Children’s Hypnotherapist – Liza Boubari

For children, the world revolves around them until experience helps expand that world. As they are the “center,” then everything is where they are. If there are problems in the family, they take on those as their own. If parents are having trouble in relating well, their children can become fearful and guilty, as if they were the cause or should have prevented it in some way. This is what creates “Adult or Mature Children.”

When a child finds out that he/she isn’t bad or broken, and doesn’t need to be fixed with medication, behaviors can then change. When a child can go into his/her brain and find the “controls” that relax the mind, or focus the mind when it’s needed, they can take responsibility for the excess energy and slow it down on demand. One thing to keep in mind is that the cause and the method to create the change are different for every child.

The doorway between the conscious and the unconscious mind is the imagination. For children, it’s relatively easy to reach at the deepest levels, in a much quicker time than required by a good many adults. Stories, adventures, visualization, imaginative games, role-playing, magic, puppets, and costumes work most effectively with children. Any tools that stimulate the imagination should be at the hypnotherapist’s disposal.

Actually, there is not ideal state called hypnosis. It is basically a relaxed focused state of concentration. This might be a stretch for some; however, with children, it is not necessary to have a deeply relaxed state. They are basically in a trance most of the time. Up until the age of 8, most kids have a brain wave pattern that shows alpha wavelength about 80% of the time. Alpha is similar to a hypnotic trance.

That’s what make-believe is all about! We call it visualization. For children it is most of their waking state.

There are many things that adults do that increase the problem. Certainly they don’t consciously want to; it’s just that they may not understand how the subconscious mind works. Parents and teachers must understand the power of their words. Repeating suggestions of what you DON’T want the child to do, will only create more of the same problem.

STOP running around!

Why can’t you just stop being noisy?

You are always bouncing off the walls.

Why are you always trying to make me crazy?

You will never settle down and focus on your schoolwork.

or

the child may overhear a parent say to another adult:

We have tried everything and he is still out of control. I don’t think anything will work.

We are trying a new medication and hopefully, that will help.

His teachers cannot keep him in control.

These statements that are overheard carry a lot of truth and validity. The child who overhears you talking to another can feel very hopeless and useless. Let your child overhear you saying something great about him, phrased in a way that might just direct his or her brain to do feel the way they need to feel! Therapy includes informing the parents and caregivers of the power of their words and actions. Another aspect of Hypnotherapy addresses the willingness of the parents to find new ways to empower the child.

Some children can be taught to build a machine (imaginary) in their brains to help them focus, relax, learn, or be more successful at sports. When children are taught about these brain machines they feel more in control, and instead of feeling broken, they can create what they need to succeed.

We encourage our parents to come in during the initial consultation and perhaps therapy. Although having parents sit out in the reception area (where they can hear everything) is highly recommended. This gives kids a sense of power that they can do this on their own.

Children can be difficult, yet easy to treat! We will find the best way of treatment for your child or recommend other means than can better serve their special needs.