What Is Ericksonian Hypnosis?

Ericksonian hypnosis is a collaborative approach that trusts the unconscious mind.

Posted May 20, 2025 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

When I work with clients and students who are new to hypnotherapy, they often arrive with fixed ideas about what hypnosis is. Sometimes these ideas are shaped by seeing hypnotic stage shows, where friends or family appear to behave in strange or out-of-character ways. Even when people come with a more informed understanding of the therapeutic potentials of hypnotherapy, they often assume the hypnotherapist will simply “tell them what to do” in a direct and authoritative way. While this is one valid approach in hypnotherapy, Ericksonian hypnosis offers an alternative, and extremely effective, hypnotherapeutic modality.

Milton Erickson was a psychiatrist who worked primarily during the mid-20th century. He was a fascinating and complex individual, and many of his beliefs about life, the mind, and healing can be traced back to his early—and often serious—health challenges, including a prolonged battle with polio. From a young age, Erickson was deeply curious about communication: not just what people said, but how they said it. He noticed that people often communicated indirectly to express themselves more effectively, and he became increasingly interested in how subtle, nuanced language could influence thought and behaviour.

His physical disabilities also led him to explore how we communicate internally—with our bodies, our unconscious minds, and the parts of ourselves that operate beyond conscious awareness. One often-repeated story illustrates this. As a young man recovering from polio, Erickson found himself almost completely paralysed. While sitting on a commode, he noticed that his body was making small movements. He realised that, although he hadn't consciously tried to move, his body was somehow making subtle shifts. Yet when he consciously tried to move, nothing happened. This became one of his foundational insights: Conscious effort wasn’t always the key to change. In fact, it could sometimes get in the way. It was the unconscious, responsive part of him that held the power to move, to heal, and to transform. This theme would sit at the heart of all his future work.

Because Ericksonian hypnosis differs so greatly from the more directive styles people often associate with hypnosis, it can be difficult to grasp at first. Milton Erickson didn't write a "how to" manual, and instead we understand his work through written case studies, recordings, his writings about hypnosis and the mind, and recollections of his students. 1-3 Whilst this body of work is substantial, a helpful way to begin understanding this approach is by focusing on five key principles that define his work. These are not just useful for understanding how Ericksonian hypnotherapy functions, but can also offer insight if you're looking for a practitioner who incorporates this method into their sessions.

In traditional hypnosis, it’s common to hear statements like, “You will feel more confident after today’s session.” But Ericksonian hypnosis takes a different route, which respects the inner landscape of the client. Imagine someone who has felt unsure of themselves for years. A bold, direct statement may feel unbelievable or even provoke resistance. An Ericksonian hypnotherapist might instead say, “You might begin to notice a growing sense of confidence ,” which feels more natural and less confrontational. It invites the unconscious to entertain a new possibility, rather than imposing it from the outside.

2. Introducing Vagueness

Another expectation many people have is that hypnosis involves very specific instructions: “You’ll eat apples instead of chocolate,” for example. But the Ericksonian perspective acknowledges that human motivation is layered and complex. Just because someone consciously wants to choose apples doesn’t mean every part of them is on board with that decision. By introducing vagueness—something like, “Perhaps you’ll begin to notice yourself being more drawn to healthier choices”—the suggestion becomes more open-ended. The client’s unconscious is free to interpret it in a way that fits their unique experience and values. This creates space for more genuine and lasting change.

3. Sticking With Client Metaphors

We often expect therapists to help us understand our experiences. While that can be useful, Ericksonian hypnosis is more concerned with helping people stay with their experiences in a meaningful way. If you describe feeling “fizzy,” a more analytical therapist might ask you to define what that means. But an Ericksonian therapist might help you sink deeper into that fizzy feeling—exploring how it shows up in your body, what shifts in you as you notice it, and how it evolves. This isn’t about bypassing understanding, but about creating room for inner experience to unfold without rushing to interpret it. It can often reach parts of the psyche that cognitive approaches can’t touch.

4. Using Metaphors and Storytelling

Erickson didn’t only use the metaphors his clients brought; he was also a gifted storyteller who shared metaphors of his own to speak directly to the unconscious mind. One well-known example is of a young boy who came to him with a bed-wetting problem. Instead of discussing the issue directly, Erickson talked with him about baseball—particularly the importance of timing, like knowing when to let go of the ball during a pitch. This story resonated deeply with the boy, who loved sports. Although bed-wetting was never mentioned, the issue resolved. These kinds of indirect interventions can allow for transformation without resistance.

5. Using Milton Model Language

Milton Model language, formalised in the field of neuro-linguistic programming, is a based on Erickson’s hypnotic language patterns. If you’ve ever left a hypnotherapy or coaching session feeling unexpectedly shifted—without being able to pinpoint exactly why—it’s likely that Milton Model language was at play. This style of communication uses vague, permissive language and patterns that subtly lead the client while maintaining their sense of agency.

One powerful example is the double bind . Rather than saying, “You’re going to relax now,” an Ericksonian therapist might say, “I don’t know whether you’ll feel a deepening sense of relaxation in your body first, or a sense of letting go in your mind.” The client hears a choice, and because they feel they have agency, they are more likely to engage with one of the options. In truth, both paths lead toward the same goal, but the client feels respected and in control.

Whether you’re exploring hypnotherapy as part of your own healing or looking to deepen your practice as a therapist, Erickson’s approach creates conditions in which change becomes possible. At the heart of Ericksonian hypnosis lies a deep respect for the inner wisdom each person holds, and this approach invites us to slow down, listen differently, and trust the subtle power of the unconscious mind.

Erickson, M. H., & Rossi, E. L. (1976). Hypnotic Realities: The Induction of Clinical Hypnosis and Forms of Indirect Suggestion . Irvington Publishers.
Rosen, S. (Ed.). (1982). My Voice Will Go With You: The Teaching Tales of Milton H. Erickson . W. W. Norton & Company.
Erickson, M. H. (1980–1985). The Collected Papers of Milton H. Erickson on Hypnosis (E. L. Rossi, Ed.; Vols. 1–4). Irvington Publishers.

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Claire Jack, Ph.D. , is a hypnotherapist, life coach, researcher, and training provider who specialises in working with women with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She was herself diagnosed with ASD in her forties.

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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.