State and Non-State School?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on May 5, 2011 at 7:43pm

Lisa,

State and non-state schools are not referring to actual education facilities. Instead; they refer to "schools of thought" about whether or not trance and hypnosis are separate "mental states" of the human mind.

 

You will see in various discussions here, references to "trance states" or "hypnotic states". This is what this refers to.

 

I hope this was understandable in the way that I said it

John

Permalink Reply by Michael Ellner on May 5, 2011 at 8:41pm

Hi Lisa-

 

You are correct the first great debate about state- nonstate was between the Paris School (Charcot) and the  Nancy School (Bernheim). Charcot believed that there was a "hypnotic" state and Bernheim believed hypnosis was suggestion and hightened suggestibility.

 

FYI - My definition of hypnosis below passed the rigors of peer review and wes published in the IAIABC Journal (International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commisions in 2009

Snip: 

What is Hypnosis? 

For purposes of our discussion, hypnosis is an enhanced state of focused 

attention in which people demonstrate significantly greater control over 

both mental and physical functions. 

Unsnip

 

Consider me a resource-

 

Michael E. @ http:www.nycanxietyhypnosis.com

 

Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on May 5, 2011 at 10:00pm

Lisa,

You might want to check this discussion also.. a lot of good data there:

http://www.hypnothoughts.com/forum/topics/does-hypnosis-exist?id=71...

Permalink Reply by Lisa on May 6, 2011 at 12:50am

Hi John,

   I appreciate your help. I wasn't sure if state and non-state schools were schools of practice or approach in hypnosis (like gestalt, psychoanalysis, and cognitive behavioral are schools of therapy in psych) or if state/non-state school referred to a specific issue or theory in hypnosis. If I understand what you are saying state and non-state school actually refers to a specific controversy in hypnosis in general as a distinct mental state.

 

   Thank you again for your information-it allowed me to find more information about the state vs. non-state debate. Without the term "mental state" I probably wouldn't have been able to locate references to this. That helped allot. I was able to find reference to it on wikipedia (part 4 of the article on hypnosis) :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnosis#The_state_versus_non-state_de...

 

   I remember seeing a news article a couple days ago on a study done using an MRI that showed differences in brain activity patterns among 2 groups-one group of people who were deemed to be highly suggestible in hypnosis and a second group that was tested to be not suggestible in hypnosis. The study (which was small) was reported in the Journal of Consciousness and Cognition. I haven't read the study yet (pretty sure my uni. library has that journal)  but saw a mainstream news article on the BBC site:

 

BBC-"Hypnosis Has Real Brain Effect"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8359170.stm

 

  I don't know how much this study can shed light on at all in the state vs non-state issue since it might not really be applicable as it was done. I suppose that would be dependent on whether other known mental states had characteristic brain patterns that showed on imaging scans and this study would have to be redone but without the inclusion of tasks in it which might skew the results for the purpose of possibly resolving whether hypnosis and trance is truly a mental state or not.

 

gentle day,

Lisa

 

 

  
John Cleesattel said:

Lisa,

State and non-state schools are not referring to actual education facilities. Instead; they refer to "schools of thought" about whether or not trance and hypnosis are separate "mental states" of the human mind.

 

You will see in various discussions here, references to "trance states" or "hypnotic states". This is what this refers to.

 

I hope this was understandable in the way that I said it

John

Permalink Reply by Lisa on May 6, 2011 at 4:05am

Good morning John,

        Thank you for the link. Very good and useful discussion. I love the opportunity to read what practitioners of all experience levels and methodologies think. Appreciate you taking the time to post the link.

gentle day,

Lisa

 
John Cleesattel said:

Lisa,

You might want to check this discussion also.. a lot of good data there:

http://www.hypnothoughts.com/forum/topics/does-hypnosis-exist?id=71...

Permalink Reply by Lisa on May 6, 2011 at 4:44am

Hi Michael E.,

       Thank you for the information and your kind offer to be an information resource.

       I am currently reading Saul Rosenfeld's "A Critical History of Hypnotism" and very much enjoyed the parts that discussed the Salpetriere and Nancy schools. It really left me wanting to learn more about the different schools of thought and approach in hypnosis. I was quite horrified to learn of Charcot's, and Braid's methods and treatment of those in their  care. Drummond lights, gongs, large tuning forks, striking, and abrupt hand clapping must have been somewhat traumatizing. Of course in a period of time where bloodletting was still commonly practiced perhaps I shouldn't have been so surprised.

    I am quite looking forward to the parts on Milton Erickson. I have several of his books at this time though I have not yet read them. I'm waiting til after I finish Michael Yapko's "Trancework" and Rosenfeld's history.

  I like the definition of hypnosis you quoted. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. 

  gentle day,

     Lisa