A good friend of mine, who is a licensed Mental Health Specialist and has a background in hypnotherapy, sent me an email recently asking an interesting question:
Can hypnosis be used effectively with someone who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing?
Apparently he got into an interesting discussion with another hypnotist who questioned whether or not hypnosis could in fact be used successfully in treating individuals who are D/deaf or hard of hearing.
I responded by saying that yes, I do believe that Deaf people can be hypnotized just like anyone else. In fact, I remember when I was a student at Gallaudet many years ago, one of my classmates was a man who himself was a Deaf hypnotist, and I remember watching him do a demonstration of such on a Deaf audience. It was fun to watch people doing different things while in a hypnotic state.
However, I do wish to clarify that what my friend is referring to here isn’t really the “fun and games” hypnosis that one might see done on the stage for entertainment purposes. Rather, what we are talking about is the usage of hypnosis as a treatment method in psychotherapy – using it to help people tap into parts of their subconscious they may have repressed, or as a way of putting them into a trance where they journey into their inner consciousness and discover new things about themselves.
I myself have had an interesting experience which involved the use of hypnosis to help induce me into a trance-like state in which I was able to journey to a safe place in my subconscious where I was able to have a conversation with two deceased individuals from my past, and tell them the things I wasn’t able to when they were still alive. This therapeutic experience brought me much peace and comfort, and helped to put closure to a situation that had been bothering me for some time.
Yes… perhaps the procedures used have to differ a bit due to the communication issues involved. As my friend – who is himself hard of hearing and does use a hearing aid – had to say
I myself am convinced that it can be done…that it is just a matter of innovation since the communication dynamics change a little, and thus there has to be an openness to changing some of the process which initially one was taught is the “right way” to do it.
So I would like to inquire of my Deaf/deaf/hard of hearing readership…
Have you ever been hypnotized? Have you ever used hypnosis as part of a therapy treatment? If so, what methods were used? Do you believe that hypnosis can in fact be used effectively with deaf or hard of hearing individuals? What would be some of the “challenges” involved, and how could they be modified? What methods or procedures would need to be changed?
I know my friend Harold would be interested in any information the readership would like to share, and I admit I am curious to learn what experiences others might have had with this approach. Feel free to leave a comment if you desire (you make make it anonymous if you prefer) and share your thoughts!
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I’ve always wondered if that was possible– thanks for satisfying my curiosity!
Interesting question, Ocean!
Although I have gone for counseling with a psychotherapist, we never used hypnosis as part of my therapy.
I do have a Deaf friend who told me that his doctor used hypnosis as part of his treatment to stop smoking. He says that it did help some, but it was done as part of an overall treatment, and he’s not sure if it would have worked effectively all by itself. He did feel it helped to reduce some of his craving for cigarettes.
I don’t know if I have ever been “formally” hypnotized, but I did attend a workshop one time where we were taught how to do trancework and journeying… and put into something of a meditative state with the use of drumming, chanting, etc. Would this be considered a form of hypnosis? With my hearing aids I could hear the drumbeat, and I could feel it as well. It was quite hypnotic. The workshop presenter “guided” us through our journey, and I found it interesting that I was able to watch the interpreter and still go into a trance! It was a pretty awesome experience.
Again, I don’t know if this could be considered hypnosis, but I do think that Deaf people can be hypnotized, and it could possibly be done with an interpreter – although I would think it would be more effective if the hypnotist could sign for himself/herself.
Just my thoughts… I would be curious to know what others think!
Yes, it’s entirely possible. In fact, the Clinical Psychology Ph.D program at Gallaudet University offers a class in hypnotism to students in that program.
Yes, I know Dr Candace McCullough of ASC in Maryland has used hypnosis in her work with Deaf clients. You may want to contact her to ask questions. She is Deaf herself.
This is very interesting. I am a deaf social worker in the mental health field over 25 years, and I have not encountered with a deaf client who had used hypnosis. I have always wondered about it and how it works with deaf clients. Thanks for bringing this up. I would love to learn more about it.
It only goes to follow that deaf people can be hypnotized. Afterall, they see, don’t they? Not all hypnosis is done with the eyes closed – there is eye open hypnosis (that’s the way most athletes do it).
Since hypnosis is a state of mind rather than a state of eyes, I believe that the deaf can be hypnotized.
Hypnotizing deaf with sign language may not work, some of us need captions lol….
Look at this text
Look at this text
Look at this text
Your eyes are getting heavy..
WHOA too much !!! now you’re asleep and I can’t communicate to you lol
Interesting. I did wonder about it… I believe we all can hypnotize ourselves (looking at candles, watching the ocean waves, looking at text as MM said, etc.), but using hypnosis on a deaf person in order to communicate with him or her… I have no clue on it.
So the posting is enlightening and the comments also…
you talked to the dead? sweet… big money in that.
Personally, I don’t know. I’ve never had it successfully applied to me, but it may be that the methodology would have to change slightly as commented on.
BTW, you have no timestamps on your post or on the comments. With my luck this comment is like two weeks later or something
Hypnosis can most certainly be used with deaf clients. I’ve been doing it for years as a part of my treatment protocols. In fact, I will soon be training other therapists in its use with deaf folks. I will be teaching a sister technique at a week long seminar the end of this month at Gallaudet through the College of Professional Studies and Outreach. The class is in Eye Movement Integration. Check it out on the Gallaudet website. You can also read about hypnotising deaf people on my website at http://www.deninger.com.
Well this is certainly encouraging and I am glad I raised the question to Ocean.
When this question was first posed to me, my immediate response was “Why not?” but not having any research or examples at hand didn’t really give me credibility to answer more in depth.
It is certainly a powerful tool to use in therapy and self improvement, and it’s always interesting to watch speakers who say they don’t use hypnosis actually use it, kind of like a rose by an other name. I have found it very powerful and being HOH myself, have wondered off and on should I totally loose any capacity to hear sound/voice, would I still be able to engage in it-although at a deeper level I knew that I would, but may have to be innovative.
Hey,
I had an opportunity to watch hypnosis used on a Deaf client (with her permission, of course), and it was amazing. ASL was used, and, yes, it worked!
I was asked not to give details but I saw it.
Carl
Here is a research article I found. Interesing results and I wonder how much hearing vs. deaf bias came into play.
1: Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 1995 Oct;43(4):375-85. Links
A comparison of the hypnotic experience between signing deaf and hearing participants.
Matthews WJ, Isenberg GL.
School and Counseling Program, School of Education, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 01003-4150.
This study compared the hypnotic responsiveness of 17 hearing and 34 deaf individuals, all of whom received visual induction and hypnotic suggestions via some form of signing. The comparison between deaf and hearing participants was analyzed on five dependent measures: (a) the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C); (b) participants’ individual item performance; (c) overall trance depth; (d) a rapport scale; and (e) a resistance scale measuring attitudes of participants toward the hypnotist. Although all participants showed at least a moderate level of hypnotic responsiveness, the data did not indicate a significant main effect between deaf and hearing participants on any of the dependent measures. However, there was a tendency (p < .08) for hearing participants to show a greater hypnotic responsiveness than deaf participants. Additionally, there was a significant difference between all the signing participants combined when compared to the norming population on three items of the SHSS:C. Clinical and theoretical implications of these data are discussed.
PMID: 7591339 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE
Great site and helpful information, thanks!
Dr. Mike Deninger is hearing. It is best to work with someone Deaf who knows how to do it. We must give business back to our own Deaf community. I worked with Mike before. He was not able to help me until I saw another Deaf person. What a big difference!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Allen.
I’m sorry that your experience with Dr. Mike Deninger was not a positive one… but I am rather uncomfortable with your implication that the fact he is hearing is the reason that your “treatment” with him failed.
I don’t believe in judging someone on the basis of their hearing ability. In the same way that we as Deaf people don’t want to be discriminated against because we cannot hear, we shouldn’t discriminate against others because they can.
Yes, I support the idea of giving back to the Deaf Community… but even more importantly I believe in utilizing the best qualified individual who can provide the best quality services to meet my needs. That has to take precedence over whether the person is Deaf or hearing. This is especially true when we are talking about my health – I’m not going to go to a doctor simply because he happens to be Deaf… I’m going to go to him because he happens to be the best person capable of helping me with my medical problem.
I was formerly seeing a mental health professional who is herself Deaf… and she was not able to help me. We were unable to establish a good working relationship, even though she was Deaf herself and could sign. We just didn’t click. So I quit seeing her and found another therapist who happens to be hearing… and for me that was a big difference. The hearing therapist was able to help me where the Deaf therapist was not.
You were not able to “click” with Dr. Deninger, and that’s okay. I’m glad you were able to find someone else.
But please… let’s not go playing the “blame game” and start using the Deaf vs. hearing argument to justify every negative experience that we have.
Sometimes that has nothing to do with it.
DEAR ALL READERS
Being totally deaf from birth, I have tirelessly spent over 22 years of extensive research, I still haven’t found a expert deaf hypnotherapist and or a skilled person who claims have been very experienced and skilled in hypnotising with the deaf have had considerable success the same degree as hearing clients would benefit from an highly competent professional hypnotherapist in effectively dealing with whatever therapy and or problem they have had, and or seek to resolve their problems to their satisfaction ? Is there anyone who can help me out on this important query ?
Secondly, I have yet to admit haven’t had success involving my other extensive research into effective and amazing subliminal CD’s technology which have helped countless of hearing people, but what about the profoundly deaf / hearing impaired individuals ? Is there anyone you might know and / or help me with this second important query, please ?
Thirdly, and finally, I am still researching and investigating with the latest and modern techological software (i.e. THE NEURO PROGRAMMER VERSION 2 AND MANY OF THESE SIMILIAR SOFTWARES PROGRAMMES, which can easily be found over the internet via google by typing: “software for the mind”) In view of these amazing technological advances with “visual” subliminal messaging techniques where messages are unobtrusively and discreetly flashed invisibly before the naked eye as from 500 to 1,000 messages per minute. It is the only ever present subconcious mind which can detect them visually where as the naked eye on a concious level cannot detect those invisible messages flashing on the screen whenever they are displayed onto any laptop computer and or PC ? The serious question is: Have there been any success and or claims from the Deaf Community around the world benefitting from these advanced technological visual software methods which I have just explicitly mentioned ?
Your answers and replies from one of my three queries is greatly welcomed so that we can help with our research to help deaf people to improve their lifes and or help them have the chance to benefit the same degree as hearing people who have remarkably benefitted from hypnotherapy via an highly skilled and competent hypnotherapist and as well as an NLP practitioner. May I sincerely thank you for your excellant goodwill and co-operation in this instance. Many, many Thanks. Tony (UK)
Hi there,
As to your question can hypnosis work for Deaf individuals?
Yes. I have helped years ago with a professional hypnotist sitting in a chair and the Deaf client sitting opposite of her and I sat on the floor interpreting in ASL for the client.
Having the client’s eyelids lowered helped to stay in the relaxed state. The session was very successful.
I also helped one more deaf person and seen him get hypnotized successfully too.
You may want to try that mode – have a _skilled_ mellow (easy on the eye) interpreter to sit on the floor few inches from the client’s feet and always stay still in order to not distract or break the client’s focus.
Hi there, I’ve accidently come across this site whilst I’m browsing around Google as I’m looking for some info on hypnotherapy and NLP. It is an interesting website so I’ve bookmarked this site and intend to return another day to have a more detailed look when I can give it more time.
With the development of the first psychiatric inpatient facility for the deaf within a state mental hospital, the need for the development of new therapeutic technique for use with the deaf has been reemphasized.
The paper describes the first use of hypnotic techniques devised specifically for the deaf mentally ill patient. The procedure for hypnosis and its application to 12 congenitally deaf mentally ill patients are described, and the ramifications for further development of hypnotic techniques with the deaf are briefly discussed.
Clinical Hypnotherapy is a powerful therapeutic tool that deals with the causes of problems rather than the symptoms.
Can someone help me to find hypnosis for overcoming shyness for deaf people and how good is the hypnosis?
Thanks for reading and I will look on the comments’ board for more information
Hi there. What I find hard to believe is how does a deaf person loose the “concentration” needed for either hand sign or lip formation? Trying hard here to imagine! I have to concentrate , more so in the lip reading than the sign language …and this leads on to another thing, to be really and truely relaxed when using sign language I think it has to be “fast and furious” and extremely fluently done for me to be in a completely suggestible state. So…??
I think you are missing the point here, Jo Jo.
Hypnosis isn’t about having a conversation with another person. It’s about having a conversation with your Inner Self. The other person is only there to help guide you on the journey.
It seems to me you are concentrating TOO hard, and this is where the problem comes. Hypnosis and meditation might require focus, but this is different from concentration. You want to relax your mind, not have it racing with different images, etc.
The words and the speech of the hypnotist are going to be vastly different from having a regular conversation with you. Most likely they will use few words, and their speech will be much slower than normal. It’s not going to be the “fast and furious” conversation that you seem to be implying above.
The success of being in a “suggestible state” is to be open to the suggestion. Your comment above hints that you’re rather the skeptic, so I have to wonder if you would make a good subject for hypnosis simply because you’re not willing to allow yourself to enter into such a state of being.
Hypnosis isn’t for everyone…and perhaps it is not for you. But judging from Ocean’s article and some of the comments, it does appear it has been successful for some Deaf people.
Might I suggest you allow yourself to be open to the possibility and give it a try before dismissing it all together?
Hello
I would very much like to find a therapist who has succeeded in hypnotizing the Deaf and or persons like myself that have a heaing disability. I wear H/A’s all of the time to assit me in every day life. As you may see on my web site, I am a professional hypnotist and a hypnosis insrtuctor. I find the possibility of hypnotizing fully deaf and partially deaf people to help them wojuld be a very rewarding ability. Partially deaf I usually do not have a problem hypnotizing at all. The idea that hypnotizing fully deaf is really posssible is so amazing. My wife asked me recently if it would be possible to hypnotize someone who is deaf and what would the technique used. I do see some ideas here on this site that are well worth my time and my interest in researching this subject even more.
Any contacts with information or suggestions will be most welcome.
My email is rbroome684@yahoo.com
Subject shoujld be HOH and Hypnosis.
Thank you for this wonderful site and its eye opening infoprmation
I would not use Dr. Mike Deninger. He is hearing. It is better to use a deaf counselor or therapist who can do hypnosis. Support Deaf businesses.
Obviously you did not read my comment on this issue posted above. In my humble opinion, refusing to work with someone who is otherwise well qualified simply because he is hearing is just as discriminatory as refusing to work with someone because he is deaf.
Do I support Deaf Businesses? Of course. Certainly I will check out Deaf Professionals if there are any in the area. But I’m not obligated to use their services, and if I’m not impressed with the quality of their work, I won’t.
I am looking for one right now to help with my level of my tone. Hearing people say I talk too loud and I cannot control the loudness of my voice. My kids say I yell when actually I am talking but to them I am yelling.
If you know anyone who is successful, please email me martini_sf@hotmail.com
Thanks
I am not sure if hypnosis is going to be of much help with this issue.
Speaking or vocalizing too loudly is a common problem amongst those who are deaf or hard of hearing. It’s the “nature of the beast” you might say. I’ve had people tell me the same thing.
I’m unclear as to how you see a hypnotist helping you with this problem. Obviously hypnosis is not going to help with gaining any hearing, and this is the root of your “tone leverage” issues. (Actually it is not a tone problem, it’s a volume problem. Since one can’t hear sounds at normal volume, the tendency is to speak in volumes which are either above or below normal – too soft or too loud.)
It would seem a better solution would be to work with a speech pathologist who has experience working with deaf and hard of hearing individuals…and who might be able to assist you in finding ways to better control the volume of your voice. Using amplication (hearing aids) might help as well. I tend to speak in more normal volumes when I’m wearing my hearing aids.