Abstract

This article reviews the role of evocative communication in psychotherapy and hypnosis. In hypnosis, the goal is to elicit a change in the client’s state. Hypnosis is defined in a relational context and does not require conscious awareness to have an impact. Therapists can extend their understanding of hypnotic processes to psychotherapy to elicit conceptual realizations that empower changes in states and identities. Metaphor and signification, two examples of evocative communication, are widely used in the arts to create emotional impact. The therapist’s “palette of colors” includes words, gestures, tone, tempo and locus of voice, and posture. The authors contend that: a) effective hypnotherapy and psychotherapy are anchored in evocative communication; b) communication techniques can be taught and studied; c) evocative communication spurs the activation of the subconscious; and d) the subconscious can effect changes in state that can result in solutions to psychological problems.

Key words: hypnosis; hypnotic induction; psychotherapy; metaphor; evocative; experiential signification.