deeperforme:

hypnoticharlequin:

The Hypnosis community (if one could call it a community as a whole as opposed to breaking it into site or location based groups) has a slight image issue. Many sites take a very dim view of it (mostly due to payment processors having issues). The biggest issue that comes up is consent and  people using hypnosis to push consent.

When I introduce or teach people about hypnosis I am surprised by how many people don’t really know about how to ask for consent well. So I felt like giving my checklist of how to ask for consent and negotiate a scene.

Now while these are in the form of questions they are more sub-headings. Each of these sections can be one to ten questions depending on the answers given by both parties.

1) Can I hypnotize you? This is the most basic question and of course if you get an answer of no you should move onto a different topic of conversation.

2) Do you want this to have any erotic themes or undertones? Again, this is important. Trance is not linked to eroticism and this is something people can forget when they have a fetish. This is used to inform your plan of what to do during the session

3) Is it okay if I do X with you? This question is one you should repeat with everything you plan to do. Honestly everything. Having everything laid out in advance allows you to make sure everything is mutually agreed to.

4) Can I touch you during this? Again you should split this question into parts, finding out where you can touch. I tend to always ask for consent to touch the arms and shoulders in case the person flops or rolls into an awkward position, it means if needs be I can easily help and guide them into a better physical position. 

5) Do you have any specific names or pronouns you would prefer me to use during this? Now in general conversation you should have already got their usual pronouns as a matter of common decency but some people may wish for alternatives to be used during the activity itself.

6) Do you have any words/ideas/images/names I should avoid? This again is very useful. I, for instance hate having the back of my neck touched and wouldn’t be too pleased if someone did it. 

7) Do you have anything you want to ask or discuss? Very often I see people negotiating one way and the person being tranced gets steamrollered into answering what the hypnotist wants. If the person has been quiet this question gives them the chance to raise any issues or ask any questions they might have on their mind.

I do realize that I write this from the perspective of the hypnotist, mostly because I seem to teach them more frequently. But when I am a subject I still will ask these questions to the hypnotist.

Remember, consent is the very basis of what we do and hopefully by all of us embracing and making sure we get full consent with agency for everything we do we can try and undo many of the negative images other people have of our community.

Really good!