Transcript Slide 1
Presenting Hypnosis to
Patients©
Maureen F. Turner, RNBC, LCMHC, LCSW
Co-Director, Hypnovations: Clinical Hypnosis
Training and Education Programs
April 9, 2009
Some Uses for Hypnosis
www.motivationhypnosis.com
ADD/ADHD
Allergies
Anxiety
Attention
Concentration
Confidence
Co-operation
Compliance
Diet
Empowerment
Exercise
Fear
Focus
Habit Control
Healing
Infertility
Insomnia
Memory
Pain Control
Panic
Performance
Prosperity
Some Uses for Hypnosis (P.2)
Regression
Relationships
Self
Esteem
Sleep
Smoking
Sports Performance
Study Skills
Test Anxiety
Weight Control
Worry
Presenting Hypnosis to Patients
Components to Include
PHASE 1. EVALUATION
PHASE 2. EDUCATION
PHASE 3. HISTORY TAKING FOR HYPNOSIS
PHASE 4. ASSESSMENT OF HYPNOTIZABILITY
PHASE 5.TEACHING SELF HYPNOSIS
PRESENTING HYPNOSIS
TO THE PATIENT WHO IS:
1. A CURRENT PATIENT/CLIENT
2. A NEW PATIENT/CLIENT
ESTABLISHING THE HYPNOTIC
RELATIONSHIP
PHASE 1. EVALUATION
a. Current patient/client
► Clinician - Evaluate applicability of
hypnosis in reaching clinical goals.
► Clinician - Plan presentation to
patient/client option of hypnosis as
an aid or vehicle to achieve goals.
► Clinician – Introducing the option of
hypnosis- answering questions,
assessing and responding to beliefs
and fears.
ESTABLISHING THE HYPNOTIC
RELATIONSHIP
PHASE 1. EVALUATION (Continued)
b. New patient/client requesting Clinical Hypnosis
treatment
► Evaluating appropriateness (often starting
with initial phone call)
► Addressing their questions re. hypnosis
questions, assessing and responding to
beliefs and fears.
ESTABLISHING THE HYPNOTIC
RELATIONSHIP
PHASE 2. EDUCATION
TEACHING THE CONCEPT OF HYPNOSIS
► All hypnosis is self-hypnosis
► Hypnosis involves relaxing the Conscious
Mind (about 3-10% of the mind’s activity
from child to adult), in order to access the
Unconscious Mind (estimated at 97-90% of
the mind’s activity).
PHASE 2. EDUCATION
TEACHING THE CONCEPT OF HYPNOSIS
► Three Components of Hypnosis:
1. Dissociation (Involuntariness, Levels of
Consciousness or Unconscious Response)
2. Absorption (or Imaginative Involvement
3. Suggestibility (or Suspension of Critical
Judgment)
Phase 2. Education (Continued)
EDUCATION FOR INFORMED CONSENT
► Hypnosis and the Courts of Law
Many courts have had the mistaken idea that simply
because hypnosis was used, memory must, therefore,
have been contaminated. Therefore, patients/clients
must be informed that there is a possibility that anything
remembered once hypnosis begins will not be
admissable in a court of law. The only way to protect
potential rights to testify is to forego the use of hypnosis.
PHASE 3. HISTORY TAKING FOR
CLINICAL HYPNOSIS
Standard psychological or medical evaluations
should be established prior to using therapeutic
hypnosis. (i.e. any traumas including accidents,
deaths, diseases, disasters, phobias, physical and
sexual abuse should be noted).
In addition, because many people seek
hypnosis for belief change work, a more detailed
Zero to Five history may be indicated. Many
beliefs are formed and stored in the Unconscious
Mind by age 5.
PHASE 3. HISTORY TAKING FOR
CLINICAL HYPNOSIS (Cont.)
Routinely, interview for the presenting problem
looking for the Cause-Effect clues. (Ex. If a
person comes for being a “Chocoholic” – ask
who gave them chocolate as a child and seek
pertinent details, i.e.: “ my grandmother did.” )
Suggested Response:
Clinician: “Is your grandmother still alive?”
Client/Patient: “No, she died when I was five.”
Clinician: “We often develop habits out of
unresolved grief – this is something hypnosis
can help you change.” And, continue,
questioning re. any other early or later
associations with chocolate.
PREPARING THE CLIENT FOR
HYPNOSIS
Define
and explain hypnosis
Dispel misconceptions, myths, and
.
unrealistic goals
Explore client’s motivation and attitude of
cooperation.
Explore previous hypnosis.
Explain re-alerting
PHASE 4. ASSESSMENT OF
HYPNOTIZABILITY
This phase is addressed informally
throughout the presentation of hypnosis –
noting the patient/client questions, fears
expressed, beliefs about their own ability,
cooperativeness in the interview, and body
language.
Formal assessments are rarely done in clinical
sessions now and have been relegated to use
by researchers. Clinicians having found the
assessments to have negative effects on the
patient – clinician relationship setting up “a test”
atmosphere of “pass-fail.”
Phase 5. Teaching Self-Hypnosis
All hypnosis is self-hypnosis (Milton Erickson)
There are many ways to induce hypnosis – both
indirectly and direct.
The clinician is encouraged to present the
method that they plan on using for the
patient/client and inform them of the process and
discuss the suggestions to be utilized for trance
– usually, the more participatory – the better.
This is the best way to truly establish a team
approach to the clinician as guide and the
patient/client as the one who is self-hypnotizing
Informed Consent
Concept of Informed Consent
I Information
Definitions of Hypnosis
• Multidimensional / multi-causal
phenomenon
Altered state of consciousness
Narrowed focus of attention
Cognitive variables (e.g. expectations)
Imaginative variables (e.g. absorption)
Context and interpersonal variables
(e.g. role conception)
Informed Consent
Procedures
• Establish state of concentrated attention
• Encourage use of focused imagination
• Suggestions compatible with patient goals
• Unconscious exploration
Setting
• Office
• Hospital
• Emergency situations
Informed Consent (Cont.)
Effectiveness of Hypnosis
• Influences autonomic, physiological
processes
• Influences behaviors, attitudes, cognitions,
perceptions, emotions
• Symptom amelioration
Informed Consent (Cont.)
II Competency
Licensed health care professional
Advanced training in areas of expertise
Hypnosis training
• Course work
• Supervised practice
Informed Consent (Cont.)
III Voluntary Nature of Ethical Hypnosis
Trance
Collaborative effort - Formation of a new
treatment paradigm– clinician/client team.
No influence against patient’s will
No loss of consciousness
Ability to stop trance experience at any time
Self-control skill
All hypnosis is self-hypnosis
Informed Consent (Cont.)
IV Distinction
- Conscious Mind
- Unconscious Mind
V Experience of Hypnosis
- Individual Talent
- Practice
Informed Consent (Cont.)
VI Memories
Clarify expectations and beliefs about
memory in / out of hypnosis
Clarify patient’s goals re memories in/out
of hypnosis
Document verbalization of patient’s
understanding
Document informed consent
Repeat over course of treatment
Informed Consent (Cont.)
“Recovered memories” through
Hypnoprojectives
- Obtain Informed consent
- Discuss court admissibility
- No universal agreement about effects of Hypnosis on
memory
Memories "recovered" in hypnosis
or otherwise
- Cannot be presumed to be true or false
unless corroborated by another source
- Vividness of recall does not equal veracity
of memory
- Can be utilized as patient’s perceptions /
symbols for psychotherapeutic exploration
The effects on memory are no more likely to
occur from the use of hypnosis than from many
non-hypnotic interviewing and interrogative
procedures (Hammond, D.C.,2008)
Informed Consent
Risks
VII
Use of Hypnosis by qualified professionals is safe and
can be beneficial
Use of Hypnosis by unqualified persons can lead to
complications
Benefits
Symptom relief
Cognitive self-control, mastery
Alternatives
Treatment without hypnosis
Informed Consent
Suggested Informed Consent Form Criteria
in:
Hammond, D., & Elkins, G. (2005).
Standards of Training in Clinical Hypnosis.
Des Plaines, IL: American Society of
Clinical Hypnosis.
References
Hammond, D.C. and Elkins, G. (2005). Standards
of Training in Clinical Hypnosis. Illinois: American
Society of Clinical Hypnosis Press.
Hammond, D.C., Garver, R.B., Mutter,C.B. et al.
(2008). Clinical Hypnosis and Memory:
Guidelines For Clinicians and For Forensic
Hypnosis (Third Printing). American Society of
Clinical Hypnosis: Education & Research
Foundation, pp.48-49.
Turner, M. (1995-2010). Private Clinical Hypnosis
Practice, Case Presentations. (Unpublished).