..and why I use Ericksonian style in clinic.

There’s something fascinating about the human mind.

The harder we push against it, the more it often resists. Yet when people feel safe, relaxed, and less “managed,” real change can happen surprisingly quickly.

That’s one of the reasons I use a more Milton Erickson-inspired approach in my clinic work.

For anyone unfamiliar, Milton Erickson was one of the most influential hypnotherapists of the modern era. His style was very different from the old stereotype of hypnosis being overly direct or controlling. Instead of telling people what to think, Erickson worked in a way that allowed the unconscious mind to participate more naturally in the process of change.

His approach was conversational, permissive, flexible, and deeply respectful of the individual.

And honestly, that’s what makes it so effective.

In my clinic, I don’t usually begin with this style immediately. The first couple of sessions are important for understanding the client properly — building trust, exploring patterns, understanding goals, triggers, behaviours, emotional responses, and creating a strong therapeutic foundation.

People need to feel safe first.

They need clarity around what they’re experiencing and confidence in the process.

But once that groundwork is there, I often begin shifting into a more Ericksonian style because something important starts happening at that point: the mind stops trying so hard.

And that matters more than most people realise.

When someone is constantly analysing, resisting, overthinking, or consciously trying to “do it right,” change can stay stuck at surface level. Erickson’s approach gently bypasses some of that internal tension.

Rather than forcing the mind into change, it creates space for the mind to reorganise itself.

That’s a huge difference.

The language becomes softer, more symbolic, more open-ended. Stories, metaphors, pauses, suggestions, indirect phrasing — all of it allows the unconscious mind to explore solutions in its own way rather than feeling instructed or controlled.

And interestingly, people often respond more deeply because of that freedom.

The unconscious mind is incredibly intelligent. It picks up patterns, meanings, emotions, and possibilities far beyond conscious awareness. When therapy allows room for that deeper processing, clients often experience shifts that feel more natural and less forced.

That’s why people sometimes leave an Ericksonian-style session saying things like:

“I can’t explain exactly what changed… but something feels different.”

Or:

“The problem just doesn’t feel as loud anymore.”

That’s often the unconscious mind integrating change without needing to consciously wrestle with every step.

I also find this style particularly helpful for things like anxiety, emotional eating, food noise, stress responses, habits, confidence work, and overthinking patterns — especially when clients have spent years trying to “think” their way out of problems.

Sometimes insight alone isn’t enough.

Sometimes the nervous system itself needs a different experience.

And Ericksonian work can create exactly that.

What I personally love about this approach is that it respects individuality. No two people experience the world in exactly the same way, so therapy shouldn’t feel robotic or scripted. Erickson understood that the best therapeutic work often emerges from flexibility, observation, timing, and allowing the client’s own mind to participate actively in change.

In many ways, it’s less about “doing hypnosis to someone” and more about guiding the mind into a state where it becomes more open to discovering new responses for itself.

That’s where the magic often happens.

Not through force.
Not through pressure.
But through permission, curiosity, and the mind’s natural ability to adapt when given the right conditions.

And after years of working with clients, I’ve found that once people reach that stage in therapy — where they stop fighting themselves internally — progress often becomes faster, calmer, and much more sustainable.