I often have clients ask me, “I am not visual, so will hypnotherapy work for me?” Even if you are not a visual person, hypnotherapy still works.
Visualisation is not mandatory to be able to take part in hypnotherapy, although it has many benefits, such as helping you connect with your emotions. The main thing is to connect to an internal space; for some, this is the head, heart or gut. Many think they need to see, but imagination is just remembering or creating from memory. The question is, how do you do this?
Visualisation Is Just One Way of Sensing in Your Mind
Visualisation is just one way of sensing in your mind. If you’re not visual, hypnotherapy still works with the other senses. Many people are visual and auditory – try to see what feels suitable for your body and mind. In hypnotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), we identify the primary sense used in the sessions. I ask my clients to complete a Predicate Test, which is a fun tool that helps them understand their model of the world and those around them.
If You’re Not Visual, Use Another Sense
If you’re not visual, move to another sense. Hearing is an excellent way to recall information. For example, what does the voice of Mickey Mouse or Daffy Duck sound like? Do you often hear a parent’s voice telling you off when you were a child? Most people are running a constant dialogue or self-talk in their minds. I incorporate sounds when working with clients in hypnotherapy, NLP, and Emotional Freedom technique (EFT) sessions.
If recalling sounds doesn’t work for you, try something else like smell or taste; can you remember a perfume, maybe one from someone you loved as a child? For me, cigarette smoke is repugnant (even when I smoked, I wouldn’t say I liked the smell), but I like the smell of the tar when passing roadworks.
Do you have a favourite food and can recall the taste? Love or hate Marmite? Imagine the sourness of a lemon on the tongue or the sweetness of a ripe strawberry. These are all ways of using your senses and how they can be utilised in a therapy session.
Many people are both visual and auditory. If you’re visual, you may find it easier to imagine things in your mind’s eye. On the other hand, hearing something in your head might be easier if you’re auditory. Either way, visualising can help both types of people achieve their goals.
Focus On What Feels Suitable for Your Body and Mind
If you don’t see, try to listen. What are the sounds around you? If you’re in a forest with birds singing and leaves rustling, do those sounds give you any sense of where the trail is leading?
How does it feel when you step on loose rocks or sharp twigs? Does the ground slope up or down?
Visualisation is just one way of sensing in your mind, so use whatever works for you. If visualisation isn’t your thing, try other senses like auditory (hearing) or kinesthetic (touching). Many people are visual and auditory, so they can use both types of sensory input to learn best.
See what feels suitable for your body and mind.
This free test can help you understand how you prefer to receive information. It measures how you interpret sounds, words, and speech. It takes just a few minutes to complete and reveals patterns shaping how you learn, speak, and listen.
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