By Erika Flint, BA, MCPHI, BCH, OB

Originally published in the Journal of Hypnotism

I received Jenna's voice mail 5 minutes after her session started. 

"Erika, I'm running 10 minutes late, looking for a place to park now!" 

I could hear the panic in her voice and I immediately took a deep breath to balance my own reaction to her stress-filled energy. I knew my first task with this client would be to help her calm down and know that everything is going to be just fine.

When Jenna arrived, I assured her that everything was fine and we had plenty of time for a great hypnosis session. 

And by the end of her time that day,  Jenna left feeling calm and hopeful. 

What made the biggest difference for Jenna? It's the same thing that I recommend using with all clients - being completely and totally present with them. But what does that really mean? 

Here's the secret - with every client, let your attitude be some variation of -  "I got you". This is verbalized to clients with the phrase we teach to hypnosis students - "I know exactly what to do", but it's applied to every part of the hypnosis session. This is a true caring and love for our clients, and wanting to be of service to them to the highest degree. 

This article outlines three ways to increase your ability to be present with clients. 

1 - The Setup

The setup is how you prepare for your clients. This is where a lot of the great work is done. If the setup is done well, the rest of the session tends to follow suit. 

Use your own techniques as a hypnotist to clear your mind of anything but your client and their needs. Set your own intentions first - to remain calm, focused, and caring the entire time. Put everything away that doesn't pertain to that particular client so you remain completely focused. 

If your client arrives frazzled - it's your job to model calm. We talk about congruency of of voice with what you are suggesting when doing hypnosis with clients, but congruency is also applicable to all conversations with clients - even during the hypnosis pre-talk and pre-hypnosis interview. 

What I often will do if my client is frazzled when they arrive, is say the following, "I'd like to do something right now to help you feel better and more relaxed. Is that alright with you?” Wait for their agreement, then continue with “good….take in a nice big breath good, exhale and close your eyes....good. Again another even deeper breath, now draw out your exhalation as long as possible....good." 

"Open your eyes when you're feeling better. Good"

Now they can focus and we can do great work together. 

Alternatively, you can utilize your clients frazzled state and do different work with them. Either way, it’s about you being present in the moment and recognizing what is best for your client. 

2 - Pay attention to what your client ISN'T saying

Our clients share a lot of information with us - but some of the best information is what they don't actually say - ether it's said with non-verbal communication, or they're leaving something out. 

Keep in mind that the verbal story is often the story they’ve been telling for years. 

So, how do you get good at this? Pay attention to the incongruence, the discord. For anything that seems off at all in what they're saying and their body language, ask clarifying questions or work on the incongruence in hypnosis. 

3 - Imagine their best future

Imagine your client at their end-goal, having achieved everything they came in to see you for, and more. That is the place from where you want to have all conversations with your client. You believe in your client and the power of hypnosis so much, that you can create a potential best-future for your client. 

When you speak to them from this place, your client will start to change. The attitude here is "I know you can do this, and expect it because hypnosis works, I'm good at what I do, and I believe in you". This helps you to be fully present with the clients best-future. 

Who is your most important client? You are! After that, it’s the client is in front of you at the time. 

The best way to get excellent results is for hypnotists to stay fully present and connected to our clients in session.