Hypnosis is a method that promotes changes in behavior through suggestion . Depending on the definition on which we base ourselves, we can conceptualize hypnosis as a psychological state or as a set of attitudes and mental processes; nowadays the scientific community associates it with expectations or brain waves.

In this article we will talk about the 5 most common types of hypnosis : the traditional method, which is based on direct verbal suggestion, the one developed by Milton Erickson, cognitive-behavioral hypnosis, self-hypnosis, and neuro-linguistic programming or NLP, which without being exactly a form of hypnosis is largely part of the Ericksonian variant.

The 5 most popular types of hypnosis

Below we will describe 5 of the most well known techniques that include the use of hypnosis. Of course, there are many other versions and there may be practitioners or instruments that combine more than one of these methods.

1. Traditional hypnosis (by suggestion)

The history of traditional hypnosis goes back to Franz Mesmer’s peculiar methods, which involved magnets and became popular at the end of the 18th century. Later James Braid showed his opposition to mesmerist hypotheses and proposed that hypnosis was a state of the nervous system, while Pierre Janet attributed it to psychological dissociation.

Traditional hypnosis is based on the induction of a trance state ; once the hypnotised person has reached this state, he will receive suggestions in verbal format regarding his behaviour or mental contents. Thus, the aim of this method is to influence behaviour, for example by suggesting that the person abandon a negative habit or belief.

Today the classical method is still the most widely used form of hypnosis in the world. From a theoretical point of view, it is related to the hypothesis of the unconscious mind raised by Freud which marked in a key way the later developments of psychoanalysis, besides influencing orientations as different from it as cognitivism.

2. Ericksonian hypnosis

This type of hypnosis was developed by Milton H. Erickson, an American psychologist who is considered a pioneer in this field and in psychotherapy in general. This author should not be confused with Erik Erikson, a German evolutionary psychologist known primarily for his theory of the 8 stages of psychosocial development.

Ericksonian hypnosis is not carried out through direct suggestions, but through metaphors that favour creative and reflexive thinking . Because of this, it is attributed a greater effectiveness than classical hypnosis in people who are refractory to hypnosis, with a low level of suggestibility or who are skeptical of the procedure.

Erickson’s influence is not limited to hypnosis and neurolinguistic programming, which we will discuss later. The central aspect of his intervention model, the weight of the relationship between the therapist and the client in the achievement of change, was picked up by the strategic school and by the brief solution-focused therapy, both part of the systemic approach.

3. Cognitive-behavioral hypnosis

The cognitive-behavioral perspective conceives hypnosis as a set of methods that promote behavioral change through suggestion. This phenomenon is understood as a consequence of the interaction between factors such as the state of physical relaxation, the use of imagination or the expectations and beliefs of the person.

Some therapists who subscribe to cognitive-behavioral counseling use hypnosis techniques as an adjunct to broader interventions. In this sense, it has been applied to problems as varied as sleep-wake cycle disorders, behavioral and substance addictions (especially tobacco) or post-traumatic stress disorder.

4. Self-hypnosis

We speak of self-hypnosis when a person induces this state in himself through autosuggestion . Instruments are often used as support; the most common are sound recordings, although there are also devices that alter brain waves to modify the level of consciousness.

This type of hypnosis is applied above all in daily difficulties that are not particularly serious. Thus, for example, it is commonly used to develop intrapersonal and interpersonal skills (such as assertiveness), to reduce the level of stress and induce relaxation, to cope with stage fright, to lose weight or to quit smoking.

5. Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)

Although we cannot say that this is strictly a type of hypnosis, neurolinguistic programming (often referred to as “NLP”) is closely related to these methods. This technique created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder uses “thought patterns” to improve psychological skills .

The Milton Model is based on the method of hypnosis developed by Milton Erickson; in this variant of NLP, suggestion is practiced through metaphors. However, the use of Bandler and Grinder’s intervention in Ericksonian hypnosis has been criticised because these authors modified or misinterpreted many of its basic ideas.

The scientific community considers neurolinguistic programming as a pseudoscience , and therefore as a fraud. Its postulates are not supported by any empirical basis, although it includes complex concepts in order to give the “theory” an air of credibility; this type of practice is extremely common in the pseudosciences.