Hypnotherapy, surgery and self-guided healing: Accessing inner resources in difficult circumstances  Rochelle Jaffe, M.S.

As a hypnotherapist for over 19 years, I have repeatedly seen clients enter a state of inner quiet and deep peace which allowed them to more readily get in touch with their inner wisdom, strength and capacity for healing. Many people, including those with medical challenges have found their lives changed in ways that were both profound and practical.

Some of the most deeply felt results have occurred working with clients before, during and after surgery. There is some evidence that people are emotionally impacted by what happens to them while they are under anesthesia. The general mood, even the casual comments the surgical staff makes, all can contribute or be a detriment to the healing process. Even though it appears that they are completely unconscious, there are reports of patients recalling under hypnosis things that were said and done during the surgery, and that those memories impacted their ability to heal. When they remembered and resolved those issues, they recovered more easily and completely.

Research has shown that utilizing hypnosis for preparation and support during a medical procedure can lessen complications, reduce pain, and speed recovery. Specific suggestions for rapid, easy healing have been shown to be helpful, as well as the overall feeling of comfort and confidence that comes from resolving any unwarranted fears or past traumas that may create feelings of insecurity and unease about the procedure.

A few physicians have invited me to work with clients in the operating room itself. One surgeon enabled me to come into surgery with a mutual client who had had many surgeries in the past. Each time she had had a difficult time recovering from the anesthesia, and with the longer term healing. After the most recent surgeries, she felt she never completely healed or returned to full functioning.

Before this surgery, she had two sessions of hypnotherapy which helped her develop a sense of rapport and trust. Then, during the three hours of the surgery, I sat at the head of the operating table. Soft music she had chosen was playing, and I spoke to her as though she was in a hypnotic trance. I described what was happening, and affirmed that a whole team of people was there to help her heal. I affirmed her ability to feel that support, and for her body and spirit to experience the process without fear. I reminded her that this was a special opportunity, and that in such a deep state, she had access to anything that needed healing. She could bring old hurts into her awareness, and they could be released- let go of.

I reminded her that, even though she was under anesthesia, there was a part of her that could be present and aware, so that she could fully realize the love and strength that were available. I reminded her of her ability to heal quickly and completely. The surgeon also spoke to her from time to time to let her know the surgery was going very well.

Most people believe that a person under general anesthesia cannot hear or experience what is going on in the room. Yet, when she began to wake up from the anesthesia, the first thing she said was, “I was there the whole time. I did it.”

Because of her history, the surgeon had arranged for her to stay in the hospital longer than usual. However, she called me from home the next day. They had released her early because she was doing so well. She reported that she had stopped taking pain medication when she left the hospital, and was making dinner as we spoke.

Several months later, she contacted me and reported that many things had changed in her life since the surgery. Though she no longer remembered the specifics of what happened, she felt the experience was a turning point. Her confidence and faith in herself had increased, and she felt excited about continuing to develop her inner strength, and to resolve the issues from her childhood. She began a new relationship, and was able to lose weight that she had been struggling with for many years.

Since then, I have had other opportunities to be with patients as they went through surgery. Each experience has been different, and brings notable results. People who have carried bad feelings about themselves and others from difficult medical procedures have been able to resolve those issues, and experience a new level of peace and relaxation in their lives. They are able to approach their challenges with a newfound confidence and ease, and they report improvement of long term physical issues.

Often, in session with a client, I have felt that it was our combined best wishes for their healing that had a profoundly positive effect, and enabled the work to be done. I have personally experienced the feeling that I was benefiting from the loving thoughts of another. This is related to the work of hypnotherapy, where we explore our own thoughts about ourselves, and are able to transform them as needed. This same process can extend to others.

Some time after this, I underwent a surgery myself. I used the same principles that I use with others. Though my husband was not able to be in the room with me, he sat in the closest room throughout the surgery. I knew that he would be thinking of me during that time, sending thoughts of ease and well-being. I felt his love as I drifted off.

Before the surgery, I spoke to one of the surgeons. Research shows that those moments of connection can have a positive impact on recovery. The words are not as important as the simple act of taking that time together. I held her hand and silently wished her peace and clarity. Even though she could not hear those words, I believe that they had an impact. As I was being wheeled into the surgical suite, I had the same thought for everyone that was there to help me.

In the days after, as I rested in my hospital room, the nurses would come in from time to time. I heard the same comment over and over, “Are you sure you don’t need anything? You never ask for anything.” I was content. I was focusing on my healing, and it brought a feeling of peace. I experienced minimal discomfort, and didn’t require pain medication. I healed rapidly, with no complications. My recovery from the anesthesia, which many people report to be the most difficult part of having surgery began as soon as I was being wheeled out of the operating room. I was clear and relaxed shortly after.

Though I hope that none of you who are reading this has to go through a surgery, or any other invasive medical procedure, I know that everything in life—including surgery—can be an opportunity for a deeper healing. Everything can be met with increasing love, respect and inner support. In doing that, we become more and more loving and supportive of ourselves and others—in every kind of circumstance, including physical pain and challenges.

Many people might be familiar with the type of hypnosis in which suggestions are offered for specific types of healing. While those can be very useful, I have included a hypnosis script here that works in a different way.

For those who have never experienced hypnosis, this is a gentle way to relax into your inner experience. Often, just by bringing this gentle awareness, this inner focus to yourself, your body, emotions and mind, it enables a natural, easy change to take place- for the knot of sensation, feeling and thought to loosen and release. Go slowly and gently, following your own feelings and intuition. You will be aware and in control the whole time. You may even feel more aware and in touch with your inner resources than usual. If you feel any discomfort, you can stop or skip a part.

The experience of difficult physical symptoms can be a “knot” or weaving of a conglomerate of issues that have not been fully processed. This script helps to see into the different aspects of the experience, and to gain clarity and compassion. There is a gentle acknowledgement of what is going on in the mind, the heart, and the body. Often, this simple acknowledgement, bringing these thoughts, feelings, and sensations fully into awareness and holding them in a caring and self-compassionate way can create the change that we seek. In doing so, we affirm our inner ability to meet and to heal whatever arises.

You can read this to yourself, tape it, or have a friend read it to you, while allowing yourself at least an hour relaxing into it.

Untying the Knot

Take a few moments as you begin to allow yourself to settle in… to become comfortable… feeling the support of the chair or the bed on which you are resting… and let yourself settle in a little more fully… breathing out and feeling the natural letting go… feeling the comfort… feeling the support…

Seeing or thinking about a number 10 floating in the air in front of your eyes… and seeing or thinking about that number 10 dissolving, and a number 9 taking its place… and watching or thinking about the numbers from 8 down to 1… one at a time… appearing and dissolving, and the next lower number taking its place… feeling more relaxed and comfortable with each number…

Imagining now that a soft, golden light is beginning to surround you… filling the air around you… a bubble of golden light… filled with warmth… love… caring… protection… safety… all around you… soft, golden light…

And as you lie here… relaxing and breathing… you can start to notice what is going through your mind… gently… kindly… just noticing the thoughts as they go past… and you can feel yourself separate from those thoughts… just passing through… just noticing… naturally… easily… feeling the thoughts moving past like leaves on a river…

And bringing your awareness to your physical sensations… and as you do, you will find it remarkably easy to describe them to yourself… staying in this relaxed state… deep and relaxed… and what are you aware of now?...very good… and what else are you aware of?... what other physical sensations do you feel?... offering simple kindness to yourself, as you continue to go deeper into your physical experience… breathing and sensing… very good… just becoming aware of the body… of the physical sensations… and the relaxation… deeper and deeper… breathing… relaxing… deep and relaxed…

…and now, becoming aware of your heart… your emotions… of what you are feeling… and noticing what you discover… perhaps resting your hand on your heart… feeling the warmth of your hand flowing into your heart… softening… warming… and what are you aware of now?... and what else are you aware of?... what other emotions are present?... very good… breathing and relaxing and aware of your feelings…your emotions… gently… and now, if you wish… dropping deeper… layer by layer… softening… warming… being with your heart… your feelings… gently… softly…

…and perhaps you begin to become aware of some connections between your sensations, your feelings, and your thoughts… some way that they are connected… interwoven… something that you didn’t see before… discovering something new about yourself… gently… tenderly… seeing and feeling these connections… these different threads of thought and emotion and sensation that come together to create an experience… a certain kind of experience… just observing… and bringing some gentleness… some tenderness… some kindness to the awareness… opening… relaxing… (staying with this as long as needed)… and awareness is such a marvelous thing… a marvelous ability that we have to bring awareness to our experience… gently…tenderly… and just by doing so allowing it to change… to transform… naturally… gently… easily… very good…(when it feels complete)

And this experience can move now into all of the times in the past when it would have been helpful to understand and to experience things in this way, and it can move into all of the areas of your present life, and into the future.

And you can count from 1 to 5 in a moment, and as you do you will become more awake- awake… refreshed and relaxed…

Rochelle Jaffe, M.S. is the Director of the Ashland School of Hypnotherapy. She is also on the adjunct faculty of the Psychology Department of Southern Oregon University. She is available for private sessions in person and by phone. She can be reached at 541-488-3180, and at contact@ashlandschoolofhypnotherapy.com

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