Milton Erickson

In Short

Use indirect suggestion and story to bypass resistance
Best for: Ericksonian hypnotherapy techniques
Milton Erickson is a structured tool for coaching and facilitation. Use indirect suggestion and story to bypass resistance. It provides a repeatable framework that can be adapted to individual, team, and leadership development contexts.
Type of tool: Ericksonian hypnotherapy techniques
Expected outcomes:
- Improved ability to use indirect suggestion and story to bypass resistance
- A concrete action or development plan to take forward from the Milton Erickson process

In Detail

Milton Erickson is a professional development resource designed to help coaches, leaders, and facilitators use indirect suggestion and story to bypass resistance. It sits within the category of Ericksonian hypnotherapy techniques, making it particularly useful for practitioners working on capability development, team performance, and individual growth in organisational settings.

In practice, Milton Erickson is delivered as a 5-step process. The process begins by introduce Erickson's principle: use what the client presents rather than imposing a theory. The session closes by use embedded commands in conversational language to invite new behaviours. The structured approach ensures that participants move through a consistent experience while leaving room for the facilitator to adapt pacing and depth to the group's needs.

Milton Erickson is most valuable when practitioners need a reliable, repeatable approach that can be adapted to different contexts without losing its core structure. It bridges the gap between conceptual understanding and practical application, making it a durable addition to any coaching or facilitation toolkit.

How to Use

1. Introduce Erickson's principle: use what the client presents rather than imposing a theory. 2. Apply utilisation: whatever the client brings (resistance, belief, physical sensation) becomes the vehicle for change. 3. Use indirect suggestion and metaphor to bypass conscious resistance. 4. Apply reframing: help the client attach a new meaning to an existing experience. 5. Use embedded commands in conversational language to invite new behaviours.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Directly addresses the challenge of use indirect suggestion and story to bypass resistance through a structured, repeatable approach Adaptable to different seniority levels, team sizes, and organisational contexts Generates actionable insight that participants can apply immediately in their work	Effectiveness varies based on the facilitator's skill level and familiarity with the tool Requires adequate time for both the exercise and a meaningful debrief to realise full value May not be appropriate for all cultural contexts without adaptation

Created by Milton H. Erickson

When to Use

This tool is suited to the following coaching and facilitation contexts:

Context	Relevant
Individual Coaching	✓
Team Coaching	✓
Leadership Development
Facilitation / Workshop
Online / Virtual

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