🌪️ Calm in the Eye of the Storm: Hypnosis in a Crisis 🌀

Rapid Inductions: The Calm Amidst the Chaos

Crisis situations like hurricanes, mass shootings, or personal emergencies hit fast and hard, but luckily, there are ways to bring relief just as quickly. But first, we need to remember that safety is the priority. It’s important to ensure that the client is physically out of harm’s way before you induce any state of relaxation. When someone is still in the thick of the chaos, their hyper-awareness might be crucial for survival. So, we don’t want to interrupt that necessary alertness. However, once they’re safe, these rapid inductions can jolt them back to a balanced, calm state.

Here are a few rapid inductions to help someone snap out of their anxiety in the moment:

1. Eye Fixation Technique
The simplest, yet shockingly effective. Have the person focus on one point (a candle flame, your hand, or even your ‘I swear I’m calm’ face). Ask them to take slow, deep breaths while staring at the point. As their eyes naturally begin to tire, suggest that their body is calming down and grounding itself. Before they know it, they’ll feel like they just hit ‘refresh’ on their internal browser.

2. Handshake Induction

Now, this one is a favorite for quickly accessing a calm state. Begin by offering a firm handshake, as if you’re simply greeting them. As they engage, subtly shift their hand down and, with a smooth and relaxed motion, suggest they close their eyes. While they’re mid-handshake, gently but firmly suggest they relax their hand entirely. As you release their hand, say, “As your hand relaxes, feel your entire body letting go of that tension.” The shift catches their mind off-guard and sends them into a relaxed, grounded state, faster than they can question what just happened!

3. Instant Hand Drop

Don’t let the name scare you—it’s a non-threatening, super quick way to trigger a relaxed state. Have them sit down, take their hand, and after a few slow, deep breaths, tell them to drop it on your cue. As their hand drops, guide them to imagine the weight of their anxiety falling with it. They’ll feel a sense of release in seconds.

4. The Zap

For when things are really intense: Snap your fingers (yes, like a magician), and tell them, “When I snap my fingers, everything that’s overwhelming you is going to pause. You’ll feel a reset, like a deep breath for your mind.” Use it sparingly, but in the heat of the moment, it can work wonders.

Personal Experience: From Orlando to Today

This subject is personal for us, especially for Zac, my incredible co-founder. He worked extensively with the victims of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy, helping them process trauma in the middle of overwhelming grief and fear. Zac has seen firsthand how these techniques can create an anchor in the stormiest of moments, grounding people when it feels like there’s no solid ground to stand on.

We know that panic and anxiety are not just psychological—they’re full-body experiences. That’s why using hypnosis and these rapid techniques isn’t just about calming the mind; it’s about helping people feel safe again in their own skin, even in a crisis.

The Power of Confidence and Courage

Let’s be real—being in the middle of a crisis can shake even the most seasoned therapist. But here’s where we have to dig deep: the biggest gift we can offer our clients in these moments is our confidence. No matter how scared we are inside, our ability to lead them toward peace is what will make the difference.

It takes courage to guide someone toward calm when everything in us might be screaming to run for cover too. But this is the power of hypnotherapy: even when the storm is raging around us, we can offer our clients a moment of stillness, a way to step out of the chaos, if only for a few minutes. And that moment could be all they need to find their center and move forward with strength.

Whether it’s hurricanes, personal disasters, or even just the storm inside your own mind, remember: you’ve got the tools to help people find calm in the chaos. And if you haven’t jumped into the course yet, now’s the perfect time—before the price increases in January! (Don’t say I didn’t warn you 😉).

How have you used hypnosis during a crisis? I’d love to hear your stories! Send a reply, or let us know what topic you’d like to see next time.

Here’s to Calm in the Chaos!

Jesse & Zac