Nail Biting Question

Nail Biting Question

Question – What would you suggest for a 13 year old nail biter?

Sex would be nice – OOPs, what is the gender – need to know if boy or girl to develop metaphors and suggestions.  But here is a gender neutral idea. Convention.  Nail biting – start with mom and dad as always.  They are not to mention it to him in any way either positive of negative. It is no longer a topic.  It is nothing more than a habit he has developed so treat as any habit.  Use the Hammond introductory statements to say stuff like “I wonder how surprised you will be when you notice that your nails are growing and yoiu have to clip them.”.  You notice I did not use the term you no longer bite your nails.

Hypno-potamus page 77

Idiots guide to Hypnosis 136-137

Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy With Children – third edition  pages 157-161

Heartland’s Medical and Dental Hypnosis 4th edition pages 266,451

Metaphor of grass growing and having to be cut, clipped, mowed.

You sucked your thumb and bit your nails when you were a kid, but you are no longer a kid yoiu have outgrown that nasty, dirty habit.  In some cultures at 12 you are considered a man.  You are a man and you are in control.

This should get you started.

Ron