direct and indirect suggestions

Direct suggestions are supposed to appeal directly to the conscious mind. The direct approach lets the client feel directly and consciously involved in the process.

The direct approach can help the client understand what's happening so in future they can help themselves. The difference seems to be between solving a problem and learning how to solve problems.

With the direct approach, the client shares with the hypnotherapist the responsibility for any results. The direct approach gives the the receiver of the communication a greater degree of control over the outcome.

Indirect suggestion has the power to appeal to the unconscious mind. It leads to greater use of the unconscious mind's experiences and learning in one's own behalf; it largely avoids the issue of resistance, defensiveness, and intellectualizing.

The client can participate more creatively and actively in the process. It allows for the client to project meaning into the communication and allows him to find his own way to apply it. Allowing us to use the complex and extraordinary powers and richness of the unconscious mind.

The unconscious contains the key to your world view and self-image. It has greater power to facilitate change or the direction of the outcome you want. The direct approach may increase the likelihood of arousing resistance, which by implication the indirect approach is less likely to do.

There is less opportunity for the hypnotherapist to impose personal values and beliefs, demonstrating greater respect for the individual's integrity.

Clients are allowed to give their own unique interpretation to the suggestions that are given during a session, more easily bypassing any resistance. Creating more and more flexibility for the client, so symptoms may be viewed as a metaphor for the person's experience.

With indirect communication greater responsibility rests with the hypnotherapist to obtain successful outcomes.

A good hypnotherapist will always be aware when they are engaging in direct or indirect communication. They will be flexible, varying their style as they adapt to the needs of the client and won't be direct or indirect all the time. If a client is going to follow the hypnotherapist's suggestions, then the indirect mode is unnecessary. The more a client is unwilling to listen, the greater the need for indirect suggestion.

From Advances in Consciousness.