The first consultation session is usually divided into two parts – first part invovles discussion of the problem between the therapist and the parents. The child is kept out of the room during this discussion. In the second part, the child is called in. The therapist first builds a firm rappot with the child and then slowly discusses the issue with the child. During this part, the parents will be asked to sit out and leave the therapist and the child alone.
In following sessions, when the child is hypnotised, the parents will be asked to sit out. This is a very important condition for child hypnotherapy. The reason for this is the child is allowed the freedom to talk anything he wants without the being bothered about his parents hearing him. Further, in some cases, it is the parents themselves who are the cause of issue in child. In such cases, the child will never open his mouth, under hypnosis or not, when the parents are present in the therapy room.
Almost always, child hypnotherapy involves counselling sessions for parents as well. Here the therapist gives feedback on the sessions and also educates about stages of growth in children and what to expect out of these stages. In case one of the parents is responsible for the issue in the child, the therapist counsels the parents for behavioral changes. The parents are also educated about the working of the mind and how issues are created in the mind. This is very important because the parents would clearly understand how they may, unintentionally, create issues in the child, and it would also give parents the right tools to deal with their child’s minor issues themselves.
Be prepared to change yourselves! Many issues in a child are a result of his circle of interaction and parents form a big part of that circle. So in many cases there will be necessary behavioral changes in the parents as a part of the therapy.
