do a whole life project. Heather underwent hypnosis. I combined the anxiety/depression protocol with the menopause alleviation protocol and within a few sessions her skin had began to return to normal.
She even started working on her health and fitness. Since she was no longer exhausted from being hot all the time (and much more calm now the anger was reduced) she had the energy to look after herself. Heather was not only on fire but she was also emotionally and spiritually “burnt out”.
As therapists we study all these wonderful protocols. Always remember that you can mix and match them. Their is no “one size fits all” … The techniques are a basic recipe that are adapted to the individuals needs.
Keep learning … Keep growing … Keep evolving.
