New Directions for Hypnotherapy

by Tim Brunson, PhD

Nobel laureate and quantum physicist Niels Bohr once said, "Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future." Attempting to look over the horizon toward the future of clinical hypnotherapy – as well as its implication concerning the totality of human transformation – is indeed a very difficult task. This is even more so as hypnotherapy is still an emerging field, which is far from receiving the cultural authority presently accorded professions such as medicine and psychology. Regardless, our value is rapidly gaining ground at the same time as scientific theory and technological innovations are revolutionizing how humans think and interact.

Many years ago I stood in front of a monument to the victims of the Dachau, Germany, Nazi death camp, which once housed Viktor Frankl, the famous Austrian psychiatrist. On the monument's wall was the French phrase Ne plus jamais., which translates into English as "Never again." The American philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Thus any projections into the future must consider where we have been if we are to avoid repeating former mistakes. However, this does not imply that we need to continue to be bound by the limits of history. For if that was true, we would forever be relics in our own time. Nevertheless, the bread crumbs of the past are a significant indicator of where the future may lead us.

Hypnosis has a long, interesting history. Some consider that its roots began with the Ancient Egyptian sleep temples. Others inappropriately focus on their claim that the French medical doctor Franz Anton Mesmer was the "Father of Modern Hypnosis," which is a title that should more accurately be given to another – yet later – Frenchman named Ambroise-Auguste Liebeault. Since then there have been a large number of contributors such as Bernheim, Coué, Freud, James, Breuer, Munro, Pavlov, Hull, Kroger, Hilgard, Erickson, and Elman. Each provided valuable ideas, which was influenced by their varied backgrounds and professions. Some had as their primary field medicine or psychology. Elman, on the other hand, was a stage hypnotist, who gained considerable respect as a trainer of medical and dental professionals. A naturalistic approach was proffered by Erickson, whose system can only be questionably considered hypnosis. A more direct method – which is unfortunately currently being denigrated by many licensed medical and psychology professionals – was used by the remainder.

As the history of hypnosis marched along, another significant development occurred. Starting with James Clerk Maxwell's theories concerning electromagnetism in the 19th century, Einstein's Relativity Theory, Bohr's quantum physics, and more recently our focus on space exploration, the value of scientific methodology in our civilization has achieved a new preeminence. Essentially, the expectation within all self-styled scientific circles is that any theory and its applications must respect the requirement for all ideas to begin with a hypothesis, rely upon data gleaned from direct observation, and be analyzed using deductive or inductive reasoning.

Unfortunately, not all of what is commonly called science meets these simple requirements. For instance, despite psychology being considered by its practitioners as "the science of the mind," most of its raison d'être is derived from a philosophical concept called the unconscious or subconscious mind – which fails to meet the three basic requirements of science. Psychotherapy and hypnotherapy, which can be considered related fields, suffer from the same malady.

So the trend has most definitely been heading toward the requirement that all ideas proposed by hypnotherapy thinkers pass the three-pronged test if they are to be considered as scientifically valid. Obviously, especially with evidence that is now being provided by neurologists and neurofeedback technicians, much of hypnosis theory and practice meets scientific standards – at least once one redacts its more idealistic and mythological elements. Modern researchers are now finally and continually giving credence to many of Liebeault's original claims regarding the relationship of the mind and body.

Parallel developments in integrative, mind/body medicine also pose significant implications as to the future of hypnosis. The increased number of studies and discussions supporting the close relationship between the brain and the rest of our physiology illustrate how hypnotists – who are masters at altering the brain's functions –use a plethora of techniques that affect the human body.

Additionally, the current advanced imaging of the human brain – especially when coupled with transcranial magnetic devices and micro-wire stimulation of specific substrates or even individual neurons – gives us a deeper understanding into how the brain works. Thus, as a hypnotherapist plies his or her trade, we are beginning to understand the true impact of suggestions. This leads me to surmise that we are on the threshold of achieving both a realization of the efficacy (i.e. the ability to produce an effect) and the etiology (i.e. causation) of hypnosis.

Another en vogue concept, which is getting lots of exposure among the more innovative publishers and conference organizers, is mindfulness therapy. Somewhat based upon the analytical meditative traditions found in Vipassana Buddhism, there are a tremendous number of studies, which have noticeably demonstrated the effect of meditation and awareness on human physiology. Yet mindfulness proponents – to include those at such staid academic institutions as Harvard University – are not without critics. Nevertheless, their ideas are clearly showing the effect of attention and imagination, which underlines the value of hypnosis. This pretty much summarizes the current innovative landscape. Unfortunately, standards of practice, boundaries, and other restrictions –such as insurance regulations and resistance emanating from the pharmaceutical giants – limit implementation of what could be very valuable hypnotherapeutic techniques. Additionally, it is very disturbing that current clinical mind arts and sciences are pretty much stuck in decades old traditions. Still, considering that it took the educated elite of the world almost a hundred years after Columbus' visits to the New World to finally accept the fact that the world was not flat, we are actually not doing that badly. Current innovations, which involve mind/body theories, neurology, and the interest in mindfulness, are considered "out there" and experimental to most practitioners – many of whom see themselves as erudite scientists despite basing the vast majority of their methods on a mythological foundation.

My hope is that hypnotherapeutic thought will shuck off its ideological, non-scientific and pseudoscientific traditions so that its true potential will lead us into a future in which cultural credibility can be attained. Traditional hypnotherapeutic techniques – including both direct and indirect/permissive ones, which survive such scrutiny – can be melded with lessons learned from the emerging mind/body and recent neurological discoveries. Indeed, this is the predominant rationale behind the creation of this Institute, the field of Advanced Neuro-Noetic Hypnosis^TM, and the Advanced Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist designation. Nevertheless, even this simplistically represents a tremendous leap into the present – yet an occurrence that many practitioners and their institutions, organizations, and associations may not be prepared.

Still this does not show us what is over the horizon. Evidentially there are already numerous indicators predicting what is to come. I see these in the current discourse regarding biophysical energy, artificial intelligence, the emergence of the "Internet Mind", a rise in scientifically-supported spirituality, and the eventual acceptance of quantum theory.

Within mainstream medical science there have been an increasing number of discussions regarding the role of the body's energy flows. Devices such as EEG's, EKG's, MRI's and even biofeedback and neurofeedback mechanisms, already show that there is a recognition as to the role of energy in human health. Yet those who claim that ancient religions had long ago recognized biophysical energy in the form of chakras and meridians are met with "woo woo" criticisms from self-proclaimed skeptics. In any case, modern science recognizes the existence of body energy concentrations and flows – even at the peziolectric levels. What is intriguing is the likelihood that energy flows and balances can be manipulated or influenced by either tapping – such as with TFT and EFT – or even with thought – such as with hypnosis.

Much of my Neurology of Suggestion theories – which serve as the underlying rationale behind ANNH^TM – come less from respecting my formal psychology indoctrination as by objectively delving into how artificial intelligence researchers have mimicked and are attempting to replicate human intelligence within computers and robots. What we are noticing is that we are seeing both a new perspective of what we mistake as the primacy of our intelligence as well as recognizing that the rise of non-carbon based life forms may be the eventual cause of human redundancy and even extinction. By appreciating the contributions of artificial intelligence – and artificial life – researchers, hypnotherapists can derive substantial insights as to the potential of the effective use of suggestion and imagination.

The human mind and brain are currently undergoing the most significant shift since the discovery of clocks and silent reading. In the 1960's Marshall McCluhan warned us of the effects that mass media were going to have on civilization. Even though his predictions for the most part came true, what he did not anticipate was the advent of the Internet and what I call the Internet Mind. Human mental functioning has quickly moved many of us into the realm of neurologically destructive multi-tasking and the availability of instant, truncated information and communication. This is not only affects how our societies are organized – our brains are literally changing. Anterior Cingulate Cortices are flaming and limbic functioning is becoming addictive – including porn addiction – while the roles of frontal lobe cortical substrates are being steadily denigrated. The society of the future – beginning immediately – will become increasingly polarized by people who are impatient consumers of snippets on one hand and on the other by those who will retain their intellectual prominence through the pursuit of more cognitive tasks. Thus the typical Ericksonian-era patient will be a rarity. Hypnotherapists will increasingly need to focus on rapid interventions – some which are even already available as iPhone apps.

Although quantum theory has been around for almost a hundred years, mainstream society is far from accepting all of its implications. Ideas such as quantum entanglement – which Einstein called "spooky influence at a distance" – and zero-point energy fields are showing us that the physical world around us is not what we consider it to be. Additionally, the concept of the quantum enigma, which establishes pervasive consciousness at the sub-atomic level, may eventually provide us with scientific evidence of the existence of a God-nature.

What this implies for the future of hypnotherapy is still quite beyond me. However, when adding Einstein's Relativity Theory to the quantum soup, I see that the entire intellectual landscape in which future hypnotherapists operate will be substantially different than what we see presently. Much of the thirty to fifty year old hypnotherapeutic – and psychotherapeutic – protocols used today will most certainly have little place in such a futuristic society.

American author, inventor, and futurist Raymond Kurzweil recently predicted that by the year 2045 the intelligence of machines will exceed that of humans. If you are like me and refuse to accept the distinct possibility that future human civilization will be made up of snippet personalities lorded over by a miniscule number of intellectual elite – who of course in turn serve their robot masters – I see a future in which our ability to deliberately alter the human mind will play a significant role in our health, happiness, and actualization. Provided that we are freed from the tyranny of the pharmaceutical regimes, the realization that a trained human mind can move biophysical energy at will – a fact that biofeedback and neurofeedback already address – a role for specialists who understand the power of suggestion and imagination should be assured. Whether those specialists are collectively recognized as a profession still remains to be seen.