Beliefs
Beliefs
Identifying beliefs about smoking
Smoking beliefs and resources
In order to replace the beliefs the client holds about smoking you must first identify what those beliefs are. This checklist of questions about stopping smoking is used to remind the therapist to cover every relevant aspect to reveal why, when and how the client smokes. It may also identify resources the client has that can be used to help stop smoking. These answers provide a collection of targets and resources to use during hypnosis to stop smoking.
SMOKING HYPNOTHERAPY Checklist |
|
Target |
|
HISTORY of SMOKING |
|
How many do you smoke a day? |
Behaviour |
When did you start? |
Environment |
Why did you start? |
Beliefs |
What was going on in your life when you started smoking? |
Environment |
Restarting |
|
Have you ever tried to give up? |
Motivation |
Why did you stop? |
Motivation |
How long did you stop for? |
Resource |
Why did you restart? |
Triggers & Pressures |
CURRENT PATTERNS OF SMOKING |
|
When do you smoke? |
Triggers, Environment |
What is the most enjoyable cigarette? |
Behaviour |
What do other people think about your smoking? |
Peer pressure resources |
How do you know when to have a smoke? |
Environment, Triggers |
BELIEFS ABOUT SMOKING |
|
Why do you smoke? |
Identity, Beliefs |
Why don't you just stop? |
Identity, Beliefs |
What do you think when you see other people smoking? |
Beliefs |
What will happen if you keep smoking? |
Beliefs |
Do you think of cigarettes as your friend? |
Beliefs |
MOTIVATION |
|
Why do you want to give up now? |
Beliefs, negative & positive factors |
How do you know you can give up? |
Capability |
What will others think when you give up? |
Visualize support |
What will be different when you give up? |
Capability, Rewards |
What will you be able to do when you give up? |
Visualisation of benefits |
What will other people say when you give up? |
Visualisation of benefits |
What is the one thing that might stop you stopping? |
Resource |
What is your biggest fear about stopping? |
Resource |
Is it you or someone who wants you to stop? |
Capability |
On a scale of 1 to 10, how ready are you stop? |
Capability |
On a scale of 1 to 10, how sure are you that you can stop? |
Capability |
RESOURCES |
|
Personal Experience - stopping |
Capability |
Other people's experience |
Rules, outcomes |
Do you know anyone who got ill through smoking? |
Rules |
Other people's support |
Resource |
BEHAVIOUR AFTER STOPPING |
|
What will you do with the extra time? |
Alternative behaviours |
What kind of things will you be able to do after you stop? |
Visualisation, Capability |
What will other people say when you stop? |
Resource |
What would are you going to do instead of smoking? |
Alternative behaviours |
What will be the biggest benefit? |
Motivation |
Is there someone at home who smokes? |
Trigger |
The therapist would not normally ask all these questions directly. Most of the information will come out naturally as the client describes their smoking behaviour. The check list is just to ensure that no potentially useful areas are missed.
As well as being a source of resources for the therapist, the constant reiteration of 'How will you stop, when will you stop, what will people think when you stop' etc. works on the client by priming the subconscious mind to think about stopping even before the session begins.
The Behaviour After Stopping section is important. Most clients have no clear idea of what life would be like after they give up. The literally cannot imagine it. They are unlikely to offer this information unprompted, so any time spent in this section will put positive images into their mind that can be used as a resource once the session starts.