Re: Question of trance induction..

Thank you for your response! My question got VERY sidetracked there into something else regarding Brazilian trance! (*which apparently is somewhat your point as well*) I hope it leads these people to some useful data. But, on to my point, the Ericksonian use of confusion refers to a changing of consciousness or alteration of one's sense of reality. What could this mean? I'll write my thoughts here. -You refer to 'experiential states not normal to waking consciousness.' (I'll continue here with your martial arts metaphor.) So, this 'loss of balance,' as in the handshake induction, changes their normal comfortable method of behavior slightly, which leads to internal search (what Dr. Erickson refereed to as searching the unconscious.) This is essentially a pattern interrupt. (Loss of balance - a good analogy by the way!) This ‘unconscious search’ is trance, or to keep with the metaphor, 'keeping one's internal balance' is trance. So, if I understand correctly, the individuals normal natural method of behaving or pattern of behaving in Ericksonian Therapy is interrupted, or slightly confused at some point in time, leading to trance.... here trance is a state which the individual must search within themselves for a response or go to a new response suggested by the therapist, thus affecting change or in other words therapy.

Trance is like an unbalancing and re-balancing action. So a 'yes set' or 'no set' works because it sets up a pattern which is interrupted by the therapist which leads to the patient's unbalancing and need to rebalance themselves with the help of the therapist suggestions. Any pattern will do! Any behavior pattern exhibited by the patient will do! I guess my new question is where exactly does disassociation enter this equation?

Trance isn't exactly an ‘internal confusion’ with the connotations that word brings! Rather a shifting of regular patterns of the problem that leads to a search and a discovery of new pattern of behavior until recently outside of consciousness or rather, in Dr. Erickson theory, inside the unconscious. Internal searching isn’t to me exactly confusion, but I see where they are going with that. I don’t think I’m alone when I say that this term ‘confusion’ can be VERY misleading, and lead to distrust of the theory where a therapist’s fidelity with his/her clients might be in question. I’m sure you understand my meaning here.

So, more to the point, Dr. Erickson used normal pattern interrupt by continuing the normal behavior in the opposite direction (much like the martial arts does!)

This fits so well with Erickson's steadfast cow story! Pull the cow....change the pattern with alittle with a PULL from the other direction while continuing to first pull. Funny how he didn't PUSH the other or PUSH the same way...he PULLED the other way. Is this why it IS confusing? The steadfast cow is left with nothing left to be steadfast about! It's resisting then it's ASKED TO RESIST IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION by the pull. Basically a more complex reverse psychology.

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PS- I'm an instructor in Jeet Kune Do...on the side, it's not as easy as one might think to 'catch' that opponents hand...is it! ;) It's easier to intercept their intention! Jeet Kune Do the way of the interception fists....or even better like Jiu Jitsu....by taking the opponent to the ground (out of their frame of reference or ‘losing their balance’ one can remove their resistances and subdue (change) a much large opponent by resisting in the opposite direction a little to lead to a trap? Interesting! I knew there is a connection there, I've got it now! I REALLY feel like of got somewhere with your response! Thank You. The last piece often neglected is the resistance in the opposite direction like the handshake induction pulling away slightly in the ‘opposite direction’ then opening the trance or search…I think that has some significance somehow...what do you think?

Replies:

Re: Question of trance induction.., by Ginny, 06/19/01 goodness, by Steve Lankton, 06/19/01 Re:goodness, by thanks.., 06/22/01

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