Hypnotherapy
BRAINSTORMING HYPNOTISM
By Gerald Kein, BA, FNGH
Reprinted with permission, from The Journal of Hypnotism, December 2003, Vol.18 No. 4, © National Guild of Hypnotist, Inc. http://www.ngh.net
Hypnotherapy vs. Psychotherapy
On several occasions when I appeared before legislative committees to testify against bills created to restrict the free and open practice of hypnotism, psychiatrists and psychologist testifying in favor of the bills have stated, “Self-styled hypnotherapists” are simply “lay hypnotist” who are practicing psychotherapy by adding a “trance” and calling it by a different name.
The following ideas are the beginning of a process which will lead to the full identification and recognition of the differences between psychotherapy and hypnotherapy. I urge all practitioners to articulate to everyone these conceptual pragmatic and systemic differences.
HYPNOTHERAPIST: one who was trained in the principles and methods used to develop trance and to use the phenomenon of trance as an intrinsic part of therapy and that is the primary methodology in affecting growth and change.
Phenomena of trance:
- The development and expression for deductive processing of thought and imagery.
- The ability to stimulate memory recall and simultaneously revive attached feeling content.
- An enhanced capacity to quickly develop an emotionalized relationship (rapport) with the helping person.
- A tremendously heightened capacity to internalize the new and different ideas (programming) presented by the helper, utilizing a variety of methods such as implication, supposition, and the use of multiple level communication (pun, jokes, stories, analogies and imagery, as well as the direct suggestion and regression).
- Heightened potential for stimulation and manipulation of subconscious memories, scripts, belief systems, and the emotionalized attitudes which form parts of the client’s counterproductive behavior.
- Accessibility to levels of irrational, deductive processing, which generate inhibition and feelings of helplessness expressed in specific forms of behavior.
Major Differences Between Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy Psychotherapy
Training in psychotherapy begins with and is strongly influenced by Freudian psychoanalytic theories.
Hypnotherapy:
Hypnotherapy training begins with the teaching of trance development, following by the utilization of the “Phenomena of trance” and a wide variety of uncovering methods for rapid movement toward actualizing goals.
Psychotherapy:
Traditional psychotherapy holds the view that virtually everyone has some form of neurosis which emerges as part of a developmental struggle to socialize a primitive, aggressive and often destructive pool of energy referred to psychotherapy as the “id.” In other words, as one psychotherapist once stated to me, “If you are not in therapy, you are in denial.”
Hypnotherapy:
Hypnotherapy is a naturalistic approach for the uses the clients present, it reshapes and straightens to further accomplish meaningful goals.
Psychotherapy:
Psychotherapy strongly implies that therapeutic change is usually difficult and time consuming and therefore requires extended therapy (two or more years of regular therapy sessions is not unusual).
Hypnotherapy:
Hypnotherapy is usually presented as a dramatically rapid intervention system which strengthens and reshapes the client’s feelings of competence and capability (one or two sessions is not uncommon).
As we can see, there are substantial differences between hypnotherapy and psychotherapy. We are not licensed psychologists or psychiatrist. Those individuals, as a bias of their profession, are trained to work with the manipulation of the conscious mind. We know that the conscious mind is extremely limited in how it can affect change of internalized subconscious programming.
For the over 200 years of recorded professional hypnotic practice by thousand of individuals, we understand that the conscious mind basically can do but four things. They are, analytical function, willpower, temporary memory and rational function. The attempt to correct behavior using these constructs is, at best, extremely long term and generally impossible. These are the areas that the licensed professional is trained in and attempts to effect change with.
The well trained hypnotist knows his/her goals is to bypass this conscious mental part and work with the organic computer we call the subconscious mind. For all practical purposes, the hypnotists/hypnotherapist functions as an organic subconscious computer reprogrammer. By understanding this concept it is easy then to understand the real difference between hypnotherapy and psychotherapy.
For many years, The National Guild of Hypnotists has been stating consistently that hypnosis is its own separate profession. It is its own separate art, science and modality of doing the work that does not conflict in methodology with that of a licensed professional. I agree with this position and have done so for many years.
I believe it’s all of our jobs to educate not only the licensed professionals, but also the general public in the significant differences between our professions. It will take constant efforts on our part to make this a reality. I believe that the next few years will be a very challenging time for our profession. For us to be able to understand and articulate the differences between hypnosis and psychotherapy in a professional manner will be extremely helpful in these future challenges. The free and open practice of hypnosis is not just a dream, it will become our reality.
Personal Comment:
Once the unconscious mind decides to hold information and behavioral patterns, it takes more than making a suggestion one time to create change. Typically, you will need three to five sessions.
