Tim Brunson DCH

Welcome to The International Hypnosis Research Institute Web site. Our intention is to support and promote the further worldwide integration of comprehensive evidence-based research and clinical hypnotherapy with mainstream mental health, medicine, and coaching. We do so by disseminating, supporting, and conducting research, providing professional level education, advocating increased level of practitioner competency, and supporting the viability and success of clinical practitioners. Although currently over 80% of our membership is comprised of mental health practitioners, we fully recognize the role, support, involvement, and needs of those in the medical and coaching fields. This site is not intended as a source of medical or psychological advice. Tim Brunson, PhD

Keeping relationships strong by staying attractive



Turning negative life situations into motivation and purpose



The association between the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and hypnotizability.



This study confirmed that oxytocin plays a significant role in modulating the extent to which people can engage in external or internal experiences. The hypothesis was that levels of the neuropeptide oxytocin is correlated with heightened awareness of external cues. Also, the conclusion was that the capacity to respond to suggestions for altered internal states is influenced by the oxytocin receptor gene. (This study should be viewed in relationship to earlier work done at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School regarding oxytocin levels and defensiveness. This also correlates with statements made by hypnotists, such as Dave Elman, in which they say that a person's resistance to hypnosis could be affected by fear.)

Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2013 Apr 3. pii: S0306-4530(13)00076-0. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.03.002. Bryant RA, Hung L, Dobson-Stone C, Schofield PR. School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: r.bryant@unsw.edu.au.

Hypnosis for Treatment of HIV Neuropathic Pain: A Preliminary Report.



This study sought to determine whether hypnosis could be used as an intervention for painful HIV distal sensory polyneuropathy (HIV-DSP), which is the most common nervous system disorder in HIV patients. 36 volunteers received three weekly sessions in self-hypnosis for a 17 week protocol. The results were positive and supported the use of hypnosis.

Pain Med. 2013 Apr 8. doi: 10.1111/pme.12074. Dorfman D, George MC, Schnur J, Simpson DM, Davidson G, Montgomery G. Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.

A unique approach to weight loss



Change your attitude, change your life



Reconditioning the stress response with hypnosis CD reduces the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 ...



Full title: Reconditioning the stress response with hypnosis CD reduces the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and influences resilience: a pilot study.

This 12-week study sought to determine if a self-administered CD hypnosis would reduce inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and influence resilience. It involved 11 patients. Participants reported a decrease in negative appraisal coping using the CD. (Negative appraisal coping includes perfectionism, self-deprecating statements, and pessimistic thinking.) The conclusion was that through the by listening to the hypnosis CD, which also served as a stress reduction program, inflammation (IL-6) was affect as well as coping and resilience was improved.

Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2013 May;19(2):83-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2012.12.004. Epub 2013 Jan 18. Schoen M, Nowack K. 864 South Robertson Blvd, Suite 206, Los Angeles, CA 90035, USA. marcschoen@ucla.edu

Robert Cialdini - The 6 Principles of Influence

Effect of hypnosis on induction of local anaesthesia, pain perception, ...



Full title: Effect of hypnosis on induction of local anaesthesia, pain perception, control of haemorrhage and anxiety during extraction of third molars: a case-control study.

This study sought to determine the efficacy of hypnosis on dental patients who had the third molars removed under hypnosis versus using a local anesthetic. 24 female and male volunteers were involved in this study. The results showed that hypnosis can effectively reduce anxiety, bleeding, and pain. Hypnosis was induced by either using gaze fixation or Chiasson's techniques. No information was given regarding suggestions, which may have been given during the study.

J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2013 Jun;41(4):310-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jcms.2012.10.009. Abdeshahi SK, Hashemipour MA, Mesgarzadeh V, Shahidi Payam A, Halaj Monfared A. Kerman Oral and Dental l Diseases Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Innovative use of hypnosis for surgery patients



Hypnotic suggestibility predicts the magnitude of the imaginative word blindness suggestion...



Full title: Hypnotic suggestibility predicts the magnitude of the imaginative word blindness suggestion effect in a non-hypnotic context.

This study sought to explain if the level of imaginative word blindness varied based upon what is believed to be a person's hypnotic suggestibility. A non-post-hypnotic suggestion (i.e. imaginative suggestion) was given. The authors claim to have shown a linear relationship between imaginative word blindness and hypnotic suggestibility. They claim that the more suggestible the subject, the more likely they were to encounter word blindness. They also claim that they did not observe similar results should the subject have a negative attitude about hypnosis.

Conscious Cogn. 2013 Jun 15;22(3):868-874. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2013.05.009. Parris BA, Dienes Z. Psychology Research Centre, School of Design, Engineering and Computing, University of Bournemouth, United Kingdom. Electronic address: bparris@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Science Of Persuasion

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