[Fatima Asim]

In English, inception means the foundation or beginning of something.
The movie “Inception” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, represents it as planting an idea in an individual’s subconscious mind while they are dreaming, in a way that makes them believe that it was derived from their personal thoughts.
In hypnotherapy, this concept can be considered similar to giving suggestions to the client, during the state of deep relaxation. The therapist uses embedded suggestions including stories and metaphors which help the client accept those suggestions. The suggestions should be carefully made and delivered so that they do not seem foreign or alien to the client. Otherwise, they might be rejected by the client.
The idea of the movie “Inception” i.e., to hack or manipulate the dreams of others and implant one’s own ideas is not real. However, an individual can be influenced by someone’s beliefs or thoughts without them being fully and consciously aware of it. In hypnosis, when the suggestions are delivered in a state of deep relaxation and calm, the client is likely to accept those suggestions during or after the session, and they might not be fully aware of where the idea actually came from.
For example, a client finds it hard to be alone, and in situations where he is alone, he panics and fears that he might die or pass out. The therapist will induce a state of calm and relaxation followed by visualization and embedded suggestions to help him feel safe, secure, and in control. This is followed by hypnotic amnesia which would help him to distance those feelings of anxiousness and fear slowly and gradually, and suggestions promoting calm, relaxation, and safety during the times the client is alone. This helps the client forget the memories that made him feel unsafe and fearful, and reframe his thoughts, leading to a sense of calm and security in situations where he is alone. The client might gradually begin to feel that he is becoming confident and in control of his situation. He might not realize that the idea or suggestion was not his but was introduced by the therapist.

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