Rapport is the basis for all hypnosis. If you don't have good rapport with your subject you will never be able to hypnotise them.
So what is rapport and how do you create it?
Well the technical definition is a connection, usually of a "harmonious nature". Basically it's friendship. Well that sounds easy enough doesn't it? I mean we have all made friends throughout our lives. Rapport is the way you communicate to other people, this is going to be the foundation for all your hypnosis. All your success as a hypnotist will depend on how good you are at creating a strong rapport.
How does hypnotic rapport vary from every day rapport.
When you are trying to induce a hypnotic trance you have much less time to create rapport than you would in a normal everyday situation. Hypnosis also requires a deeper level of trust. This is something that you are unlikely to create naturally on your first meeting. There have been lots of studies done into rapport which is good news for us because it means we don't have to learn the hard way.
The first and easiest thing to do when you are creating rapport is to match your breathing to that of your clients. This can take a little practice before it comes naturally and subtly We all breath at different rates. If you can take a few minutes to become aware of the breathing of your subject you can mimic their actions. Inhale and exhale at the same rate and the same depth. If you do this properly your client won't consciously realise that anything has changed but subconsciously they are already starting to think that since you breath the same way as them you must be like them. People prefer the company of others who are similar to them. Just like that you have already created the basis for a good solid rapport.
Once you can mimic your clients breathing you might want to try mirroring other aspects of their behaviour. Watch their hand gestures, then use these same gestures when you talk. Be aware of how they sit, of how they cross their legs. All of this helps you to become more "in-tune" with your client. After a while of doing this you may find that you both start to do things simultaneously like crossing your legs, or changing your position.
A word of warning here though, don't over do your mirroring. If a client becomes aware of what you are doing it will instantly break your rapport. They begin to feel as though they are being manipulated, their resistance levels go up, and it becomes very difficult if not impossible to hypnotise them.
You can also mirror the way that someone talks. If they speak quietly then lower your voice to a similiar level. If they speak with a lot of emphasis or excitement then you should use more emphasis in your words. Your voice shouldn't match exactly how the other person talks, just change it a fraction and your subject will become aware of it. If there is a phrase that your client uses regularly then try to slip this phrase naturally into your conversation. This immediately makes your client feel as though you are on the same wavelength as them.
Play around with your mimicry. Practice every chance you get. If you are watching TV with your family become aware of what they are doing and how they are doing it then try to mirror them. The more practice you get the easier it will be to spot movements that you can copy and use to create stronger rapport.
Brenda Mayhew writes on self development related issues. You can learn more about hypnosis by visiting her website, <a href="http://www.temporal-systems.com/conversationalhypnosis/index.html">Conversational Hypnosis.</a>
If you are interested in learning hypnosis, check out the online courses on her website at <a href="http://www.temporal-systems.com/conversationalhypnosis/online-courses.html">http://www.temporal-systems.com/conversationalhypnosis/online-courses.html.</a>
To keep up to date with all of Brenda's articles on hypnosis visit her blog at <a href="http://www.temporal-systems.com/conversational-hypnosis/">http://www.temporal-systems.com/conversational-hypnosis/</a>
