The Question is the Answer: Focusing on Solutions with Cognitive Hypnotherapy

This is a well-researched book that combines hypnosis and NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) and the author's analysis of how people get stuck and how to help them go beyond that to less troubled lives. Cognitive Hypnotherapy provides a framework for both understanding ourselves and our lives and many ways for therapists to tailor treatments to their clients. It is theoretical and pragmatic. Part One is about the science of ourselves, and Part Two gives the philosophy and practice of cognitive therapy. Silvester suggests (p. 4) "... that what we call memory is just part of a larger system that I call memoragination. It comprises our remembered past, our perceived present, and our anticipated future." He goes on to state that this is necessarily plastic, is being continuously updated, and that changing it can lead to new behaviours. Since memory is malleable it can be changed so that the "memories" which control our lives can be effectively reframed to lead to more satisfactory lives. Two critical observations provide the basis for this. The first was Ernest Rossi's about the fact that you cannot access a memory without changing it because your present perspective influences the emotional coloring of the event in your mind. The second is Joseph LeDoux's discovery that every time you recall a memory it renders it "unstable" in the sense that it can be changed. This means that the mood you're in when you remember something can affect the way you recall it next time. Silvester emphasizes the power of AS-IF, that is, the world that we live in becomes the one we anticipate, and we thus become the kind of person who lives in such a world. This is the essence of the effectiveness of the power to change clients via the use of the Miracle Question. Silvester summarizes this as (p. 35), "We create the future we anticipate, so be mindful of your language." Hypnosis is a major player in these changes, and the author rightly suggests that any time you are working with memories that the client is in a trance state. The goal of therapy is to go from problem to solution. One way of doing this is via Time-Line Therapy, and the author gives details as to how this may be done. (Incidentally, David Cheek's used ideomotor signalling as a way of effectively doing this.) Silvester's use of language to bring about change in these ways is precise and elegant, and is some of the most careful I have ever read. In Part 2.5 six methods are presented in pragmatic detail for effecting change via the use of submodalities. These can be considered to be the basic units of thoughts as in the variants in which we see (visual), feel (kinesthetic), and hear (auditory). The six methods are: headache cure, swish pattern, spinning, dropthrough, visual squash, and rewind. There is not sufficient space in this review to adequately discuss these methods-suffice it to state that they need to be studied, and should be in the toolkit of every therapist. Silvester's analysis of how people get to be who they are and how you can be an effective change agent in their lives is brilliant, and studying this book will change the way that you work.

I was taught cognitive hypnotherapy many years ago by Rebecca & Trevor Silvestor. They opened my eyes, ears, mind and heart to a better way. Word weaving is a magical language of transformation and every therapist should read all about it.

This book is a part of the trilogy of books the author has named Cognitive Hypnotherapy, and you will get the most of them if you go through all three - Wordweaving, The Question is the Answer (previously called Wordweaving 2), and Cognitive Hypnotherapy: What's That About.The Question is the Answer continues where the first book, Wordweaving, volume 1 left off.While the first book, Wordweaving, is focused on explaining the elements used in the Wordweaving / Cognitive Hypnotherapy process, the second book is focused on putting together all those elements and applying them to problems states for the purpose of priming the client's mind with the evidence of the solution states.

If you are a hypnotherapist, coach or NLP practitioner, this is a great tool to have on your shelf. Taking you back to your basics and a reminder of how you started on the path to become a practitioner in any of the above, it reminds you about connecting with your processes and the ones your clients use. I believe sometimes we get entrenched in various ways of communicating and forget the basics, but this pulls you back a few steps and refreshes your sessions a little with ways to prise you out of a 'stuck' situation. Super little book.

As someone with a non-professional interest in NLP and therapy, I found the book an excellent insight into ascertaining the structure of someone's problem. The style is readable and there are enough exercises to help the reader develop their own skills. It is an essential companion to Silvester's other two books on Cognitive Hypnotherapy (i.e, "Wordweaving" and "Cognitive Hypnotherapy")

Trevor's books are all good to have on the shelf. Easy to read, good knowledge and helpful exercises to use on oneself or with clients. I recommend him to friends and colleagues who are into hypnotherapy as they will find these become familiar friends.

It's verry good to have the book with much interesting opportunities. I think its is throught whem you can listen quite well what the patient referred.

Excellent read!