Donald C. Brown, M.D. (Ed.)

Crown House Publishing Limited

Copyright 2009

Reviewed by Judith E. Pearson, Ph.D., L.P.C.

Despite the fact that many medical practitioners have been trained in clinical hypnotherapy, this discipline still has a distance to go to achieve full acceptance as an adjunctive therapy in medicine. Advances in the use of Hypnosis for Medicine, Dentistry, and Pain Prevention/Management, edited by Donald C. Brown, MD, could help that effort considerably. This book is compilation of papers on hypnotherapy in medicine, all written by established practitioners who use hypnosis in their medical specialties. The book is the outgrowth of the 6th Frontiers in Hypnosis Assembly in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2003.

Each paper presents an overview of current practice and research concerning a specific medical application of hypnosis. These applications include pre-surgery anxiety, dental gagging, sleep disorders, obstetrics, psychosomatic illnesses, and, predominantly, pain management. The contributors, combined, cite hundred of research studies; a benefit for readers who want to conduct additional investigation or analysis.

One could say that Advances... is a textbook on mind-body medicine, delving into cellular biology, placebos, neuro-psychology, and the roles of belief, meaning, suggestibility, and the non-conscious mind, all relative to health, illness, healing, and recovery. About one quarter of the book is devoted to dental hypnosis; especially useful for working with patients who exhibit dental phobias, anxiety, or dental gagging. The value of hypnosis in dentistry is often overlooked and this book is good starting point for dentists who want suggestions that put their patients at ease.

I found the section on hypnosis for pain management to be worthwhile reading, as that is an application for practitioners in many settings, including sports medicine, geriatrics, and psychotherapy. Contributor A. Max Chaumette gives an exemplary discussion of the history of hypnotic anesthesia and the use of hypnosis in surgery. The chapter by James Straub and Vicki Straub is right on target with an overview of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) in reducing pain associated with past trauma. These two authors explain how NLP patterns, such as Visual Kinesthetic Dissociation, submodalities, parts work and cognitive restructuring can reduce painful emotions, limiting beliefs, anxiety, and flashbacks.

Contributor Leonora Kuttner writes about the unique considerations of hypnosis in treating pain, anxiety, and sleep disorders with children. Additionally, Dr. Brown makes the case for hypnosis in obstetrics, for easing the discomforts of childbirth and delivery, reducing complications, preventing premature labor, decreasing the mother's anxiety, and improving post-partum outcomes.

While this book gives an excellent overview of medically related applications of hypnosis, it is not a training manual. Medical practitioners who are inspired to add clinical hypnosis to their skill sets will do well to use this book to spark their motivation to attend certification training programs and continuing education in clinical hypnosis and NLP.

The book's author, Donald C. Brown, M.D. is a consultant in Medical Hypnosis for the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and Founding Director in the Department of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University Medical School in Nova Scotia, Canada.

To purchase Advances in the use of Hypnosis for Medicine, Dentistry and Pain Prevention/Management go to www.crownhouse.com

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Judith E. Pearson, Ph.D. is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Executive Director with the National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists. She is an NLP Master Practitioner/Trainer with a counseling practice in Springfield Virginia: Her web site is www.engagethepower.com. She has published The Weight, Hypnotherapy and You Weight Reduction Program: A Manual for NLP and Hypnotherapy Practitioners and recently released a hypnosis CD: Discover Your Learning Genius.

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By Edwin K. Yager, Ph.D.

2009, Crown House Publishing, Ltd., Wales

When I first picked up Foundations of Clinical Hypnosis, by Edwin Yager, I did not feel enthusiastic. First, the title sounds like the dry, dull textbooks I waded through as an undergrad. Second, as a hypnotherapist of 20 years, I thought I'd find the subject matter too basic. I am happy to say I was wrong on both counts. Yager's book provides stimulating reading. It is written in a straightforward way and holds basic information for beginners, as well as innovative methods for seasoned practitioners.

Yager covers much of what many would consider "standard fare" for books about hypnosis: hypnosis-related terminology, hypnotic phenomena, hypnotic language, the risks of hypnosis, common applications, and hypnotic tools and methods. He gives a decent review of the research on hypnosis for memory enhancement, touching on the controversial topics of confabulation and false memory. I especially liked his chapter on brief inductions. He also addresses two topics seldom found in books or journals on hypnosis: 1) Hypnosis during sleep and 2) hypnotic language in giving informed consent in medical settings (with guest author, Stephen Bierman).

The author differentiates two basic approaches to hypnotherapy: direct suggestion and hypnoanalysis. He writes that direct suggestion aims for the alleviation of symptoms, while hypnoanalysis, on the other hand, goes to the root cause of symptoms. Hypnoanalysis regresses the client to a seminal event and allows the client to reframe the meaning of that event. Yager advocates hypnoanalysis when the client is "resistant" (i.e., non-responsive) to direct suggestion. He notes that the seminal event should be viewed in a dissociated manner to avoid abreaction and re-traumatizing the client. He also writes that knowledge of the event is not enough; the client must also derive a belief change or a new cognition, such as "you survived that." I found this discussion extremely helpful as a guide in selecting hypnotic interventions and strategies.

Yager is an adherent of Dave Elman, who defined hypnosis as "bypassing the critical factor," to communicate with the unconscious mind. Yager states that "all clinicians use hypnosis, knowingly or unknowingly," because the clinician-patient relationship is structured with three factors that increase the client's suggestibility; 1) the clinician is regarded as an authority, 2) the client is often in confusion or emotional distress, and 3) the client expects the clinician to do something to alleviate the confusion or distress. Thus, we have the perfect formula for hypnosis (authority, emotion, and expectation).

Yager's chapter on Subliminal Therapy, by itself, makes this book worthwhile reading. Subliminal Therapy is a protocol for communicating with the unconscious mind to review memories, extract relevant data, relate cause and effect, derive solutions, and execute decisions. This communication is accomplished via a pendulum, ideomotor signals, visualization, or having the client report on subjectively perceived physical sensations. While no formal induction is required, clients often go into trance during this process.

Yager has chosen the unusual name of Centrum (also the commercial name of a multi-vitamin) to indicate the part of the mind with which the therapist communicates. He characterizes Centrum as a part of the client's consciousness that is wise and helpful-a part that can communicate with all other parts of consciousness. Astute readers will note that Subliminal Therapy draws from Ego State Therapy and the "parts model" of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Yager gives ample description, a flow chart, and a case transcript to show how to conduct Subliminal Therapy; the instructions to give, the questions to ask, and how to work with the information received.
Foundations of Clinical Hypnosis concludes with brief discussions of various applications of clinical hypnosis, and the considerations unique to each. These include the commonplace, such as smoking cessation, weight loss, insomnia, and pain management, as well as the atypical: asthma treatment, childbirth, breast enlargement, wart removal, stuttering, and ocular correction.

Among his other achievements, Robert Yager, Ph.D. is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and a Staff Psychologist of the UCSD Medical Group. He is certified as a Consultant in Hypnosis by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. He also maintains a private practice in San Diego, California.

I recommend his book to other hypnotherapists because it makes for an excellent desk reference. I also recommend it as an introductory textbook for those in hypnosis training programs. It can be purchased through the Crown House Ltd online catalog in the U.S. and the U.K.
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Judith E. Pearson, Ph.D. is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Master Practitioner/Trainer in NLP. She is Executive Director of the National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists and has a private practice in Springfield, VA. She has published

The Weight, Hypnotherapy and You Weight Reduction Program: An NLP and Hypnotherapy Practitioner's Manual and has recently released a hypnosis CD entitled Discover Your Learning Genius. Her website is www.engagethepower.com.

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Dear Colleague,

I am conducting a research study to complete my Educational Specialist degree, Ed.S., at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA. Below please find the information that you will need about this study. Although your participation is not mandatory, I do respectfully request that you consider being part of this study. If you choose not to be part of this study, no response is necessary. If you have any questions please address them to me at steve@stevegjones.com or you may call my office 10am-6pm Tuesday-Thursday at (912) 897-9799.

If you choose to be part of this study please go to the following site and fill out the survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=e3neq1i8Mdj7M70dA44DIg_3d_3d

Purpose of this study: Suggestibility tests are a convenient way to determine the degree to which a client will enter a hypnotic state. The HGSHSA (Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Suggestibility, Form A) has been used for over 30 years to determine the level of hypnotic suggestibility of individuals. This test will be easily administered to an individual or a group. This investigator's study will determine the degree to which this test is currently used by practicing hypnotherapists. It will also determine the benefits and challenges faced by hypnotherapists when using this test. The investigator will use a ten-question survey to determine the degree to which hypnotherapists use suggestibility tests when dealing with clients. With results of this survey information, the investigator will be able to evaluate the usefulness of the HGSHSA.

Benefits:

The benefits to society as a result of this study include giving hypnotherapists a greater insight as to the usefulness of suggestibility scales. With this knowledge they will be better equipped to help people in the future.

Duration/Time required from the participant: under one hour.

Statement of Confidentiality: Steve G. Jones and Dr. Charles A. Reavis will have access to the information obtained in this study. Data will be maintained in a secure location for three years and then destroyed.

Right to Ask Questions: Participants have the right to ask questions and have those questions answered. If the participant has questions about this study, please contact the researcher named above or the researcher's faculty advisor, whose contact information is located at the end of the informed consent. For questions concerning your rights as a research participant, contact Georgia Southern University Office of Research Services and Sponsored Programs at 912-478-0843.

Compensation: There is no stipend, credit or other incentive for participation in the study.

Voluntary Participation: People receiving this form do not have to participate in this research; they may end their participation at any time by telling Steve G. Jones, not returning the instrument or other options. Additionally, they do not have to answer any questions that they do not want to answer.

Penalty: There is no penalty for deciding not to participate in the study; participants may decide at any time that they do not want to participate further and may withdraw without penalty or retribution.

Participants must be 18 years of age or older to consent to participate in this research study. If an individual consents to participate in this research study and to the terms above, they should sign their name and indicate the date below.

Title of Project: Application of Suggestibility Tests among Hypnotherapists

Principal Investigator: Steve G. Jones, 107 Picket Row Savannah, GA 31410, (912) 897-9799, steve@stevegjones.com

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Charles A. Reavis, 1045 Golf Club Road Statesboro, GA 30458, (912) 478-5307, carevis@georgiasouthern.edu

Completion and return of the survey implies that you agree to participate and your data may be used in this research.

Sincerely,

Steve G. Jones, M.Ed.
Clinical Hypnotherapist

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