What is a "transderivational search" and how can you use it to your advantage for hypnosis.

A Transderivational Search (TDS for short) is a term that means a search being conducted for a fuzzy match across a broad field. TDS is an unconscious process we all engage in whenever we hear something vague. For example, when we hear the word "dog", we search our memories for associations and meanings which identify what the word "dog" represents to us, at an unconscious level. At an "unconscious level". This is important to note, because it means that the search occurs in our subconscious mind, even before our conscious mind is aware anything was even said.

Words and phrases which trigger a TDS can be used to build rapport, and as a pattern interrupt, however they can also be used to break rapport.

When I say the phrase "The woman's dress...which was yellow, and had a brown belt, and had white polka-dots, fell off." your mind loses rapport with the phrase, because it constantly has to stop and re-evaluate what is being said. Meanwhile the phrase "The woman's yellow dress, with white polka-dots, and a brown belt, fell off." flows a bit more smoothly, because it helps the mind draw the picture as your read it.

When we use language patterns, like the 'Cause and Effect' pattern, where any 'X' can cause any 'Y' (X => Y) we cause a TDS with the themes we use in the position of the 'X' and the 'Y', which allows the language to enter the subconscious, virtually un-noticed and un-analyzed.

You can trigger a TDS with leading statements. A statement like "And those happy thoughts you had yesterday.." triggers a TDS, because the human mind cannot process hearing this phrase, without at some level searching internally for some 'happy thoughts' it had yesterday, or earlier since the term 'yesterday' can also mean 'in the past'. This is a good way to trigger a shift into a positive state, since in order to remember any event, we must re-experience the emotion around it at some level.

You can tell when you client is in the midst of a TDS because there will be a pause in their response and you will be able to tell from their eyes that they are 'searching' for a response, or understanding.

Play around with it yourself and see what results you get.

That's all for now.

Michael C. White, C.Ht.