Clinical Hypnosis

Clinical Hypnosis

Clinical Hypnosis is the use of hypnotic techniques by licensed healthcare professionals with specialized training in hypnosis. It is practiced within the legal and ethical guidelines of the healthcare profession and the standards set forth by respected professional hypnosis organizations (for example, The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, The Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, The Milton H. Erickson Foundation, and The International Society of Hypnosis). As such, licensed healthcare professionals employing hypnosis use it within the bounds of their training to promote health and optimal functioning with respect to conditions or issues that they are already competent to treat without hypnosis.

What is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a naturally occurring altered state of consciousness that everyone drifts in and out of periodically. It is often characterized by feelings of relaxation and comfort along with focusing and directing one's attention internally. It is very similar to states of daydreaming or the period of relaxation just prior to falling asleep. Whereas you remain in control and aware, the conscious mind “steps to the side” and allows the creative and less conscious parts of the mind to come forward. These imaginative and less analytically controlled processes of the mind can facilitate our capacities to access the wisdom of the unconscious mind and strategies of problem-solving that are typically unavailable to the conscious mind.

The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (www.asch.net) describes hypnosis as a state of inner absorption, concentration, and focused attention. It is like using a magnifying glass to focus the rays of the sun and make them more powerful. Similarly, when our minds are concentrated and focused, we are able to use our minds more powerfully. Because hypnosis allows people to use more of their potential, learning self-hypnosis is the ultimate act of self-control.

All hypnosis is really “self-hypnosis.” The professional using hypnosis is merely a guide that facilitates one entering a comfortable state of trance. Once familiar with the state of hypnosis and ways to generate it, you will be able to elicit it on your own and make use of self-hypnosis techniques taught to you. Hypnosis is not something “done to you,” but rather a collaborative process that one chooses to participate in with his or her therapist. My approach to trance work involves being very attuned to my client’s readiness for varying depths of trance and trance experiences and to be guided by their preferences.

Many people wonder if they can be hypnotized and may have had exposure to hypnosis in a group or informal situation that didn’t result in a notable experience for them. We each have varying degrees of hypnotic talents with the majority of us having sufficient capacities to benefit from its use. When hypnotic strategies tailored to the individual are utilized in the context of an established therapeutic relationship, the vast majority of people will enter a light to moderate state of trance. Moreover, as people become familiar with hypnosis they will typically move to deeper states of trance to the extent they feel it is appropriate for them.

Hypnosis is not a form of therapy but rather an altered state of consciousness in which therapeutic interventions are applied by healthcare professionals. Since the trance state is typically characterized by quieting of the conscious mind and the typical worrisome chatter that often fills it, the constructive, healing, and new positive experiences that develop during hypnotic interventions are more readily learned and accessible. In this respect, hypnosis is typically associated with a more rapid response to therapeutic interventions and production of therapeutic experiences that are not common to forms of “talk” therapy alone.

Correcting Common Myths and Misconceptions about Hypnosis:

Hypnosis is not something done to or induced in a client. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis and the therapist functions as a guide or coach assisting a willing and motivated client to facilitate a pleasant state of trance.

Hypnosis is not sleep. Although the term “hypnosis” was derived from the name of the Greek god of sleep, the electrical activity (EEG) of the brain is unlike that of sleep and is much more characteristic of the alert brain. Whereas you are generally unaware of what transpires while you are asleep, you are fully aware of anything of importance to you during hypnosis and you will remember things that are of interest to you.

The “hypnotist” cannot make anyone do something that violates his or her values or that they would not normally do on their own in an alert state.

There is no evidence that hypnosis is dangerous or destructive to the will.

Hypnosis is not “Truth Serum.” Memory is imperfect and hypnosis does not cause people to reveal personal information that they would prefer to keep confidential. Although the use of hypnosis and memory retrieval strategies may result in the recall of new information, there is no guarantee that the information recalled is accurate. For this reason, many courts of law will not admit “hypnotically refreshed” memories as evidence and that the use of hypnosis may be associated with the loss of certain legal rights related to those “hypnotically refreshed” memories.

Hypnosis is not fakery or sham behavior. Whereas the use of hypnosis for entertainment purposes (often referred to as “Stage Hypnosis”) may involve misrepresentations of hypnotic responses, clinical hypnosis has been associated with demonstrated capacities that could not be reasonably feigned. For example, with particularly talented individuals, hypnosis has been used as the sole source of anesthesia for major abdominal surgeries and historically for many forms of surgery and amputations prior to the discovery of chemical anesthesia. It is also used regularly to help patients control persistent pain and for child birth.

Hypnosis is not a “cure-all.” Whereas there are times when individuals make large treatment gains following a single hypnotic intervention, most of these events occur in the context of ongoing therapy and gains are more likely a gradual response to a series of sessions. I regard hypnosis as a valuable tool in my work but not a “magic wand” that will abruptly change complex, chronic, and multiply-determined issues or habits. Rather, I use hypnosis as a means of optimally addressing the range of factors contributing to the behaviors or issues one desires to change and to promote my client’s sense of control and empowerment.



Home About Dr. Damis Teaching & Research Clinical Hypnosis Colleagues Contact Me & Forms


Clinical Hypnosis Clinical Hypnosis is the use of hypnotic techniques by licensed healthcare professionals with specialized training in hypnosis. It is practiced within the legal and ethical guidelines of the healthcare profession and the standards set forth by respected professional hypnosis organizations (for example, The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, The Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, The Milton H. Erickson Foundation, and The International Society of Hypnosis). As such, licensed healthcare professionals employing hypnosis use it within the bounds of their training to promote health and optimal functioning with respect to conditions or issues that they are already competent to treat without hypnosis. What is Hypnosis? Hypnosis is a naturally occurring altered state of consciousness that everyone drifts in and out of periodically. It is often characterized by feelings of relaxation and comfort along with focusing and directing one's attention internally. It is very similar to states of daydreaming or the period of relaxation just prior to falling asleep. Whereas you remain in control and aware, the conscious mind “steps to the side” and allows the creative and less conscious parts of the mind to come forward. These imaginative and less analytically controlled processes of the mind can facilitate our capacities to access the wisdom of the unconscious mind and strategies of problem-solving that are typically unavailable to the conscious mind. The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (www.asch.net) describes hypnosis as a state of inner absorption, concentration, and focused attention. It is like using a magnifying glass to focus the rays of the sun and make them more powerful. Similarly, when our minds are concentrated and focused, we are able to use our minds more powerfully. Because hypnosis allows people to use more of their potential, learning self-hypnosis is the ultimate act of self-control. All hypnosis is really “self-hypnosis.” The professional using hypnosis is merely a guide that facilitates one entering a comfortable state of trance. Once familiar with the state of hypnosis and ways to generate it, you will be able to elicit it on your own and make use of self-hypnosis techniques taught to you. Hypnosis is not something “done to you,” but rather a collaborative process that one chooses to participate in with his or her therapist. My approach to trance work involves being very attuned to my client’s readiness for varying depths of trance and trance experiences and to be guided by their preferences. Many people wonder if they can be hypnotized and may have had exposure to hypnosis in a group or informal situation that didn’t result in a notable experience for them. We each have varying degrees of hypnotic talents with the majority of us having sufficient capacities to benefit from its use. When hypnotic strategies tailored to the individual are utilized in the context of an established therapeutic relationship, the vast majority of people will enter a light to moderate state of trance. Moreover, as people become familiar with hypnosis they will typically move to deeper states of trance to the extent they feel it is appropriate for them. Hypnosis is not a form of therapy but rather an altered state of consciousness in which therapeutic interventions are applied by healthcare professionals. Since the trance state is typically characterized by quieting of the conscious mind and the typical worrisome chatter that often fills it, the constructive, healing, and new positive experiences that develop during hypnotic interventions are more readily learned and accessible. In this respect, hypnosis is typically associated with a more rapid response to therapeutic interventions and production of therapeutic experiences that are not common to forms of “talk” therapy alone. Correcting Common Myths and Misconceptions about Hypnosis: Hypnosis is not something done to or induced in a client. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis and the therapist functions as a guide or coach assisting a willing and motivated client to facilitate a pleasant state of trance. Hypnosis is not sleep. Although the term “hypnosis” was derived from the name of the Greek god of sleep, the electrical activity (EEG) of the brain is unlike that of sleep and is much more characteristic of the alert brain. Whereas you are generally unaware of what transpires while you are asleep, you are fully aware of anything of importance to you during hypnosis and you will remember things that are of interest to you. The “hypnotist” cannot make anyone do something that violates his or her values or that they would not normally do on their own in an alert state. There is no evidence that hypnosis is dangerous or destructive to the will. Hypnosis is not “Truth Serum.” Memory is imperfect and hypnosis does not cause people to reveal personal information that they would prefer to keep confidential. Although the use of hypnosis and memory retrieval strategies may result in the recall of new information, there is no guarantee that the information recalled is accurate. For this reason, many courts of law will not admit “hypnotically refreshed” memories as evidence and that the use of hypnosis may be associated with the loss of certain legal rights related to those “hypnotically refreshed” memories. Hypnosis is not fakery or sham behavior. Whereas the use of hypnosis for entertainment purposes (often referred to as “Stage Hypnosis”) may involve misrepresentations of hypnotic responses, clinical hypnosis has been associated with demonstrated capacities that could not be reasonably feigned. For example, with particularly talented individuals, hypnosis has been used as the sole source of anesthesia for major abdominal surgeries and historically for many forms of surgery and amputations prior to the discovery of chemical anesthesia. It is also used regularly to help patients control persistent pain and for child birth. Hypnosis is not a “cure-all.” Whereas there are times when individuals make large treatment gains following a single hypnotic intervention, most of these events occur in the context of ongoing therapy and gains are more likely a gradual response to a series of sessions. I regard hypnosis as a valuable tool in my work but not a “magic wand” that will abruptly change complex, chronic, and multiply-determined issues or habits. Rather, I use hypnosis as a means of optimally addressing the range of factors contributing to the behaviors or issues one desires to change and to promote my client’s sense of control and empowerment.

HOME \| ABOUT DR. DAMIS \| TEACHING & RESEARCH \| CLINICAL HYPNOSIS \| COLLEAGUES \| PRIVACY NOTICE \| SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY \| CONTACT ME & FORMS Website Created By SBRwebco.com © Interativehealthpsychology.com