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Dispelling the Myths of Hypnosis
Many people are mystified by the concept of hypnosis
and are curious as to whether it really works. The entertainment
industry's presentation of hypnosis in nightclub acts
has hurt the reputation of a powerful clinical intervention
which dates back to biblical times. The writer of Genesis
recorded that God put Adam into a deep sleep which can
often be interpreted as the anesthetic power of hypnosis.
The modern history of hypnosis began in the 1700's with
the French physician, Anton Mesmer. British physicians
began to utilize hypnosis in the healing process and
as an anesthetic in surgery. In 1957, the American Medical
Association adopted a policy statement defining hypnosis
as a useful and legitimate treatment in the fields of
medicine and dentistry.
Hypnosis is simply a procedure during which a health
professional utilizes focused attention to suggest changes
in sensations, perceptions, thoughts or behavior for
a client or patient. When considering using hypnosis,
you should select a professional who has been professionally
trained in the clinical uses of hypnosis. You may find
a professional by contacting one of the following professional
organizations: American
Society of Clinical Hypnosis, Society
for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, or the
Milton
H. Erickson Association. Professionals trained
by these entities are accustomed to working with clients
with a host of medical and psychological problems.
Hypnosis is being utilized in the areas of pain management
for chronic pain, as an anesthetic for dental and medical
procedures, in the treatment of anxiety, and in the
field of psychoneuroimmunology for Aids and cancer patients.
These are but a few of the clinical applications. When
considering utilizing hypnosis, you should meet with
the health professional to discuss the goals you wish
to accomplish utilizing this technique. The health professional
will conduct a clinical assessment to determine the
appropriateness of the technique and will often make
a clinical diagnosis which is necessary to file for
third-party reimbursement. Unfortunately, hypnosis does
not work in every situation or for every individual.
Your health professional will work with you to determine
if hypnosis would be beneficial to you.
Upon beginning my training in hypnosis, I too was skeptical.
However, my experiences and participation with the American
Society of Clinical Hypnosis has made me a true believer.
I have worked with clients who have seen amazing results
with utilizing the hypnotic tapes of their sessions.
Typically, I audiotape the hypnotic sessions for clients
to utilize in their at home practice sessions and have
found this to be most helpful. The real power is with
the client and their commitment to developing their
own hypnotic skills.
As with more traditional forms of treatment, the client
still is the most important ingredient in the treatment
process. If you are currently in treatment with a health
care provider, discuss this form of therapy with your
provider to determine its benefits to you. A resource
available to the lay reader is "The
Complete Idiot's Guide to Hypnosis" by Roberta
Temes, Ph.D.
Judy P. King, LCSW,
BCD, SAP
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Approved Consultant in Clinical Hypnosis by ASCH
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