A modern and natural method that can support children in these difficulties is hypnotherapy for children or as it is also known as pediatric hypnosis, (paediatric hypnosis). Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic technique that uses the hypnosis – that is, a state of deep relaxation and focused attention to help the person process difficulties, strengthen their psychological resilience and change negative patterns of thought or behavior. And one of the powerful tools that clinical hypnotherapy uses is the use of imagination. Through creative techniques, it can essentially help the child to be relieved of psycho-emotional pressures or psychosomatic symptoms. Pediatric hypnosis can be used from the age of 4, when the child acquires verbal ability and recognizes himself as a separate entity.
Children have a unique mental "mechanism": imagination.
When a child “pretends to be” a superhero or talks to their teddy bear, they are truly experiencing that emotional experience. Hypnotherapy harnesses this natural ability to enhance their inner strength. Hypnotherapy is successfully used to support children and adolescents with issues of anxiety, insecurity, phobias, boosting self-confidence, managing anger or sadness. It helps to deal with psychosomatic pain (stomach ache, headaches), sleep problems or nightmares.
According to the pediatrician Dr. Anbar (2015), hypnotherapy helped 85% of children with functional abdominal pain, while Cohen & Olness, pioneers in the field, support the use of hypnotherapy as a complementary practice in child psychiatry and pediatric care.
Hypnotherapy for a child usually involves stories with therapeutic content, symbols and images (e.g. "I put my fear in a balloon and let it fly away". Guided visualization, as for the child his imagination is his strongest point, where he does not make any special effort unlike some adults with rational thinking. Children respond very easily to the process, where parents are often surprised by the results.
The role of the parent is crucial for collaboration with the specialist and a sign of trust and support.
Children's imagination is already therapeutic – we just need to give them the space and guidance to use it to their advantage.
Bibliography:
Kohen, D. & Olness, K. (2011). Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy with Children (4th ed.). Routledge.
Anbar, R.D. (2015). Functional abdominal pain and hypnosis in children: a clinical study.Journal of Pediatrics.
Yapko, M. (2018). Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis (5th ed.). Routledge.
