| I recall some years ago when I sat facing a client who | | | | confirmed my diagnosis and added some further |
| could only be described as a Hypochondriac (suffering | | | | knowledge to my arsenal in dealing with her problem. |
| with imagined illnesses). | | | | At that time, I also saw clients on Saturdays. My office |
| She shocked me by telling me that she visited her | | | | was in the town centre. I had a gap in my schedule so |
| doctor every day and that he was no good as every | | | | I went out to do some shopping. And as I was walking |
| time he have her medication, it only 'cured' that illness | | | | to the shops I noticed a couple in front of me that |
| and another illness would occur. | | | | looked as if they were newly weds. |
| To say the least, I felt sorry for her doctor as I could | | | | The man was tall and the lady small and she had her |
| see that her problem was not being ill but attention | | | | arm linked into his and her head on his shoulder. Gazing |
| seeking. How did I diagnose that? Simply by asking her | | | | up at his head. It was as though she was his daughter |
| questions and giving her a sympathetic ear. | | | | and admiring him as a daddy. This was as they were |
| "How long have you been married?" - "Fifteen years | | | | walking and with many people around us. |
| and two months." | | | | I then realised it was my client. It then struck me that in |
| "Is your husband working?" - "Yes, BUT, he works | | | | her husband's presence, she was reverting back to |
| away from home." (Client looking very sad.) | | | | childhood and behaving as she did as a little girl. |
| "How long does he stay away from home?" - "Oh, he | | | | The Third Session: |
| is away from Monday to Friday and only comes home | | | | Again, my client returned looking very happy and |
| at weekends, and sometimes he also has to work at | | | | reporting total success, but again, she had developed |
| weekends." (Client looking a little angry). | | | | another illness. |
| "Does he like his job?" - "He likes his job but says he | | | | I asked her about her father, and learned he was |
| doesn't like working away from his home. He cannot | | | | deceased and she missed him very much, after many |
| change it as there are no other jobs he can get." | | | | years. |
| "Is he worried that you are always ill?" - "He is like an | | | | On this occasion, I decided that I would use hypnosis |
| angel when he is home and looks after me. He | | | | and role-play as a father and child. I explained to her, |
| worries about me but cannot get another job or | | | | whilst she was in hypnosis, that she was to think of |
| become unemployed as we cannot live without his | | | | me as her daddy (even though many clients do that |
| earnings." | | | | automatically as they unconsciously consider the |
| I noticed at this point in our conversation that she pulled | | | | Hypnotherapist to be a father figure). |
| her legs up a little and began to 'pout' like a small girl. | | | | I then assured her, as her daddy, that I loved her and |
| "It must be very hard for you managing on your own | | | | cherished her beyond anyone else etc, etc. and that |
| most of the week and not having him there to look | | | | when she grew up, she would always know I loved |
| after you?" - "I know he has to work so I accept it as | | | | her, etc. etc. (This is not a lesson on Hypnotherapy, so I |
| part of my life." | | | | will not go into full details here). |
| I continued my questioning, which is a necessary part | | | | I then gave her another placebo and off she went |
| of every Hypnotherapist's consultation, and then asked | | | | looking as happy as any human being can. |
| her if she knew and understood that I was not only a | | | | Subsequent Sessions: |
| Hypnotherapist but also practiced homeopathy. She | | | | I continued with this line of treatment until she returned |
| knew I did hypnotherapy but did not know what | | | | one day and said that she was totally cured (I have |
| homeopathy was, so I explained as best I could to her. | | | | using the word... cured ... when referring to therapy as |
| I also explained that my treatment for her would also | | | | human beings are helped to handle their lives much |
| include Homeopathic remedies and asked if that was | | | | better, not cured like a piece of meat). |
| OK. She was more than happy with that and was | | | | A Surprising and Disappointing Conclusion: |
| excited at the new approach to her many illnesses. | | | | A few days after her final session, a reporter from the |
| I won't go into the rest of the session as it involved | | | | local newspaper phoned me, as she often did, to ask if |
| routine questions such as her medical history and | | | | I had any newsworthy items for her column. At that |
| medication etc. which adds no real value to this article. | | | | time I was appearing on television shows and many |
| On conclusion, I gave her two sugar pills (placebos) | | | | radio stations and was well known to much of the |
| and gave them a name (which I don't recall at this | | | | media. I explained that I had a client who was an |
| time) and explained that they would help to reduce her | | | | 'incurable' hypochondriac and who was now off all |
| present symptoms or clear them completely. | | | | medication and living a normal like. I would contact my |
| The Second Session: | | | | client and ask if she would like to speak to the reporter |
| The client returned with a big smile on her face and | | | | but under no circumstances could I give a direct |
| much earlier than her appointment time. | | | | contact without permission. |
| She reported a total success in removing the | | | | I phoned the client and she was very excited to know |
| symptoms of the illness she had, but, she now had | | | | she could be featured, both in writing and a |
| another illness, the first one was stomach pains, now it | | | | photographs, in the local newspaper - her fifteen |
| was tightness in her chest. | | | | minutes of fame. All she asked was to give her until |
| On this occasion I used hypnosis to relax her and give | | | | tomorrow to speak to her husband first and then she |
| her suggestions to help her with the 'attention seeking' | | | | would phone back to make an appointment for the |
| aspect of her problem. Suggestions such as she had | | | | reporter to contact her. |
| no need to look for admiration from other people as | | | | The next day she phoned me and asked in a voice |
| she was a wonderful person who need not answer to | | | | that showed total disappointment, if I would just forget |
| anyone else for her looks or personality. (That, of | | | | the whole thing. She explained that she had excitedly |
| course, is only a very short resume of the total | | | | informed her husband that she was going to have her |
| suggestions I used as they changed with each | | | | photograph in the newspapers and he said, "What? |
| session). | | | | You can't do that. If you do the local Social Security |
| I again gave her placebos and off she went looking | | | | Office will find out and stop your Disability Allowances, |
| very happy. | | | | and you can get into trouble for not telling them you |
| Then the following day, which was a Saturday, actually | | | | are now well. |