Your client has been prepared comfortably and they are feeling an energy between the hands. The first question is if the client is able to make an inner connection and implicitly explore their inner world to solve their problem. The following invitation will inform both of you that the client is ready to move toward solving their problem. This is the first question that connects progressively, in four stages, with the client’s inner self.
The Practitioner’s Guide to Mirroring Hands
Stage 1
(1) When (2) your inner mind is ready to solve your problem (3) will those hands move together all by themselves to signal yes?
If the hands do move together, then both therapist and client know they are ready to continue. If there is no movement, then we utilize the fail-safe quality of the process by responding positively to the client about there being no response. There is no failure in Mirroring Hands; even no answer is an answer. The client and the therapist can take a “no” response to simply mean that the inner mind is not yet ready to solve the problem. There are still many options available. For example, it might be decided, together, that more time is needed to feel safe about opening up to their inner world. You might decide to utilize a different therapeutic approach. The therapist might even ask the client if they have become aware of something interesting or surprising that was different from the therapist’s request. Did they feel something in another part of their body? Did they have an unusual thought or visualization, or hear something, or perhaps notice an aroma? What happens to the client is the absolute center of the process. The basic accessing question thus relieves both the therapist and the client of the stress of “fear of failure” in therapy.
Let us assume that there was a movement response to that first basic accessing question. The client is often surprised that their hands moved all by themselves. Sometimes it is helpful for the therapist to give a little reassurance that it is quite normal for movements to occur outside of our conscious control, even though it does feel strange. The important thing is for the client to feel confident that a connection has been created between their inner implicit operator-self and their conscious observer- self. That means they are ready to solve problems.
The next stage is to ask if the client is able to explore what their implicit, inner world knows and remembers. Accessing information that has been held, or perhaps even hidden, in the inner space needs to be done carefully. It may not be safe to just jump in recklessly. Using a basic accessing ques- tion is a sensitive way for a therapist to gently ask the client for permission to proceed. Even more
important, the client is discovering the feeling of their outer self asking their inner self if it is safe to proceed.
Stage 2
(1) When (2) the inner you is able to experience all the sources, memories, and emotions related to your problem (3) will one hand drift down toward your lap … all by itself?
If there is a positive response to this question about accessing information held in their inner world, the next stage is to explore whether the client will be able to access problem-solving capacities and abilities in their inner, implicit space.
Stage 3
(1) As soon as it is appropriate (2) to review all the options for solving that problem in the best manner (3) will that other hand go down, or perhaps rise up, or even stay just where it is?
The Practitioner’s Guide to Mirroring Hands
This is a simplified and idealized example that does not include all the options that can emerge when working with a client. It is always good to offer the client other alternatives, so that every response is seen, by both therapist and client, as a positive response: “Will that other hand rise up?” or “Will that other hand feel like staying just where it is?” You could offer this as a double or triple bind. The purpose is not necessarily to have the hands move, but for the client to feel a confirming sensation or activity, so they are confident to continue the process on the assumption that something helpful is happening.
The final stage is to bring the client to a conclusion, prepare them for future work, and enable the natural, implicit problem-solving and mind–body healing processes to begin their activity.
Stage 4
(1) When (2) your unconscious knows it can continue with that inner healing you are feeling now, at the appropriate times during the day, and (1) when (2) your conscious mind knows it can coop- erate by helping you recognize those periods during the day, (3) will you find yourself awakening?
We now repeat the four questions without commentary. You might like to read them aloud to see how simple they are and also to appreciate the opportunity the client is being given to feel their own inner voice.
Stage 1
(1 )When (2) your inner mind is ready to solve your problem (3) will those hands move together all by themselves to signal yes?
Stage 2
(1) When (2) the inner you is able to experience all the sources, memories, and emotions related to your problem (3) will one hand drift down all by itself?
Stage 3
(1) As soon as it is appropriate (2) to review all the options for solving that problem in the best manner (3) will that other hand go down (or whatever)?
Stage 4
(1) When (2) your unconscious knows it can continue that inner healing hypnosis, and (1) when (2) your conscious mind knows it can cooperate by helping you recognize those periods during the day, (3) will you find yourself awakening?