A Parents’ Easy Guide to Hypnotherapy and EFT

Hypnotherapy and Emotional Freedom Technique(EFT) are great tools that parents can make available to their children.

By Kathleen Milligan

When my oldest daughter was five, she suddenly became afraid of drains; she was convinced she would be sucked down and drown. When she woke up sweaty and fearful, we would strap on pretend “life jackets” and use special powers to keep away the bad thoughts.

Of course we wanted to tell her that being sucked down the drain was impossible and to just go back to sleep, but such “rational” reassurance did nothing to allay her “irrational” fears. She used the life jacket ritual for a long time. It engaged her imagination, it gave her a job to do (one she didn’t necessarily need us for), and it made her feel safe. This was an important lesson for us as parents—our job wasn’t to stamp out her fears, but to accept them and give her tools to overcome them herself.

Hypnotherapy and EFT are easy-to-use stress-busters

Hypnotherapy and Emotional Freedom Technique(EFT) are great tools that parents can make available to their children. They are easily used to alleviate fears of any intensity—from an acute phobia all the way to a niggling anxiety. EFT and hypnosis provide effective, non-invasive treatment options for behaviours that are often associated with anxiety, such as nail-biting or bed-wetting. Both hypnosis and EFT have been shown to reduce stress, and instill confidence and hope, allowing your child to achieve his or her best whether at home, in school, on the sports field, or with peers.

Life-long relief—for the whole family!

Children, like parents, are facing huge pressures these days, even at a young age. Parents may become frustrated in the face of their child’s fears or fear-related behaviours and the relationship with their child may become tense and unproductive. Parents may not know where to seek help or, if they do seek help, they may not be happy with the solutions offered. Many parents choose hypnotherapy and EFT because they are easy to learn; they can be used at home; they do not involve drugs; and they cost less than many prescriptions.

Many parents are overjoyed at how effective even one hypnotherapy/EFT session can be. It is so satisfying for me to hear parents say that their seven-year-old son no longer chews his nails until they are raw, that their bullied adolescent daughter has regained her sense of self, or that their teenage son—once paralyzed during tests—is now earning top marks. These victories impact the whole family; stress and anger are replaced by comfort and confidence. On top of that, your child can use the EFT and hypnosis skills for the rest of his or her life; you’re making a long-term investment!

A trip to the hypnotherapist/EFT practitioner’s office

Information is available about hypnotherapy and EFT on the web, but I recommend that parents take their child to see a certified practitioner. Ask your current health care providers for recommendations, or visit the EFT website, www.emofree.com, and the National Guild of Hypnotherapists’ website at www.ngh.net. There are also provincial associations across Canada who can provide contact info for hypnotherapists in your area. Be sure to ask if a practitioner works with children; not all do and it’s important that you find someone who will make you and your child feel comfortable.

Some practitioners, like myself, use hypnotherapy and EFT in combination. EFT can be used for children of any age; it involves gentle tapping on the acupressure points of the body. A practitioner can gently tap on smaller children while older children can tap for themselves. Children often have fun with it—the tapping patterns can easily be turned into a game. EFT is highly effective for clearing out negative emotions and thoughts, to prepare the child for the positive, creative future.

Hypnotherapy works best for older children because the child needs to have attention spans that can last 20 minutes or more. Children aged four and up respond really well. Imagination plays a big part in hypnotherapy and children are usually very tuned into their imaginations. A hypnotherapist will use visualization and relaxation techniques to guide your child towards a positive and stress-free future.

Hypnotherapy and EFT techniques at home

The strategies learned in the practitioner’s office can easily be used at home between sessions or on an ongoing basis. Parents can assist with tapping or actually do the tapping. There are many ways to employ elements of hypnotherapy to support children. For instance, a parent might tell a story in which a princess sleeps in her magical bed that tells her to wake up to go pee at night. Parents can work with their child to come up with his or her own superhero who successfully combats the dreaded fear or behaviour. When problems arise, parents can ask “What would Superman do if he was afraid of the dark?” The child is then able to come up with his or her own solution. While it may feel awkward or unnatural for parents to “play” along with these scenarios, in the long run, it will be easier than always correcting or reminding.

Parents who want to know more about hypnotherapy and EFT and how it might benefit their child can contact me with any questions or they can visit my website at www.actionhypnosis.ca.

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