Focusing differs from hypnosis

“Look at my fingertips. Yes, yes, yes. And your eyelids are getting heavier and heavier. OK. Open your eyes gradually.”

"Now you can feel the sweetness of this lemon. It feels sweet. Then, try to eat it.”
“It's sweet, sweet!"

At this point the hypnotized person is unable to focus on their felt sense.

In order for a felt sense to be formed, it is necessary to maintain a certain level of wakefulness of consciousness. When it is formed, no matter how much it is suggested to be sweet, it will feel sour.

Gendlin does not deny the effects of hypnosis, but he argues that it is not the same as the Focusing process.

… being in the state of hypnosis can be very helpful to a person. … I am not opposed to hypnosis. I am only distinguishing it from focusing on a felt sense. (Gendlin, 1996, p. 65)

At the felt sense level hypnotic suggestions are not effective. The body does not obey them; instead it talks back—and for focusing on the felt sense that is just what we want! (Gendlin, 1996, p. 65)

References

Gendlin, E.T. (1996). Focusing-oriented psychotherapy: a manual of the experiential method. Guilford.