Trance States in Psychotherapy

What is the optimal quality or state of consciousness in psychotherapy? What state of mind permits the broadest access to working with perception, with memory, with deep layers of the mind?

In psychotherapy, there is a tradition of facilitating quieter, deeply relaxed mental states. Such states provide access to a more profound awareness and understanding of mind and self.

Many therapists offer trance work in psychotherapy to help you access less frequently available states of consciousness and awareness.

What Is Trance?

Trance is an altered state of consciousness. It can be experienced as a sense of tranquility, with heightened focus. Increased suggestiveness during a trance state can be therapeutically useful, particularly in relieving tension and stress. Guided imagery, cues for somatic (bodily) awareness, or other thought exercises may be used to facilitate entry into the trance state.

An advantage to working in a trance state is that everyday concerns, inhibitions, and conscious blocks are softened or bypassed.

Trance is not hypnosis. It cannot be used to induce you to act against your ethics, morals, or conscious intent. Trance in therapy has more in common with facilitated meditative states.

How Do Psychotherapists Work with Therapeutic Trance?

When a psychotherapist employs trance in therapy, the aim of the process for both of you will be to explore the mysteries of your inner life and psychological states.

Seeing a therapist who employs trance-work may involve:

• Using trance to create a deeply focused state, intensifying your inward exploration
• Creating a safe space for regressions in memory
• Employing trance to loosen typical conscious constraint
• Exploring trance techniques to deepen somatic (bodily) awareness

Free of the distractions of regular, conscious waking life, you may access states of calm, and depths within your own psyche previously beyond your reach.

Individuals interested in mindfulness, expanded states of consciousness. or spirituality in psychotherapy may find trance work to be transformational.