Hypnosis the epitome of mind-body medicine – New York Times

Nov 6

Hypnosis the epitome of mind-body medicine – New York Times

Posted in News

The New York Times has a very positive and well-informed article on hypnosis, in part based on Dr Brian Alman’s writeup on medical hypnosis in the Permanente Journal in 2001. It usefully points out that many people think that hypnosis “didn’t work” or that they “weren’t hypnotized” because they remember what went on in the session or didn’t feel some mysterious feeling that they’d never felt before – and yet their problems are resolved, which is the real test of a therapy, after all. This is why I explain to my clients that they may just feel very relaxed, and that they probably will remember everything.

The Times article states:

…[H]ypnosis is the epitome of mind-body medicine. It can enable the mind to tell the body how to react, and modify the messages that the body sends to the mind. It has been used to counter the nausea of pregnancy and chemotherapy; dental and test-taking anxiety; pain associated with surgery, root canal treatment and childbirth; fear of flying and public speaking; compulsive hair-pulling; and intractable hiccups, among many other troublesome health problems.

One technique mentioned in the article which I could use more than I do is using posthypnotic suggestions so that everyday occurrences trigger off experiences or behaviours which are desired by the client. I do this in general with my Lifestyle Transformation track, which talks about regularly focussing on whatever your goal is periodically throughout the day, but I’d like to try using more specific posthypnotic suggestions too.

Gradually, we are seeing more positive media coverage of hypnotherapy. Part of my mission as Publicity Officer for the NZ Association of Professional Hypnotherapists is to get that happening more and more frequently.

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