Attention binds psychology to the techniques of neuroscience and exemplifies the links between brain and behavior. Associated with attentional networks, at least 3 brain modules govern control processes by drawing on disparate functional neuroanatomy, neuromodulators, and psychological substrates. Guided by data-driven brain theories, researchers have related specific genetic polymorphisms to well-defined phenotypes, including those associated with different attentional efficiencies and hypnosis. Because attention can modulate both cognitive and affective processes, genetic assays together with neuroimaging data have begun to elucidate individual differences. Findings from genetic assays of both attention and hypnotizability pave the way to answering questions such as how high hypnotizable individuals may differ from less-hypnotizable persons. These exploratory findings may extend to the identification of placebo responders.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2008 Jan;56(1):99-116.

Raz A.

Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA.

The present study examined the relation between various self-report measures and two measures of hypnotizability within a multivariate framework. A group of 748 participants was tested on the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A), the Tellegen Absorption Scale (TAS), as well as the Preference for an Imagic Cognitive Style (PICS) questionnaire. One hundred ninety of these participants also completed the Paranormal Experiences Questionnaire (PEQ). Data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression equations, and the results of the analyses indicated that both the TAS and PICS accounted for significant amounts of unique variance in each of two 373-member samples of HGSHS:A scores. A further sub-sample of participants (n = 161) was tested on the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C) to see if these results would generalize to another measure of hypnotizability. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that although the PEQ predicted significant amounts of unique SHSS:C variance over and above that predicted by the TAS, the PICS failed to do so. This inconsistency in results may be due in part to the generally low intercorrelation between the different hypnotizability scales and points to the need to develop new predictor variables that are orthogonal to each other.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 1996 Jul;44(3):250-64. Dixon M, Labelle L, Laurence JR. Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.

In this study, participants who failed to exhibit pendulum movement in response to Chevreul's Pendulum (CP) instructions had lower Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form A (SHSS:A) scores and reported experiencing less subjective response to hypnosis than did their counterparts who exhibited CP movement. However, intensity scores on Shor's Personal Experiences Questionnaire (PEQ) did not differ between pass- and fail-CP groups. Additionally, pass-CP participants showed positive correlations between PEQ intensity scores and hypnotizability scores, while fail-CP participants showed negative correlations among these measures. These findings are consistent with the notion that CP failure may reflect a situation-specific unwillingness to become imaginatively involved rather than a general inability to do so. Additional analyses revealed that 5 of 10 participants who had failed the CP task scored 0 or 1 on the SHSS:A, while only 3 of 65 pass-CP participants scored 0 or 1.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2008 Jan;56(1):83-98.

Karlin RA, Hill A, Messer S.

Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.

People attempting to communicate religious and mystical experiences tend to use the same language strategies employed in inducing hypnotic trance. Both incorporate vague language that provides receptive listeners the opportunity to insert their own content. This study examines whether people who have had mystical or religious experiences are also more likely to respond to the language of hypnosis. Eighty-one participants completed the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A and the Hood Mysticism Scale. Participants were divided into 3 equal groups based on "high," "ambiguous," and "low" mysticism scale scores. The high group scored significantly higher on hypnotizability compared to the low group. The relationship between openness to mystical and religious experience and susceptibility to hypnotic suggestion warrants further investigation.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2008 Jan;56(1):73-82.

Adams PJ.

University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Although diabetes is one of the most serious global health problems, there is no real cure yet for it. The conventional insulin treatment programs aimed at life quality improvement do not take into account the psychological aspects of the disease. Because diabetes has important psychological components, it seems reasonable to consider hypnosis as an adjunct therapy for diabetes. This paper examines the empirical literature on the effectiveness of hypnosis in the management of diabetes, including regulation of blood sugar, increased compliance, and improvement of peripheral blood circulation. Despite some methodological limitations, the literature shows promising results that merit further exploration. Multimodal treatments seem especially promising, with hypnosis as an adjunct to insulin treatments in the management of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes for stabilization of blood glucose and decreased peripheral vascular complications.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2008 Jan;56(1):63-72.

Xu Y, Cardeña E.

Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Hypnosis as a therapeutic technique bears potential risks when carried out inexpertly. Because of this, Israel was the first to legislate hypnosis. This study examines the current state of clinical hypnosis practice in Israel. A questionnaire was sent to 470 licensed hypnotists and 1250 unlicensed professionals; 478 (25.7%) of the 1720 potential respondents returned the questionnaires. Of these, 249 (51.8%) were licensed hypnotists, and 232 (48.2%) were unlicensed. Of the unlicensed professionals, 45% reported practicing hypnosis; 50% of them practice hypnosis with adolescents and 41.2% with children. Many of them practice hypnosis in public clinics (71.6%). Of the licensed professionals, 94.4% reported practicing hypnosis in the course of their clinical work. The authors conclude that great number of unlicensed hypnotists carry on clinical practice of hypnosis and suggest steps to increase the efficiency of the law as part of a regulatory system.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2008 Jan;56(1):47-62.

Aviv A, Dalia G, Gaby G, Kobi P.

Abarbanel Mental Health Center and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.

This study hypothesized that hypnosis would enhance thought suppression by minimizing the effect of cognitive load. Twenty-eight high and 29 low hypnotizable hypnotized participants received the cognitive load of learning a 6-digit number. Participants then received either a suppression instruction or no instruction for a personal memory of a failure experience. Thought-suppression effectiveness was indexed by measures of self-report monitoring, competition of scrambled sentences, and facial electromyography. Low hypnotizable participants who received the suppression instruction displayed postsuppression rebound on the sentence-unscrambling task. In contrast, high hypnotizable participants did not display any rebound effects. These findings support the proposition that hypnosis facilitates thought suppression.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2008 Jan;56(1):37-46.

Bryant RA, Sindicich N.

University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Over the past 70 years there has been solid scientific research behind brainwave entrainment. In are pharmacological-oriented medical culture, it has not been emphasized as much as it should for its medical and psychological value. While light and sound has been emphasized traditionally, the role of the human voice has heretofore been ignored. Using the vocal talents of competent hypnotists as an entrainment device offers some intriguing avenues for further research and discussion.

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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This research aimed to evaluate the use of aromatherapy massage and music as an intervention to cope with the occupational stress and anxiety that emergency department staff experience. The study also aimed to compare any differences in results between a summer and winter 12-week massage plan. BACKGROUND: Emergency nurses are subjected to significant stressors during their work and it is known that workloads and patient demands influence the role stress has on nurses. The perception that winter months are busier for emergency departments has long been held and there is some evidence that people with cardiac and respiratory dysfunction do present more frequently in the winter months. Massage has been found to decrease staff anxiety. DESIGN: The study used a one-group pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental design with random assignment. METHOD: Staff occupational stress was assessed pre- and post- 12 weeks of aromatherapy massage with music and anxiety was measured pre and post each massage session. Sick leave was also measured. Comparisons of summer and winter data were undertaken. RESULTS: A total of 365 massages were given over two 12-week periods, one during summer and the other during winter. Analysis identified that aromatherapy massage with music significantly reduced anxiety for both seasonal periods. Premassage anxiety was significantly higher in winter than summer. No differences in sick leave and workload were found. There was no difference in the occupational stress levels of nurses following the two 12-week periods of massage. CONCLUSION: Emergency nurses were significantly more anxious in winter than summer but this cannot be attributed to increased sick leave or workloads. Aromatherapy massage with music significantly reduced emergency nurses' anxiety. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: High levels of anxiety and stress can be detrimental to the physical and emotional health of emergency nurses and the provision of a support mechanism such as on-site massage as an effective strategy should be considered.

J Clin Nurs. 2007 Sep;16(9):1695-703. Cooke M, Holzhauser K, Jones M, Davis C, Finucane J. School of Nursing & Midwifery, Research Centre for Clinical Practice Innovation, Griffith University, QLD, Australia. m.cooke@griffith.edu.au

The majority of the Thai population is Buddhists and Buddhism has a great deal of influence on their mind, character, way of life, and health, particularly mental health. According to the Four Noble Truths (Cattari ariyasaccani), suicide is a form of suffering that is originated from craving (Tanha). Therefore, human beings cannot avoid suffering by taking their own lives, nor do they escape from "the wheel of suffering" by doing so. Moreover, the consequence of suicide is a rebirth in the woeful planes of existence, and hence further suffering endlessly. From the present study, the Buddhist approach to suicide prevention can be considered in the following areas: 1) Buddhist attitude toward suicide, 2) faith and confidence in life after death, 3) providing monks with general knowledge and understanding about suicide and life after death, 4) early identification of mental disorders, persons at risk of suicide and prompt referral to appropriate mental health professionals, 5) control of access to instruments of suicide, 6) control of alcohol and drug abuse, 7) prevention of HIV infection, 8) responsible media reporting and 9) practice of meditation.

J Med Assoc Thai. 2007 Aug;90(8):1680-8. Disayavanish C, Disayavanish P. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.

The body's first defense against invading pathogens or tissue injury is the innate immune system. Since excessive immune responses can be damaging, anti-inflammatory mechanisms function to control the pro-inflammatory response and prevent injury. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is a neural mechanism that suppresses the innate inflammatory response. Knowledge concerning innervation of the immune system offers a unique opportunity to explore previously unrecognized or under recognized techniques to treat disease. It also enables consideration of the neurological basis of complementary and alternative medical therapies, such as meditation and acupuncture. This evolving area of research has implications for the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions of excessive cytokine release.

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007 Sep 28 Oke SL, Tracey KJ. Director's Office, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York, United States.

Groddeck, most interestingly, proposed that the body manifested the mind, and the mind the body. I consider his interactional viewpoint from several perspectives. First, I discuss how the entire body not only is minded by and minding of all that occurs within and without, but as well how the developable capacity for mindfulness affects the perception of reality, within and without. Secondly, I consider the body as delusion, a seemingly necessary anchor into the reality of the physical world, whereas Groddeck's and Ferenczi's openness to ideas of telepathy and communication beyond death flirts with a disembodied transcendence of physicality. And third, I propose that Groddeck's psychoanalytic approach, like Buddhist meditational techniques, reveals an experiential flux of embodiment and disembodiment in each re-embodied moment of being alive.

Am J Psychoanal. 2007 Sep;67(3):249-59. Langan R. Center for Applied Psychoanalysis, William Alanson White Institute. rlangan@psychoanalysis.net

Despite modern advances in clinical psychopharmacology, mental disorders are still the leading cause of disability all over the world. Drug treatment of mental disorders is unfortunately too often associated with partial remissions, frequent relapse or recurrence as well as with persistent residual symptoms, distress and low levels of well-being, life-satisfaction and quality of life. The practical failure of psychopharmacotherapy to improve life-satisfaction and well-being is related to treatment focus on psychopathology and decrease of illness and not on the development of wellness, purpose of life and creativity. NLP, life coaching and well-being therapy may significantly increase effectiveness of psychopharmacotherapy shaping an efficient and meaningful treatment context for achieving a full recovery.

Psychiatr Danub. 2007 Sep;19(3):195-201. Jakovljevic M. University Psychiatric Clinic Rebro, Clinical Hospital Centre Zagreb, Kispaticeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. miro.jakovljevic@mef.hr

Current neuroimaging and neurophysiologic techniques have substantially increased our possibilities to study processes related to various language functions in the intact human brain. Learning to read and write influences the functional organization of the brain. What is universal and what is specific in the languages of the world are important issues. Most studies on healthy bilinguals indicate that essentially the same neural mechanisms are used for first and second languages, albeit with some linguistic and cultural influences related to speech and writing systems, particularly between alphabetical and nonalphabetical languages. Proficiency, age of acquisition, and amount of exposure can affect the cerebral representations of the languages. Accumulating data support the important role of working memory for acquiring high proficiency in the reading of native and second languages. It is proposed that longitudinal studies on second language acquisition are essential and that the specific problems related to second language learning in dyslexic children should have high priority.

Ann Dyslexia. 2006 Jun;56(1):13-50. Johansson BB. Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Sweden. Barbro.Johansson@med.lu.se

This study expanded the inference and story recognition literature by investigating differences within the older age range, differences as a result of cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND), and applying signal detection procedures to the analysis of accuracy data. Old-old adults and those with more severe CIND showed poorer ability to accurately recognize inferences, and less sensitivity in discriminating between statement types. Results support the proposal that participants used two different recognition strategies. Old-old and CIND adults may be less able to recognize that something plausible with an event may not have actually occurred.

Exp Aging Res. 2007 Jul-Sep;33(3):295-322. Bielak AA, Hultsch DF, Kadlec H, Strauss E. Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. abielak@uvic.ca

Provide an orientation to psychoneuroimmunology, a rationale for including assessments of immune function in intervention studies of pediatric chronic illness, review the current literature, and provide recommendations for future research. METHODS: Using electronic searches and previous reviews, selected and reviewed published studies in which immunological changes related to psychological interventions were assessed in pediatric samples. RESULTS: Eight studies were identified and included in the review. These utilized a range of interventions (e.g., disclosure and hypnosis) and included a variety of pediatric samples (e.g., those with asthma, HIV infection, or lupus). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that psychological intervention can influence immune function in pediatric samples. Recommendations for advancing our knowledge by studying populations for whom the immune system plays an active role in disease pathophysiology, measuring disease-relevant immune mediators, studying pediatric patients under times of stress, and focusing on interventions aimed at altering the stress system are provided.

J Pediatr Psychol. 2007 Sep 10 Nassau JH, Tien K, Fritz GK. Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and The Walter Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI.

Hypnosis has had a gradual conceptual emergence from an alleged mystical experience, to sleep, to a psychological shift in concentration that activates a preexisting neuro-physiological circuitry. Data are presented to support the thesis that hypnotizability exists on a spectrum that has biological as well as psychosocial components. When there is synchrony between the bio-psychosocial components of hypnotizability as measured by the Hypnotic Induction Profile (an intact flow), psychotherapy is the primary treatment strategy, with medication secondary or not at all. When measurement reveals a lack of synchrony between biological factors as measured by the Eye-Roll sign and psychosocial responsivity (a nonintact flow), medication will be primary, with different degrees of psychosocial support.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2007 Oct;55(4):387-410. Spiegel H. College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.

Hypnosis and placebo share in phenomenology. While hypnosis-like phenomena have a documented history going back thousands of years, accounts of placebo effects span several centuries. With the rise of biological psychiatry and the "pharmacological revolution," drug trials have taken a central place in clinical research. These clinical trials increasingly incorporate placebo-controlled conditions as part of their paradigms and may even involve an element of deception. In contrast, the therapeutic effects of hypnosis do not require deception. As researchers begin to identify genetic and neural correlates of hypnotizability, these findings may further elucidate placebo phenomena. Whereas identifying highly hypnotizable individuals may be of limited interest, identifying good placebo responders may revolutionize both basic research and clinical science, offer insights into transcultural psychiatry and elucidate individual differences.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2007 Jul;50(1):49-58. Raz A., Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.

In an elaboration on the contribution by Raz (current issue), placebo response is further reviewed in relation to psychotropic drug research. Many therapists are unaware that placebo controlled research documents that antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs on average are only mildly more effective than a placebo. Systematic biases in research design are noted that could account for the small differences. These factors, and turf and financial motivations associated with the rise of "biological psychiatry," are discussed because they impact the practice of clinical hypnosis and psychotherapy. Although placebo research is fascinating and expectancy is certainly an important factor in hypnotic response, thus far, there is little research to support the strong involvement of placebo response as part of hypnotic responsiveness.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2007 Jul;50(1):29-36.

Hammond DC., Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 No. 1900 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84132-2119, USA. D.C.Hammond@utah.edu

Systemic hypnosis is often seen as equivalent to an Ericksonian approach even though they reflect different epistemologies. Second-order articulations of systems theory emphasize the self-organization and autonomy of living systems: all systemic actions are aimed at the conservation of the system's autonomy; loss of autonomy means death as a system. In human systems verbal and non-verbal language reflects the meanings central to the system's autonomy and its conservation. Previous work has shown how symptomatic behaviour can be seen as linguistic expressions of the conservation of an ambivalent autonomy (Fourie, 1996a, 2003). Such behaviour therefore implies, expresses and even recursively conserves certain meanings that in time have become entrenched in the system. In this view, psychotherapy is aimed at the co-operative deconstruction of such entrenched meanings, helping them to transform into more functional, less ambivalent, understandings and actions. It is the aim of this paper to show how hypnosis can be employed for this purpose in a way which is coherent with a systemic rather than an Ericksonian epistemology.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2007 Jul;50(1):81-4. Fourie DP. University of South Africa, Unisa. fouridp@unisa.ac.za

CONTEXT: Many medical schools offer electives on complementary medicine, but little is known about the characteristics of students who sign up for such electives compared with those who do not. OBJECTIVE: Compare enrollees to nonenrollees in an elective course on therapeutic touch and healing touch (TTHT). DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Wake Forest University School of Medicine, second-year course on medicine as a profession. SUBJECTS: Second-year medical students who returned surveys: 22 who signed up for an elective on TTHT and 58 who did not. INSTRUMENT: Anonymous surveys included questions about demographics, attitudes, practices, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). RESULTS: Those who signed up for the elective were more likely to be women (73% for TTHT vs 33% for others, P < .01). Nearly all students thought that being centered and compassionate were very important. Students who signed up for TTHT were less likely to report feeling confident in being able to be centered when it was quiet (41% vs 64%, respectively, very confident, P < .04) and less confident in their ability to demonstrate nonverbal comforting behaviors (9% vs 43%, respectively, very confident, P = .02). Only 18% of elective vs 66% of others reported being centered during patient encounters (P < .001). The TTHT students and their classmates reported comparable levels of burnout. CONCLUSIONS: Elective students were no more likely than classmates to believe that it is very important to be centered and to extend compassion toward patients; they reported being less confident and practicing these skills less often than their classmates. Burnout was not less common among those in the elective. Electives may not be "preaching to the choir." Future studies need to determine whether training enhances confidence and skills and whether it protects against developing burnout.

Kemper KJ, Larrimore D, Dozier J, Woods C.

Department of Pediatrics, Family and Community Medicine, and Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. kkemper@wfubmc.edu

Explore (NY). 2005 Nov;1(6):453-8.

Over the past quarter century, hypnosis has been employed in a broad range of pediatric clinical settings; however, its efficacy and feasibility as a treatment approach for children and adolescents remain in question. METHOD: Published studies on the role of clinical hypnosis in the management of specific pediatric medical and psychological conditions were identified and reviewed. RESULTS: Pediatric clinical hypnosis has been employed in diverse medical settings to treat primary conditions (e.g., enuresis), as well as to address factors related to management of the condition (e.g., skills training for asthma) or its treatment (e.g., burn dressing changes). Despite great breadth to the possible applications of pediatric hypnosis and many reported successes, much of the present research comprises case histories and small, uncontrolled group studies. CONCLUSION: To date, research in pediatrics views clinical hypnosis as a promising tool with the potential to help manage a variety of conditions. However, additional research, particularly utilizing randomized, controlled methodologies and adequate sample sizes, is required.

J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2007 Aug;48(8):744-54.

Gold JI, Kant AJ, Belmont KA, Butler LD. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90027-6062, USA. jgold@chla.usc.edu

OBJECTIVE: Provide an orientation to psychoneuroimmunology, a rationale for including assessments of immune function in intervention studies of pediatric chronic illness, review the current literature, and provide recommendations for future research. METHODS: Using electronic searches and previous reviews, selected and reviewed published studies in which immunological changes related to psychological interventions were assessed in pediatric samples. RESULTS: Eight studies were identified and included in the review. These utilized a range of interventions (e.g., disclosure and hypnosis) and included a variety of pediatric samples (e.g., those with asthma, HIV infection, or lupus). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that psychological intervention can influence immune function in pediatric samples. Recommendations for advancing our knowledge by studying populations for whom the immune system plays an active role in disease pathophysiology, measuring disease-relevant immune mediators, studying pediatric patients under times of stress, and focusing on interventions aimed at altering the stress system are provided.

J Pediatr Psychol. 2007 Sep 10;

Nassau JH, Tien K, Fritz GK., Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and The Walter Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI.

After centuries of dualism in science it has become more evident now that our mental experiences are linked to processes in various parts of the organism. There appear to exist strict and most probably bidirectional relationships between psychic processes and the biology and chemistry of the physical sphere. To answer the question "Why hope?" it would be more reasonable to look for a better quality of life with illness emphasizing the comfort of freedom in coping with disease, and in spite of disease. Hope may serve as a catalyst for positive transformations, as an accelerating factor in healing processes, as a trigger of the specific energy of personal existence in such a way that the program of intentional optimism is carried beyond the mind as an order for extraordinary mobilization in various systems and parts of the body. Hope in this sense presents itself as a self-active element of therapy producing effects that are similar or greater to those of chemical substances introduced into the body. One should expect that the physician will fulfill the difficult obligation of causing the patient to believe in the success of therapy and in the sense of life. The front for the creation of hope should be as wide as possible, but also internally coherent. The greatest value should be attached to words of good, warm climate of meetings, an aura of unselfishness, and to physical--almost touchable --proximity.

Ann Acad Med Stetin. 2006;52(3):147-50. Related Articles, Links

Lipiec J.

Instytut Filozofii Uniwersytetu Jagiellonskiego, ul. Grodzka 52, 31-044 Kraków.

Modulating visceral sensation of the body is important to the understanding of emotion formation. Molecules that act during hypnosis and modify visceral pain perception are not known. We tested our hypothesis that hypnotic suggestion changes electrophysiological processing of visceroafferent signals in the human brain and that these conditions are in part dependent on histaminergic neurons. Twelve healthy male subjects were studied on two separate days: a day of treatment with histamine H(1) receptor antagonist (d-chlorpheniramine 100 mug kg(-1), intravenously) and another day of that with placebo (saline, the same amount) in a randomized order. We recorded cortical evoked potentials to 100 rectal electrical stimuli after neutral, hyperalgesic or analgesic hypnotic suggestions as given to modulate the visceral perception. Analgesic suggestion reduced the amplitude of the deepest positive peak of viscerosensory evoked potential. Administration of histamine H(1) antagonist diminished the attenuation of viscerosensory evoked potential by analgesic suggestion. Our results suggest that central pain modulatory system in the brain is activated by hypnotic suggestion and that brain histamine is a mediator in the hypnotic modulation of visceral sensory pathway as well as in the control of consciousness level. These findings lead us to possible new treatment for control of visceral perception.

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2007 Oct;19(10):831-8.

Watanabe S, Hattori T, Kanazawa M, Kano M, Fukudo S. Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a rapidly growing specialty within the healthcare field. One concept that appears central to the notion of CAM therapies is the concept of self-healing. Although "self-healing" is addressed within several bodies of literature, the concept is ill-defined within the context of CAM therapies, specifically energy-based healing modalities such as reiki therapy. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the concept of self-healing through a concept analysis using Walker and Avant's technique (1995). The resultant operational definition of self-healing was the result of 6 weeks of study and is not considered to be a final product, but merely a beginning step to understanding this unique phenomenon.

Nurs Forum. 2006 Apr-Jun;41(2):60-77. Related Articles, Links

Robb WJ.

Department of Nursing, Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA, USA. wjrobb@cedarcrest.edu

HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVE: The use of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) is growing among cancer patients. A Medline search failed to reveal any dedicated report of CAM use specifically in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). STUDY DESIGN: Use of CAM was evaluated in a cohort of treated HNC patients. METHODS: Patients treated for HNC were asked if they had used CAM since their diagnosis. Demographic data and data pertaining to mode of CAM, duration of treatment and effects were obtained. RESULTS: One hundred forty-three patients (mean age 61 years) were included. Only nine patients (6.3%) reported using disease related CAM. This included acupuncture (4), Reiki (2), naturopathy (2), hypnosis (1), shiatsu (1), chiropractic treatment (1), homeopathy (1), and selenium (1). CONCLUSION: Contrary to the reported use, few of our HNC patients used CAM. Although this could be related to good caregiver-patient relationship, further studies in comparable populations are warranted to evaluate if this is a local or a pervading finding in head and neck cancer patients.

Laryngoscope. 2006 Mar;116(3):506-7.

Talmi YP, Yakirevitch A, Migirov L, Horowitz Z, Bedrin L, Simon Z, Pfeffer MR.

Departments of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. yoav.talmi@sheba.health.gov.il

OBJECTIVES: To (1) describe the integration of massage and energy-based therapies with psychotherapy in a community mental health center, (2) to present qualitative feedback on the service, and (3) to present pilot data from a sample of long-term clients with persistent mental health concerns. DESIGN: A noncontrolled pilot study was conducted using interview data before and self-report instruments after completing a brief program of complementary therapy accompanying ongoing psychotherapy. SETTINGS/LOCATION: The program took place at a comprehensive community mental health center in southern Maine and in the private offices of massage therapists and energy healing practitioners who contracted with the program. SUBJECTS: Subjects were 20 women and 5 men, with mean age of 42 years and a mean history of 7.4 years of mental health treatment. All had histories that included trauma, 10 of which involved sexual abuse. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV Axis I diagnoses were PTSD (10), major depression (nine), anxiety disorder (three), and dual diagnosis (three). INTERVENTIONS: Clients receiving ongoing psychotherapy were assigned to one modality of complementary therapy based on clinical judgment, availability of practitioners, and client interest. Modalities used were massage, acupuncture, Reiki, and Healing Touch. The mean number of sessions was five. OUTCOME MEASURES: Clients completed an investigator-generated instrument with Likert-scaled ratings of satisfaction and perceived changes in four dimensions of trauma recovery: perceived interpersonal safety, interpersonal boundary setting, bodily sensation, and bodily shame. RESULTS: Clients reported high levels of satisfaction with the service and significant levels of perceived (self-rated) change on each outcome measure. Qualitative results included enhanced psychotherapeutic outcomes reported by mental health clinicians. CONCLUSIONS: The integration of complementary therapies into community mental health practice may hold promise of enhancing mental health outcomes and improving quality of life for long-term users of mental health services.

J Altern Complement Med. 2005 Jun;11(3):569-74.

Collinge W, Wentworth R, Sabo S.

Collinge and Associates, Kittery Point, ME 03905, USA. wcollinge@comcast.net

Brain Topogr. 2007 Jun 21; [Epub ahead of print] Links

Katayama H, Gianotti LR, Isotani T, Faber PL, Sasada K, Kinoshita T, Lehmann D. The KEY Institute for Brain-Mind Research, University Hospital of Psychiatry, Lenggstrasse 31, CH-8032, Zurich, Switzerland, lgianott@key.unizh.ch.

The study assessed the brain electric mechanisms of light and deep hypnotic conditions in the framework of EEG temporal microstates. Multichannel EEG of healthy volunteers during initial resting, light hypnosis, deep hypnosis, and eventual recovery was analyzed into temporal EEG microstates of four classes. Microstates are defined by the spatial configuration of their potential distribution maps ([Symbol: see text]potential landscapes') on the head surface. Because different potential landscapes must have been generated by different active neural assemblies, it is reasonable to assume that they also incorporate different brain functions. The observed four microstate classes were very similar to the four standard microstate classes A, B, C, D [Koenig, T. et al. Neuroimage, 2002;16: 41-8] and were labeled correspondingly. We expected a progression of microstate characteristics from initial resting to light to deep hypnosis. But, all three microstate parameters (duration, occurrence/second and %time coverage) yielded values for initial resting and final recovery that were between those of the two hypnotic conditions of light and deep hypnosis. Microstates of the classes B and D showed decreased duration, occurrence/second and %time coverage in deep hypnosis compared to light hypnosis; this was contrary to microstates of classes A and C which showed increased values of all three parameters. Reviewing the available information about microstates in other conditions, the changes from resting to light hypnosis in certain respects are reminiscent of changes to meditation states, and changes to deep hypnosis of those in schizophrenic states.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2007 Jul;55(3):372-9.

Barabasz A, Perez N. Washington State University. Pullman, Washington. USA.

Six papers of special interest to the hypnosis community have recently appeared in the general scientific literatures. Three of these papers were published as part of the 2006 Cochrane Collaboration on the utility of medical interventions. These reviews analyze the research literature on the efficacy of hypnosis for treatment of needle-related pain in children, pain management during childbirth, and conversion disorder. Hypnosis is the most promising psychological intervention studied for needle-related procedural pain and distress in children and adolescents; it is effective as an adjunctive analgesic during childbirth; and it is of uncertain usefulness in treatment of conversion disorder. A second cluster of three studies unambiguously demonstrates the central role of hypnotizability as a predictor of responsiveness in laboratory, analogue treatment, and medical practice settings. One of these articles may well be the most important hypnosis paper in many years.

Fassler O, Lynn SJ, Knox J. Psychology Department, State University of New York at Binghamton (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13905, USA.

The present study examined the trait-like nature of hypnotic suggestibility by examining the stability of hypnotic responsiveness in a test-retest design in which the procedures were administered either live or by audiotape. Contrary to the idea that hypnotizability is a largely immutable, stable trait, scores on the scale of hypnotic responsiveness decreased significantly at the second session. Measures of subjective experiences and expectancies accounted for a sizable portion of the variance in hypnotic responding, both at initial test and at retest. Participants became disengaged with the hypnotic procedures at retest. Participants who received the hypnotic induction by audiotape did not differ from participants who received it live. The results are consistent with sociocognitive and altered state theories of hypnosis, and underline the important role of subjective experiences in hypnotic responding.

There is a plethora of research suggesting that combining cognitive-behavioral therapy with hypnosis is effective for a variety of psychological, behavioral, and medical disorders. Yet, very little empirical research exists pertaining to the use of hypnotherapy as either a single or multitreatment modality for the management of sleep disorders. The existing literature is limited to a small subset of nonbiologic sleep disorders. The objectives of this paper are: to provide a review of the most common sleep disorders, with emphasis on insomnia disorders; discuss the cognitive-behavioral approaches to insomnia; and review the existing empirical literature on applications of hypnotherapy in the treatment of sleep disturbance. The overreaching goal is to educate clinicians on how to incorporate sleep therapy with hypnotherapy. There is an immediate need for research evaluating the efficacy of hypnotherapy in the management of sleep disturbance.

Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. Chicago, Illinois. USA. Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2007 Jul;55(3):288-302.

by Rev Dr Casey CHUA

The origins and practice of hypnosis dates back thousands of years, since the times when ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians used the power of suggestion to heal their patients. Tribal dances, chanting and Shamanism were ancient ways of accessing the subconscious mind and were in actuality, a type of hypnosis. But the actual use of hypnosis in modern medicine spans only slightly over 200 years.

In the later part of the 18th century and early half of the 19th century, hypnosis became popular as a treatment for medical conditions when effective pharmaceutical and surgical treatment options were limited.

James Braid, an English physician, successfully shifted the perception of hypnosis from being viewed as black magic to a serious scientific discipline.

In the early 19th century, Dr. James Esdaille performed 345 major operations using mesmeric sleep as the sole anesthetic in British India. In his operations, the surgical mortality rate were lowered to less than 5 percent.

His unprecedented success was reported back to Britain, but comments were frosty. This was especially due to the fact that chemical sedations and anesthesia were growing in popularity at that time, and appeared to be reliable.

When Esdaille left India and returned to England, he found his methods could not work with his fellowmen. This was because the Indians were open and conditioned to allow hypnosis because of their culture, but the English were reserved and narrow minded and could not be hypnotized. The British Medical Society scorned his work, saying that pain was essential in toughening character and that he was interfering with nature. Esdaile never lived to see the success of hypnosis.

In 1892, the British Medical Association (BMA) stated hypnosis as a useful form of therapy.

During the First World War, German soldiers who were shell-shocked were treated through hypnosis. Hypnosis was also used in the same period to treat battle fatigue and neurosis.

Up to this point, American behavioural scientists Clark Hull and Dr Milton Erickson continued to bring hypnosis into medical practices as a viable treatment option for mental and physical illnesses.

But it was 1955 that marked the year of successful emergence of hypnotherapy into medical mainstream when the British Medical Society accepted and approved hypnosis as an adjunct modality to medical practice.

In the same year in April, the British Medical Journal published in a report, "Medical use of hypnosis", stating "...after consideration of the available evidence... hypnotism is of value and may be the treatment of choice in some cases of so-called psycho-somatic disorder and psychoneurosis. ...of value for revealing unrecognized motives and conflicts in such conditions. It has proved its ability to remove symptoms and to alter morbid habits of thought and behavior. [...] In addition to the treatment of psychiatric disabilities, there is a place for hypnotism in the production of anesthesia or analgesia for surgical and dental operations, and in suitable subjects it is an effective method of relieving pain in childbirth without altering the normal course of labor [...] there has been an abundance of evidence that psychological and physiological changes could be produced by hypnotism which were worth study on their own account, and also that such changes might be of great service in the treatment of patients.' [BMJ 1955]

In 1958, the American Medical Association (AMA) announced its official acceptance of hypnosis in the medical field. In the same year, AMA published and approved a report indicating that there could be "definite and proper uses of hypnosis in medical and dental practice" and recommending the establishment of "necessary training facilities" in USA.

In 1960, The American Psychiatric Association approved hypnotherapy for use by professionally trained and responsible individuals. The APA indicated in 1961, that "hypnosis has definite application in the various fields of medicine." and that "physicians would be seeking psychiatrists for training in hypnosis."

Various hypnosis clinics have been set up in the world since then, to aid patients in psychotherapy, manage their emotions and kick bad habits.

Hypnotherapy has been effective in eliminating phobias, ADHD, stress, depression and eating disorders.

In 1995, the National Institutes of Health recommended that hypnosis be incorporated to a greater degree in the delivery of health care. In 1996, a National Institutes of Health panel issued a statement published by the AMA indicating that there was "strong evidence for the use of hypnosis in alleviating pain associated with cancer"

In 1999, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published a Clinical Review of current medical research on hypnotherapy, concluding that hypnosis aids the therapy of phobia, obesity and anxiety panic disorders, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome and insomnia and is effective in cancer related anxiety, pain, nausea and vomiting, particularly in children.

In 2001, the British Psychological Society (BPS) published a report entitled The Nature of Hypnosis, stating "Enough studies have now accumulated to suggest that the inclusion of hypnotic procedures may be beneficial in the management and treatment of a wide range of conditions and problems encountered in the practice of medicine, psychiatry and psychotherapy [...]

There is convincing evidence that hypnotic procedures are effective in the management and relief of both acute and chronic pain and in assisting in the alleviation of pain, discomfort and distress due to medical and dental procedures and childbirth. [...] Hypnosis and the practice of self-hypnosis may significantly reduce general anxiety, tension and stress.... may assist in insomnia.[...] There is encouraging evidence demonstrating the beneficial effects of hypnotherapeutic procedures in alleviating the symptoms of a range of complaints in the heading under...'psychosomatic illness.' eg tension headaches and migraine; asthma; gastro-intestinal complaints such as irritable bowel syndrome; warts; ... skin complaints such as eczema, psoriasis and urticaria [hives]. [...]There is evidence from several studies that its [hypnosis'] inclusion in a weight reduction program may significantly enhance outcome.' (BPS, 'The Nature of Hypnosis', 2001)

Recently, the American Journal of Gerontology published an article regarding the effectiveness of hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome. The medical research of hypnotherapy on IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) alone was so dramatic that Adriane Fugh-Berman, MD, chairman of the National Women's Health Network in Washington D.C., said that hypnosis should be the treatment of choice for severe cases of IBS (Melissa Roth, CHT, DCH, "Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Hypnosis")

The educated medical community has already recognized the value of hypnotherapy.. Mistrust, suspicion, and a lack of conviction in hypnosis appear only in the uninformed and unenlightened. Resistance to this powerful technique is slowly being dissolved as doctors around the world come to discover its effectiveness and recognize the therapeutic value of hypnosis.

Many significant scientific societies exist today that aid in the promotion of hypnosis. The International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association (IMDHA, founded 1986) and American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH, founded 1959), provide and encourage education programs to further, the knowledge, understanding, and application of hypnosis in complimentary health care. They encourage research and scientific publication in the field of hypnosis and promote the further recognition and acceptance of hypnosis as an important tool in health care and focus for scientific research. They also provide a professional community for those complimentary health care professionals, therapists and researchers who use hypnosis in their work.

As alternative treatments for medical conditions become popular, contemporary medicine is being challenged to take a more integrative approach. There is a rapidly growing acceptance by doctors and medical staff for complementary approaches to health care, with a broader understanding of the profound connection between the physical body, the subconscious mind and the spirit.

In the last decade, many trials and case studies have been made to determine if hypnosis could sustain a longstanding role in contemporary medicine. The case studies range in the various medical fields, including allergy, dermatology, gastroenterology, healing from surgery, hematology, hypertension, headaches, obesity, obstetrics, oncology, rheumatology, and urology.

The conclusion of the findings is that acceptance of hypnosis as a mode of treatment in medicine is increasing as a result of "careful, methodical, empirical work of many research pioneers." Many of such trials have helped to establish the role of hypnosis in contemporary medicine, because the utility and efficacy of hypnosis have been observed.

Nonetheless, in spite of these positive results, skepticism may prevail and hypnosis may remain underused in some places because of the tendency to doubt or fear the unknown. Through greater awareness and acceptance of hypnosis, additional training and research can be inspired in pursuit of improved techniques and new areas of potential benefit.

Hypnotherapy has come a long way from the time where it was viewed suspiciously as witchcraft or in the domain of quacks and swindlers. In an era of greater *acceptance, hypnotherapy is now recognized by many institutions as useful and legitimate. But the full value of hypnotherapy has yet to be discovered and tapped. If the medical community could join hands with the hypnotherapy profession fully, that is to say, if every psychological and medical cases could incorporate hypnotherapy by bringing patients in touch with their subconscious minds, substantial whole mind/body healing could result.

This article is by Rev Dr Casey CHUA, MDiv, PhD, CH, CI, BCH, MNCH(UK), IACT, IMDHA, NBCCH, DipHT Center Director & Senior Hypnotherapist HYPNAE CENTER PTE LTD 1 Orchard Boulevard #13-01/02 Camden Medical Centre Singapore 248649 Tel: +65-63336776 www.hypnae.com

Background: Several studies have shown that response expectancies are an important mechanism of popular psychological interventions for pain. However, there has been no research on whether response expectancies and treatment credibility independently mediate hypnotic and cognitive-behavioral pain interventions and whether the pattern of mediation is affected by experience with the interventions. Also, past research has indicated that hypnotic pain interventions may be moderated by hypnotic suggestibility. However, these studies have typically failed to measure the full range of suggestibility and have assessed pain reduction and suggestibility in the same experimental context, possibly inflating the association between these variables. Purpose: To clarify the mediator role of response expectancies and treatment credibility, and the moderator role of hypnotic suggestibility in the hypnotic and cognitive-behavioral reduction of pain. Methods: Approximately 300 participants were assessed for suggestibility. Then, as part of an apparently unrelated experiment, 124 of these individuals received analogue cognitive-behavioral, hypnotic, or placebo control pain interventions. Results: Response expectancies and credibility independently mediated treatment. The extent of mediation increased as participants gained more experience with the interventions. Suggestibility moderated treatment and was associated with relief only from the hypnotic intervention. Conclusions: Response expectancies and treatment credibility are unique mechanisms of hypnotic and cognitive-behavioral pain interventions. Hypnotic suggestibility predicts relief from hypnotic pain interventions and this association is not simply an artifact of measuring suggestibility and pain reduction in the same experimental context. The relationship between suggestibility and hypnotic pain reduction appears to be linear in nature.

Department of Psychology, University of Hartford.

Ann Behav Med. 2007 Apr;33(2):167-78.

BACKGROUND: This report describes the utility of hypnosis for patients who presented to a Pediatric Pulmonary Center over a 30 month period. METHODS: Hypnotherapy was offered to 303 patients from May 1, 1998 - October 31, 2000. Patients offered hypnotherapy included those thought to have pulmonary symptoms due to psychological issues, discomfort due to medications, or fear of procedures. Improvement in symptoms following hypnosis was observed by the pulmonologist for most patients with habit cough and conversion reaction. Improvement of other conditions for which hypnosis was used was gauged based on patients' subjective evaluations. RESULTS: Hypnotherapy was associated with improvement in 80% of patients with persistent asthma, chest pain/pressure, habit cough, hyperventilation, shortness of breath, sighing, and vocal cord dysfunction. When improvement was reported, in some cases symptoms resolved immediately after hypnotherapy was first employed. For the others improvement was achieved after hypnosis was used for a few weeks. No patients' symptoms worsened and no new symptoms emerged following hypnotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients described in this report were unlikely to have achieved rapid improvement in their symptoms without the use of hypnotherapy. Therefore, hypnotherapy can be an important complementary therapy for patients in a pediatric practice.

Department of Pediatrics, Upstate Medical University, 750 E, Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA. Anbarr@mail.upstate.edu

BMC Pediatr. 2002 Dec 3;2:11. Epub 2002 Dec 3.

by Rochelle Jaffe, M.S.

How does change take place? How does the brain respond to suggestion? How can our inner resources be directed towards our own transformation and healing in the most effective way? Through understanding the brain and how it functions, we can better understand our experience, and how hypnotherapy helps to create lasting change.

Everything can be a Hypnotic Induction We are already entranced. We are entranced-hypnotized-by the circumstances of our lives. We began telling ourselves a story as children, repeating it over and over in our minds, adding to it throughout our lives, and using it to explain who we are. Events and memories create a template that organizes our inner lives, our relationship with our bodies, and profoundly affects how we view and interact with the world.

Hypnotherapy is, in part, learning to come out of this trance that we are already in- to see things as they are, and to see old situations with fresh new eyes. It helps us to get out of old repetitive loops, to integrate past experiences, and to discover a new state of being- open, clear, and un-entranced. Hypnotherapy has been shown to be an effective, supportive method to:

? Deepen insight and transformation ? Enhance self-esteem and self-awareness ? Cultivate calmness, clarity and peace of mind ? Access healing states of consciousness ? Relieve stress, pain and illness ? Increase motivation ? Release trauma

A growing body of research also shows that when hypnotherapy is part of a treatment process, it increases the benefits of treatment.

How does this work in relation to the brain? And how do we create real and lasting change?

Settling In First, I invite you to take a moment to settle in. One thing we know about the brain is that it works best if it's allowed to focus on one thing at a time. Feel yourself in your body. Feel the support of the chair that you are sitting in. Notice your breath. Notice how the mind naturally becomes quieter as you sink in. And take a moment to appreciate the power of your own awareness- how much your experience changes as you change your focus.

A Short Introduction to the Brain Our brains have three basic parts: the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for higher intellectual functioning, the mid-brain which is connected to emotion, and the brain stem-the most instinctual and primitive part.

The cerebral cortex is divided into two parts, or lobes. The left lobe is related to concrete thinking. It is where our ability to plan, to analyze and to develop rational explanation is centered. It also seems to be related to our sense of optimism. The right lobe is related to imagination and intuitive thinking. It is the center of our ability to think abstractly. While the left lobe is interested in the 'facts of the case', the right is aware of the felt sense, the 'story behind the story'. The left is primarily concerned with structure, the right with flow. Surprisingly, when right lobe thinking is dominant, there is also a greater tendency towards pessimism. Traditional psychotherapy is primarily directed towards these intellectual centers. The mid-brain, simply stated, is the emotional center. Memories with a strong emotional content are stored here. When observed on a brain scan, a traumatized emotional center can appear 'frozen'. This is why we can have increased insight into a problem, and yet find that our feelings and responses are still unchanged. The brain stem is responsible for our instinctual responses, and the automatic activities of the body, including our 'flight or fight' response when we are facing stressful situations. It responds to information from the outside world, and from our higher brain centers. It supports whatever trance story we have with a nervous system and hormonal response. It can become overactive if we are frequently being stirred up by issues from our past. Our bodies are designed so that when we are under stress or trauma, we need to have an opportunity to release the tension in some way. In our modern world, we don't always have that opportunity, so the trauma is stored in the emotional center of the brain. Synapses-How the Brain Changes The brain changes in response to our experience. If strong emotion is present, over time, the synaptic structures- part of the pathways in our brain over which information passes-can multiply, allowing particular types of information to pass more easily. In this way, the stories we tell ourselves about who we are become hard-wired. New information, no matter how positive, doesn't travel along the developed pathways if it doesn't fit the template and the well developed synaptic structures. It loses some of its power along the way to the areas of the brain where it 'registers'. To create new synapses, and a new self-definition at the brain level, we must bring in new information in a way that is as powerful as the experiences that created these pathways originally.

Hypnotherapy and the Brain How does hypnotherapy work to change these patterns that are hard-wired in the brain? Hypnotherapy is very different from what most people think. A person under hypnosis often feels more awake in the sense that the active, busy mind becomes quiet, and they are able to access qualities of wisdom, strength and compassion. They have greater emotional access and responsiveness, and greater access to unconscious processes. The ability to discern and to choose is always present, as well as an appreciation for the power of human connection and creativity in the process of change.

Hypnotherapy helps to make unconscious patterns of self-identification conscious. Conscious awareness brings the possibility of choice. It provides strong, deep new experience that allows change to happen more quickly and fully. This is the type of experience needed to change brain pathways and create new ones.

Hypnotherapy integrates and connects different areas and modes of thinking, feeling and being. On an EEG-brain scan- one can see that both lobes of the cerebral cortex are activated, as well as the mid-brain-emotional center, allowing the information and different processing abilities of these different parts of the brain to work together. Often negative states 'fill the space' of our awareness. Hypnotherapy's integrative quality allows strength and wisdom to exist in the same space as painful memories and experiences so the emotional center of the brain can 'unthaw', creating the opportunity to process and release old material that may have felt stuck before, allowing a fresh, new way of experiencing, un-entranced by the past. The brain stem is no longer overly stimulated by emotionally charged past experience, so there is a deeper feeling of rest and confidence.

Hypnotherapy-Research and Recognition Hypnotherapy is well researched and recognized. Repeated studies have shown its effectiveness in managing symptoms from a variety of causes, without the side effects of medication. It is sanctioned by the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association. The National Institute of Health states that, "For smoking, weight loss, and other addictive behaviors, hypnotherapy is a way to change beliefs, attitudes and habits that stand in the way of quitting. It enhances confidence, promotes a general sense of well-being, cuts withdrawal urges, and helps focus on what's really important. It reinforces lifestyle changes."

The Royal College of Psychiatrists reports that hypnotherapy has been shown to help cancer patients cope with their illness. Patients reported a reduction in anxiety, feelings of improved well-being and self-confidence, and better coping skills. When used in addition to anesthesia in surgery, patients have an easier experience, improved healing, and quicker recovery.

Medicare and other insurance companies have begun covering hypnotherapy for pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. Various studies have shown that hypnosis is helpful with pain during childbirth and dental procedures, as well as with long-term pain, migraine headaches, depression and other issues. By stimulating the release of endorphins-naturally occurring pain relieving chemicals- the stress hormones that contribute to pain, insomnia, depression and other problems, are dissipated and replaced.

Hypnotherapy Beyond the Brain We know some things about the brain and how change takes place, but much remains a mystery. We know the results of certain ways of thinking, feeling and being in terms of brain changes. Researchers have even identified an EEG pattern that is associated with feelings of peace and oneness. It is still up to each of us to discover and learn that we can trust the compassion and strength and other resources that we have, and to discover the part of ourselves that is untouched by pain and illness. Hypnotherapy can be very useful in this discovery. Since it enables a person to bypass the usual thinking mind, the frequent judgments and habitual responses, it is a great support in helping us to get in touch with something that underlies all of that. At our core, we hold great resources for healing and for understanding, and for responding to whatever is happening with peace and equanimity. May we all discover that for ourselves.

Rochelle Jaffe, M.S. is the Director of the Ashland School of Hypnotherapy., which offers in-depth training and certification in hypnotherapy for professional and personal development. Ashland School of Hypnotherapy provides CEUs for counselors and therapists, and National Hypnotherapist Certification. PRIVATE SESSIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. For more information, call 541-488-3180 or visit www.ashlandschoolofhypnotherapy.com

Conceptually, hypnotizability has always been associated with the increase in suggestibility produced by hypnosis. In practice, hypnotizability is measured as suggestibility following a hypnotic induction. Our understanding of hypnosis and suggestion has been hampered by this discordance between the conceptual and operational definitions of hypnotizability. For example, despite hundreds of studies purporting to use standardized scales to assess hypnotizability, we know next to nothing about that construct, as it has been defined conceptually. Neither the hypothesis that it is a stable trait nor the hypothesis that it is modifiable have been tested in any study, and correlations between hypnotizability and other psychological or physiological variables have not yet been assessed. Conversely, we have learned much about hypnosis, suggestion, and suggestibility. Suggestibility has been measured on reliable and valid instruments, and we have abundant data on its stability, modifiability, and correlates. Hypnosis enhances suggestibility to a modest degree and increases the effectiveness of psychotherapy.

Department of Psychology, University of CT, Storrs 06269-1020, USA. Irvingk@uconnvm.uconn.edu

Am J Clin Hypn. 1997 Apr;39(4):271-7; discussion 277-81.

Conceptually, hypnotizability has always been defined as the increase in suggestibility produced by hypnosis. In practice, hypnotizability is measured as suggestibility following a hypnotic induction. The data indicate that these are different constructs. Although the induction of hypnosis increases suggestibility to a substantial degree, the correlation between hypnotic and nonhypnotic suggestibility approximates the reliability coefficients of so-called hypnotizability scales. This indicates that hypnotic susceptibility scales are better measures of waking suggestibility than they are of hypnotizability. The discordance between conceptual and operational definitions of hypnotizability can be resolved either by changing the conceptual definitions of hypnosis and hypnotizability or by reinterpreting hypnotizability scores as indexes of nonhypnotic, imaginative suggestibility.

Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-1020, USA. irvingk@uconnvm.uconn.edu

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 1997 Jul;45(3):212-25.

We compared participants' responsiveness to a standard administration of a hypnotic suggestibility scale (CURSS; Spanos, Radtke, Hodgins, Bertrand, Stam, & Moretti, 1983) that defined the ability to experience hypnosis in terms of cooperation (SI; standard induction, N = 27) with a version of the same scale administered with all references to cooperation removed (CR; cooperation removed, N = 34) and with a version of the scale with the "induction" removed (NI; no induction, N = 35). In a fourth condition, participants were informed that the ability to experience hypnosis depended on their ability to achieve an altered state of consciousness or "trance" (AS; altered state, N = 33). Removing instructions for cooperation had an effect on objective (CR < SI) but not on subjective hypnotic responding. Removing the hypnotic induction had no appreciable effect on any dimension of hypnotic responsivity. Consistent with predictions derived from performance standards theory (Lynn & Rhue, 1991), participants who received the altered state set responded to fewer suggestions than did participants who received the standard induction (SI). Estimates of suggestions passed that were assessed before and after test suggestions were administered were, respectively, weakly to moderately correlated with objective and subjective measures of hypnotic suggestibility.

Psychology Department, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2002 Jan-Apr;44(3-4):231-40.

The neuroscience of implicit processing heuristics in therapeutic hypnosis and psychotherapy.

Neuroscience and bioinformatics research on activity-dependent gene expression and brain plasticity in memory and learning are used to reconceptualize a fundamental question of therapeutic hypnosis, "What is a suggestion?" John Kihlstrom's cognitive-behavioral perspective of implicit (unconscious) and explicit (conscious) memory and Eric Kandel's Nobel Prize winning neurobiological research are integrated for a 30-year update of Milton H. Erickson's "neuro-psycho-physiology" of therapeutic hypnosis. Implicit processing heuristics are proposed as a more general framework for Erickson's concept of permissive indirect suggestions in therapeutic hypnosis and psychotherapy. These perspectives are illustrated by utilizing implicit processing heuristics to facilitate the four-stage creative process in converting implicit to explicit memory in a brain-damaged patient.

Ernest@ErnestRossi.com

Am J Clin Hypn. 2007 Apr;49(4):267-81.