Help Sensitive Clients Overcome Negative Feedback with the Handling Criticism Hypnosis Script

Sensitivity to criticism can affect clients' self-esteem, motivation, relationships, and, in some cases, can undermine their ability to understand and interpret feedback.

The Handling Criticism Hypnosis Script from The Script Collection was put together to help clients overcome their fear of criticism and become less affected by it.

The script opens with a pre-talk that explains the drawbacks of hypersensitivity and the benefits of overcoming it. Trust in the process is established through a detailed explanation of the client's condition. It covers how criticism affects sensitive people (ruminating for extended periods on hurtful remarks, knee-jerk defensive reactions, shutting down and not listening, etc.) and how the issue may have manifested.

Critical remarks are framed as a choice the client is offered, much like food or ideas, that can be accepted or rejected. They are assured that once they can distance themselves from immediately reacting to criticism, they will be able to assess the statements and decide whether they've been given valid information that can help them or heard unhelpful, unfair, or overgeneralized statements that they can discard without worry.

They are assured that they can live a life less affected by criticism while still benefiting from helpful comments and critiques from loved ones, bosses, and other people in their life.

The induction begins by encouraging the client to focus on taking slow, deep breaths. As they begin to unwind, the client is asked to feel themselves becoming curious about how "deeply and instinctively" they can relax. A progressive relaxation guides the client into a deeper state of calm, and embedded commands direct them to release any non-relaxing thoughts and allow pleasant sensations to fill the void that's left.

The client is led to imagine a "magical glass elevator" appearing in front of them. The doors slide open and the client steps inside, carefully noticing how spacious and comfortable it is. The elevator moves automatically, causing the light that surrounds it to change color. As the elevator descends, the client is guided toward their own deeper relaxation. An embedded command instructs them to open their mind to new possibilities.

As the elevator glides to a rest, the client notices they have arrived in a library stacked high with books. They are urged to fully observe their new surroundings, imagining the colors of the book jackets, the smell of the air, and the feel of the sun streaming through the overhead skylights.

The client is led toward one book in particular. It is larger than a person and, as they approach it, the client discovers it contains stories about their life. As they gaze at the book, its pages begin to turn automatically, each one detailing facts of their existence: the places they've visited, the people they know, and the things they've done. An embedded command directs the client to realize they can choose to "digest the words and sentences or not." They are asked to look only at the titles of each chapter, and choose one to read a memory that makes them feel relaxed and comfortable.

The full script continues.

Add the Handling Criticism Hypnosis Script to your script library today.

Handling Criticism is also available as an MP3 download.