Hypnotherapy Tackles ADD/ADHD

One of the most common problems children who have ADD/ADHD are faced with is low self-esteem. This is a major area where hypnotherapy can help. A child who feels positive about him or herself is able to accomplish anything that they want to, but that is often difficult with the outside influences surrounding ADD/ADHD. Any adult

who suffered from one of these disorders as a child well knows how cruel other children can be when they recognize that another child is different from them. If you are a parent who is interested in learning more about how hypnotherapy can help with ADD/ADHD, here are some things to look for in a therapist and some things that your therapist will be able to work on with your child.

Rapport:

Rapport is that feeling between the client and therapist where there is mutual trust and harmony. It's that feeling where we "click" with one another. As adults, we know right away whether or not we like someone. It is the same for children, sometimes even more so. One of the first lessons in hypnotherapy classes is how to develop rapport with your client. If you don't have it, the sessions will be a waste of time. Look for a hypnotherapist who is used to working with children and who has experience with ADD/ADHD clients. I can't stress how important it will be for your child to like their hypnotherapist in order to have success with the sessions.

Let the child know that they are perfectly fine just the way they are:

Be sure to let your child know that you are NOT trying to change them. Let them know that the sessions will help them feel better about themselves, help them having a positive attitude, and relieve some of their symptoms. By letting the child know that they, like us, are experiencing exactly what they are meant to experience at this moment in time, they will have permission to accept themselves. It will also help them to be open and honest about what they are experiencing because they know that it is okay to be experiencing these things.

Don't expect your child to do this alone:

It is just as important for the parents of a child with ADD/ADHD receive treatment as it is for the child. Do you think you feel frustrated? Imagine how you would feel if you were experiencing the same symptoms as your child. It will be important for you to have someone to talk to who understands

what you're going through. That will take a lot of stress, anxiety, and resentment out of the relationship you have with your child, too.

Spend time with your child and encourage positive self-talk:

You will be able to do for your child what no therapist in the world can do because you're with them the majority of the time. In the world of ADD/ADHD, there is a lot of negative self-talk, especially when first diagnosed. ADD/ADHD clients often repeat the same thing over and over again, and if that is a negative comment, it can leave a vast amount of negative messages in the subconscious mind. When you're with your child and hear them putting themselves down, encourage them to turn the comment into something positive. If we believe we are smart and can do anything, then we can!

Don't accept ADD/ADHD as an excuse for doing poorly:

It is easy to fall into the habit of saying, "Oh, Jimmy isn't doing well in school because of his ADD. He can't help it." If you believe this, Jimmy will believe it! Find out what your child enjoys about school and build on that. If your child knows that it is possible to make changes and has the confidence to do it, they will make the effort. There are many case studies of children with ADD/ADHD where they were making D's and F's at the beginning of therapy and were able to improve their grades to C's and above. Don't give up, and your child won't give up.

Test Taking:

This is another area that can be tough for the child with ADD/ADHD. The hypnotherapist will be able to help the child relax and calm their mind before a test by using what is commonly called an anchoring gesture. Hypnotic suggestions can be given with an associated gesture such as tugging the earlobe or touching the thumb and forefinger together to make a circle.This technique helps bring the child into

focus, as well as helping them to remember the details of the hypnotic suggestion right when they need it most. It is a very helpful and effective tool.

Self-Esteem: 

We've mentioned this several times in this article for a reason. Hypnotherapy is a fabulous tool for raising the self-esteem. Our self-esteem is the foundation of everything we do in this life. If someone feels great about him or herself, they're a force to be reckoned with! A child with a high self-esteem won't be affected by negative comments from other children. They can learn to set goals within their range and reach them. Once your child knows their strengths, has a positive attitude, and feels good about him or herself, the world is a whole new place.

Other ways hypnosis helps:

Hypnotic suggestions can help your child remember anything they want to remember, help they stay focused, help them love school, do their homework on time, pay attention in class, improve their attitude, and much more. The important thing is not to focus on too many areas in the first session, but the overall impact hypnosis can have on your child and your family is miraculous.

Our subconscious mind is an amazing thing. By directly accessing it to help create wellness, it can bring about permanent changes in our lives. If you're afraid that your child won't be able to focus on a hypnosis session, never fear. A good hypnotherapist will be able to discover what your child likes and direct their mind to that area while helping them heal subconsciously. Focusing on something as simple as a football or a balloon can take your child into hypnotic trance. The end result will be a happy, healthy, self-confident child who WANTS to succeed! And they will!

This article previously published at Holistic Alternatives,
by T. Darlene Cheek.