If you have ever walked in on your child concentrating deeply on a book or videogame, and they seem to neither see nor hear you approach, you have observed something similar to hypnosis. When the brain is focused deeply, your child’s unconscious mind is open to suggestion. Self-hypnosis is a tool your child can learn to gain control over how they think, feel and behave.
Overview
Overview
The unconscious part of your child’s brain works without thinking. This is the part we use for enjoying music, art, sports or reading. Children are often more familiar with their unconscious minds than adults because they use it naturally when playing pretend or daydreaming.
Your child learns self-hypnosis from a healthcare professional with special training in hypnosis. They help your child learn ways to be more open to suggestions in order to solve problems such as trouble sleeping or having pain. While it is often part of a larger pain management plan, hypnosis is a medication-free therapy used to treat:
How Does Hypnosis Work
How Does Hypnosis Work
Despite what you may have seen in movies or magic shows, hypnosis does not involve magic or mind control. Hypnosis happens when your child’s unconscious mind is very active. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis, meaning your child is directing their brain during this therapy. Our hypnosis-trained nurse practitioner serves as your child’s “coach” during hypnosis to help your child learn skills to alleviate pain, sleep problems or anxiety.
What Should I Expect During Hypnosis
At the initial hypnosis appointment, our clinician spends time:
- Getting to know your child
- Exploring fears, phobias and favorite relaxation techniques
- Building trust and comfort
- Explaining how self-hypnosis works and reviewing your child’s goals
Parents typically join children for the first hypnosis visit. During self-hypnosis, the clinician begins with relaxing breathing techniques to help your child calm their mind. As they begin to relax, children learn they can use their minds to control how their bodies feel.
Next, the clinician uses your child’s imagination and guided imagery to create a calm, peaceful space in your child’s mind. The clinician suggests to your child that he or she can use focused breathing to return to this peaceful place when pain, anxiety or insomnia occur. Self-hypnosis uses breathing and imagination to re-route pain pathways and give your child tools to relax or fall asleep when needed. Your child needs to practice these techniques at home to become an expert in using them.
What are the Different Techniques Used in Hypnosis
Whether your child is working to decrease pain or fall asleep more easily, hypnosis provides tools your child can use immediately. These tools may include techniques such as:
- Pain control center, which creates a control room, dial or lever your child can use to mentally “turn down” or reduce pain intensity.
- Glove anesthesia helps your child imagine that their hand is numb and cool. Your child learns to transfer that feeling of numbness to the area where he or she feels pain, such as the stomach.
- Visualization helps your child see pain or anxiety as a color or liquid that can flow or change. Suggesting pain is red helps your child learn to change that color to blue. Pain imagined as water can be directed to flow out of your child’s arm through their fist.
Key Points to Remember
Key Points to Remember
- All hypnosis is self-hypnosis.
- Hypnosis isn’t mind control or weakness. A child who can perform self-hypnosis is empowered to harness their mind to feel better.
- Our nurse practitioner’s role is to be your child’s coach as your child learns self-hypnosis. The goal is for your child to be able to use these techniques on their own in the future.
- Self-hypnosis requires motivation on your child’s part and a willingness to practice.
Support Services & Resources
Support Services & Resources
Riley at IU Health offers a broad range of supportive services to make life better for families who choose us for their children's care.
This resource helps with mindfulness and getting your child moving.
This activity from Sesame Street helps children manage big feelings with calming strategies.
This foundation has child and caregiver resources, including educational materials on the “Magic Glove” or glove anesthesia self-hypnosis technique.