The many uses of clinical hynosis
CARIN FRIEDMAN MSW
Contributing Columnist
health@lbknews.com
Imagine a simple, harmless, non-evasive treatment that can resolve a multitude of emotional and physical symptoms. Hypnosis, or hypnotherapy, is a mind-body technique that has the potential to bring about enduring healing quickly — often in as little as one to three sessions.
In this time of obvious stress and considerable life challenges, hypnotherapy can potentially bring about life altering positive change and address a wide range of psychological needs.
Humanity appears to be in the midst of significant change — economically, politically, technologically, environmentally, psychologically and spiritually. The field of mental health needs to be an integral part of addressing these challenges and transformations. Health care providers are encountering many individuals and families who are in tremendous need psychologically as they face a variety of major life stressors and attempt to cope with multiple issues. At the same time, practitioners and patients need to open their minds to alternative modes of therapy to address these issues more effectively and efficiently.
Hypnosis, which is basically achieving a relaxed state of focused concentration, has been used in one form or another for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used the induction of trance states in their religious and healing practices. Its modern use dates back to a Viennese doctor, Franz Anton Mesmer, who used hypnosis to treat a variety of emotional and physical problems in the 1700s. A century later, the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, wrote about and practiced hypnosis extensively. He used free association, relaxation techniques and formal hypnosis in an attempt to facilitate individuals reaching deeper levels of consciousness as part of their emotional healing, their catharsis.
To date, hypnotherapy has been used to treat an extensive range of issues such as curing headaches, smoking cessation, eliminating nausea, decreasing anxiety — even improving one’s golf game. There are numerous hypnotherapeutic techniques, all aimed at positive change, inner growth, and reduction or elimination of distressing symptoms through the re-programming of the deeper levels of consciousness. Research in this area has increased dramatically in recent years and is yielding intriguing and promising results.
One form of clinical hypnotherapy I find particularly useful is called “regression therapy.” Regression therapy involves guiding an individual back in time for the purpose of emotional and/or physical healing. It is a remarkably effective form of treatment that aims to uncover the root cause or causes of symptoms causing distress and permanently resolve that set of symptoms. I have successfully used regression therapy for several years as a psychotherapeutic tool to address a large range of emotional and physical disorders and symptoms.
Regression therapy can be used to treat chronic pain, emotional trauma, unresolved grief, phobias, anxiety, panic, depression, low self-esteem and relationship issues. It is an excellent tool for those seeking deeper self-understanding or spiritual growth. In regression therapy, the therapist uses an induction such as progressive relaxation to help the patient achieve a relaxed state of focused concentration. Then, he or she guides the patient back in time to retrieve memories that may still be negatively influencing the patient’s present life experience — oftentimes the source of the patient’s present symptoms. Whereas traditional talk therapies often require long periods of time to yield positive change, regression therapy commonly leads to significant, positive results in as little as one to a few sessions. This may be because it adds an experiential component to the psychotherapeutic process that many believe is necessary for more palpable and efficacious psychological growth.
Some psychotherapists believe that all individuals have the innate capacity for achieving deeply relaxed states as well as emotional and physical wellbeing. Moreover, even those who appear to have limited ability or difficulty relaxing can still achieve adequate relaxation levels for healing to occur — with proper technique and practice. In addition, therapists can teach patients how to self-hypnotize, meditate and practice relaxation techniques at home for maintenance of inner peace and wellbeing.
In any capacity, hypnosis and regression therapy are powerful mind-body techniques that can lead to significant and enduring physical and emotional healing. Whether one’s goal is to eliminate a troubling symptom, to heal from a loss or trauma, to increase coping skills in a time of stress or to grow spiritually and emotionally, hypnotherapy is an excellent treatment choice.
Carin Friedman MSW, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice in Sarasota. She specializes in hypnotherapy, regression therapy and past-life regression therapy with adults and with children. She is in the Doctoral Program at Argosy University and is conducting her doctoral research on regression therapy and anxiety.
