The Problem is the Solution (Article)

We talk about utilization as an indispensable concept within hypnosis -- the Ericksonian idea that as hypnotists, we should somehow be “using” what is available to us to hypnotize our partners. This makes sense on an abstract level, but perhaps is sometimes difficult to understand its practical applications. In this essay, we’re going to explore a certain facet of utilization, specifically within the context of “troubleshooting” -- when we’re looking to achieve something, but we feel as though there are hurdles to pass. We will be looking at a couple common, concrete examples and breaking them down, and learning how to think about hypnosis almost as a martial art, where we take our subjects’ hurdles and use them to create avenues for efficacy.