Interactional Pragmatics of Directive Speech Acts in Hypnotherapy: A Qualitative Case Study of a Mental-Block Client

Vollständiger Abstract

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Language serves as a therapeutic instrument in hypnotherapy, yet how directive speech acts are strategically organized to facilitate emotional regulation and behavioral transformation in naturally occurring sessions remains underexplored. Existing research predominantly emphasizes clinical efficacy and psychological outcomes, while micro-pragmatic analyses of how therapists linguistically construct suggestion, authority, and client agency across session phases remain limited, particularly in non-English therapeutic contexts. To address this gap, the present qualitative case study investigates the interactional pragmatics of directive speech acts in a hypnotherapy session with a client experiencing a persistent mental block that undermined confidence, initiative, and occupational engagement. Data comprised a verbatim transcript of one complete session and a structured post-session outcome note collected within one week. Drawing on speech act theory and interactional pragmatics, clause-level utterances were analyzed by directive form, function, and interactional purpose across five session stages: rapport building, induction, imagery work, transformational suggestion, and closure. The findings reveal a phase-specific directive choreography: interrogative directives scaffolded client narration, embodied imperatives managed attention and compliance, metaphorical imagery directives externalized negative affect, and transformational suggestions reconstructed a more confident future self. Following the session, the client reported increased confidence, stronger work motivation, reduced intimidation, and greater initiative in social and entrepreneurial activities. This study contributes an original micro-pragmatic model linking directive design with observable perlocutionary outcomes, advancing therapeutic discourse studies, clinical pragmatics, and hypnosis research by demonstrating that strategically structured language can function as a measurable resource for psychological and behavioral change.