by Tim Brunson, PhD

In 1762, French philosopher and author Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Cress, 1987) said, "Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains." No statement has ever as eloquently summed up the continuing saga of humanity's struggle between an ever-unfolding potential and limitations imposed by the inheritance of an animal-like nature. Thanks to its massive frontal lobe, the unparalleled ability of the human brain to self-direct continually confronts the instinctual resistance that permeates the neuro-physiological patterns that serve as the "source code" of our existence. Nevertheless, there is a feature in our pattern-driven nature that may also offer our higher-order volition opportunities if we are to grasp its full power. This is the fact that our protective nature – with its competitive and adaptive corollaries – provides us with the capability to continually reinvent our minds and our bodies to address our environment. Should – or when – we prove capable of using our minds to direct this "shape-shifting" ability, just maybe we can increase the likelihood that mankind can finally be free of the chains that Rousseau described.

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Lisa G. Halpin, D.C. H. , B.C. H. is a Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy, an NGH Board Certified Hypnotherapist, NLP Practitioner, and the originator of the HypnoCoach™ training program for professional hypnotists -- an NGH approved certification course. Dr. Halpin works with individuals in her successful private practice, and also presents corporate and community seminars. Her years of experience and broad educational background allow her to effectively address her client's individual needs, helping them to make valuable changes in their lives. Dr. Halpin is widely recognized as a leader in her profession and has received top honors in her field. She is a regular columnist in the Journal of Hypnotism, and has been on the convention faculty at the largest annual professional hypnosis educational conference for more than a decade. She is also an Advanced Certified Instructor, providing training to those interested in hypnotherapy as a career. She has been featured on the cover of the Journal of Hypnotism, and in the educational film "Women and Hypnosis". She also received the prestigious National Guild of Hypnotist's President's Award for representing her profession to the California State Legislature, and is featured in the book "How to Position Yourself as The Obvious Expert" by Elsom Eldridge, Jr. and Mark Eldridge. In 2005 she was inducted into the prestigious Order of Braid -- which recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication and service as a professional hypnotist.

Dr. Halpin's certifications include; Board Certified Hypnotherapist -- National Guild of Hypnotists, Advanced Instructor for the National Guild of Hypnotists, Master Hypnotist, Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist, Master of Demonstrational Hypnosis, Past Life Therapist, Hypno-Anesthesia Therapist, Psychoneurogenics, Biofeedback Therapist and Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner.

For more information, visit www.hypnosisdoctor.com

The authors revisit the question of the existence of a relationship between hypnotizability and dissociative capacity. In the present study, the State Scale of Dissociation (SSD) replaced the commonly employed Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) as a measure of dissociation, due to the latter capturing primarily pathological aspects of dissociation. Relationships between the Harvard Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A), the SSD, and the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) were assessed in the context of hypnosis. Robust results were found when comparing pre- to post-SSD scores, suggesting heightened nonpathological forms of dissociation are indeed related to hypnotizability. The appropriateness of the DES and similar trait-based measures for evaluating hypnotic phenomena is discussed as well as the relationships between PCI and SSD subscales.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2015;63(2):198-214. doi: 10.1080/00207144.2015.1002691. Cleveland JM1, Korman BM, Gold SN.

The Canadian College of Advanced Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy has just opened its doors in the Comox Valley and is now recruiting future hypnotherapists.

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In this article, we focus on the social image of the phenomenon known as mesmerism, or animal magnetism, through analysis of the works: The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar (1845) by Edgar Allan Poe, The Great Keinplatz Experiment (1885) by Conan Doyle and Trilby (1894) by George Du Maurier. We describe the stereotype of the mesmerist and the uses of mesmerism observed. We pay attention to the spaces and actors of the mesmeric transcript presented in the stories. We consider the reception of these stories by the public and the relationship of the authors with mesmeric and hypnotic knowledge. Nowadays, academic researchers in the discipline of psychology publish articles and books on popular myths about hypnosis in attempts to depict the distorted images related to this phenomenon. This distorted image of the hypnotic process and the hypnotist derives from "circus" hypnotism shows (stage hypnosis), the cinema, television and fictional literature. Works of fiction represent a unique and invaluable source of information, ideas, speculations, concerns and opportunities around animal magnetism and hypnosis, and the exploration and analysis of this literature is an essential chapter in any historical study of this topic. We see how the literary use of mesmerism by Poe, Doyle and Du Maurier is not chance or peripheral, with all three being intellectually interested in and stimulated by these ideas.

Dynamis. 2014;34(2):403-23, 274. Bonet Safont JM.

by Tim Brunson, PhD

The fundamental functioning of the human mind/brain is currently undergoing the most significant shift since the advent of the printing press. Starting with the mid-20th century cultural infection known as the mass media, recent information technology advances are redesigning our plastic brains and affecting how we think, learn, and interact with each other. These profound changes are also redefining our basic nature, creating a plethora of new mental dysfunctions, and necessitating that we relook at just how consultants, trainers, coaches, and therapists ply their transformative efforts. Hypnotherapists who practice their skills as either a profession or a trade must update their methods lest, like the rotary dial telephone, they become an obsolete relic of the past.

We have become technological junkies. My desktop is a prime example. I am writing this article on the left screen of my dual screen display. (I often wish that I had more than two.) I have five Internet browsers currently open with a total of 17 active tabs representing ideas, projects, and concerns that are currently occupying my mind. To the right is my palm-sized multi-media cell phone complete with Web and the ability to perform live syncing with multiple social network systems. Then there is my six line phone which came with a 900 page manual, live tech support, and more features than I will ever master. And then on the edge of my desk I am charging the latest addition, which is an Amazon Kindle DX that is connected wirelessly 24/7 as it continually downloads updates of several newspapers and a couple of my favorite magazines. Add to this cacophony of communication technologies the fact that I actively maintain 12 e-mail profiles, over 40,000 Web pages, a couple of Twitter accounts, a MySpace account, and more Facebook personal pages than they would like me to have – and 26 Facebook "fan" pages.

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As a masters prepared registered nurse for over twenty years, Gaye Wilson RN, has combined her traditional care experience as a parent-child clinical nurse specialist with intensive training in diet and nutrition, hypnotherapy and the martial arts to create a unique and powerful approach to health and well-being. Gaye is a graduate of the Hypnotherapy Training Institute (Santa Rosa, CA). After completing 250 hours of lecture, demonstration and experiential course work under the expert tutelage of beloved instructors Marleen Mulder and Randal Churchill, she was certified as a Clinical Hypnotherapist.

Gaye took a 60 hour intensive training with Covert Bailey in 1987 and is certified by him to teach the Fit or Fat System of fitness and nutrition education. She has extensive experience in group programs as well as individual counseling.

Having earned her first degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do Karate in 1991 and her 2nd degree in 1995, Gaye has trained since 1988 and taught classes in her own school for adults and children from 1994-1999.

Gaye's hypnotherapy program, grounded in loving kindness and compassion, is a reflection of her personal philosophy and that of her gifted teachers. She says, "I think my Here & Tao Hypnotherapy practice is an opportunity to bring all of my endeavors -- all of the things that I love about helping people -- together into one unique program." Gaye has been a presenter at the ACHE International Hypnotherapy Conference in Glendale, CA.

For more information, visit www.HereAndTao.com.

In this pilot study, the authors introduce a new system to assess hypnosis style. The Feature-Based Coding System (FBCS) comprises 24 standard individual hypnosis sessions, which were videotaped and coded according to both a previous and the new coding system. In addition, both subjects and hypnotists filled the Archaic Involvement Measure (AIM), the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI), and the Dyadic Interactional Harmony Questionnaire (DIH). The interrater agreement of FBCS was good and the construct Maternal-Paternal Axis had a good internal consistency (? = .95). Construct validity was also supported by the findings. Based on these results, a larger scale study is warranted to further establish the reliability and usefulness of this tool.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2015;63(2):215-35. doi: 10.1080/00207144.2015.1002701. Varga K1, Kekecs Z.

Granted, it's only been about 18 hours, but I think the hypnosis is working.

You see, most mornings, I wake up begging my two husky pups for a 20-minute reprieve before they jump on my head and start licking my face. This morning, however, I woke up feeling refreshed, let the dogs out and found myself in the kitchen, making a gigantic salad for lunch.

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BACKGROUND: Many studies show an effectiveness of hypnotic analgesia. It has been discussed whether the analgesic effect is mainly caused by the relaxation that is concomitant to hypnosis. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of hypnotic relaxation suggestion on different somatosensory detection and pain thresholds.

METHODS: Quantitative sensory testing (QST) measurements were performed before and during hypnosis in twenty-three healthy subjects on the dorsum of the right hand. Paired t-test was used to compare threshold changes. The influence of hypnotic susceptibility was evaluated by calculating correlation coefficients for threshold changes and hypnotic susceptibility (Harvard group scale).

RESULTS: During hypnosis significantly changed somatosensory thresholds (reduced function) were observed for the following sensory detection thresholds: Cold Detection Threshold (CDT), Warm Detection Threshold (WDT), Thermal Sensory Limen (TSL) and Mechanical Detection Threshold (MDT). The only unchanged sensory detection threshold was Vibration Detection Threshold (VDT). No significant changes were observed for the determined pain detection thresholds (Cold Pain Thresholds, Heat Pain Thresholds, Mechanical Pain Sensitivity, Dynamic Mechanical Allodynia, Wind-up Ratio and Pressure Pain Threshold). No correlation of hypnotic susceptibility and threshold changes were detected.

CONCLUSION: Hypnotic relaxation without a specific analgesic suggestion results in thermal and mechanical detection, but not pain threshold changes. We thus conclude that a relaxation suggestion has no genuine effect on sensory pain thresholds.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT02261155 (9th October 2014).

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014 Dec 15;14:496. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-496. Kramer S1, Zims R, Simang M, Rüger L, Irnich D.

by Tim Brunson, PhD

Mental and physical pathologies exist. They are conditions and events, which are part of the reality that we endure every second of our lives. They arise based upon external influences and – whether ephemeral or lasting – they permeate our being in a substantial way. They are, however, also encoded in relationship to the other programs and patterns within our minds. It is their relationship with these previous experiences that tend to give undesired (and even desired) states meaning and become the foundation as to how we understand them. A fundamental attribute of hypnotherapy is the probability of altering the relationship of programmed phenomena in a way that changes meaning – and therefore possibly changing our experiences. Most likely the most potent phenomena that we can alter are those that are related to a person's concept of space and time.

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Patricia MacIsaac owns and operates South Shore Hypnosis Center in Hingham, Massachusetts.

Patricia is a certified instructor for the National Guild of Hypnotists, teaching both the basic and advanced courses. Pat also holds a third degree in the Usui Shiki Ryoho REIKI method of natural healing.

Patricia is the recipient of the National Guild of Hypnotists' 1993 Meritorious Service Award. In December 1993, Pat's picture appeared on the cover of the Journal of Hypnotism, the quarterly publication of the National Guild of Hypnotists that is distributed internationally, and was featured in an interview in that edition. Pat has been a speaker at the National Guild of Hypnotists' Convention & Educational Conferences for the last several years.

In August 1995, Pat was named Instructor of the Year by the National Guild of Hypnotists. In August 1998, Patricia was appointed to the National Guild of Hypnotists' Advisory Board. Pat has been an Adjunct Faculty Member for many years, and was specifically asked to teach the Certification Course at the NGH Educational Conference by the NGH President, Dr. Dwight Damon, for the last nine years, including 2006. In February 2005, Patricia became a Board Certified Hypnotist, having successfully passed her oral and written exams in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pat was named Educator of the Year at the 2006 NGH Convention and was presented with the Hypnotism Hallmark Award. She was one of the 2006 Order of Braid inductees. She also was named as a Board Certified Hypnotist Examiner.

For more information, visit www.sshc.net

Hypnotherapy's effectiveness in improving and controlling chronic pain of various etiologies has been demonstrated by studies; the mechanism by which hypnosis does this is more complex than a simple induction of muscle relaxation. This study reveals, in addition to this mechanism, a deeper dimension of hypnotherapy from the vantage of a patient with a medical-surgical background, diagnosed with a pain disorder and major severe depressive disorder in addition to incurable painful symptoms, through treatment associated with hypnoanalysis. Following psychotherapy, which included some elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy, a complete remission of the anxious-depressive mood and the painful symptoms was achieved.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2015;63(2):236-46. doi: 10.1080/00207144.2015.1002704. Artimon HM1.

A new ITV programme that appears to show members of the public being hypnotised has been branded a fraud by experts.

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This study explores whether self-reported depth of hypnosis and hypnotic suggestibility are associated with individual differences in neuroanatomy and/or levels of functional connectivity. Twenty-nine people varying in suggestibility were recruited and underwent structural, and after a hypnotic induction, functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest. We used voxel-based morphometry to assess the correlation of grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) against the independent variables: depth of hypnosis, level of relaxation and hypnotic suggestibility. Functional networks identified with independent components analysis were regressed with the independent variables. Hypnotic depth ratings were positively correlated with GM volume in the frontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Hypnotic suggestibility was positively correlated with GM volume in the left temporal-occipital cortex. Relaxation ratings did not correlate significantly with GM volume and none of the independent variables correlated with regional WM volume measures. Self-reported deeper levels of hypnosis were associated with less connectivity within the anterior default mode network. Taken together, the results suggest that the greater GM volume in the medial frontal cortex and ACC, and lower connectivity in the DMN during hypnosis facilitate experiences of greater hypnotic depth. The patterns of results suggest that hypnotic depth and hypnotic suggestibility should not be considered synonyms.

Psychiatry Res. 2015 Feb 28;231(2):151-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2014.11.015. Epub 2014 Dec 6. McGeown WJ1, Mazzoni G2, Vannucci M3, Venneri A4. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hypnotists, Counselors, Chiropractors, Licenced Social Workers, Psychologists, Medical Doctors, Acupuncturists, and others...

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by Tim Brunson, PhD

Over the past several decades the rise of behaviorism within psychology has both been enlightening as well as often disturbing. By reclassifying psychology as the science of behavior rather than the science of the mind, behaviorists have insisted that all human physical and mental activities consist of observable phenomena, which can then be modified should the scientist or clinician understand how to apply or withhold positive or negative reinforcements. As such, this deterministic approach has served to strip away the role of choice, free will, and even calls into question the role of higher-level intelligence.

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Jim was first introduced to hypnosis in 1965 and began a life long study. While stationed in Okinawa, he learned by combining self-hypnosis with the Martial Arts he was able to achieve much higher goals. In 2000 he became certified as a hypnotist, through the National Guild of Hypnotists, adding complementary medical hypnosis, masters of hypnosis and the 5-path hypnosis methods to his skills.

For more information, please visit http://www.center4hypnosis.com/.

Putting patients into a hypnotic trance can be a boon to treating phobias, depression, stuttering, anxiety and many other conditions.

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High hypnotic suggestibility is a heterogeneous condition and there is accumulating evidence that highly suggestible individuals may be comprised of discrete subtypes with dissimilar cognitive and phenomenological profiles. This study applied latent profile analysis to response patterns on a diverse battery of difficult hypnotic suggestions in a sample of individuals in the upper range of hypnotic suggestibility. Comparisons among models indicated that a four-class model was optimal. One class was comprised of very highly suggestible (virtuoso) participants, two classes included highly suggestible participants who were alternately more responsive to inhibitory cognitive suggestions or posthypnotic amnesia suggestions, and the fourth class consisted primarily of medium suggestible participants. These results indicate that there are discrete response profiles in high hypnotic suggestibility. They further provide a number of insights regarding the optimization of hypnotic suggestibility measurement and have implications for the instrumental use of hypnosis for the modeling of different psychological conditions.

Conscious Cogn. 2015 Feb 23;33C:334-341. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2015.01.018. Terhune DB1. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A book review by Tim Brunson PhD

If a human mind is normal, it is presumed that its owner go through specific physical, cognitive, and emotional stages in order to learn how to navigate their social environment. When that fails to happen as expected by mental health experts, a person could be diagnosed as having some level of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In Practical Social Skill for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Designing Child-Specific Interventions, Kathleen Koenig MSN presents what she calls a blueprint for understanding ASD and designing effective, evidence-based interventions.

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by Tim Brunson, PhD

Those who practice any form of hypnotherapy – to include clinicians whose practice incorporates the rather trendy concept of mindfulness – absolutely must tread carefully if they learn or detect that their patient or client has experienced or continues to suffer from a past traumatic experience. As the power of the hypnosis process relies largely on bypassing some of a person's natural protective faculties (i.e. the innate resistance to pattern change) and very often involves mental reprogramming through association, its use may be contrary to their client's natural defense mechanisms. Careless use of hypnosis can intensify the use of these mechanisms and easily result in long-term suffering. Therefore, the use of hypnosis with trauma patients must be limited to only mental health clinicians, who are specifically trained in trauma care.

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Hypnotherapy is increasingly being recognised as an effective way to help people suffering from anxiety disorders, according to Michael McGuinness of the Mayo Hypnosis Clinic.

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Our research extends studies that have examined the relation between hypnotic suggestibility and experiential involvement and the role of an hypnotic induction in enhancing experiential involvement (e.g., absorption) in engaging tasks. Researchers have reported increased involvement in reading (Baum & Lynn, 1981) and music-listening (Snodgrass & Lynn, 1989) tasks during hypnosis. We predicted a similar effect for film viewing: greater experiential involvement in an emotional (The Champ) versus a non-emotional (Scenes of Toronto) film. We tested 121 participants who completed measures of absorption and trait dissociation and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility and then viewed the two films after either an hypnotic induction or a non-hypnotic task (i.e., anagrams). Experiential involvement varied as a function of hypnotic suggestibility and film clip. Highly suggestible participants reported more state depersonalization than less suggestible participants, and depersonalization was associated with negative affect; however, we observed no significant correlation between hypnotic suggestibility and trait dissociation. Although hypnosis had no effect on memory commission or omission errors, contrary to the hypothesis that hypnosis facilitates absorption in emotionally engaging tasks, the emotional film was associated with more commission and omission errors compared with the non-emotional film.

Conscious Cogn. 2015 Jan 13;33C:170-184. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2014.11.013. Maxwell R1, Lynn SJ2, Condon L1. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

by Tim Brunson, PhD

Our concept and sense of realty is limited and defined by how we filter our perceptions. The mental states that result become the instigators of our behavior. Therefore, in order to alter states – and ultimately behavior -- a person can merely alter their filters. This concept is the core of the Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Communication Model (NLP is an often controversial rapid therapy system that was developed by John Grinder and Richard Bandler in the 1960's. It has widely been embraced by the self-help and hypnotherapy communities, generating only occasional interest within the main-stream psychology arena.)

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As opposed to conscious, personally relevant (explicit) memories that we can recall at will, implicit (unconscious) memories are prototypical of 'hidden' memory; memories that exist, but that we do not know we possess. Nevertheless, our behaviour can be affected by these memories; in fact, these memories allow us to function in an ever-changing world. It is still unclear from behavioural studies whether similar memories can be formed during anaesthesia. Thus, a relevant question is whether implicit memory formation is a realistic possibility during anaesthesia, considering the underlying neurophysiology. A different conceptualization of memory taxonomy is presented, the serial parallel independent model of Tulving, which focuses on dynamic information processing with interactions among different memory systems rather than static classification of different types of memories. The neurophysiological basis for subliminal information processing is considered in the context of brain function as embodied in network interactions. Function of sensory cortices and thalamic activity during anaesthesia are reviewed. The role of sensory and perisensory cortices, in particular the auditory cortex, in support of memory function is discussed. Although improbable, with the current knowledge of neurophysiology one cannot rule out the possibility of memory formation during anaesthesia.

Br J Anaesth. 2015 Mar 3. pii: aev035. Veselis RA1. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved.

Lynn Karjala is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Roswell, Georgia, USA. In addition to her general practice, she specializes in the treatment of severe trauma, including Dissociative Identity Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She is an Approved Consultant for the ACEP Cerfification process and s Seemorg Matrix Work Master Teacher. She is also trained in hypnosis, EFT, TAT, BSFF, and Allergy Antidotes. Before going into clinical practice, she was a tenured child, adolescent and life-span development and psychology of death and dying. Her first book, Understanding Dissociation and the Treatment of Trauma is scheduled for publication in 2006. Her second book, Everyday Trauma, is in process.

For more information, please visit http://www.karjala.com.