Emotional and Physical (E&P) Theory
E&P is both a measurement of suggestibility and a measurement of personality. The Emotional side is the Introverted direction, and the Physical side is the extroverted direction. In modern Kappasinian hypnotherapy, there is a set of 36 questions designed to determine where a client is on the E&P scale for suggestibility. The E&P scale is basically a scale of 1 to 100 where E is at the left side, and P is at the right side. The two add up to 100. So if you are a 60% Emo, then you are a 40% Phys, by definition. As a shortcut, we hypnotherapists tend to classify people based on whether they are an "Emo" or a "Phys". And there can be "High Emo" and a "High Phys". If a person scores exactly 50/50, then they are deemed to be a Somnambulist.
But E&P is also used to measure the personality type as well.
The E&P Suggestibility Score
The suggestibility score is all about how you learn, and how you take in new instructions. A person who scores high as an EMO, tends to learn better with indirect statements, instructions, and facts. If you are in the room with a high EMO and you want them to open a window, you don't just tell them to open a window directly. They might resent you giving them orders or commands. Instead, you imply it with indirect language by saying something like "Wow, it sure is hot and stuffy in here". They will then take the hint, and decide themselves to go open a window to solve the problem. They have to be led to the solution indirectly, and it should seem like it is their idea.
By contrast, a high phys takes instructions very literally. When giving them instructions, it is helpful to be very literal and precise. These two types learn new things very differently, and so when giving instructions for hypnotherapy, it is important to use the right language and approach for their learning type.
No one is 100 emotional or 100% physical. The answers to the 36 questions on the questionnaire, plotted to the matrix are designed to determine just how much of each style is necessary for maximum impact.
The E&P Personality Assessment (also called the E&P Sexuality Assessment)
An Emotional tends to be an introverted personality. But also they tend to have a certain set of priorities. A Physical tends to be more outgoing and extroverted, and they have their priorities which are different than those of the emotional. By asking questions about how they process rejection, about their parents, their previous relationships, and their priorities, we can determine whether their personality is more Emotional, or Physical.
Priorities:
Physicals tend to have the following priorities:
1) Sex / Relationships
2) Family / Children
3) Hobbies / Friends
4) Job / Career / Financial Security
Emotionals tend to have these priorities:
1) Job / Career / Financial Security
2) Hobbies / Friends
3) Relationships / Family / Children
4) Sex
Personality Traits:
Typically, a person will follow the personality profile of their secondary caregiver in their childhood. If their mother was the primary caregiver, then they will usually follow the patterns of their father. This might be explained by adopting the behaviors that secondary caregiver used to please the primary caregiver when they were young. Previous relationships are an indicator of whether a person is an E or a P. If the partners in past relationships are P's, then chances are this person is an E.
Physicals tend to talk a lot. they are outgoing. They wear their heart on their sleeve. They make friends easily. They hate to be rejected. They may feel physical pain if rejected in a relationship. They will bargain, plead, beg, or change who they are in order to try to save a relationship that is not working.
Emotionals, on the other hand, tend to internalize quietly whatever they are thinking or feeling. In a rejection, they do not reach out and try anything to reconnect. Instead, they tend to internalize their pain and deal with it internally. When rejected, then tend to walk quietly away.
Relationships
In relationships, the combination works best if one person is the Emo and the other is the Phys. Emotionals are generally more attracted to Physicals and vice versa anyway. If you have two Emotionals, they tend to go quiet, not talk to each other much, quietly pursue their own individual interests and gradually drift apart. They tend to not have much interaction, communication, and this doesn't work well in the long run. On the other hand, if you have two Physicals in a relationship, they both compete for the attention, they both want control, they tend to engage TOO much, there is entirely too much drama, too many hurt feelings, and they end up fighting a lot. This is even more unhealthy.
One common thing that happens when two people of the same personality type get together in a relationship is that one person ends up taking the opposite role in order to keep the relationship going. But this is difficult to maintain over a long period. For an Emo to act like a Phys, they are an introvert pretending to be an extrovert. They feel constantly out of their element, and constantly stressed. When a Phys is acting in the role of an introvert, they feel stifled and unappreciated. It just doesn't work long term.
How The Hypnotherapist Uses E&P Theory
The E&P suggestibility score tells us how to induce hypnosis, how to give directions while in hypnosis, and also how to word post-hypnotic suggestions for the most impact. The E&P personality type helps us understand what factors in a clients relations at home, at work, with family, etc. might be causing the stresses and strains, which could help explain the problems presented, and give some clues as to how best to treat them.