First,
I’d like to dispel some common misconceptions about this therapy. For some people who
have never tried it, the idea of going into a hypnotic trance may seem weird or scary. But
the fact is that we’ve all experienced trance states in everyday life--whether
daydreaming, watching a movie, driving home on autopilot, or practicing meditation or
other relaxation techniques. Essentially, trance is an altered state of consciousness
marked by decreased scope and increased intensity of awareness. What distinguishes
hypnotherapy is that it involves a deliberate choice to enter this state of consciousness
for a goal beyond relaxation: to focus your concentration and use suggestion to promote
healing. It can be done in person with a hypnotherapist or you can do it yourself, called
self-hypnosis.
Parlor tricks and stage
shows aside, a clinical hypnotherapist will not make you quack like a duck or sing like
Elvis. The person in a hypnotic trance is always in control, just as someone who is
daydreaming can decide to go on or stop at any time. While the practitioner serves as a
teacher or guide, the only person who can hypnotize you is you, since trance is a latent
potential of your own mind. Therefore, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.
Some people
use it to ease their aching backs. Others find it relieves eczema. Even one of the hot-air
balloonists who broke world records by flying around the globe admits he relied on it to
steady his nerves and catch some sleep while at the mercy of the jet stream. Hypnotherapy,
or trance work, is a group of techniques that allow practitioners and patients to take
advantage of the mind-body connection to foster healing. It’s also one of the most
common referrals we make for our patients here at the University of Arizona’s
Integrative Medicine Clinic. I’ve often recommended it in this newsletter for a wide
variety of conditions, and this month I’d like to offer some tips for using it
wisely.
From Ancient Roots to Modern Use
Known as
"sleep healing" in ancient Greece and "mind cure" in the fourteenth
through mid-nineteenth centuries, what we now call hypnosis has a long history of
therapeutic use. In the first half of this century it came into favor as a treatment for
battle fatigue (what would now be called post-traumatic stress disorder), and later found
a niche as a useful approach for kicking habits such as smoking and overeating. More
recently I’ve seen this versatile modality gain wider acceptance for a broader
spectrum of applications, as more and more people explore mind-body approaches to healing.
Meanwhile, scientific researchers have been looking at the benefits of hypnotherapy in a
number of small studies. Here’s a brief sampling of what they’ve found:
Irritable bowel syndrome. A British study of 18 adults
with IBS published in The Lancet found that hypnosis "strikingly" reduced
colonic motility, thus decreasing diarrhea and cramping (July 11, 1992).
Erectile dysfunction. In a controlled study of 79 men with
impotence from no known organic cause, only hypnosis proved more effective than a placebo,
boosting sexual function by 80 percent (British Journal of Urology, February 1996).
Preparing for surgery. A controlled study of 32 coronary
bypass patients showed that those taught self-hypnosis pre-operatively were more relaxed
after surgery and had less need for pain medication (Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery,
February 1997).
Pain. A review panel appointed by the National Institutes
of Health found "strong evidence" for the use of hypnosis in alleviating pain
associated with cancer (Journal of the American Medical Association, July 24-31,
1996).
Here at the Clinic,
hypnotherapy has been used effectively to treat a remarkable range of conditions. My
colleague Steven Gurgevich, Ph.D., a psychologist with the Program in Integrative Medicine
who specializes in clinical
hypnosis (and whom we refer a great many of our patients), says he’s
seen the most dramatic results with dermatological and gastrointestinal problems, as the
skin and gut are areas of the body where stress is commonly expressed. In my own practice,
I’ve recommended hypnotherapy to help ease chronic pain, lessen the side effects of
chemotherapy, alleviate symptoms of autoimmune disease, and counteract anxiety and sleep
disorders. Hypnotherapy can also be used to improve performance skills, as a form of
analgesia or sedation for medical and dental procedures--even to stop hemorrhaging in
accident victims. In general, I believe that no condition is out of bounds for trying
hypnotherapy on.
What to Expect
If
you’re interested in working with a clinical hypnotherapist, here’s what to
expect. Typically, your first session will begin with a great deal of talking. The
therapist asks you questions to get some insight into what motivates you and what your
beliefs and expectations might be. When that’s done, the therapist teaches you some
type of "induction technique"--the use of a focal point, either internal or
external, to concentrate your attention (Hollywood’s version is the swinging
pendant). Steve
Gurgevich’s technique is to have you close you eyes while sitting
upright in a chair, pressing your thumb and forefinger together, holding your breath for a
count of five, then releasing your breath and fingers while letting your mind drift,
developing pictures and images to accompany the words you hear him speaking. Some 20
percent of the population go into a trance very easily, while an equal percentage show
great resistance--usually around the issue of being controlled--and the therapist may need
to work with such people to help them "get out of their own way."
Once you’re in a
state of trance (but still fully aware of where you are and what you’re doing), the
therapist offers suggestions specifically geared to the goal of the therapy. For example,
he may suggest that a person with irritable bowel syndrome picture the wave-like motions
of her digestive system slowing down and becoming smoother, or have a patient with
disfiguring warts imagine traveling inside his body to the roots of the offending growths
and depriving them of nourishment. Your unconscious mind can then transmit these thoughts
and images throughout your mind and body, setting the healing process in motion.
A typical course of
hypnotherapy may require from one to five visits (lasting 45 minutes to an hour each),
depending on your hypnotizability, the medical condition involved, and your response to
treatment. (Your insurance may cover this if it’s performed by an M.D., a Ph.D., a
dentist, or a licensed social worker.) The therapist’s role is to teach you how to
access the trance state on your own. Once you’ve learned how to do this, you can
start using self-hypnosis on a regular basis to maximize your healing potential.
Finding a Reputable Practitioner
While
hypnotherapy has proved an invaluable form of therapy when used properly, it has also
drawn its fair share of critics over the years, many of whom claim that the results it
produces are artifacts--that is, entirely creations of the therapist. Two of the areas in
which this is suspected are multiple personality disorder and repressed memory syndrome. I
agree that these can be areas of abuse, in which the hypnotherapist may be primarily
responsible for eliciting his or her own desired responses. But by screening your
prospective therapist carefully, you can steer clear of unscrupulous or ineffective
practices.
Here are some tips from Steve Gurgevich on
locating a good, trustworthy therapist:
Find someone qualified to treat the condition in question.
There are a great many people out there advertising that they are "certified"
hypnotherapists but who have no education or background to treat medical or psychological
conditions. If possible, try to find a specialist in your condition--such as a pain
specialist or gastroenterologist--who also practices clinical hypnosis (the contact
organization listed below breaks down its practitioners’ lists according to area of
specialty). Otherwise, seek out a professional psychotherapist specializing in clinical
hypnotherapy who has treated other people with your condition.
Listen to your gut. The rapport of "chemistry"
between patient and therapist is very important in order for the therapy to be beneficial.
If you have any feelings of distrust toward your therapist or if you feel that you are
being persuaded against your instinct, find another therapist.
Look out for red flags. Be leery of therapists who ask for
a set number of sessions in advance, as it may be possible to achieve your desired goal in
a single session. Beware also of those who say they’re going to "hypnotize
you" or who promise a "cure": The therapist is there simply to teach you
how to harness the mind-body skills you already possess.
For a list of qualified practitioners near you,
send an SASE along with a request indicating your state and city to the
American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, 33 W. Grand Ave., Suite 402, Chicago
IL 60610. For more information on hypnotherapy, check out Steven Gurgevich's
Web site at www.tranceformation.com.
For other interesting articles by Dr. Weil please visit
his Self Healing newsletter website at http://www.drweilselfhealing.com.
A-Z Healing - Meditations - Affirmations - Distant Healing - What Is Reiki?
