Concentration comes down to the alchemy between attention and intention. While there are other causes, the constant switching of attention driven by our technology-filled lives seriously damages our ability to sustain focus on a single task. Fortunately, a hypnotherapist can use their techniques to noticeably improve concentration, and as a result, learning.

The main causes of attention difficulties

The consequences of poor concentration are extremely damaging in a school setting: the student may miss essential information, get distracted and fail to do what’s asked of them, be inefficient in their tasks because their mind wanders, lack rigour and punctuality, etc.

There are 3 main categories that can explain a child’s attention difficulties. Note that they can also overlap with one another:

  • A neuropsychological origin, with ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity);
  • A cognitive origin, linked to learning disorders (dyslexia, dyspraxia…). In this case, even if the child has attentional capacity, it’s quickly exhausted by the effort spent compensating for their DYS disorder.
  • A psychological origin: the child experiences discomfort in the emotional and affective sphere. Stress, lack of self-confidence, anxiety, etc. cause psychological distress that pushes them to develop defence mechanisms such as daydreaming, restlessness, opposition…

 

The hypnotherapist’s techniques

Faced with a persistent concentration problem, the hypnotherapist will carry out an initial assessment: an interview with the child aimed at ruling out possible depression, giftedness, a DYS disorder or ADHD. In these cases, they will first refer the child to a doctor to establish a formal diagnosis and start a care pathway, in which the hypnotherapist may then play a role.

Indeed, there are several methods a hypnotherapist can use to improve concentration problems:

  • Resource state transfer: the practitioner encourages the child to recall a moment when they were particularly focused on a task, so they can fully relive it in vivid detail. The professional then transfers this experience into the present and future so it becomes a resource for the child;
  • Reactivating a resource anchor: the hypnotherapist sets up a “switch,” in the form of a hand movement or a specific word, that the child can reuse and reactivate whenever needed;
  • Post-hypnotic suggestions: through brief, simple phrases given under hypnosis at the end of the session, the practitioner helps build the child’s concentration.

 

The Ora-Visio platform can put you in touch with hypnotherapists who can help your child with their concentration problems: specialised in DYS disorders, giftedness or ADHD, they can also play a role in their care pathway following diagnosis.