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What the "Experts" are saying -- Dr Yap- on the Merits of Hypnos who are licensed HC professionals
I wish I could have made the last paragraph RED because I saw "Red" when I read it--
Michael Yapko: Your Focus Shapes Your Life
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-yapko/your-focus-shapes-your-...
This first blog of the new decade is all about developing the kind of focus that can not only help you feel better, but be better. I have much more than a casual interest in the topic of how your focus influences your life experience: For nearly three decades, I have focused on two primary domains of professional interest: Applying clinical hypnosis in short term psychotherapies, and treating depression in individuals, couples and families. I have written many times on depression already, but a blog on the merits of clinical hypnosis is long overdue.
The field of clinical hypnosis has undergone a quiet revolution from seemingly being little more than a party gimmick to an established and vital component of behavioral medicine programs in the finest academic and clinical institutions you can name, including Harvard, Yale and Stanford. There are sophisticated scientific journals dedicated solely to advancing clinical practice on the basis of research into hypnotic phenomena. There are national and international meetings devoted entirely to the subject of how hypnosis informs clinical practice and illuminates complex mind-body relationships. Someone unfamiliar with hypnosis might be surprised to discover that hypnosis has been subjected to a wide variety of empirical investigations, particularly clinical and neuroscientific ones, attempting to better understand how a clinician's words can become the basis for seemingly remarkable experiences in a focused client.
Hypnosis involves selective attention, a narrowing of focus and an increased absorption in suggested experiences. Contrary to popular mythology, people absorbed in the experience of hypnosis are fully aware of what's going on and are fully in charge of themselves. But, they are deeply focused on listening to and absorbing the therapeutic ideas the clinician introduces, taking them in and using them at more profound levels than they otherwise might. Hypnosis isn't magic; Hypnosis simply amplifies what goes on in any good therapy when a skilled clinician introduces new possibilities to a client seeking positive change.
Hypnosis is not generally regarded as a therapy in and of itself. Rather, it is considered a therapeutic tool for creating a more relaxed, focused and attentive context for absorbing the therapy. Thus, the salient question to ask is not, "How does hypnosis compare to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) (or some other specific form of therapy) in treatment success rates?" Rather, the appropriate question is, "If CBT is performed without hypnosis and CBT is performed with hypnosis, does the addition of hypnosis enhance the efficacy of the treatment?" The evidence is substantial that the answer is yes. (Clinicians reading this blog may be interested in a detailed review of the status of hypnosis as an empirically supported treatment for a variety of medical and psychological disorders which were published in the April and July, 2007, special issues of the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis.) No treatment is successful with all people, of course, but the ability of hypnosis to enhance treatment results in most individuals is impressive.
Hypnosis sessions are most effective when structured according to the unique profile of the client. This includes things like the client's goals for the session, attentional capabilities, cognitive style, and personal interests. Generally, hypnosis sessions are about 20-30 minutes in length, embedded within the larger therapy session. Hypnotic procedures typically involve directing the client to close his or her eyes, relax, focus intently on the clinician's words, and actively engage in the internal process of adapting the ideas and perspectives the clinician offers into a meaningful approach to resolving or changing the specific problems or symptoms under consideration. As a common example, a clinician might suggest to a client in hypnosis the idea that he or she be more deliberate about gathering objective information ("reality testing") before jumping to an erroneous and self-damaging conclusion, an unfortunate but typical cognitive pattern often associated with depression. Of course, this is the same sensible idea a clinician might suggest without the benefit of hypnosis, but the client's absorption of the message is considerably more rapid and intense when focused in hypnosis.
Most interestingly, responses occur at levels outside of the client's awareness that further intensify the hypnotic experience. Suggesting to a client in pain, for example, that he or she can, "detach from your body and allow a comfortable sense of numbness to gradually replace the discomfort" is not a rational suggestion to offer. But, to the person in hypnosis, it is one he or she can absorb and respond to with the development of an analgesia sufficient to even withstand surgical procedures done without the use of chemical anesthetics. That's remarkable! How this change in sensory awareness occurs is poorly understood at this time. There are neuroscientific studies going on all over the world employing sophisticated scanning technologies with hypnotized research subjects to try and understand how the mind in hypnosis can influence the brain in such extraordinary ways.
Anyone who practices clinical hypnosis does so with the firmly entrenched and therapeutically invaluable belief that people have many more abilities than they consciously realize. Hypnosis creates an amplified experience for people to explore, discover, and use more of their innate abilities. Hypnosis also makes it easier to learn new skills. Hypnosis isn't the therapy, and hypnosis itself cures nothing. Rather, hypnosis is the vehicle for empowering people with the abilities and realizations that ultimately serve to help them. It isn't the experience of hypnosis itself that's therapeutic, it's what happens during hypnosis in terms of developing new and helpful associations.
There are many ways to use hypnosis in treating depression including building positive expectations to counter hopelessness, reframing emotion-laden memories, enhancing perceptual flexibility, instilling better coping skills, and increasing self-efficacy. Hypnosis as a subject of serious study, both in clinical and neuroscientific domains, is already reaping great dividends, and as new applications emerge, hypnosis has great potential to help people in ways they may never have considered before. If you want to learn more about hypnosis, you can visit my website: www.yapko.com for materials and educational links.
One piece of advice: I'm obviously encouraging the use of hypnosis as an established means of helping people feel and be better. But, I am strongly advocating that you only seek hypnosis from a well trained clinician. You may ask how to determine if someone is qualified and my answer is that the person must be qualified to do therapy without hypnosis before they are qualified to do therapywith hypnosis. In other words, only someone with a formal academic degree who is state licensed to provide health care. The practice of hypnosis is not regulated, and so there are many people out there who do hypnosis with only titles (such as "certified hypnotherapist" ) despite having no degrees or licenses appropriate to conduct therapy. If you want a local referral, a good place to start is by visiting the website of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis at www.asch.net or by calling your local medical or psychological associations. There you'll find a referral list of professionals for you to interview as possible therapists to consult.
=^..^=
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
===============================
Michael Yapko: Your Focus Shapes Your Life
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-yapko/your-focus-shapes-your-...
This first blog of the new decade is all about developing the kind of focus that can not only help you feel better, but be better. I have much more than a casual interest in the topic of how your focus influences your life experience: For nearly three decades, I have focused on two primary domains of professional interest: Applying clinical hypnosis in short term psychotherapies, and treating depression in individuals, couples and families. I have written many times on depression already, but a blog on the merits of clinical hypnosis is long overdue.
The field of clinical hypnosis has undergone a quiet revolution from seemingly being little more than a party gimmick to an established and vital component of behavioral medicine programs in the finest academic and clinical institutions you can name, including Harvard, Yale and Stanford. There are sophisticated scientific journals dedicated solely to advancing clinical practice on the basis of research into hypnotic phenomena. There are national and international meetings devoted entirely to the subject of how hypnosis informs clinical practice and illuminates complex mind-body relationships. Someone unfamiliar with hypnosis might be surprised to discover that hypnosis has been subjected to a wide variety of empirical investigations, particularly clinical and neuroscientific ones, attempting to better understand how a clinician's words can become the basis for seemingly remarkable experiences in a focused client.
Hypnosis involves selective attention, a narrowing of focus and an increased absorption in suggested experiences. Contrary to popular mythology, people absorbed in the experience of hypnosis are fully aware of what's going on and are fully in charge of themselves. But, they are deeply focused on listening to and absorbing the therapeutic ideas the clinician introduces, taking them in and using them at more profound levels than they otherwise might. Hypnosis isn't magic; Hypnosis simply amplifies what goes on in any good therapy when a skilled clinician introduces new possibilities to a client seeking positive change.
Hypnosis is not generally regarded as a therapy in and of itself. Rather, it is considered a therapeutic tool for creating a more relaxed, focused and attentive context for absorbing the therapy. Thus, the salient question to ask is not, "How does hypnosis compare to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) (or some other specific form of therapy) in treatment success rates?" Rather, the appropriate question is, "If CBT is performed without hypnosis and CBT is performed with hypnosis, does the addition of hypnosis enhance the efficacy of the treatment?" The evidence is substantial that the answer is yes. (Clinicians reading this blog may be interested in a detailed review of the status of hypnosis as an empirically supported treatment for a variety of medical and psychological disorders which were published in the April and July, 2007, special issues of the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis.) No treatment is successful with all people, of course, but the ability of hypnosis to enhance treatment results in most individuals is impressive.
Hypnosis sessions are most effective when structured according to the unique profile of the client. This includes things like the client's goals for the session, attentional capabilities, cognitive style, and personal interests. Generally, hypnosis sessions are about 20-30 minutes in length, embedded within the larger therapy session. Hypnotic procedures typically involve directing the client to close his or her eyes, relax, focus intently on the clinician's words, and actively engage in the internal process of adapting the ideas and perspectives the clinician offers into a meaningful approach to resolving or changing the specific problems or symptoms under consideration. As a common example, a clinician might suggest to a client in hypnosis the idea that he or she be more deliberate about gathering objective information ("reality testing") before jumping to an erroneous and self-damaging conclusion, an unfortunate but typical cognitive pattern often associated with depression. Of course, this is the same sensible idea a clinician might suggest without the benefit of hypnosis, but the client's absorption of the message is considerably more rapid and intense when focused in hypnosis.
Most interestingly, responses occur at levels outside of the client's awareness that further intensify the hypnotic experience. Suggesting to a client in pain, for example, that he or she can, "detach from your body and allow a comfortable sense of numbness to gradually replace the discomfort" is not a rational suggestion to offer. But, to the person in hypnosis, it is one he or she can absorb and respond to with the development of an analgesia sufficient to even withstand surgical procedures done without the use of chemical anesthetics. That's remarkable! How this change in sensory awareness occurs is poorly understood at this time. There are neuroscientific studies going on all over the world employing sophisticated scanning technologies with hypnotized research subjects to try and understand how the mind in hypnosis can influence the brain in such extraordinary ways.
Anyone who practices clinical hypnosis does so with the firmly entrenched and therapeutically invaluable belief that people have many more abilities than they consciously realize. Hypnosis creates an amplified experience for people to explore, discover, and use more of their innate abilities. Hypnosis also makes it easier to learn new skills. Hypnosis isn't the therapy, and hypnosis itself cures nothing. Rather, hypnosis is the vehicle for empowering people with the abilities and realizations that ultimately serve to help them. It isn't the experience of hypnosis itself that's therapeutic, it's what happens during hypnosis in terms of developing new and helpful associations.
There are many ways to use hypnosis in treating depression including building positive expectations to counter hopelessness, reframing emotion-laden memories, enhancing perceptual flexibility, instilling better coping skills, and increasing self-efficacy. Hypnosis as a subject of serious study, both in clinical and neuroscientific domains, is already reaping great dividends, and as new applications emerge, hypnosis has great potential to help people in ways they may never have considered before. If you want to learn more about hypnosis, you can visit my website: www.yapko.com for materials and educational links.
One piece of advice: I'm obviously encouraging the use of hypnosis as an established means of helping people feel and be better. But, I am strongly advocating that you only seek hypnosis from a well trained clinician. You may ask how to determine if someone is qualified and my answer is that the person must be qualified to do therapy without hypnosis before they are qualified to do therapywith hypnosis. In other words, only someone with a formal academic degree who is state licensed to provide health care. The practice of hypnosis is not regulated, and so there are many people out there who do hypnosis with only titles (such as "certified hypnotherapist" ) despite having no degrees or licenses appropriate to conduct therapy. If you want a local referral, a good place to start is by visiting the website of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis at www.asch.net or by calling your local medical or psychological associations. There you'll find a referral list of professionals for you to interview as possible therapists to consult.
=^..^=
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
===============================
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by James Hazlerig on -
Isn't it fascinating that "Hypnosis is not generally regarded as a therapy in and of itself," yet Yapko states that anyone doing hypnosis should have "licenses appropriate to conduct therapy?"
Notice he doesn't give any actual reasons for this position. Perhaps that's because he doesn't want to admit that greed and territorialism are his motivators. Perhaps that's because he doesn't want to admit that there are far more cases of patients being molested by "legally qualified" priest hypnotists than there are cases of abuse by us.
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Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on -
(Passing Michael red high-lighter pen...) Egads. Heavens forbid a dog whisperer moves in on the dog catcher's territory!
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Permalink Reply by Ricky Strode on -
Sounds like someone has suceeded where he has failed and this is his outlet for it. Its funny how people tend to forget if it were not for our brains we wouldn't have anything besides plants and animals around us. These are the kind of people that get shot and don't realize it for a moment, because this guy is seriously out of touch with himself. He must be one of those people that support theories, like penis envy, lol. Perscription kickbacks must be pretty good.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Dennehy (Paul Dee) on -
Hi Michael,
While a lot of what you say makes sense in helping troubled minds to be free, Why advocate the cageing of free minds with ceremony and certificates?
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Permalink Reply by Roger Moore on -
Hey Michael
I think DELETE is most appropriate! Usually I don't get too shook up over this type of thing - but this one did push my buttons.
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Permalink Reply by Richard Nongard - NLPBoard.com on -
I always wonder what Yapko would do for money if he actually restricted his book sales to psychologists. I find it ironic that ASCH says only licensed mental health professionals should use hypnosis, and yet EVERY one of them makes their books available on amazon.
Actions speak louder than words, everyone knows Yapko, et. al. love the fact that NGH and IMDHA and SET instructors buy these books in bulk to provide to students, and Yapko, et. al. know that they are one of the main sources of hypnosis education for UNlicensed people.
Note to Michael Yapko: I will join your bandwagon to restrict the use of hypnosis to licensed mental health professionals, when you and other ASCH members restrict your book sales to those with a license in mental health disciplines.
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Permalink Reply by Brian David Phillips on -
Market share . . . pure and simple.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Ramsay on
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I haven't met most of you in person, but admire you from a distance. I read your blogs, watch your videos, and follow you here at HypnoThoughts from time to time. I've been practicing full-time for almost six years now, so please don't think my comments to follow are those of some troll.
I understand your frustration, and the points you've made in this thread are fair, but I also think Dr. Yapko's piece, for the most part, is a fair piece that brings up legitimate concerns. He's writing "a blog on the merits of clinical hypnosis." There is a significant segment of our professional community that has no business working on clinical issues.
As someone who spent the time, money, and effort to earn a Bachelor's and a Master's in education, I would scoff at the idea that someone could get a certificate to be a teacher and be put in charge of a caseload of students. Certainly, there would be those who were intelligent enough, wise enough, and passionate enough to be effective, but how many, really? They would have to be pretty special people.
I trust our certified peers to help people with a wide variety of personal growth and wellness areas, but clinical issues? I think it takes people of above average intelligence, wisdom, and passion. I know many of you have been practicing for a lot longer than myself, and I bet most of you who have commented on this thread are the kind of special people I'm talking about, but given that Dr. Yapko's blog is out there for millions to view, can you really blame him for making that last statement? Part of me stung when I read it, but part of me understood, at the same time.
-Paul Ramsay, BCH, CI
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Permalink Reply by Richard Clark MFT on
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Richard,
Not in an effort to inflame this topic... By your reasoning it would be expected that Dr.Frank Sellke should support the wide spread practice of Do It Yourself heart surgery. Anyone can purchase his book: Atlas of Cardiac Surgical Techniques: A Volume in the Surgical Techniques Atlas Series.
I'm sure with a little effort I can buy a Boeing 747 Cockpit manual.
Are you suggesting we set up some sort of Orwellian book police!
You can buy a book about ANY topic. It does not follow that the author supports you using the material without some additional training.
Richard
Richard Nongard - HypnosisGurus.com said:I always wonder what Yapko would do for money if he actually restricted his book sales to psychologists. I find it ironic that ASCH says only licensed mental health professionals should use hypnosis, and yet EVERY one of them makes their books available on amazon.
Actions speak louder than words, everyone knows Yapko, et. al. love the fact that NGH and IMDHA and SET instructors buy these books in bulk to provide to students, and Yapko, et. al. know that they are one of the main sources of hypnosis education for UNlicensed people.
Note to Michael Yapko: I will join your bandwagon to restrict the use of hypnosis to licensed mental health professionals, when you and other ASCH members restrict your book sales to those with a license in mental health disciplines.
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Hi Brian,
We've had this discussion before yet I think it bears repeating here.
I am pretty darn sure that Michael Yapko turns away more clients a month then all but the busiest hypnotist on this forum sees in a year.
In our current culture there is a massive amount of demand for mental health treatment. Hell about one out of every four people that ever end up in front of a judge get compelled to attend therapy these days.
There are, conservatively figured, 50 times as many licensed mental health professionals in any geographic area as there are hypnotists. They are far busier competing with the other 49 similar practitioners in their neighborhood then they are the one hypnotist.
Psychologist etc.. are not widely unemployed and think no more of hypnotists as competition then they do palm readers.
As misguided as anyone might argue the reasoning is behind what Yapko and others preach regarding seeing only mental health professionals for hypnosis... Fear of loss of income is not part of the equation.
Richard
Brian David Phillips said:Market share . . . pure and simple.
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Permalink Reply by Richard Nongard - NLPBoard.com on
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One cannot learn how to fly a plane from a book, nor can one learn heart surgery from a book. Although there are many who would hate to admit it, hypnosis CAN be learned from a book, and a large number of hypnotists and hypnotherapists who have learned it from only a book are practicing today - and that includes licensed psychologists, who have taken no hypnosis training, but learned from Yapkos book - just like the 14 year old kid.
It is not ME who suggest a book police, I think hypnosis is safe, natural and somthing within the client, rather than something magical "I" do.
I merely point out that Yapko espouses keeping hypnosis within the ranks of licensed professionals (of which you and I are) and yet does not restrict the sale of his books. After all, ASCH restricts the sale of Ziegs, Yapkos, and Ericksons DVD's.... Why not the book? Because he WANTS the sales from the NGH, IMDHA and 300 hour hypnosis schools....
You also make a claim he turns down more clients in a month than most hypnotists see in a year. Although I have no knowledge of his business practice, I would venture to say, that like other "professor" types, he sees VERY few clients, doing mosty writing, teaching and administrative work.
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Permalink Reply by Melissa J. Roth on
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Michael Yapko originally agreed to be a speaker at the upcoming HypnoSummit 2010. But, when he found out that "lay" hypnotists would be participating he backed out citing "professional ethics." So, let me ask you........ when is it ethical NOT to educate someone? Are we still in the age when education is only for the elite, the planters sons?
Personally, over the years I've seen some pretty crappy clinical psychologists. I've interned in mental hospitals where, frankly, the staff were sicker than the patients. But, I've met some really good and well qualified therapists as well. Much to the chagrin of ASCH, lay hypnotists will never be put out of business and licensed mental health professionals will never have the corner on the market they desire as long as best friends exist.
From a practitioner's standpoint, success with hypnosis is largely technique dependent. So is dentistry. I've had abcessed canals opened by a skillfull general dentist. And, I've had two endodontic professors botch root canals. I"m not saying that I think the general dentist is the best option for a root canal. I'm saying that when I need a root canal I want to see someone who opens abcessed canals all day long, every day instead of someone who only opens them every once-in-awhile....because their technique is better honed by practice and success is more likely. When hypnosis is indicated in my mental health care I want a hypnotist who does hypnosis all day every day. That generally is NOT a licensed mental health provider.
Personally, I think Yapko talks out of both sides of his mouth. He professes education only for a select few. Yet, he wants everyone to buy his books so he can afford to be elitist.
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