The Vogt Deepener
I got asked about the Vogt deepener recently. It’s a cool deepener so I thought I’d let all you guys in on it. I’ve altered the language a bit to make it more effective 🙂
What Is A Deepener?
A deepener is a process designed to deepen trance. You can use the Vogt deepener (it’s a nice one) as is or you can use the concepts therein to customize a deepener for the client, based on their responses to your induction. The basic idea is that deepening is a suggestion. You tie the client going deeper to some cue. The best deepeners use the advantages that trance gives us and amplify responses that occur naturally during trance.
Fractionating Deepeners
The Vogt is a fractionating deepener. It deepens trance, not only by suggestion but also by repeatedly emerging the subject from trance and then plunging them back in. Usually, the more people come in and out of trance, the deeper they go as they go back in–especially if you suggest it. Repeated, rapid emerging then re-inducing trance is called fractionation.
To be more accurate, usually you don’t fully emerge someone but bring them up a bit. They may open their eyes but not be fully emerged during this process.
Here’s the language…
“In a little while, I’m going to count from 1 to 5. When I get to 5, your eyes will be open but you’ll feel sleepy and wonderfully drowsy and you’ll find it difficult not to close your eyes.
You’ll want to sleep. Your eyes will feel heavy, those eyes will want to blink, and they’ll begin to blink, and you won’t be able to stop them, and as those eyes blink, you’ll get sleepier and drowsier and as you get more relaxed and at peace those eyes will want to close and they do close.
And you’ll drift off in to a blissful, relaxation while going much, much deeper than you are right now.
So, when I count to five and those eyes open, you won’t be able to keep your eyes open for very long at all because you’ll feel so very, very sleepy–so very, very tired that those eyes blink. Those eyes close. And you fall into a deep, deep, relaxing sleep.”
Amplifying Responses
When you count them up and you get to 5, their eyes will open or half-open. This is when you amplify whatever response they give you. If their eyes blink, you reinforce that. If their eyes are half open, you mention it and comment that they (the eyes) are getting heavier and want to close etc. You might say something such as…
“That’s right. Those eyes are blinking because they feel so drowsy, so sleepy, so relaxed. They feel heavier and heavier as you go deeper and deeper.”
Repeat the deepener a few times and most people will be pretty zonked!
Roll Your Own
If you understand the concepts behind this (or any) deepener, you can roll your own. Here’s the basic process…
1) Set up a signal for them opening their eyes (the Vogt uses counting, which is nice and gentle).
2) Suggest that when they do, they’ll immediately start experiencing signs of trance (heavy eyes, relaxation etc.) more intensly.
3) Lather, rinse, repeat.
An Example
Here’s a quick example of another way you could do use these concepts…
“In a moment, I’m going to lift up your arm slowly. As I do, your eyes will gently open. Then I’m going to drop your arm down and when your arm contacts the chair, you’ll instantly close your eyes and drop twice as deeply into relaxation. When your arm drops down you drop down much, much deeper.”
Got it?
Enjoy,
Keith
Hi Keith,
Great deepener,
thank you 🙂
Bye bye
The English Sisters
After reading this I felt sleepy and warm. Maybe I should go lie down. Thanks.
Hi Keith,
Loved the deepeners, thank you.
Best wishes from UK.
Thank you Keith!
Keith, This is an excellent deepener. I love the way it utilizes what is already happening for the client. I would love to know more about different deepeners. Thank you for your insightful articles.
Hi Keith,
I was Searching for the deep induction method that I used over 25 years ago when I first started school at Webster University seeking a Masters degree in Psychological Counseling. It being with At the sound of my voice you will go deeper, deeper, etc. Well for me, it really worked. I aced the test with flying colors. I told my self that I saw a piece of paper floating by with the right answers. Something had to happen because the answers had to be in essay form. You had to know the theorist and their theory. Their associates, era, personal habits, etc.
One of my professors shared the deep induction with us, and truly believe it to work. I am retired, but we not back to work as a counselor at a substance abuse center, most who have anger management issues. I really believe This deep induction method can work in managing their anger and impulsivity, and poor decision making which always land them in trouble. They then blame the person who give them consequences for the behaviors. They also blame those who make them aware of their behavior not being acceptable. Do you believe this could acceptable in an anger management group?
Doris,
In my experience, as long as you use a decent induction, hypnosis is good for most things. But it’s not the induction that does the work. It’s what you do after the induction. An induction (and deepeners) help get a person in a receptive state, and the process may have benefits, but it’s largely not curative.
There is a lot you can do with NLP and hypnosis for anger management, and it goes well beyond just the induction.
Keith
PS: I stripped the URL out of your comment because it pointed to a site offering a “create your own web site” service.