Direct suggestions: saying clearly what you mean

A direct suggestion is an explicit invitation or instruction to notice, imagine or do something. It may be as straightforward as “Sit back and get comfortable”, “Close your eyes if you wish” or “Notice the weight of your head supported by the pillow.”

During a relaxation or hypnotic induction, we might draw attention to what is already happening: “You can feel the couch supporting your body” or “As you breathe out, allow your shoulders to soften.” A clear suggestion can provide focus without requiring the therapist to claim that the client is already relaxed.

Direct suggestions in clinical practice

When someone has chosen to work on smoking, for example, a traditional direct suggestion might focus on an aversion to cigarettes: “The longer you don't smoke, the more unpleasant the smell may become.” My original article used stronger versions, such as suggesting that the smell of cigarette smoke would become repulsive. These are examples of the language historically used in hypnosis, not outcomes we can promise. I would ordinarily prefer wording linked to the client's own reasons and chosen coping strategies.

Likewise, an older phobia script might say: “No matter how hard you try, you cannot find that fear of spiders.” That is a strong direct suggestion, but it assumes the fear has gone. I would instead tailor the language to the client's progress: “You may be able to notice the first signs that you are responding differently.”

At an initial consultation I might explain that listening to a relaxation recording between sessions can support practice and familiarity, where it is appropriate for the client. I would not tell somebody that they must listen or promise it will produce a particular result. And when I end a session with “Keep up the good work”, I am still using a direct, encouraging suggestion — one that acknowledges the effort they have already made.

If somebody is uncomfortable being told how to feel, declaring “You are relaxed now” may simply draw attention to the fact that they are not. The skill is to observe, ask and adjust rather than persist with a statement that does not fit.

Indirect suggestions: creating room for discovery

Indirect suggestions offer a possibility rather than a fixed response. They often begin with expressions such as “I wonder…”, “You might notice…”, “Perhaps…” or “I'm curious to know…”. They can be particularly useful when we want to encourage exploration without imposing an experience.

We might say “I wonder whether you will notice the support of the chair first, or the movement of your breathing?” or “Perhaps you remember a time when it felt easier to settle.” A metaphor, a carefully framed choice or a future-focused question can also function as a suggestion.

The Miracle Question

Solution Focused practice gives us a familiar example. If a client describes themselves as a three on a scale of zero to ten, we might ask: “Imagine you wake tomorrow and something has changed — you are now a six. What would be the first small sign that tells you things are different?”

We have not informed the client that they are a six. We have invited them to imagine what a six would look like in their ordinary life. They may tell us they get out of bed more easily, speak to somebody, or approach a task they have been avoiding. These details belong to the client, not the therapist.

My earlier example — “I wonder if you can already feel how much calmer you are now that your fear of dogs has left you” — combines a soft introduction with a strong assumption. The “I wonder” sounds indirect; “your fear has left you” is a direct claim. A more collaborative alternative is: “I wonder what you have noticed, if anything, about how you feel around dogs since we last met.”

That is a subtle but important change. It gives the client room to say “better”, “the same”, or even “worse”, without feeling they are disappointing their therapist.

Direct and indirect suggestions: examples side by side

Here are examples of how the same therapeutic intention can be expressed in different ways. Neither column is universally correct; both need to be adapted to the client's preferences and agreed goals.

Notice how both versions can remain positive, specific and grounded. We are not relying on mysterious words: we are working with attention, expectation, imagery and the relationship between the therapist and client.

Five useful ways to shape a suggestion

For more detail about the role of stories and imagery, see my related article on hypnotic metaphors.

Six gentle suggestibility tests and demonstrations

Suggestibility demonstrations can be interesting for hypnosis students because they illustrate how attention, imagery and expectations can influence experience. They are sometimes used as informal “convincers”. But they should never become a pass-or-fail judgement on the client.

The six examples below are illustrative exercises, not a validated assessment scale. Use only with informed consent and adapt or omit movement-based exercises if someone has pain, mobility limitations, a relevant medical condition or simply does not wish to participate. Keep exercises brief and comfortable; stop immediately if discomfort develops.

For more about measurement and established instruments, read Hypnotic Depth Scales and What Are Suggestibility Tests in Hypnosis?.

How to use suggestion safely and ethically

Therapeutic language can shape expectations. That makes it powerful enough to deserve care, not exaggeration. In my work I would rather adapt a sentence to the client than expect the client to fit a script.

• Agree the purpose first. Explain what is being invited, why it may be relevant, and that the client can decline.
• Respect what is actually happening. Do not insist that somebody is relaxed, pain-free or free of a fear if that is not their experience.
• Make room for different responses. Clients can keep their eyes open, move, ask questions or stop.
• Do not use suggestion to create memories. Avoid leading someone towards supposedly recovered memories or treating imagined material as factual evidence.
• Avoid absolute promises. “You will never smoke again”, “Your anxiety has disappeared” and “You cannot feel pain” can be misleading and inappropriate.
• Know the limits of your practice. Use appropriate assessment, supervision, referral and recognised treatment pathways for more complex presentations.

Suggestions may support attention, coping and therapeutic learning, but they do not remove the need for an appropriate formulation, informed consent or evidence-based care. In particular, a person who is anxious or distressed may need validation before being invited to imagine calm.

Are indirect suggestions more effective?

It is tempting to say that people resist instructions but welcome hints. Sometimes that fits our experience in the therapy room. The research, however, is more nuanced.

A 1993 conceptual and methodological review found insufficient evidence that indirect suggestions were generally superior to direct suggestions on hypnotic test responses. A 2024 experimental pain study reported benefits from both styles in its particular laboratory conditions, but the authors cautioned against assuming the results directly apply to clinical pain.

A 2024 systematic review of hypnosis theories described how suggestions can affect behaviour, perception and experienced agency while emphasising that scientists still debate the mechanisms involved. More recent research into Ericksonian approaches is promising in certain settings, but it does not establish that indirect language is always the best choice.

Research has also highlighted that hypnotic responsiveness is not simply one ability. Observable movements and subjective experiences can diverge, which is why a single informal test should not be used to label a person “hypnotisable” or “not hypnotisable”.

The Solution Focused perspective

In Solution Focused work, I often find the most valuable questions are those that help the client describe the difference they want to notice. We use scaling, the Miracle Question, reflection on what is already working, and realistic rehearsal of the next small step.

That approach has influenced how I use hypnotic suggestions. Instead of making a sweeping statement that a problem has vanished, I can invite somebody to imagine an ordinary moment in which they respond a little differently. Instead of telling them that the future is certain, we can explore what they may choose to do if an opportunity appears.

And sometimes, at the end of a session, “Keep up the good work” is exactly the right phrase: simple, direct, encouraging and rooted in what they themselves have done.

The best suggestions, in my view, are those that leave the client with greater confidence in their own abilities — rather than confidence in the therapist's words alone.

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