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down to the safe and solid ground. The phenomenon of the snowflake falling, slowly
and serenely, was utilized to deepen the trance state. An image was created of the
client strolling through a park, watching the snow falling. The client had also
described the ‘quiet sound of silence as the snow fell’. This phrase was applied as a
reinforcer to the trance.
An arm levitation and subsequent falling coordinated with the falling snow was used
to ratify the work done in trance. The client was encouraged to use the arm levitation
as he progressed on his journey through the park. The arm falling was employed as he
came to the end of his journey to demonstrate the completion of the therapeutic work.
Follow up on subsequent visits indicated that the client had adopted a new life
strategy. Erickson (1985) describes this as life reframing in hypnosis. He had elimi-
nated several stress-provoking aspects of his life and was in the process of changing
some areas of his life that were, in his words, ‘loud and distressing’. A global effect in
the patient’s life occurred from the intervention within the patient. Limited continued
hypnosis was used to ratify the work that he had done. The metaphor of a journey
through a snow-filled park was continually repeated with good results.
Case II: Terminal AIDS: Coming back from the future
A 38-year-old Caucasian male presented for hypnosis in the terminal stages of the
AIDS spectrum disease. He manifested wasting syndrome, Kaposi’s sarcoma and
Pneumocystis carinii
pneumonia. He also complained of depression, forgetfulness
and sleeplessness. He described more than a 30% drop in body weight. He was dying
and was very aware of his status.
His goal for hypnosis was to be able to develop self-hypnosis skills to be used in
the near future when the pain became greater. He wanted to limit the use of pain
medication in order to maintain his senses. He was also seeking hypnosis in the hope
of gaining some internal peace prior to dying.
He was questioned extensively as to when he felt most at peace and most comfort-
able. He presented a visual and kinaesthetic picture of being at home with his dog,
relaxing in his easy chair, or just petting his dog. The canine was also presented as
one of his foremost posthumous concerns. He wanted to be sure that the pet would
be taken care of after his demise.
The patient was offered a fairly traditional double dissociative induction, allowing
his unconscious mind to be somewhere other than his body. This was done as a form
of seeding (Zeig, 1990) for future use when the pain became debilitating. The patient
responded by developing an almost somnambulist trance. The trance itself was rati-
fied by the use of ideomotor signalling and fractionation.
A visual and kinaesthetic-oriented metaphorical story was offered to the client
while incorporating dissociative messages in the story as a form of multi-level com-
munication (Erickson and Rossi, 1976). A story incorporating a journey with his dog
was offered, with the client signalling each time that he came upon something impor-
tant for him. Each ideomotor signal was ratified, allowing the client time to gather
whatever he needed from the event. Ideomotor movement signalled the patient’s
readiness to move on in his journey. This further ratified the trance and enhanced the
mind–body connection. An arm levitation was used to ratify the patient’s therapeutic
work. As his arm rose from the chair, it was a signal that he was getting closer and
closer to a place of peace with his impending death. When he had achieved a place of
peace and comfort on multiple levels he signalled this achievement by allowing his
arm to drop.
The concern about his dog was addressed in the context of the metaphor. The dog
had been described as a giver of unconditional love. Using a variant of the theme
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