Story telling is more permissive than direct suggestions. Susceptible individuals may actually dissociate spontaneously during a trauma or crisis. This tendency may be used therapeutically in emergency situations. However, I occasionally will use hypnosis to interrupt an intense emotional state while waiting for other medical treatments to take effect. One must use caution when using hypnosis with these individuals, but hypnosis is not absolutely contraindicated.
Hypnosis can be a useful part of exploratory psychotherapy.
The therapist often makes use of metaphorical stories to help the patient develop another way of looking at certain situations. Hypnotizability Some, such as the Speigels, feel that each individual has an innate capacity for achieving trance state. They see this capacity as relatively stable over time. They suggest that there may be inheritability of this capacity. Thus, they do not use deepening techniques as much as other clinicians.